Going from 2014 to 2003 Taco. Have questions

I've spent entirely too much time reading up on first gens (according to the girlfriend) and am about to pull the trigger on selling the 2014 and get a 2003 with 100k and a new frame as of 3 November. I still have a couple of questions for you guys that I'm hoping you can help with.

1) The 2003 has a bed liner. I've heard both good and bad things about having the liner but I'm concerned about dirt and rust building up between the bed and the liner. I see in some spots it's actually rubbed off the bed paint on the sheet metal. Should I get rid of it and line?

2) The 2003 has no bed rail system like the 2014. Has anyone installed a rail system? If yes did you drill into the bed sheet metal? Where? Did you primer afterwards, etc?

3) I plan to fluidfilm the frame and tape over the frame openings to keep salt away the remainder of this winter. Any suggestions for a more permanent solution or are oils the best route? Body plugs? Chain oil or used oil? 3M underbody liner? Experiences?

4) The front bench seat will be gone shortly after the purchase. I have gone through multiple threads describing aftermarket seats and Subie seat swaps here but nothing about aftermarket consoles and arm rests. The console on the 2003 is in rough shape and I gather that the sr5/trd consoles that come with buckets are hard to come by. Anyone do any aftermarket installs?

Thanks for reading

 

Why would you trade down from a 14 to an 03?

 

I assume the $$$.

 

Bought the 14 when I moved to mass for a new job. Job was supposed to involve a lot more bringing heavy construction related gear to job. Now I'm not towing or hauling anything besides my own personal tools, the narrow ass Boston streets are even narrower due to the snowpocalypse and I'm looking to save up $$$ for a house (big part of originally leaving NYC). So, I'd rather make this happen while I can still get top dollar for the 14.

Now how about some answers.

 

I'd ditch the bedliner and Rhinoline the bed.

If you want a bedrail setup you'll have to drill to make it clean. What do you need to secure? I use one of those jack bar things that goes across the bed and ratchets tight. If the item(s) too big for that to hold it, I keep a piece of rope that I'll tie said item(s) up.

If the bed is new, I'd just get it lined/undercoated while it's not rusty.

I'm not 100% sure, but the 4Runner console should swap over with slight modification.

 

As soon as the weather breaks and I can work on my 2000, I plan to install some of this in the bed floor.

http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Ratchet-Straps-Tie-Downs/Airline-Straps-Hardware

 

Ditch the bed liner. When I removed mine there was a large amount of paint rubbed off and a spot with pretty bad rust.

 

+1 sell the plastic bed liner and you can leave it like that with a few paint touchups after cleanup of any rust if you don't need a "pretty" truck or get a sprayed in liner.

the 4runner seats bolt right in at 3 spots perfectly and you just replace the front outside foot next to the doors by removing those from your seat or from the inner side of another 4runner seat rail. I know this because I was all set to do it to mine and confirmed it all fit but at the last second oi found a set of bucket seats from a taco and I just swapped the seat backs and bottom cushions over for a perfect fit so keep this trick in mind when looking at options for seats, you can very easily Frankenstein the parts to swap out endlessly as long as it is bucket seat to bucket seat. non bucket seats have seat backs that mount differently.

now to the frame rail question? I would not do anything to fill it or seal it up because moisture and condensation will happen inside it no matter what and if its sealed or filled with anything its trapped water and will make it rust out so much faster then any road salts ever would. I would undercoat the truck and frame and leave it as-is. it will outlast the truck as-is so nothing more is needed to be done to it.

you can find seats for $25 each at pull-a-part or pick-a-part or u-pull-a-part (all 3 different companies) so find the ones in your area and go find what you need at a great price, that's what I did and you might get lucky like me and find a set of Tacoma bucket seats.

 

Usurping yout give away plastic bed liners lol.

 

More like a trade UP of you ask me.

 

I sort of think you're correct. I love the body of the first gens...also the rigid ride. The 14 feels too soft in the turns. (don't light your torches, just a personal preference)

Regarding closing up the frame, What about using something that allows vapor to exit? Non rubberized tape? My concern is limiting the amount of salt allowed to enter the actual frame channels.

 

+1

 

Si, señor.

 

Ok, well unless something awful happens tomorrow during the dealership inspection of the truck I'll have a bed liner on sale for fifty bucks. 2003, 106k miles, 3.6 5 speed manual 4wd access cab with a new frame as of November 2014. Seller wants 12.5 for it. Tell me if that's an awful price to pay.

 

Hey usurpers, took the 2003 to the Toyota dealer for prepurchase inspection and gave the used dealer list of repairs.

Deal is 12,200 for 2003 with three month old frame(confirmed), v6 4wd manual access cab with 106k on the clock and 1 accident in 2009. Condition of body is average. There is some rust on the underbody. See below and tell me if you think it's worth it.





Also how hard is it to do the timing belt on the v6?

 

I went from an 11 to an 04 and have no regrets. I like the quality and size of first gens better. My 11 felt cheaply put together compared to this 04. Sad to say, but Toyota is loosing quality more and more each year it seems. I mean look at how well the old yota pickups held up and the abuse they can take, you couldn't do those things to a new Toyota and get away with it.

 

OP, as far as bed liner goes, I have one in my 04 and am going to ditch it this spring and spray in some rhinoliner. I hate bed liners, they rattle, and like you said, trap dirt and mud underneath. Shouldn't cost much at all to do the rhino, and if you have your own sprayer it's easy to do.

 

Either of you guys got the kind of rust I have going on in my picture? Anyone know what those tabs are I show rusting out below the cab in the pic?

 

Personally, I'd stay away from that one. That's a little more than some rust. That's cancer.

 

The spots in your pictures look out of place they're rusted so bad. Like it was added post production and never painted. Corrosion like what happens from dissimilar metals.