RussellG's on going project. 87 DLX longbed.

Ok so its been a long time coming...I will spare the rewrite for the first post..Heres my marlin build so far.

http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=58589.0

My baby has had a hard life! i got her when i was 13 working weekends at a body shop. My dad thought it would be a good lesson. Longstory short i learned i don't want car payments. So i sold the truck. It was sold and purchased back 5 times total.

Heres where it started.

All back together ready to sell.


I was SUCH a stud!

This is what i drug home the last time..

Hole in the block and had sat for 5+ years no oil and had drivin 15 miles to park. I jumped it and the truck drove on the trailer in Low under its own power. Sorry to all the mice who were living in the block.




OK fast forward.....

IFS beast!
a few OOPS moments.


STILL a stud!


Ok time to change it up...Bye bye IFS, 22r,rusting bed and rasin looking body.




For you Taco guys....Somethings wrong here...87's had everything on the other side.

I used all the factory brackets from the 00taco doner or made some that look close and used them on my shell.....Brings me to the next part.

LOTS of wiring for an 87...

Forgot the pre install pic



Ok now for the interior shot!

NOT an 87 dash lol
Fast forward more.


Wheeling...


I had plans for the brakes so i needed bigger wheels.
New wheels and a black soft topper to replace the gray.

I wasn't finished

FJ cruiser rear axle...Shaved all smooth and clean.


Started on a bumper

Completed 3rz swap....

Brian is Welcome at my house anytime. Diamond axle.

Blurry FJC brakes


The brake mod!


its WIDE!

Built me a carrier.

i use it sometimes.


The dash has come together a little

New panels have been made. Waiting on a buddy to get back to redo my whole interior in black leather.



And here were are now...Im a lot less studly standing in front of the truck now and next to her.




Feedback is welcome...i have tons more planned. Once this 1gr-fe i was going to swap in is gone i will be pulling the 3rz and starting to respray the truck. I'm too OCD for a rock crawler.

 

I read through your build on Marlin a couple days ago. Glad to see you posting it up here. You have a beautiful rig. I love how wide it is. I will definately be coming in here for info and ideas Are you running a stock transfer case?

 

Really clean. Great looking truck.

 

That rig is a beast! Almost too nice to beat on now though is my only concern. Never seen an interior that sweet in such an old truck. I love the old body/new everything else restorations though. Nice work!

 

wow that is awesome! i like everything about that truck

 

bad ass rig

 

Dude, intense build and a neat story behind it! It's cool that you could track it down 5 times and re-buy it.
Sub'd

 

had to pick my jaw up off the ground first time i saw this beast in person....so clean!

hope to see it in action in the spring/summer

 

Thanks! I'm running a stock forwardshift case up front and a topshift case with 4.7 gears in the back.

Thank you! If you thought it was clean before wait for the new paint and all the detail work I'm doing.


Thanks everyone. The story's crazy behind the truck and what's more crazy is yesterday I had a guy come to me with an insane offer on it. I passed on it tho just because of the sentimental value and picturing what I'd build if I sold it and it was this truck with small changes.

 

Do you have any videos?

I really want duals with 4.7's in the back, but I am debating stock cases to save a little $$$

 

My buddy edited the ones so they are faster then normal. His name on YouTube is theekj1 and my trucks in the moody hill and crystal mountain one. I will shoot one here soon. I just got a gopro so I wanna try it out

 

How were you making it start and stop in the Moody Hill video?

 

I have remote start on it and I bypassed the clutch switch. It was an old Clifford so I had to for it to work. Now my new one I did the same but can change it to where if left in gear it won't start. I went to the new viper unit when my Clifford died.

 

That is awesome. Now I want duals with 4.7 and a remote start just so I can do that . Mine is a 5 spd swap and has no clutch switch.

 

Finally started a thread here eh? Good, makes it easier to that truck.

 

It's fun but I have to be careful. If I start it in gear it will climb curbs. I pull my keys out at home so it doesn't wind up in my living room.

Yeah I'm on here more then marlin and YT anymore cause they are dead so I might as well. Browse away! If you want pics of about anything I have em or can take em.

 

Absolutly badass!

 

Absolutely amazing!

 

Wow, absolutely beautiful job.