What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Hmm, the time for transplanted engine and trans is fast approaching. Thanks FROR for making a product that was exactly what I was looking for.

 

Given what steel scrap goes for these days I'm sure what you're towing could have been sold for more money on CL.

 

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Not worth the time to me.

 

12 hours roundtrip of driving later - I have almost everything I need to do my PreRunner to 4x4 conversion.

I live in the Bay Area and I bought these parts up in Reno. In between these two places of course is the Donner Summit. The truck's 4 banger 2.7l did NOT like having 500 pounds of transmission in the bed. I could feel it struggling to climb the hills even with ECT on. I was in the truck lane most of the time with my flashers on because I couldn't keep up with everyone else.

I even got a check engine light (something about lean fuel) for the first time ever since I've owned this truck.

I have a 4Runner 4.30 front diff (apparently this doesn't exist in a Tacomas?), the A340F and t-case, tranny mount, shifter assembly & trim, and the most important part: the 4WD mud flaps.

Just need the knuckles assemblies and driveshafts and I'm done.

 

solar panel mounting bracket install. Slide roller test fit. Looks pretty good before black paint. I may go with 2 panels and maybe longer linear rollers. This is just to supplement my dual battery isolator set up.

 

That's pretty slick. What's the big thing in the bed? Almost looks like a paddle boat.

 

4.30 is quite common with the 4cyl Tacoma. Mine came with them.

 

Finally washed it after wheeling a bit last weekend and installed a locking handle on my glove box didn't think it was going to match but just now realized that the dash and door panels are two different shades

 

Got my '02 2wd about a week or so ago.
Yesterday: vacuumed broken glass from the busted sliding window.
Replaced window with foam board and blue painters tape until I get a replacement.
Rehung exhaust temporarily with clothes hangers until I can get it repaired at a shop. Considering having my buddy fab up a whole new system from the manifold back.
Removed sketchy aftermarket fog lights.
"Repaired" post-MAF leaks to hold me over until I get a replacement intake. The Volant looks factory-ish.
Replaced the junk battery that was the wrong size and wouldn't take a charge.
Added 2 quarts of oil, ha.
Scanned for codes...need to replace O2, but might wait on that for when I repair/replace exhaust.

 

After years of looking at mismatched lugs nuts.. I splurged and bought some black ones.

 

Sorry to hear about the window, I too picked up a 'project and tackling these issues is very rewarding. Keep at it

 

Looks good! Did you get the lock re-keyed to match your ignition key yet? Curious about how much I can expect to drop on that.

 

I did. Actually a guy at work did it for me. We got 4 out of the 5 tumblers to work. Not perfect but it locks and unlocks and didn't cost a penny

 

Huh I'll be damned it did. The only reason I said that is because I only ever looked for front diffs from '95-'00 trucks and never '01-'04. Apparently front 4.30 only came with the '01-'04 trucks, always had A.D.D, had the 2.7l engine, and were Manual tranny trucks according to the part databases I've been looking at.

'95-'00 all 4.30 geared trucks are supposedly only PreRunners and never 4x4's. The 4Runner used 4.30 for the entire 3rd generation front and rear.

 

Went and got the new Jordan TRD Pro 1 shoes for my truck today. Mounting them Monday.

 

Thanks! I didn't realize how rare this thing was until after I'd had it a few months.

 

my old bosses 99 4x4 had 4.30s

 

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Took the taco on a little trip to the mountains

 

Pulled the cab today. Just gotta drop the tank and a few minor things then the frame's ready for sandblasting.