Hey guys, I'm new here - been lurking for a bit though. I am a CNC/manual machinist, been in the 80's front-engined Porsche world for a while.

I bought an '82 4wd from a coworker for a few hundred dollars. It has a home-built flatbed that actually looks pretty good. I've had it for over a year and just now have a little time to work on it.

Tried to fire it up yesterday, motor kicked right off with a squirt of ether. Fuel pump diaphram is shot, picking up a new one on the way home today, guess we'll see how the original carb is going to behave. Plan B is a Weber conversion.

Should be a fun little project, going to be strictly a functional truck, going to paint all the structure and wheels flat black, sheetmetal on the body will be flat tan. Planning on fabbing a pintle mount for my PKM and RPD for the shoots. Be nice to find a ring turret frame, but those are desirable for the military vehicle restorers and so are usually very expensive.

Anyway, glad to be here - and whoever is responsible for building/maintaining these forums - THANKS! I have already found a ton of useful information! I'll try and post some pictures of my project later tonight.

 

well since your a machinist manual and cnc possibilites are endless my girls brother has made me so many parts and saved me alot of cash i just wish he had the machine to make splines anyway wats your plans for the truck

 

It's a blessing and a curse, you are never happy with anything "store bought", and some people constantly try to get you to make stuff for free. Not that I mind helping folks out, but many do not realize how many man hours go into even a "simple" part.....

Plans for the truck are just to have something sturdy and dependable, not going to go rock crawling or serious off-road. Just want to have a truck that can go where my cars can't.

 

Wow, already censored.

Got the fuel pump on, made some new soft lines because the old ones were.....old and brittle. Got a couple factory filters ordered and stuck a generic inline in there for now since I will throw it away after the first tank anyway.

She fired up after a couple tries, idles high and and wanders a bit, but the gas is old and the vacuum system is half way sorta kinda desmogged, but not really. Going to do a proper desmog and tidy everything up before I bother messing with it. Already read through that incredible thread about that subject.

I did take it on a victory lap around the property, everything seems to more or less work.

 

Found a pair of supposedly rust free fenders on CL, going to go pick them up tomorrow morning if all goes well. One more part to source to fix the body.....

 

looking forward to this thread... will you be posting some pics?

best of luck!

 

I'll have pics a some point, just a little busy.

I did get all the smog crap off the engine yesterday. I also realized that the fenders I was going to get are 2wd and are a little different - not going to bother with them. I have already just about finished straitening out the fender, next is the hood, other fender is fine.

 

Jus saw ur post hows the yota? 2wd fenders & hood will fit I know a few guys who got 2wd fenders & cut them wide put on some flairs its the same, but I'm glad my 1980 4x4 had straight fenders id like to c the pics too.

 

I did finish the de-smog, and it runs again - but not perfectly, will not idle below 1100 - not surprised as the carb has been monkeyed with. Moving to a new place this month (really excited about this), after I'm settled back in I am just going to install the Weber conversion and be done with it.

Bought the block off plate kit from Teamyota for $26 shipped - not worth making them myself for that price. Turns the only plate out of the four that fit correctly was the egr plate on the block. The plate for the intake manifold was completely wrong, and I had to relocate the center holes on the exhaust plates. Made the one for the intake manifold.

But all in all - it's coming along, it does run after all and that's half the battle. Cooling system works great too, but the fan shroud is missing. Is this an issue or does it matter?

 

My first Toyota never had 1 I drove it like that 4 a year til I saw my buddies yotas n they had shrouds n I didn't but mine Never overheated. But install an electric fan more hp&mpg preserves ur water pump life also

 

This Project sounds amazing! can't wait to see some pictures!
good luck!