4cylinder owner input needed

I’m looking into getting another 1st gen or pre-Tacoma, specifically a 5speed 4cylinder. 4wd is no concern, I’d rather a 2wd for this project actually. Any specific areas of concern that ain’t the same as 4x4s? What’s your average fuel mileage? Basically just looking for real world input from you mini truck guys since the buyers guide seems biased towards the 4x4 bro-dozers on the main forum.

 

My 01 2wd 5sp with mild drop and 16" I average 22-28mpg city/highway. I don't drive it like a race car and I just cruise.

 

Shopping is just like a 4x4, get a solid clean foundation to start with and pay more to get the nicest example you can find as these trucks are worth it. Maintenance items are easy, paint and body is not..

No concerns with these trucks at all, except for they keep getting more expensive as time passes now. This helps though for long term ownership! There is no timing belt either, a good old fashioned chain so less worry there.

I averaged 23 mpg with mine on my last tank which I was driving extra hard to get my truck ready for autocross as you saw in my thread. My odometer is more accurate than factory too since I changed my speedo gear to match my tire size.

What kind of project do you have in mind and what do you want to do with it? This huh?!!!



I cant blame you there!!

 

@2Runner

Basically I’m trying to do exactly what you got, but less autocross build. Your truck does look pretty sharp.

My plan is to really buy a solid truck; daily drive it and slowly gather the parts to swap in a 3.4 with a supercharger; then use it as my daily/“race truck”. So if any has a line on a good roller chassis I could start with thatd be awesome

 

But if any of you mini truck guys got any advice on whether it’s worth dropping a different motor in I’d easily take it. Ideally I’d stick with a Toyota motor so no LS swap. Or if I can find one with a good motor would it be better just build that as is?

 

Believe it or not , my truck is a daily driver/race truck much like you are going for. It actually rides way nicer than stock for normal cruising, but also handles good enough to take it auto crossing with some decent results as you saw. Read my build and you will see I dont run the normal list of TW cookie cutter mods just for this reason. My truck has custom built to my specification 368 lb front springs for example, this alone probably makes it ride better imo than 9/10 dropped trucks you see out there running vintage muscle car performance springs!

Powertrain swapping may be worth it depending exactly what you are going for.. If you want the best handling/balance, I would keep less weight off the front of the truck since there is no weight back there at all already. The 3.4 and supercharger would be quite a bit of work and expense, but awesome once done if you want all out power though. Or maybe just add a supercharger to the 4 cylinder for the most gain in performance costing much less expense in money and time. If its your daily driver, you may not have the down time for a major powertrain swap. You can bolt on a SC in an afternoon! Check local smog laws too before shopping and/or going down either route too. E.g I found out my 02 2.4 is not SC smog legal out here, yet 01 is... but 02 3.4 SC is legal... makes all kinds of sense huh?!

Not sure if you have your heart set on a regular cab that only came with 4 measly cylinders, but if you look at the extra cab you can get those with the 3.4 already then just add the sc of course as another option popping to mind. If you come across a clean SRunner when shopping, I would say go for that for the rarest of al first gen Tacoma's with all the good stuff in them already (3.4, sport bucket seats, rear sway bar, sexy fender flares, etc).

From my experience when you are going "race truck" the biggest game changers would be the wheels and tires firstly, then get the limited slip differential to get some traction out of these little one tire smoke machines! All the power in the world doesnt matter if you cant get traction. Lowering and the front sway bar then takes the handling up another notch and looks better too!

For daily driver comfort, you only get a bench seat in these regular cabs which are not very comfy (mine wasnt for me anyway) or supportive, so plan to upgrade your seats as well.

What exactly are you open to starting with year range wise and cab wise?

 

These trucks are so old now its getting hard to find a good clean example. I am in So Cal and we are lucky that we dont have too much rust and you can find some good starting points out here for sure. This one popped up today..

https://offerup.com/item/detail/12c07214-bb37-397a-8b51-8f2a991c1eba?q=tacoma&cid=5.1

 

@2Runner

I’m really open to any truck really, I would prefer the single cab just cause imho it looks better than the extended cab when lower to the ground. I’d prefer a first gen truck or even a pre Tacoma if I could.

The idea of a 3.4 supercharged is more of a dream than reality; probably I’d buy a truck and keep the motor stock. Although I was not aware there was a supercharger available for the 4bangers, I’m intrigued.

I’ve had two of the 4x4 versions of these trucks and believe it or not, I actually find the stock seats comfortable. Biggest thing would be suspension components, lower it a bit, get some nice wheels and tires, and then off to the races.

 

I too love the regular cab! Seems you already know you fit in them and find it comfy to drive which are a couple big wins already I would say!

The supercharger would be an afternoon bolt on task, vs a full powertrain/ecu swap project that can take considerably longer and cost much more in the end. I got this one from LCE, it is the same one offered through the dealerships under the TRD name when these trucks where new. I actually have not installed it since I started autocrossing and this would put me into a more competitive class than I already am in.

Although you may find the bench seat comfy, you still may want seating with a bit more lateral support when you do go racing. I would check out rules and classing and such before buying and modifying if you know you are going down this route. My truck started as a fun daily driver, but it handled so good I decided to try out autocross. Then it was so much fun I decided to modify the truck further to maximize what is allowed for my class (tire wise and limited slip differential). Hence if you know you want to race, check out the rules then build accordingly the first time!

What kind of racing are you realistically thinking to do with the truck? Also it must be said, if you are serious about racing, why start with a truck?!

In the autocross I am really only racing the clock and myself since there are no other trucks out there even. For me the "racing" is more about having a bunch of fun just driving fast as I can without worry of breaking the law or crashing and destroying my truck in the process. If you are looking for fun without breaking the bank I think you are on the right track, if you want to be competitive I dont think the Tacoma is really the best foundation for a race car.

I did find it is extra fun in the Tacoma since know one expects anything out of the truck.. you get some serious bragging rights when you smoke Vettes, Porsches, Mustangs, Miata's, Camaro's and even a darn Lamborghini!!

The competition will be stiff out there though, look at this little pickup amongst the sea of sports cars to get an idea... cant wait to see where you go with this, please keep us updated and best of luck on your truck hunting.

BTW, as for looking for trucks these things are getting old and hard to find in nice condition. I am lucky to live in So Cal and we normally have a supply of a couple nice rust free trucks to look at. They are anywhere from $7-12k though now for a clean example. It may be worth looking outside your area nowadays to get the nicest truck you can find.

 

Just found a clean example just like mine for $6k: https://offerup.com/item/detail/4b8f6675-59b7-31bd-8b85-3b5580f67e50?q=2001+tacoma&cid=5.1

 

@2Runner

I’m not nearly as fortunate as you are over in cali; I’m up in Michigan in the rust belt where things dissolve in a matter of years so my options are few and far between. So yeah I figured I’d have to broaden my horizon’s extensively to find one that’s worth it.

As far as racing goes I’m kind of open to anything that comes my way. I’m pretty much just looking for something fun and moderately fast to drive, but at the same time practical for daily tasks like hauling garbage and lumber for my house projects. So while a car might be better, it’s just not going to scratch the itch for me

 

I highly recommend the autocross for what you are wanting to do, which sounds like you are in it mainly for some fun just like me. This would be the cheapest way I know of to go and drive your truck to the limits without worry of destroying the vehicle (or breaking laws)! You will learn a lot about how your truck handles, and how to handle it in the process.

Auto-crossing in my Tacoma is easily the most fun I have ever had in a 4 wheeled vehicle, EVER...

Heck, dont even wait for your truck which sounds like it may not happen anytime soon, just take your daily driver out there as soon as you can and start enjoying your vehicles the way they were meant to be experienced!!

Any vehicle you drive at its limits will become super fun, but dont take my word for it.. get out there yourself!

 

@2Runner

I might possibly have found the perfect truck for what I want to be doing, just have to sell my current daily and go pick it up.

Banana yellow 2003, has 263k but I’m not worried about that, from California originally, has spent the past few years as a summer hauler for some guy in Minnesota (hence the ladder rack). If it all works out I’d plan to take off the rack, clean up the paint, lower the rear, then just drive it and tune it up as neeed be

 

Oooohhh I like what I'm seeing so far, looks straight.. this one will turn some heads on the track for sure!

Manual transmission too I hope?!

 

Yessir, manual everything. It’s originally white underneath, but I’m kinda liking the yellow; just needs some shine.

 

Did ya get it?!

 

Unfortunately I did not get the truck. The person who was planning on buying my car dipped out last minute; the guy selling the truck couldn’t hold the truck for me any longer and sold it.

 

Guess that one wasn't meant to be..

If you keep at it, you're sure to find your dream truck out there! Best of luck to you!

 

Yeah I’m kinda bummed it didn’t work, but it’s probably for the better because I might need to keep my zoom zoom ricecar for a bit longer. I still plan on keeping an eye out for something though.

 

I would suggest you go hit the autocross with your current car to see how you like it and start having fun in the mean time!

You may get a different idea of what you may want to do after some experience.

Best of luck to you fellow "race car driver"!