[magnumxix]

Hi just joined up on T4r and decided to start up a build thread.

A little back history on my little big white panda...
I bought it one year ago almost exactly with 183k
She is a 97 White Limited.
I found her while checking out garage sales, she was in BAD(kinda) shape.
She was brown not white, at 15 feet she looked like she was light brown from the factory. Wheels were black from brake dust, hitch was rusted to hell, dents in bumpers, shredded tires, would not start etc etc. She had been sitting for a year or two.
I bought it for $1000, my father came down and we got it started and I towed Him in his denali xl.

I was surprised that this brown brick could tow that big denali, he never had to give it any gas... Needless to say I was starting to think this was not a total loss.

Grabbed new wheels/tires from broadway & 44th (denver) (I think that is 4runner hell, so many 4runners in such a small place there were 5 3rd gens parting within 3 blocks)

Washed her so many times it was not even funny, spent days just washing her.
Cleaned out interior, new fluids, tires, lights, brakes etc. I had to rewire the stereo to get that working again, redid some other failed wiring attempts.


Here is how she is sitting today.. (no before pics, sorry)
(I changed out my bumper with an sr5 bumper which has no dents, so these pictures are a little outdated)





(new old bumper + removing, cleaning, painting skidplates + towbar restoration)

The only things wrong with her, which you CANT see in the photo's are the backleft fenderplastics are gouged I think someone vaulted and lost against her. And the rear bumper, I really only need the right section, but it is rusting a bit so I might aswell get a new one.
Leather front seats are torn to shreds, just the butt. slight stitch fail on the driver side. headlining looks not nice. Tarp cover for trunk area is busted up. rusting on the little shrouds below the lights, dented hood, dent on back trunk.
(If anyone has anything for her I would be happy to talk to you (pm me))

Hit up the junkyard today and picked up a new a/c control cover mine was destroyed (someone got mad and attacked it with a screwdriver, ac cover won) And cupholder (sister borrowed car for her last time that day)
Oh and I picked up a Brush gaurd today.. Did toyota ever make a brushgaurd for this? I think it has a toyota serial sticker, im not sure though as its really faded.



(note the nice bent bar, Someone used it to pull something.. stupid people it has a tow hook for a reason.) (ill fix it dont you all worry)
Oh and that all cost me $33

Total spent on her to this day (that I can remember)
Her herself: $1000
Plugs+brakes+suspension+lights+misc:$400
Oil changes + additives + etc fluids:$200
New Tires:$308
Brush guard + misc stuff:$33
Total:$1941
(not bad eh? I wish I had before pictures she was a mess, And I got the sr5 bumper for free)

I'll give you guys updated pictures and pictures of the brushguard restoration.
(does anyone know who did the led light mod and listed each led model? I seem to have lost it from my bookmarks, and search isint helping me)



Small list of misc other things I have done
new stereo + wiring no cap just off of battery. (jbl 4x50w rms amp under driver seat,alpine sub amp with sub in back, sub 15" in my awesome box 30hz - 400hz pretty well balanced, curves off at 15hz is not "punchy" kicks hard, downfiring)
I like my music to be balanced not "power + bass + bass = loudness and girls" but my system can get pretty loud (around 120db it hurts my ears @ 90% with the windows rolled up)
Belkin F8Z492TTP bluetooth audio reciever into the dash (and modded for range 35-50 feet range outside of vehicle, crystaline clear audio)


I'm planning to do led mods, maybe to taillights and possibly running leds on the brushgaurd. def led mod the top brake light (its dead atm)


**Edit #47** www.ashtonswanson.com/4runner

Here is a gallery of my build, currently no "build" photo's

[farmerjon]

Looks like a great start! Seems like you've put forth a ton of work in cleaning her up and getting her roadworthy - you know you have a Toyota when you only pay $1K for her and you can drive away, all white it's only a 1997!

I have a '98 SR5, Natural White, similar to yours.

[magnumxix]

I did put a ton of work into it. I should have the dealer checkout the rear "sag" see if I can get the coil's replaced :P along with any other "issues" the original owners lost the remote key and the original key + key I had made is worn to the point of me having to punch the door and turn at the same time. (I have to do a similiar trick with the ignition, good thing the airbags dont initiate untill the vehicle is running :P)

Want to meetup and trade bumpers?
I forgot to add that last tank I did 21mpg!

[rjaudi]

That is a manik grill guard. Mine used to have one just like it.

[magnumxix]

Cool thanks for the info on the guard.

I'm now working on the satoshi grill mod... with a twist.

Also finished deckplate mod 4" no pics as you all know what it looks like.

Still have to get the guard painted.

[farmerjon]

Originally Posted by magnumxix

I did put a ton of work into it. I should have the dealer checkout the rear "sag" see if I can get the coil's replaced :P along with any other "issues" the original owners lost the remote key and the original key + key I had made is worn to the point of me having to punch the door and turn at the same time. (I have to do a similiar trick with the ignition, good thing the airbags dont initiate untill the vehicle is running :P)

Want to meetup and trade bumpers?
I forgot to add that last tank I did 21mpg!

HA! You want my ARB? NEVER!! I love it to death, it's awesome and the bst plate bumper out there, in my opinion

and nice! How did you get that kind of MPGs? Best of mine so far is 20.1 I want to break 24 but I think that's impossible.

You are near me, actually...

[revenantdead]

you're new so there's no need to flame you here, but, a satoshi is only made one way. an fj40/fj45 emblem and a 96-98 grille. If there's any different emblems or year of grille it's NOT a satoshi. it's just a grille mod.

The origination of the "Satoshi"

[farmerjon]

Originally Posted by revenantdead

you're new so there's no need to flame you here, but, a satoshi is only made one way. an fj40/fj45 emblem and a 96-98 grille. If there's any different emblems or year of grille it's NOT a satoshi. it's just a grille mod.

The origination of the "Satoshi"

No need to be legalistic about it - around here, we use that to refer to most grille mods, there are all kinds of variations of the Satoshi mod...

[revenantdead]

the thing was named after the guy. if it ain't the way he did it, it ain't. plain and simple.

[magnumxix]

Oh dont worry it will be 99% satoshi.. just with a twist.. I cant give any details or it will give it all away!

But i'll let you decide wether it is Satoshi or not

[WU7X]

Hey you're going a great job on that T4R! I have a '97 SR5 that I'm having to do some my electrical repairs to also. Best mileage I've got so far is 21 mpg with the wind on my tail going across east MT.

I like your grill guard. Would like to find a good used one like yours in the eastern WA area. Don't want the weight of a bullbar, nor the cost. You have the right idea; fix it up right, but don't dump a ton of money in farkles into it. Added weight = poor mpg.

One last thing, with the miles you have on your rig, you probably should look into a new set of shocks and coils. This is one place where spending some hard earned $$ is well worth it.

[magnumxix]

Yea the bullbar/guard was a kick-jeep deal.
I auctually found it in the chevy section and I was like hmm.. that looks like it should fit the contours of my 4runner perfectly... the rusted up bumper that was attached turned out to by off of a sr5 grey 4runner some 200 feet away. I lucked out ;) and my girlfriend was complaining about me looking at vehicles that I didint own , on a side note I sledge hammered the bent bar back into place and aligned the bolt holes (It never once occurred to me it might actually work I just got a little angry so I vented)

Also Shocks were the third thing I invested in just grabbed some nice monroe's the other brand were having allot of returns according to my advanced auto, and I managed all the shocks for something like $90 ending up being %65-70 off or something. (I used coupon codes online and then buy 2 get %% off and a spend over $$ get $$ off)

And those mpg's were with the bullbar. I did a tank with it in the back I was getting around 21-22 before the bar, so not any noticeable difference it only weighs 30 ish I think. (I can move it easily, and im a little 6' 150lb computer guy)


regular engine maintenence does wonders for mine. I was getting 18-19 mpg's before I did the maf cleanout. seafoam cleanout, plugs, oil, deck mod, efi reset. etc.

Im also hauling around 150-200lbs of audio gear, and the 21mpg day I had my girlfriend and my friend with me so figure in 450lbs of watercarbon.

[Hepar]

Great find at a great price! You can't even find a totaled part-out vehicle around here for under $2,500. Way to bring it back to life. Look forward to seeing the new grille with a twist.

[T4R2014]

Kudos for bringing a 4Runner back to life. I'll keep an eye on this build. Do you have any before's?

[magnumxix]

No before's. I'll check my sd cards for some I hope I do. At the Time it was really embarrassing My first vehicle was a ****box toyota >.> (yes it really really looked terrible, I am not very negative before this I was driving an 89 jeep wagoneer with stains that could only be attributed to a ridiculous border run from mexico and a smell that matched, And I thought that car was in better shape than this.)

My web gallery for my 4runner.. Maybe I'll make a blog?
www.ashtonswanson.com/4runner
here is the photoshopp'd pic

Ashton's 97 4runner - Carbefore