Should I build it or sell it?

Hey guys!

I've got a little bit of a dilemma. I've currently got a 2000 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner with a 3RZ and an auto. It's got a little over 130k miles and it's a good little truck that I've enjoyed driving.

I'll start this off by saying I'm extremely mechanically inclined and have done body swaps, lifts, etc in the past. Never afraid to take on a big project.

There's a big part of me that wants to build this truck and do the following mods:

-4x4 conversion
-OME lift
-285/75/16 Tires
-ARB Bumper & winch
-Sliders
-Regear to 4.88's

I've done the math and re-gearing is probably going to be the most expensive mod for me to do as it's something I'll have to have a shop do.

I'm just wondering given the insane market on these things if it'd be worth it to just sell it and hold-out for a clean 1st gen with a 3.4L & 5 speed with an e-locker.

Also if I do decide to sell it - what would be a good starting point on price?

What would you guys do?

Here's some pics!

 

Not a decision for us to make.

Some say sell it and buy a 4x4.

Others say to swap it as needed.

We don't know the sentimental value the truck carries, the scarcity of clean 1st gens in your area, your budget, etc.

All things you need to ask yourself.

 

If you do the 4x4 swap yourself and have the patience to collect all the parts and then do the install, it's not that bad. Lot of guys on here have done it, but if you're going to have a shop do it then it'll get really expensive. In that case I would just say, sell it and buy a 4x4. 1st gen resale right now is the highest it's ever been so you can probably make out pretty well, depending on your location. Even the Prerunners out here sell for a lot at the moment. But the 4x4s will have a higher price tag.

As for doing it yourself, can probably do it in a weekend if you have everything and an extra pair of hands or two. It's mostly just bolt on. The time it takes to collect everything is where the patience comes in mostly. Unless you can score a complete donor truck

 

Truck has really no sentimental value. Wouldn't normally think of selling it but given the market it might be an ideal time. I'm well aware of the cost, I could spend up to $4,500 on it and feel good about myself. I would know that there's no way I could get a fully built 1st gen with this mileage for what I would have into this one.

 

Definitely would do it myself! I've done quite a bit of research on it. Other than the output shaft on the tranny & finding manual hub spindles the rest is either going to be new or can easily be found!

 

If you're committed to doing the swap then I say go for it, you'll learn a lot about your truck and how to diagnose anything in the future

 

Given how hard it is to find an (affordable) clean first gen these days, I'd say keep it and build it!

It looks like you live in the desert, so frame rust probably isn't much a factor, but as others said, it really just depends on the availability and price of clean trucks in your area.

Selling the truck is kinda like selling your house when the market is high. Sure, you'll get a butt load of cash selling it, but you're also going to need to buy another one in that same market. In other words, you'll also be PAYING a butt load of cash. The other part is that the 4x4's are MORE desirable than pre-runners, so you're going to be paying even more of a premium for the 4x4.

Plus, each time you buy a new (used) vehicle, you introduce new risks. At least your current truck has some sort of known maintenance history. Buying another used truck and you start over with all the unknowns like how often did they actually change the oil, did they use an OEM water pump, was the transmission abused, etc...

A 4x4 swap is a pretty easy thing if you're mechanically inclined. Seems like most people are spending around $1500 for a swap, and that's not trying very hard to find good deals on the parts. I believe @BartMaster1234 has a pretty detailed write-up and parts list on his swap. IIRC, he spent under a grand once he sold off the original trans.

Here's his build thread:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ner-4x4-conversion-build-thread.496348/page-2

So unless your grandma has a super clean 4x4 she's had in her garage the last 20 years and willing to sell it to you for peanuts, there's little chance you'd come out ahead by selling this one and buying another, especially considering how little (relatively speaking) it costs for a 4x4 swap.

 

TL;DR


40s n tons

 

Dang, how'd I miss this one?

You speaks da truth

 

How much you want for that $4,500 truck...

 

I actually already sold it! Got $8,400 for the thing.

 

You can't even find 1st gen 4x4 in socal right now, I like to browse for shits and giggles and there's nothing

 

You gotta level up your CL browsing game there are a few more too. I found that in 5 mins.

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/ssd/cto/d/chula-vista-2001-toyota-tacoma-limited/7314910392.html

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/d/poway-2003-toyota-tacoma-4x4/7308114122.html

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/ctd/d/orange-2002-toyota-tacoma-double-cab/7316489856.html

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/d/huntington-beach-2003-tacoma-4x4/7309981992.html

 

I want this

https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/ctd/d/2004-toyota-tacoma-pre-runner-v6-rwd/7303713730.html

 

That's cheap given the market right now, even a 2wd Prerunner with that few miles would be going for a lot more out here.

 

Build and make it your own!