The first step was getting this 1981 Toyota 4×4 pickup up and running. The exterior looked great after the bath and the OP planned to clean up the interior, but the truck was of no use to him if it didn’t run. When the project began, the truck didn’t run, so he removed the carb and had it rebuilt, but that didn’t fix the issue, even after he installed a new battery. He also installed new plugs and wires, but the truck wouldn’t run, so he replaced the fuel tank and Dixie roared to life.
However, after running into a fuel line problem, the OP had to drop the gunked-up fuel tank to inspect things and clean everything out. After quite a bit of wrestling, he finally got the fuel tank out and surveyed the amount of junk in the factory unit. He wanted to buy a new tank, but he couldn’t find one in stock, so he took the original unit to a shop to be cleaned out sandblasted and repainted before being reinstalled.
During this process, the OP found that one of the brake lines was leaking and the master cylinder was bad. He also ran into some engine issues after the truck was running, so he ended up sending the truck off to a shop that promised to get the truck running and stopping, along with adding a few other new items such as wheels and tires.
Unfortunately, there were issues with that first shop, so he moved the partially-fixed truck to another, more reputable shop in the area and this second mechanic was able to get the 1981 Toyota running right – or so it seemed.
It took some time, but in replacing some more small engine components and continuing to tune the carb, the OP eventually got Dixie running right. He also reinstalled the bed cap and continued to work on re-assembling the dash board as the interior was returned to a near-factory finish.
In the end, the 1981 Toyota 4×4 pickup is back on the road and looking great.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
