bringing a tacoma back to life in P.A. TX

What's up guys! Figured I'd start an introduction thread so when I message ppl no one thinks I'm just a spam bot.


After looking everywhere for a small truck for myself I found me a wrecked extended cab Tacoma! Wrecked in the front so the core support is pretty smashed, I finally got a day off to start working on it and I'm really excited to see if I can make this thing go again! I'll be updating pics to try and see if you guys have any advice or comments on how I'm fixing it!

 

Looking forward to this, I'm not too far from you.

 

Welcome to TW! Looking forward to your updates.

 

Thanks for the welcome guys! Got to work on it a Lil today, got the core support off and started bending some stuff back. The very tip of the frame is bent where it holds the bumper so now I'm having to buy something to try and straightened it. I wish I had a torch this would be way easier but hopefully I can make something happen. Also discovered a very nasty oil leak. It's all over from the very top so I'm praying it's the valve over. Anyone know if it's common for them to leak on there?


How she sits today

 

Very common for the 3.4's to leak from the valve cover gaskets.

And DAMN! That is some serious frame damage.
Before going any further, I'd check to see if the rest of the frame is still straight.
I wouldn't try straightening that piece either, I'd find a donor truck wrecked in another way and cut/ weld in a new section. Or cut/ weld in with some 2x3 (or whatever the frame dimension is).
Since the body mount is there, its a pretty integral portion of the frame.

 

Good luck, looking forward to watch the progress!

 

Yea I hear ya on the cut and weld idea although I haven't seen a donor truck anywhere near here. I figured I'd tried to bend it and see what it looks like. I actually wasn't too concerned only because it's at the very front that holds the bumper. It does have a body mount for the core support but after having to mess with it, that damn core support doesn't really do anything to support the structure since it's so damn thin lol
but I'm hoping for the best when I bend it man. If not then I'll have to Fab up something to support the bumper