BartMaster1234's CRAPMOBILE - 450,000 Mile 1998 Tacoma 5-Lug v6 Manual [Build Thread]

This showed up in the mail a couple days ago.



It worked. It actually worked. The titleless 5-lug is now registered in the State of Vermont. A couple months ago I was running out of options, until I saw someone comment about something called the 'Vermont Method'. Desperate, I gave it a try. I wrote Vermont a check for about $350 along with the Bill of Sale, and some other documentation. To my great surprise - it all went through.

The next step is to wait for the Vermont registration to show up in the mail. Once I do that all I have to do is get some temporary short term insurance on the truck, get it SMOG'd, and trade in all my Vermont documentation at the California DMV. Once that is done they will issue me California license plates - and more importantly, a clean and legal State of California title in my name.



This is it. Now that it's legal, I can put money into the truck without having any chance of it being for nothing. As soon as I get the California side of everything sorted out, the whole truck is getting torn apart and getting restored. The 5VZ engine block is getting completely rebuilt - new pistons, re-honed cylinders, block cleaning, etc. and the truck is getting a complete body repair and paint job.

This is only the beginning. This whole Vermont thing working out was the key.

 

gonna lower it? It's a 5-lug, race truck is just around the corner.

 

$2,000 total, if I can. I paid $600 for the truck, and with the Vermont fees and the CA DMV fees I expect to be about $1,000 deep.

I'll try my best to rebuild the block for $500, and put the other $500 into the body. I'm doing everything myself including all the paint work and engine work so I save money on labor.

According to NADA, and KBB I can easily sell this truck for $4,000-$5,000 - especially with the premium they fetch in California.

 

If you see the trucks that sell around here, they're no different than this one in the state it's in. These are 5-lug single cabs with the 2RZ with comparable mileage selling for $2,000-$3,000.

With a rebuilt block, and an attractive body and restored interior I wouldn't be surprised if I can get what I'm asking. Especially since this is the rarer 5VZ 5-lug which was discontinued after a couple years.

You have to remember this is California, and compact pickups in good condition (especially Tacomas) fetch a huge premium.

 

Maybe, if I have the money. For now I'm just trying to restore it to factory-spec. If I decide to pump more money into it, I may lower it. I was looking at 2018 Toyota C-HR takeoffs to replace the wheels it has, which are perfectly fine. I can still see the paint marks on the rubber.

 

I'm planning on re-honing it myself. It's possible with a drill.

 

DIY can save you more than you think. And as long as the block is in spec it can mostly be redone at home minus the head refinishing if that happens.

And it's a 5vz...so of course its in spec...bet it still has the factor hone marks heh

 

It doesn't need a rebuild. At all. Looking at the Blackstone Labs results it can probably go another 450,000 miles no issues.

BUT I want to. So I'm going to. Because I hate my wallet.

 

how bout

no rebuild

and instead

race truck

 

This is a plan that has success and fun written all over it. Likely less loss of funds too

 

If I'm going to LS swap anything it'll be my PreRunner 4x4. One day...

At this point in my life I'm just trying to get this out of my driveway as soon as possible. I'm using this truck as a stepping stone to practice engine work and body work. As long as I break even I don't care how much it costs to get it back to snuff.

 

Know how is pretty valuable. Doing it to learn is definitely a good reason imo.

I suppose knowledge will suffice in place of a race truck...

And dont LS swap it...yet... we need more performance 5vz's in the group.

 

I'd totally just turbo the PreRunner... if it was legal.

An LS swap, however, can be made legal if I keep all the original emissions equipment from the donor vehicle. If I was going to do an LS swap I would pick up a wrecked Z06 for about $2-3k and do that.

 

You aren't buying a wrecked zo6 for less than 5-6k and that for one where the engine is probably damaged too. EROD LS3 is what you want.

 

Make sure its a 99-04 silverado my guy. Easiest to do.
And if you can fit it get a 4l80e, the 60 aint too good. I guess stock it would be ok though...

 

6l80e is nice for the mpg and light truck duty

 

Something with an LS. The regulation is that the engine has to be 'same model year or newer' and retain all the original emissions equipment. Since I am in CA, I need to buy a car that was equipped with California emissions.

 

I still really want to do a 2JZ-GTE swap. That was usually mated to the A340E on Supras so finding a bellhousing shouldn't be that hard.

Supras were sold in the U.S. until I believe 1998. If I had fuck you money then I would definitely be doing that right now.

If I wasn't in such a state of police, the Toyota Century came with a V12. Imagine that... a V12 Tacoma.

 

The EROD series are crate engines that come with emission equip and when properly installed will pass Cali bar.

 

That V12 is just two 1JZ engines in a special block and actually utilizes two computers so they can run independently of one another for either safety or economy.