Local Legend Don't Call It An S10

[the bodj]

Whilst transfering my Turboyota build thread over from DR, I ran across this gem of foreshadowing:
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Growing up I had two older cousins who both got mini trucks for their first vehicles. The older got a blue 1995 Toyota Pickup 2wd and he just kept it stock. The other got a 1998-2004 GMC Sonoma 2wd that he put a fabtech lift and 31 AT's on, and I totally fell in love with it. I ended up getting the blue toyota as my first vehicle, and that's what I ended up building as my first prerunner. Fast forward 14 years and I now have a built GMC Sonoma haha. It came full circle.

 

[dwphoto]

Big Local Legend Guy

 

[UR_Mawm69]

little did everyone know that while God is up there, doing his shit, he also builds cool chopped together prerunnners..........

 

[the bodj]

Spent the morning welding up a solid trans mount and trans cross member. Drained the trans oil and popped a new oem filter in while I had some room.

Tomorrow I’ll set up an ez-up and rewire the bumper lights, get a slightly longer serpentine belt (new 220amp alternator has a larger pulley), load up all my tools, and I should be ready to rock for the Mojave Rd run this weekend. Stoked!

 

[84projectFORD]

that blue tooth driveshaft is pretty damn sweet

 

[the bodj]

that blue tooth driveshaft is pretty damn sweet

One day I’ll gear the front diff and have a driveshaft made. That day is not today lol

 

[84projectFORD]

One day I’ll gear the front diff and have a driveshaft made. That day is not today lol

lol i just read the mojave thread where Turbo was just as astute as i was about it

 

[the bodj]

lol i just read the mojave thread where Turbo was just as astute as i was about it

Haha you guys were made for each other!

 

[Turboyota]

Haha you guys were made for each other!

I love me some jimmy’s caulk!

 

[the bodj]

Just for my records:

Ran the Mojave Rd trail this past weekend and laid down 215 dirt miles, about 700 miles in total round trip. Truck worked flawlessly the entire time, but it's time for an LS and 4l80. Hopefully I'll find one and drop it in over summer. Some 3.0x14" IBP for the rear would be cool, too.

 

[theycallmeWALLY]

You're going to do you...

But I would ask this question. What is going to make your truck faster. A better shock package or a bigger motor.

I'd always choose shocks and get that dialed in first.

 

[84projectFORD]

turbo......

 

[Turboyota]

I absolutely LOVED watching this thing work the dirt! So much fun following 20ft behind you through the Joshua tree forest and the 12 mile whoop section at 50-56mph.

Super stoked for you and how cool this truck is!

 

[the bodj]

You're going to do you...

But I would ask this question. What is going to make your truck faster. A better shock package or a bigger motor.

I'd always choose shocks and get that dialed in first.

I'm focused more on what's going to make the truck more reliable. This motor was rebuilt by the south of the border family I purchased it from, and it leaks quite a bit from the timing cover and oil pan (oil pan is an easier fix). Rather than pulling the front end apart and fixing the valve cover leak, I'd rather just pull the motor and put something better in.

The trans has always given me issues since the rebuild in terms of the torque converter always wanting to lock up, but then quickly unlocking. I'm always modulating the throttle to get the right RPM and load on it to get it to stay unlocked. Holding the brake slightly works, so it might be a brake switch, which I have sitting in the garage. Regardless, the 4l60 trans sucks overall. I'm not necessarily looking to make truck faster via the v8, but to make it easier to drive. The looooong sandy uphills sucked. I was stuck either wringing out second to maintain speed (ran out of gearing) or shifting to third for it to bog and lose speed.

I absolutely LOVED watching this thing work the dirt! So much fun following 20ft behind you through the Joshua tree forest and the 12 mile whoop section at 50-56mph.

Super stoked for you and how cool this truck is!

Thanks Ryan! It was a great time! Can't wait to keep refining it as you all have done over the years

 

[SByota]

Can confirm, truck works great! Impressed me a ton, and almost makes me want to link mine.

The minion took this picture at the gas station and sent it to his mom “look at this cool trophy truck!”

 

[the bodj]

Can confirm, truck works great! Impressed me a ton, and almost makes me want to link mine.

The minion took this picture at the gas station and sent it to his mom “look at this cool trophy truck!”

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Now that put a smile on my face!

 

[the bodj]

*in the most effeminate voice you can imagine* I did a thing ysterdayyy

If you can't see that emblem on the door, it's a 2500. It's got a 157,000 mile 6.0L LQ4 mated to a 4l80e with a brand spanking new (floor shifted) transfercase. Runs like a top and is the donor vehicle for the sonoma's heart transplant that will hopefully be starting around the middle of next month.

 

[the_fablab_]

Sweet!!! Really gonna need a secondary shock in the back after this upgrade!

 

[the bodj]

Sweet!!! Really gonna need a secondary shock in the back after this upgrade!

Agreed! One step at a time, though. The motor/trans swap is something that needed to happen sooner than later. The 4.3L needs some work, and the 4l60 has its own problems, like we talked about before. Can't even use the truck without the swap being done.

 

[FasterNU]

oh snap. motor mounts gonna be on ford part of frame right? you gonna cut firewall or what?