Hi there! First post, so please be gentle.
I just purchased a 2000 V6 4x4 4Runner Automatic for the purpose of making the overland trip from the US to Patagonia. The truck has 162,000 miles and is in generally good shape.
There's a bunch of preventative maintenance changes and custom modifications I need to make in the next few months before leaving:
Standard things I imagine most mechanics are accustomed to doing:
- timing belt
- radiator replacement and maybe adding external transmission cooler (will be summer in central america, is this worth it?)
- addressing possible warped rotor issues (front brake pads were replaced by previous owner twice in past two years... ponderous? or normal?)
- lower ball joint replacement
- installing a stereo head unit that support bluetooth
- upgrading the suspension (shocks absorbers.. but maybe more than that? could I resolve the rear sag issue in the same go?)
Unique modifications:
- modifying the battery mount to support an auxiliary battery (see
Installing the Dual Battery System Part 1 - Life Remotely)
- modifying the electrical system to support dual batteries (solenoid, fuses, running wiring to back seat)
- mounting a 12v refrigerator in place of left back seat
- installing a power inverter
The dual battery mod is especially involved as it will require: moving the radiator overflow reservoir to the other side, dremeling away part of the radiator fan shroud, and cutting off a battery bracket to make room for the extra battery. The electrical system mods seem pretty complicated also (to me, at least).
It's not very feasible for me to make these modifications myself. I don't have a lot of experience working on vehicles (though I'm technically minded and willing to learn). A bigger problem is that I live in a small apartment in San Francisco with no garage or even usable street space. I also have no tools.
Q: How would you recommend I go about finding someone to help me with this? I've tried searching Yelp (there's an "Auto Customization" tag) and found a few places, but honestly these places all seem geared more towards scheduled maintenance and standard run-of-the-mill repairs. Is that my best bet for everything? Or should I consider searching craigslist for someone skilled in this type of stuff that I could work with personally in their home garage? (Anyone here in the Bay Area that's interested in this?) Would you recommend finding one business to do everything (PM + scheduled repairs + vehicle mods), or should I split the standard stuff and mods doing the standard stuff at a mechanic and customizations elsewhere?
Thanks for the guidance!