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

The Civic is titled in California and the clean title was signed over to my name, that car was free so I don’t worry about it as much. Has a dead hybrid battery pack which I plan on rebuilding. Most of the what I believe are Nickel-Hydride cells are still good in exception for a few, which should be as easy as swapping them out for good tested ones.

I just haven’t done the DMV legwork to transfer it because of the SMOG situation.

 

@PennSilverTaco

Here’s a picture of aforementioned Civic when I was towing it home with my (previously) 2WD PreRunner before it was converted to 4x4.



And here I am practicing towing with the dolly on my 2000 Mercedes-Benz E320 (W210).



Towing capacity on my PreRunner 4x4 is capped at 3,500 while this 5-lug v6 is 5,000. The previously owner actually had a fifth wheel hitch welded to the frame in the bed.

 

I got hit by a drunk driver in an '02 MB E320! The Benz lost...

 

Not surprised, I’ve seen sedans plow into the backs of pickups and the sedans end up under it because the rear end is so light. Tow hitches are an excellent rear end protection.

 

Had a Plymouth with a tweaked driver rearend my green truck once. My hitch creased her hood back to the windshield. I drove of her and pulled over, she pulled next to me said sorry and left. Oh well

 

Not even exchange any insurance info? Damn.

 

She didn't have any insurance I'm sure. Car wasn't registered, wasn't hers either. And she was high as fuck

 

At least she apologized. LOL

 

Meth?

 

I don't know but I'd suspect so given the general financial situation of the area I was driving through.

 

What would you had done if the junkie bitch had damaged your truck?

 

Well I remembered the plate at the time but without the person having any coverage not a whole lot to do but use my own insurance. She didn't damage anything so no worries.

 

Haven’t posted a pic in a while. I’m going to pick up a new bed for it on Saturday (or a crushed up used one). The bed’s deck on this truck is pretty bad. Rusted through in places, and deformed from its years of service as a fifth wheel hauler. There is caked up concrete and mortar everywhere too.

So instead of cutting and welding the old deck, I will be buying a replacement bed with bad bedsides and putting the pre-existing 5-lug bedsides on that one. Should be a couple spot welds.

I also get a free Linex bed liner out of it. Win win situation for a $40 bed.

Shameless plug for my PreRunner DD rig.

 

lol I knew you'd buy that bed

 

What can I say? I’m a stubborn son of a bitch.

Really I just want an excuse to take a road trip. Haha.

Been almost a year since I took my trip up to Reno to buy my 4x4 conversion parts.

 

I washed the thing for the first time since I bought it. A lot of this paint work is really not that bad, it’s held up well for being 20 years old. Much better than my PreRunner’s paint with 1/4 the mileage.

I’m picking up the new bed tomorrow. That wood you see leaning on it will be the crossmembers on my PreRunner bed rails to support the bed upside down when I transport it. Using three of those 2x4’s along four C clamps and two ratchet straps. It’s not going anywhere.



The rust is bad. The sheet metal where the fifth wheel hitch mounted to is all deformed and just disgusting. It’s not worth it to me to restore this deck.

 

Are you going to the Rancho Toyota for the bed? Im picking up a tonneau from them tommrow so excited to see all the Tacoma’s

 

Nope I bought that from a member on here for $40, but it’s totaled. I removed the spotwelds from the bedsides and I’m going to re-weld the good bedsides tomorrow.

I got it home a few days ago.

 

Well the bed is totaled. I basically paid scrap value for it.

 

Took the bed off and took it for a joy ride.

The looks we got driving this without a bed. It actually ran out of gas a few blocks away. I have to replace the fuel sender since the gauge is non-op.