2001 Regular Cab Rebuild

I posted in the 1st Gen forum, but I wanted a place to document the rebuild process and compile progress pics.

I have a wrecked 2001 Regular Cab 4cyl 4x4 Manual. It's manual everything and I couldn't be happier about it. I learned to drive a manual in this truck and it belonged to my grandfather until he passed away. To finally own it after years of trying to buy it from my aunt, is so satisfying!

Other than the front end damage, the truck has been taken good care of. It has 145k miles and runs and drives well.

When I got it:


Currently:

 

Parts list and current progress!

I will be picking up a used OEM hood tomorrow that I found on Craigslist. After I pick up the hood, I am meeting someone else to buy an oem grill from an 02 Prerunner. A bumper will most likely be left off until the black Friday sales from the Fab companies. The other parts will be installed next weekend most likely as the replacement core support should arrive Monday. I always have a 3 day weekend so that's when all of the work will take place.

This weekend I am taking an opportunity to go camping in Western NC and I will be picking up a colormatched ARE camper shell on my way home. Pics of all of this will be coming.

For now, I also may have picked up some SCS Stealth 6s in Matte Gunmetal. The tires on them are shot, so I ordered some new 265/70/17 Falken Wildpeak AT3s.

 

To do list:
Core support replace (DONE)
Install grille (DONE)
Install hood (DONE) needs paint
Replace radiator (DONE)
Replace bumper (DONE) needs paint
Order new SCS wheel (DONE!!!)
Build roof rack
Replace Thermostat (DONE)
Replace Upstream A/F Sensor (DONE)
Fix Negative Terminal Battery Ground✓
Spark plugs change
Oil change
Diff fluid change

Future mods list:
Trail gear sliders
OME 881s
New leaf pack, unsure of manufacturer
Bilstein 5100s
CBI DIY bumper

 

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I picked up the camper shell this weekend. $200 for an ARE that is in pretty good shape. I have 2 dogs, so with the regular cab this mod was a necessity. I also love it for camping. I also picked up a faded black hood with peeling clear coat.

The core support arrived Saturday, and I'm going to start all the work this weekend.

Sorry for the potato quality pictures. I ordered a charger for my camera that should be here this week. Until then, it's pictures taken with my old cell phone.

 

I probably got a little ahead of myself, but I couldn't pass up a great deal. Newest addition to the truck. Mt. Shasta Standard that looks brand new. I need to put tracks on the shell so I can mount it.


I'll hopefully have the core support swap done this weekend. I'm just going to primer the hood for now and start assembling the small parts I need to replace like the hood latch, washer fluid reservoir, etc.

 

Long post because I got a lot done:

I had a very eventful weekend. I did some front end damage to my 2nd Gen that destroyed a brand new tire and a beautiful SCS Stealth 6 in Matte Gunmetal. Now to wait to order a replacement.


However, I did get the radiator support removed from the 1st Gen! 12 spot welds per side, 2 radiator support bushing bolts, and the various things that route through it from the engine bay must be removed. I drilled the welds with (2) 1/4" bits and sharpened them as I went.


After removing the support, I started cleaning the front section of the frame. It was pretty rusty, and I wanted to address it while the engine bay was pretty open. I hit it with a wire wheel and I'm going to coat it before I reweld the radiator support.


I also fixed the twisted bumper mount and bent bracket. I'm going to order frame plates for this area when I replace the front bumper with a steel one.

I also removed the chrome steps that were on the truck. I plan to order some trail gear sliders in the near future.


I also spent about 6 hours on the interior. It was covered in food, soda, and cigarette ashes when I received it. I stripped the interior and deep cleaned everything.

I have a lot going on this week with getting the damage on my 2nd gen fixed, but I'm planning to weld the new radiator support in this Friday while I'm off.

 

Subbed...

 

A rainy Thursday at work means time to order more parts! I just ordered a new grille and a replacement radiator. I'm going to have a full weekend of wrenching if all goes as planned.

The core support will get welded on tomorrow, and I'm going to sand, primer, and rattle can the black hood I bought. It should start looking normal again soon.

I'm going to go pick up a stock bumper for it on Saturday that I found for a steal. I was going to go without a bumper until I found a hybrid on Black Friday, but for $50 I'm going to get a stock spare anyways.

I also hope to get a basic rack for the camper shell fabbed up this weekend so I can mount the RTT.

My new grille and radiator should be here in time to be installed next weekend. I'm quickly running out of things that need to be fixed. Then it's on to the fun mods like suspension and armor!

 

Make sure you bolt on the fenders and get everything aligned before you final weld the core support. It is a lot of trial and error...

Also, tape up the edges of the door and fender or you will probably scratch them at some point.

 

Thanks for the advice! This is painfully true.

I taped everything up and spent all day yesterday getting everything aligned correctly. I didn't get any actual welding done because one of my inner fenders was bent more than I thought. I spent most of my day straightening it back out to line up with the core support.

It's been a lot of trial and error for sure. I'm hoping I'll be actually welding on it Sunday. I'm going to take a break from it today to work on sanding and painting my hood, and putting my blinkers in my corner lights.

 

Well Sunday ended up not working out like I planned. I got called at the last minute to help someone move. Don't you love owning a truck?

I've just been ordering parts and waiting! Everything is lined up and ready to start welding, but it'll have to wait until the weekend. I got the radiator, and the hood is ready for paint. I didn't get the corner light/blinker mod finished because one of my blinkers mounts was destroyed in the wreck. I somehow missed that until now. I'll try to finish that this weekend also.

On a non 1st Gen related build, I finally got all the parts to fix my 2nd Gen. (Except a 17" Matte Gunmetal Stealth 6.) Friday has been set aside to work on my 2010. I am replacing the spindle, UCA, inner and outer tie rods, and the ball joints and bushing along the way. All OEM parts, thanks to Conicelli Toyota!

Another great weekend spent working on trucks. I'm cautiously optimistic that I'll have everything close to finished on both of them by Thanksgiving. The plan is to get the front end damage on the 2nd gen repaired Friday, and then spend the rest of the weekend getting the core support welded into the 1st Gen and then reassembling it. I hope they are both driving after this weekend!

Pic of the 2nd Gen before wrecking it:

 

A busy and productive weekend!

I got all the parts on my 2010 switched out and it is sitting much better. I think after an alignment, it will be as good as new.

As for the 01, I got the radiator support welded up and I just need to reassemble the front end. I still need a bumper, but I'm going to try and pick one up during the black Friday sales the fabricators are offering. I have already installed the new radiator and I let it run yesterday for the first time in a few months. It ran perfect after charging the battery. I'm going to change the fluids and I should be driving it around this weekend! I want to get my RTT mounted and go camping in it after Thanksgiving.



The '56 Chevy Panel truck behind my Taco is my fiance's father's current project. He's done a leaf to coil swap in the front end already, and it runs great. He's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to helping me with anything mechanical.

 

Nice to see I'm not the only one trying to revive an 01 Reg cab

 

Well the holidays have slowed down my work on the truck, but I've gotten a few things done since I last updated. I've gotten the black hood and bumper mounted, and I'll probably run them like this until it's warm enough to paint them. I still need headlights (or just a headlight) and a grille. The one I ordered didn't work out, and it was returned.

It's also idling high, which I think may be the coolant temp sensor. My temperature gauge doesn't move at all, and I know the idle should lower when it warms up. I'll have to test my gauge and then order the sensor if that's what it is. I also need the clips to reinstall the front fender flares. Other than that, it's running and driving well.

I added my TRD sport wheels off my 2nd gen with 255/75/17 Cooper A/T3's. I think they will be a good choice for the type of driving I do. I drive on the highway a good bit, and forest service roads while camping. I don't wheel very aggressively right now. I'm going to pick up some spidertrax spacers to move them out a little bit. They are pretty close to my UCA right now.

I also gave it a bath! It needed one badly after being neglected for so long. I still want to polish and wax it, but I'll wait for warmer weather.

 

Holiday parts have been received!

My fiance bought some hubcentric wheel spacers from Wheeler's for my wheels so I can move the TRD sport wheels out a little. The 1st gen rims had about an inch less backspacing and these rims sit in farther, which has brought my tires extremely close to the spindles. The spacers should arrive next Friday. I may switch the sport wheels back to my 2nd gen and put my SCS wheels on here as originally planned.

My parents gave me a set of weathertechs also and I have installed those already. I have some in my 2nd gen and I love them. They are a must have if you like to camp and want to keep the truck clean.

I also installed new headlights, and I have a new grille and filler pieces for under the headlights on the way currently.

It should all be pieced back together by the end of next weekend. As soon as I have all the cosmetic parts installed and it looks like it did before the wreck, I will be going to get my tag and insurance! It's about 2 weeks away from being my daily driver. After it's legal to drive, I have a few other small things I want to get done such as an alignment and retinting the windows.

 

Thumbs up for a white REG CAB )

 

Big update:

The truck is registered and insured! I've driven it to work the last two days, and things are going well! I also took it out to Little River WMA on some forest service roads and had a blast. It needs a thermostat replaced, and I ordered one and the gasket from Conicelli Toyota. I'll do that this weekend if the parts make it here.

It still needs a grille and the filler pieces below the headlights, both of which will arrive before the end of the day today. I might put those in tonight if I have time.

I've decided to do a few things differently with the build since my fiance has pretty much taken over driving my 2nd gen until we find her an FJ. I'm going to keep the SCS wheels on the 2nd gen because I like the wider tires on that truck with the wider wheels. I love the look of the 255s on 7.5" wheel on the 1st gen.

My fiance also ordered me a couple sets of wheel spacers from @Wheeler's Off-Road Inc to move the TRD sport wheels out from my spindles and control arms. As always, they had great prices and even better service. Can't recommend then enough. The spacers will be here and installed on Friday. Then it'll be aligned and close to finished until around April when I pick up a lift for it.