Resurrecting "Red Green" a tough Toyota.

[44hunter45]

Update.

GNBN - Both the electrical shop and the import auto mechanic came back negatory on any work on this rig.

The electrical specialist says it is a $142/hr shop rate. I could hear him saying without saying on the phone he really did not want this work.
"I have the skill's but not the will" to do the wiring work is now, "Well, crap. I guess I'm back under this thing on the concrete floor." I'm getting too old for this.

I will focus on getting the clutch slave cylinder replaced and the tail light wiring next.

I have an evil plan to pull some buckets out of another Toyota in the back of the garage. That is another story and another project. I found two Toyota AWD wagons for sale nearby for less than the price of OEM or aftermarket bucket seats. And I get two core engines and transmissions for the other project car. Win/Win. MRS45 shakes her head.

The import mechanic laughed and said I have come out of remission on "Toyota Collecting Disease." He says he wants me to bring it by the shop when I get it "Washington legal". He was little nervous that I might bring him out of remission as well. He has had a number of these rigs. He has so much experience with these that he says he can diagnose any pending engine failures by ear. The shop doesn't work on them because they are a product service shop not a project shop. It is not financially viable for him to work on anything older than 20 years old.

His kid tipped over his Taco last weekend. No one hurt. The wheel of life in a Toyota off-road family.

All this is pointing toward a four post lift in the new shop. I keep telling MRS that I am preparing for my car flipping gig post retirement.

 

[44hunter45]

I have a final vision in my head for what "finished" looks like. The color scheme and trim and such. The last touch I want is a pop-up GFC topper like Randy is running on his Ford.
The Toyota bed is just too small for me to stretch out to sleep. The cab-over design on the GoFast will work great I think. I don't want the whole overlander look or a lot of additional weight, especially up high. That version would be a custom build for this size bed. That is the better part of $10k tricked out. That 20% PROMO code would be pretty sweet right now, @Big Fin

 

[44hunter45]

Forgotten Friday.
Found this in a box of pics my dad sent me. On the back is written in my mother's hand, " Mark with his pride and joy, 11/9/1984"
Me and the truck were in better shape 40 years ago.

 

[44hunter45]

I went and looked at a wrecking yard tailgate today. Not really any better than the one I have. It's a quest.

 

[44hunter45]

I've been taking time away from HT for the off season bullshit. I know some of you are following this thread, so here is an update.

Street legal! The electrical shop told me I could not afford them fixing my rear bed lighting.

It hit almost 60°F here today. So I had to put on my electrician/ computer tech hat and fix it myself. I was missing a connector on the driver's side for the side marker light. I figured I was going to have to go get an aftermarket set. I pull up the seat back for something else and there was the connector, right where I had thrown it at least 20 years ago. I backed the rig up onto my jack ramps and pulled up a chair. It felt good to work with the sun on my back.

I can still solder with the best of them. We now have blinkers, brake lights, side markers, and tail lights. It also means I fixed the current drain and can connect the rear bed connector in the back of the cab. That gives me a fuel gauge again.

Next Steps:
The headlights still randomly die and I've diagnosed the combo switch on the steering column. I have the part and will start on that replacement. I will dremel out the shrinkage cracks in the steering wheel and epoxy them while I have it off.

I see in this picture that the passenger side license plate light is out. I think that is just a bulb.

I really need to re-hang the elk spike on the shed. That is from my first elk in 1986. It was an old bull in decline. The pedicles are about 4" in diameter. He was still velveted in late October when I killed him. His hide was white and covered in scars. He ate as good as any cow I've ever shot.

 

[44hunter45]

Gave Miss T her first stick shift driving lesson in it today as well. She is a natural.

She has her eye on my 1988 GMC K2500. She has to help me do the 5.7 rebuild before it is hers.