Would a blast and coat get it done or is there welding work involved?

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I think there’s welding work needed, especially those big holes in the frame rail near the lower trailing arm mount.

These frames tend to rust from the inside out, so external/visible rust is only part of the problem.

Time for a pretty serious cost/benefit analysis IMO.

Check out these 4-Runner 1996-2002 3rd Gen Archives - autorust.com

Best of luck

If you're looking to buy it and you're not a really decent welder / fabricator - hard pass. Just not worth the effort. Remember, what you posted pics of is just the exterior rust. As has already been so correctly stated, it's the stuff you can't see that is the real problem. If the outside is that bad, you can only imagine what is hiding just out of sight.

Thanks for confirming my thoughts….the truck is so mint, it’s a real shame.

If the rest of the truck is truly mint, then you might consider a frame swap?

Geez, that frame looks toast. Have you thought about replacing the rear shocks? They are rusted through and peeling away...

If that 4Runner was in CA, it would be considered non-repairable. We don't get much rust though.

I considered that…if I knew where to buy one and could get it done reasonably…I’d probably do it.

There are good frames to be found on car-part.com

If you go this route:

- Source the donor frame from a known rust-free region. Before you buy, get the VIN and do your due diligence to ensure it’s the same year, 4x4 or 2WD, consider a CarFax on the donor VIN to verify it lived its life in a rust-free region, etc.

- You will need to manage the transportation. Just because a seller ships doesn’t mean it will actually arrive. It took two months to get my donor frame and I had to really badger the transport company to get it the last mile.

- It’s a massive undertaking. Either you do the work yourself or find someone who’s done a bunch of frame swaps and can do it cheap.

- Expect every fastener to be rusted/break.

- Once you start tearing things apart, expect to replace way more than you anticipated, including virtually all the bushings, fasteners, suspension components, hoses, etc.

- Don’t do this if you rely on this truck for transportation to a job. Even if you hire a shop, you could be looking at much longer than forecasted due to stuff breaking during tear down, and supply chain disruptions delaying parts and supplies. Think months or quarters, not weeks.

- General rule applies: Good, fast, cheap. Pick two.

I’d buy it and fix it if you can weld yourself, and it’s like $500

Not really financially feasible to have it repaired at a shop, because after labor cost and all the recommended maintenance (like LBJs) you’d probably be ahead to just go south and buy a clean one

Notice you are at Daytona Beach. This looks more like salt water damage than road salt damage to me. Some moron was launching a boat without washing it off.

Didn’t realize op was in Daytona beach, in that case I’d pass on this one, no reason to buy such a rusty vehicle when you should have easy access to clean ones. Even though you could probably get it repaired in the end it’s worth it to just buy one that’s clean and doesn’t need a bunch of welding or a frame swap

Were they launching it facing down the ramp too? Looks like they liked to drive on the beach and through the water too.

-Charlie

salt is a killer. it does not matter if you live in a snow/ice free area. when i lived in the PNW you were gambling on a car that came from the coast...just the salt in the air and the rain that came off the ocean ( carrying salt) I lived in florida for a while and rust was a killer here too. a person needs to know the car history and where it has been. kind of an example....where i live...they dont use salt on roads.. they use pea gravel as salt would have to come form 400 miles away..but in the same state they do use salt or chemical de-ice junk.
last year i bought ( and sold) a 2001 that came out of anchroage....man the rust i fought on suspension and frame...wow.. my cureent rig...lived its life here in fairbanks.. 230k. i recently did the suspension.......only one rusted bolt.
i feel sory for you guys in rust areas.

That's rotting up. Very common looking for the rust belt. But on the non rust belt that be considered junk... frame has some serious areas that need to be fixed. I would pass unless you want to rebuild sections of thr frame.

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