1983 4wd "Laura" build

I purchased this truck yesterday for 1,000. Its a 1983 4x4 Toyota pickup short bed solid front axle. Has 189,000 miles original motor and tranny. All other mechanical parts have been replaced in past two years. I am excited to make this build my own but wanted to have a place to document successes and failures.. so what everyone wants to see pictures.

 

So last night I started prepping the body and bed to be painted.. the bed is pretty rusted in a few places all the way through...I am looking into fiberglass as a bed option then truck bed liner .

 

I like it! Five speed? That's a great find for a thousand. Have you ever thought about a flatbed, or is that not your style?

 

www.monstaliner.com

Not affiliated, etc. etc., but this build screams for their products!

Looks like a blast!

 

I thought about flat bed.. but the more I see the bed .. I fall in love with it more..

 

Keep the bed if it's in good shape. I like the old style beds as well

 

Its not in good shape is the problem...its the only problem with the truck

 

Pic of 83 truck with bed off of 86 2wd (longbed) ,if u can find a 84-87 2wd short bed it will even have the hook thingies on the outside of bed,iwill snap a pic this afternoon there is one on my way home.

 

Mine is not in much better shape than that Jeff. The one I have is not eaten up around the wheel wells though, there are just two holes in the corners on the cab end. The problem with that is thats where the mounts are where the bolts attach it to the frame. Another reason i'm looking to flatbed mine.

There is a guy up in Ashville that has tons of old 79-85 Toyota truck parts. I can give you his number if you want it. I just don't want to spend $300-400 for a bed, i'd rather have another set of doors first. I'm going to try and fab up a flatbed for now.

 

Snap a few pics of the inside for me, I wanna check it out.

 

Its gutted when I get home ill try to snap a few

 

today I sanded and primed one side of bed.. I was itching to do something. Got her street legal and went and got gas in her for the first time..

 

Need more pics Rob?

 

Looks good. I am going to try and work on mine this weekend. I really want to get the 83' cab all ready before I make the swap. I need to fix my floorboard and do some primer/paint before I do it. I think it will be easier to do while it's off the truck. While I have the 81' cab off I will work on the front section of frame to clean up the rust. I am also going to get a complete bushing kit and replace everything while the cabs are off.

 

This:


Goes on this:

 

We will definitely have to take pics of them together one,day

 

So today I found a guy that will be putting a new bed bottom on my truck.. with materials and labor only 300 bucks.. and that includes fixing driver door and tailgate.. so i cant really complain