Help me out on this one ! So I have a 1984 Toyota pickup xtra cab flatbed. It has 150k miles 10k on new motor. previously patched the frame. and currently has rust holes in the driver floor and rockers. I made a quick list of some of the things I've done to it over the years
-front Spartan locker
- rear Detroit trutrac
-trail gear 8000# winch with synthetic line
-weber carb
-rebuilt Jasper 22r
-20" light bar
-2x 9in light bars
-farm jack+ mount
-1" bore master cylinder
-LCE desmog kit
-LCE wiring loom and pro wires
-Holly fuel pressure regulator
-sr5 gauge cluster
-inclinometer pod

And of course every part that has gone out in the last 6 years I've had it.

What I'm looking at! Is a bone stock 1987 4runner. Great shape no rust or dents. AUTOMATIC! 😞. 170K miles on body 70k on rebuilt motor (no proof of that) price is only $1550.

So my question. I'm fairly certain I want the 4runner. But should I sell my truck for hopefully around 3500 and put that towards 5speed and SAS or should I keep it. Part it out. And use the parts I want to build my runner?
I absolutely am set on 5speed swapping the 4runner. Not %100 on SAS but most likely would do it eventually.

I'm not really sure what I want. It took me 6 years to get everything I have on my truck.

What would you do?

I'm going to try to attach pics of both

 

 

 

 

By the way. The reasoning behind all of the is I recently had a kid and need the back seat if I want to drive on the beach with the family!

 

Parting your truck will only get rid of a handful of parts and wont cover the cost of what you got into it. Might try to sell it outright if it were me. IFS does more then what might be expected. Buying the runner sounds like it would be the best route to go at first, but I have been into enough of these trucks to know it is going to be loaded with problems from neglect or just age. I would plan on spending another $1000 on it just getting the maintenance caught up on it and other repairs that I am sure is needed.

It is a good looking runner. Instead of doing a SAS, I would want to get rid of the automatic and put a manual transmission if it were me. Automatics are slow in the 22 and 3.0

 

Thanks for the advice. I got the 4runner last night for 1300 (originally asked 2400)�� the body is in incredible shape with no rust at all! Even the underside looks great. I'm the 3rd owner.

With the advice you gave me I agree that a 5 speed swap needs to happen soon. I drove it 120 miles home and it is slow! My truck has way more power. And the 4runner has stock 4.30 gears( comes with 4cyl automatic).
I have decided I'm going to keep all drivetrain from my 84 and swap it into the 4runner. So I'll be parting out the truck here shortly. Otherwise I would never be able to afford the 5 speed swap unless I use the parts I already have in my truck.

 

Will you be selling the inclinometer by chance?

 

I'm not sure what part of the country you are from, but 5 speeds are rather cheap around me, $200-300, and if you watch carefully some sneak up for $50-100. If you're local to Michigan, I probably have a good W56 laying around for $200 and pretty much any part you'd need for the factory drive line. Just wondering, what is the expensive part of it? I'd assume you're doing the work yourself? Hate to see a truck killed off for no good reason. That 4runner would probably go for $2k+ in my area easy, there is a rusty one listed right now for $1500.

Also, do you know anything about the grab handles on the outside of your pickup cab? I've seen a cab being parted out local with them on it, figured it was pulled off of a Ford or something, but they look the same as what you have.

I see the thread is a little old, so the info might be outdated by now. Either way good luck with the runner!

 

So I got the 4runner and within a week I had it swapped over to a 5 speed for a grand total of $250. Including transmission, transfer case, drive shaft, turbo clutch and flywheel, slave cylinder, master cylinder, and pedal assembly.

ALSO! I sold the truck for $4500. 1500 of that went into debt, and I got 3k to spend on my truck. I have trail gear front and rear bumpers on order and a new winch sitting in my garage. I have about 1500 left to spend right now. Don't know if I want to put it towards twin cases or something else.

As far as those grab handles. They are aftermarket running lights. The guy I sold the truck to was actually amazed they still worked, I guess a lot of people that have them have quit working.

 

Aftermarket makes complete sense. Nice work on getting a good price out of the truck. I've seen some lifted trucks go for pretty crazy prices local, I never thought they would sell though when a lift kit doesn't cost much, and light bars are getting very cheap. Bumpers I know are high priced for a per-fabbed one.

Dual transfer cases sounds like a lot of fun depending on your area, don't forget though your drive shafts will have to be modified and re-balanced as a side effect. I haven't done it personally, so I'm sure I'm missing some details to account for on costs.

Good luck and have fun with the runner =).