My Big Can of Worms Build

Installed some cheap seats from an 01:

 

Went up to Bakersfield and bought an engine and trans w/ 160k from a super clean truck that was in a front end collision with frame damage. Nice day - 100+ degrees though.





Too bad - the donor was a decked out 2000 with a sunroof, 4x4 manual and power windows. The interior looked brand new for a 17 year old vehicle. Got the engine with all the accessories, full wiring harness, transmission, rear driveshaft, front seat belts, and some nice interior pieces in a package deal

Started taking the accessories off and bought an engine hoist.



Finished the day (night) around 1 am. Here's what I have done - keeping all the accessories organized with plastic wrap with all of the bolts in the holes where they go. My neighbors are really nice and let me use their carport for the swap:



Pulled the spark plugs and the rear two and the middle driver smelled like gas. The front driver smelled like what I thought was coolant, but I had spilled some on my gloves and noticed it smelled really strong when I smelled my gloves. Not sure - I'll check it out tomorrow.

 

Got the engine off my other truck and ready to work on.

 

Been too busy learning new things the easy way and the hard way each day about swapping engines to post anything, but had a good night tonight - finished up the last preparations to hoist out the engine and drop the trans.

New engine has new timing belt, water pump, thermostat, and valve cover seals - wish I had put a new PCV valve in before I sealed up the valve covers, but hopefully it won't break when I put a new one in. Waiting to see if I get a job to determine what else I'll be doing to the newer engine before it in.

The grocery store next door needed a new AC condenser the size of a delivery truck hoisted up to it's roof so this was going on:



Looked for five minutes and couldn't find my 99 Cent Store masking tape to label stuff so I went on a cleaning binge around the truck for an hour and still didn't find it until I was putting my tools back in my work room at the end of the night:



Ended the night with some home made burritos:



And EFN is gonna lose some weight up front tomorrow - have a friend coming over in four hours to help take out the engine and trans - better get some sleep.

 

Something went missing today



My friend found it



Today's progress got me feelin like:

 

You kinda look like Edward Norton haha

 

Done some house keeping.






Waiting on a starting a new job to order some parts to put everything back in

I figured out why the original trans was not shifting properly - the previous owner installed a short shift kit incorrectly and it was clearancing out part of the transmission. The shifter from my new trans shifted the original trans with no discernible difference than it shifted the new trans. Looks like I didn't need a new one, but I have it, so I'm sticking with it.

Old shifter on top - you can see how the bushing isn't the contacting surface on the bottom.



Evidence of the improper installation of the short shift kit:

 

I am super thankful I got a new job - my first full time job in ten years. Lots o' school and multiple part time jobs have left me pretty broke for someone my age and luckily has forced me to do my own work on my truck. Thankful for that too - always wanted to learn since hs.

Painted some more stuff, got my intake plastics cleaned inside and out and bam: new parts

 

Got some new doors w/ updated 01-04 panels - gotta go back and exchange one in a couple weekends - bummer Good excuse to go on a mini-road trip though.



Speaking of road-trip, went and picked up some fenders and bedsides last night in Lake Elsinore and SD.



Spent the night talking to the guy with the bedsides in SD - he had a 2 story garage with a lift and about 4 project vehicles as well as pretty much any machine tool you can shake a stick at. Slept in my car for 5 hours in San Clemente and headed home.



Got my valve covers painted among a small number of other things that got done today.

 

... Are those fiberglass

 

lol it's all good - these are funky - they're for a tacoma, but are 8" longer between the cab and the rear wheel and have openings for Tundra taillights. I think they are meant for people backhalving their trucks and wanting to extend the wheel base. I'll have to do some custom work to make them fit. The guy also has a supercharger that he mentioned he might sell me, so either way the trip was worth it...

 

Damn you lucked out I rarely see fiberglass on CL for 1st gens

 

I got fronts too - are you looking for some - I'll sell them to you for what I paid for them. Brand new (pre-owned) glassworks 4.5".

 

How much is that, I'm not in necessity now bt curious

 

They haven't taken the ad down.

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/pts/d/toyota-tacoma-fiberglass/6292755080.html

 

Hahaha wow that's a steal, previous owner say why he was selling?

 

Wrecked his truck :-/

 

Oh that's right, same guy that you got the engine from.... I totally wasn't Snooping through your build threads last night...

 

Damn I really appreciate that smoking offer but i got other things I need to buy first long before I need fiberglass, like tires... I missed that labor day sale too
Doppreciate it though