1985 4Riggity - The Skin Flute

[Stevesie]

New guy in the neighborhood. This is the evolution and story of my Toyota. Just going to dive right in.

Traded a clapped out Tacoma plus 1000$ for a semi built 1985 Extra Cab.



This was shortly after I got it. Had a lift that was setup all wrong, stock gears, blocks in the rear. Body was fairly mint. I then put 5.29’s and Detroits in it, dual cases, fixed the suspension, and over the years beat the brakes off it then painted it. It evolved over the years. Here’s a few pictures.

 

[Stevesie]

One thing led to another and happy little accidents happen and we had a due date for our first child. So more seats were needed. I then purchased an 85 4runner that didn’t run, had a rusty frame, and was overall a mess. Plan was to cab swap the 4runner body onto my chassis. That was quite the undertaking after realizing the humps in the back of the frame were in different spots and the frame needed to be shortened in the middle.

The 4Runner when I got it^^^
And the process. We’re were committed lol




More story to come…

 

[Stevesie]

It was one hell of an undertaking. Basically got it running and driving again and lost steam finishing up all the loose ends. It has a few bugs to work out and needed more money than I had to be completed. Decided living in my in-laws basement and building a rig wasn’t exactly a good life choice. Sold it to a local guy with big eyes for it and used the money to buy something a little newer. Told him if he ever sold it that I needed to be the first to know. The replacement was a 3rd gen 4runner I proceeded to pour money into anyways.

Enjoyed that for a few years, got some important adult life things accomplished and had a couple more kids. 3years after selling the first gen I started in on bugging the guy to sell it back to me. Every 6 months I’d ask and he would warm up to it a little more every time. He was buying parts left and right for it but not getting anywhere with it. He named his price which was only slightly more than I had sold it to him for. It came with a slew of parts and basically a whole extra trucks worth of parts. This is the day I brought it home about a year ago.

 

[Stevesie]

He basically didn’t do much to it. Replaced the heater core and put a newer style dash in it. Took it out a few times, fried the starter, blew out the steering box, and helped it develop a knock in the motor. He had big aspirations for it but once he bought a SXS he didn’t mess with it. I doubt if he even put 1000 miles on it. Before I sold it to him I put a rebuilt 22RE into it. Not sure if I didn’t break it in correctly or if he put the tach into the ketchup one to many times but I got it back with a knock. It’s only in the higher rpm and between shifting. Under a load it’s non existent. I’ve been just giving it hell until something lets loose. Here it is in its current state…

I rebuilt a front axle for it with all the ballistic fab goodies he had for it and freshened up the leaf springs. Got hydraulic assist installed and working good. Bought 37’s and bead locks, and built a winch mount for it. Shaved the front fenders and some of the excess sheet metal up front.

Next undertaking is addressing the rear fender rust. I’ve been letting the tires self clearance for the most part. There’s a layer of bondo, duct tape, and spray foam back there that is holding it all together. It’s quite comical when a chunk falls off and a piece that’s the size of your hand weighs 5lbs lol

Anyway, it’s getting worked on more than used lately which is a good thing for me. I used to just ride it hard and put it away wet. I guess this is growing up…Here’s the latest video of me actually using it.

https://youtu.be/DzYnJFZezME?si=_wtsvM3kkNnYcr_f

 

[Stevesie]

Been pecking away at some minor things as of lately and been trying to use the truck for its intended purpose more. Still giving the knocking motor hell in the hopes it lets loose so I have an excuse to put my 1UZ into it.




Most of my time as of lately has been spent working on my 2RZ swap into my ‘71 Hilux. I also have a ‘65 Toyota Tiara that I am building as well. The Tiara received the motor from the Hilux. So playing musical motors so to speak.

 

[Stevesie]

With that said, we are leaving from South Dakota for King of the Hammers in 215 Days. This will be the 3rd time we’ve been but I’ve never brought a wheeler capable enough to actually wheel down there. Would love to meet up with some of you guys and an actually do some wheeling down there for a change. I remember last year there was a picture posted of a handful of 80’s Toyotas that went out. I want in on that.

Anyways, I have a list of things that needs to get done before it goes on a trailer to head down there.
Essentials:
Front driveshaft- Cardan needs rebuilt, build spare…
Sliders- Have some modified C4’s, need mounted
Fuel tank skid- haven’t had one since doing frame swap
Figure out motor- tear into and figure out knock. Too late to 1uz swap before then.
Rear bumper- needed since I have no way to recover back there.
Fender patching- need to get this done before winter anyways.
Tie down subs & gear- That way I can party.
Fire extinguisher mount- insert Beavis “FIIRE!”
Clip in light mount- need to be able to see what I’m working on when I yard sale my shit on Chocolate at 1am trying to hang with the big dogs.

Extras: Probably add more to this list.
Party lights
Rock lights
Light bars

 

[Stevesie]

Also, this is the photo I was referring to. I need this in my life. I look forward to meeting some of you down there and doing some wheeling. Don’t know my way around very well down there so not even sure what trails I’m capable of even doing.

 

[Stevesie]

Been pecking away at a few things. Would like to be confident taking it out on the rocks here soon so mostly focusing on armor. When I did the frame chop I had to cobble the fuel tank from the 4runner onto the extra cab frame. So it never did get a fuel tank skid put back onto it. I could build one myself that’s stout but have also been weighing the option of putting a slim aluminum cell I between the rear seat and my sub box. I just hate how low slung the fuel tanks are on first gen 4Runners.

Anyone ever used something like this and had decent luck? I know mounting will critical as to not crack it. And I planned on using a Celica inline pump.


Anyways. I did get some sliders finally and they turned out pretty damn stout. I’ve been long time friends with the owner of C4 Fabrication so he hooked me up with all the stuff to weld out some 5th gen 4runner sliders myself. I modified them some by shortening them and then built my own mounts.

 

[Stevesie]

I have yet to install them because I decided last minute to undo some of the fuckery fab work I did as a youngin. And I wanted to POR15 some of the areas I won’t have access to once they are hard mounted. The salt they put on the roads up here in the winter is absolutely ridiculous. I just try not to drive it unless I know the snow is hard packed on the road.


Originally my sliders were square tube on my extra cab. Booger welded to the frame.


Fuckery fab work deleted. Hoping to have the sliders mounted this week. But also spending more time getting my hilux 2RZ swapped than working on this. Here’s a shot of the oil pan I have to custom build for the 2RZ. I’ve spent a stupid amount of time on it. Used my old pan as kinda of a reference jig and but it all up, sectioned in a transmission pan to it and decided closing that in would look janky as hell. Keep in mind to get the measurements for this oil pan I had to pull the motor in and out several times to make sure my measurements for a custom pan are dead nuts. And even when that’s done I get to do it a couple more times


Getting real creative with corner cuts since my plasma is absolute junk.



And the almost finished product.


Will be welding this together with spool gun. Hopefully it holds the dinosaur grease and doesn’t look like ass.

 

[Stevesie]

Sliders are mounted and turned out wicked stout. They’re probably 50lbs apiece so -10HP

Just need to rebuild my double cardan joint on front shaft and build a fuel tank skid then I can go scratch rocks.