[Alex123456]

I picked up this Instagram famous truck in Salt Lake early in the fall.

There is a lot to like about it, but it definitely needs some TLC. I'm slowly making progress.

3rz, auto, 23 spline duals with 4.7's, Dana 60 front and rear, 4.88s. 4 link front and rear. Bald 40" MTRs, maybe the ugliest wheels on earth.

the frame was cut at the fire wall and right in front of the rear axle. Dove nose and dove rear.

 

[Alex123456]

It didn't run when I bought it.

Got it home and messed with it. The wiring harness is a mess. Come to find out the distributor was in a tooth off. Easy fix and it runs pretty good.

 

[Alex123456]

The short list of things I've been addressing the last few months:

I'm redoing all of the rear bed area. The bed isn't going to work for me. The winch was under the bed. I wanted to move it to the front. The means the radiator needs to go to the rear and a smaller fuel cell needs mounted.

wiring - it's bad, needs a new engine harness and everything under the dash needs thrown away

no rear brake lines

both driveshafts need rebuilt, ujoints are shot, tubes are dented and at least two of the yokes are broken

exhaust

front clip and doors that open and close. The Taco clip didn't fit that well.

tires & wheels

ditch the factory dash and redo the interior

 

[Gslander]

Sweet! Following this!

 

[94toytruck]

Unless your shooting for it to work like OEM with the gauges and such most of the 3rz harness really isn't needed. I cut mine down by 2/3rd probably pulling the crap I didn't need for my buggy. I have a CEL only cause I used a auto PCM and harness and removed the trans harness entirely without adding resistors in place of the shift solenoids.

Funny that thing was IG famous, sounds like it was kind of cobbled and beat down though. Good luck with the rebuild.

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

I'm pretty sure there was a guy on here, in the last few months looking for those exact same wheels. He wanted some pretty bad but they are not made anymore. Maybe you can cash in on the misfortune of having the ugliest truck wheels ever made. :lmao:

 

[mightymouse84]

contemplated picking this truck up. glad to see someone fixing and wheeling it. pm me if you need some parts for the wiring harness etc. i have quite a few tacomas in the yard to choose from.

 

[Alex123456]

Unless your shooting for it to work like OEM with the gauges and such most of the 3rz harness really isn't needed. I cut mine down by 2/3rd probably pulling the crap I didn't need for my buggy. I have a CEL only cause I used a auto PCM and harness and removed the trans harness entirely without adding resistors in place of the shift solenoids.

Funny that thing was IG famous, sounds like it was kind of cobbled and beat down though. Good luck with the rebuild.

Thanks, that's good to hear because that's kinda what I've been thinking. I'm going to wire it like a buggy. There won't be any of the factory dash or light circuits left.

Supposedly the trans harness is gone too, it has a winters/radesigns shifter and is full manual shift

It's been wheeled hard for sure, but there are a lot of good parts. The seller was upfront about the condition and I paid what it was worth.

 

[Alex123456]

I'm pretty sure there was a guy on here, in the last few months looking for those exact same wheels. He wanted some pretty bad but they are not made anymore. Maybe you can cash in on the misfortune of having the ugliest truck wheels ever made. :lmao:

If only I could find him I'd give them to him.

 

[Alex123456]

I'm starting with the bed. I like the super bobbed and doved bed look but it's just not functional.

One of the things that I think is a must is the winch in the front, it was mounted under the bed, and to fit a winch in the front I have to move the rad to the back.

Additionally, the existing fuel cell was huge and took up to much room.

 

[Alex123456]

Cut off 400lbs of crap.

 

[Alex123456]

Start and end of demo

 

[Alex123456]

Cutting off the bed revealed some things that needed attention. For one, the way the frame is cut for the shocks and the shock hoop being one of the main structural pieces of the rear of the truck.

Pulled the front clip and doors too.

 

[Boomtacoma01]

Any thoughts on stretching the WB a little?

 

[Alex123456]

Any thoughts on stretching the WB a little?

Before I had seen it in person I thought the WB looked really short, but it's exactly the same as my longbed truck with the axle moved as far forward as I could move it.

I don't remember the exact measurement but it's deceivingly long. I think it's because there is no front or rear overhang.

 

[Boomtacoma01]

That could be it. Im at 120 and I think anything less than that is short ha ha.

Did you sell that head and turbo with your old truck?

 

[Alex123456]

That could be it. Im at 120 and I think anything less than that is short ha ha.

Did you sell that head and turbo with your old truck?

I want to say it's around 115"

Yeah, well more like gave it away with the truck. I took a beating on that whole deal. He paid 5k for the truck and got 3k in turbo/head with it.

 

[94toytruck]

Thanks, that's good to hear because that's kinda what I've been thinking. I'm going to wire it like a buggy. There won't be any of the factory dash or light circuits left.

Supposedly the trans harness is gone too, it has a winters/radesigns shifter and is full manual shift

It's been wheeled hard for sure, but there are a lot of good parts. The seller was upfront about the condition and I paid what it was worth.

It's pretty easy to break down, run into any issues hit me up. I can see some of the vacuum lines are messed up too, probably worth giving it a good look over once your ready. A lot of that can be ditched too.

Good luck getting it sorted, I see your definitely not wasting any time digging in:smokin:

 

[Alex123456]

It's pretty easy to break down, run into any issues hit me up. I can see some of the vacuum lines are messed up too, probably worth giving it a good look over once your ready. A lot of that can be ditched too.

Good luck getting it sorted, I see your definitely not wasting any time digging in:smokin:

Thanks, I'm definitely going to need some guidance on the wiring

 

[Alex123456]

Fast forwarding a bit.

A little more demo, cut off the remaining factory frame behind the shocks and replaced it with tube. Added a receiver for a rear tow point. The ends of the frame have been plated and bracing added to the receiver and additional tube, I can't find the picture.

Just enough bed space behind the axle for the cooler.

Mocked up the radiator and the fuel cell mount.