Welcome to ChildrenOfBodom's 4Runner Timeline. This thread covers my 1999 4Runner from day 1. They say pictures say a thousand words. In this thread, you'll find thousands of pictures.
This was the first vehicle I ever paid for with my own money. I bought it in 2008, 4 days after my 17th birthday.
This truck started life as a 1999 4Runner base model. It came with a naturally aspirated 4 cylinder 3RZ-FE, two wheel drive, and automatic transmission.
Today, the truck most closely resembles a 1999 Highlander Edition, sporting a TRD Supercharger on the same 3RZ-FE, four wheel drive, and R150F 5-speed manual transmission.
Aftermarket:
Old Man Emu 883 Front Springs
Bilstein 5100 Front Shocks
Old Man Emu 891 Rear Springs
Bilstein 5100 Rear Shocks
Old Man Emu 10mm Rear Trim Spacers (2)
1" Toytec Body Lift
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Sway Bar + End Link Bushings
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Steering Rack Bushings
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Front Control Arm Bushings
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Trailing Arm and Link Bushings
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Body Mounts
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Shock Bushings
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Bump Stops
WHEEL + TIRE
OEM Additions:
TRD 17" Wheels - Matte Gray
Aftermarket:
BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 - 285/70/17 Load C
4 1.25" Spidertrax Wheel Spacers
ARMOR + OFF ROAD
Aftermarket:
Shrockworks Front Bumper with Single Hoop
CBI Offroad Standard Rear Plate Bumper
4xInnovations HREW Rock Sliders with Kickout
Skid Row Offroad Front Skid Plate
Lotus Trailing Arm Mount Skids
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
OEM Additions:
JDM LED 3rd Brake Light
JDM Clear Corners
Aftermarket:
Philips Headlight Bulbs 55W/65W
TYC Headlights
Bosch Turn Signals
Eagle Eyes LED Tail Lights
PIAA 510 4" Ion Crystal Fog Lights (In bumper)
PIAA 580 7" Extreme White Driving Lights (On top of bumper)
ELECTRICAL
OEM Additions:
Towing Harness (4-Flat)
Aftermarket:
LC Engineering High Output Alternator
Power Outlet Relay Bypass
Fiamm/Bosch Horns
1/0 Gauge Battery Cables
Driffter CB Antenna Mount
FireStik Heavy Duty CB Antenna Spring
FireStik CB Antenna Quick Disconnect K-1A
FireStik II Black 4ft. CB Antenna
Blue Sea Fuse Block
MJT Fuse Block Holder
EXTERIOR
OEM Additions:
SR5 "Skinny" Fender Flares
Imperial Jade Grille, 2001-02
Imperial Jade Side View Mirrors, 2001-02
Imperial Jade Mica Door Handles
Sport Hood with Scoop
JDM Rear Spoiler
Black Pearl Emblems
TRD "Supercharged" Decal (Pt.# PTR26-35000)
Aftermarket:
Full Length Roof Rack
INTERIOR
OEM Additions:
SR5 Sun Visors with mirror
SR5 Cloth Front Buckets and Rear Bench
SR5 Leather Steering Wheel
Rear Cargo Area Panels (Cargo Cover Compatible)
Cargo Cover Mount Brackets
Oak Cargo Cover with Headrest Flaps
Manual Brake and Clutch Pedals
Clutch Pedal Linear Spring Mod
Gauge Cluster Bezel (PRND2L Delete)
Center Dash Bezel (ECT PWR Button Delete)
Manual Shifter Boot Bezel
TRD Leather Shift Knob
2000 SR5 Sport Seats
2000 SR5 Door Panels
Aftermarket:
Broadway Wide Rear View Mirror
Stainless Steel Air Conditioning Vent Knobs
Leather Shift Boot
Dash Designs Dash Cover
CB Microphone Mount
Paranoid Fab Single DIN Carling Switch Panel
INTERIOR LIGHTING
Aftermarket:
#24 White LEDs for Gauge Cluster
#74 White LEDs for Climate Control, Key Ring, Ashtray, Blinkers, and Glovebox
Neo-Wedge LED's for Rear Window, ECT/Rear Defrost, and A/C Button
Oznium Superflux Warm White 25 LED Dome Lights and Map Lights
Red Clock
INTERIOR ELECTRICAL
OEM Additions:
Automatic Disconnecting Differential Relay (wiring from 2000 SR5 4WD "Donor Truck 1.0")
4WD ECU for Diff Lock Functions (wiring from 2000 SR5 4WD "Donor Truck 3.0")
Gray Wire Mod
RR Diff Lock Button
Clutch Start Cancel Button
SR5 Door Harnesses for Heated Mirrors
Rocker Switches for fog/driving lights
Turn Signal Stalk with fog switch
TRD Boost Gauge
Aftermarket:
Viper 791XV 2-Way Alarm
Scangauge II
Cobra 19 DX IV CB Radio
Autometer A-Pillar Boost Gauge Pod
Constant Power Outlet Mod
OTRATTW Auxiliary Light Switches
SOUND SYSTEM
OEM Additions:
Mirror Pods for Tweeters
Tweeters
Power Antenna Mast
Aftermarket:
Kenwood KDC-BT778HD w/ Bluetooth
JL Audio 12" Subwoofer
Diamond Audio Technologies M5 Series Front Speakers
Volfenhag 800W 2 Channel Subwoofer Amp
Alpine 4 Channel Speaker Amp
OTRATTW Antenna Switch
Last edited by ChildrenOfBodom; 10-23-2022 at 11:13 PM.
Chronological Chapter Selection. More important updates are in bold.
My links are set up to 40 posts per page. If you get the wrong post, you should get
redirected after a few seconds.
A quick photo time lapse of the 4Runner. This is only exterior, however the rest of the truck changes equally.
March 2008
November 2008
July 2009
February 2010
July 2010
May 2011
January 2012
July 2012
April 2016
February 2017
September 2022
1989: My dad bought a used 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL. In 1991, my parents brought me home for the first time in that car. I loved and adored it my whole life.
He gave me the keys when I turned 16 and I couldn't have been happier. He is a senior citizen with a handicap, so that's why I had the handicap placard on the license plate.
December 18th, 2007. Irresponsible as can be, I rammed it into a curb after losing control in rainy weather. The hit bent the right lower control arm and tie rod, broke a motor mount and bent the coil spring perch.
The new parts were very expensive, though after fixing the damage, I kept driving the car. A combination of a bent frame and wobbly spare tire meant that it could not exceed 50mph without extreme wobble. A few months later, insurance gave a payout and the car was totaled on March 11, 2008. I received $4,000.
I needed another vehicle that was reliable. While peering out of the upstairs window at home, a Realtor was across the street setting up Open House signs. Just a bit further down the curb was his silver 2002 Sport Edition. This sparked the interest, though the only nice ones in my price range were 2nd gens. Any 3rd gen in that range would have been a complete beater.
A family friend operates a smog station nearby. A gentleman stopped by to smog a 1999 4Runner base model 4 cylinder 2wd automatic, as he was planning to sell. Our family friend notified my dad, who borrowed it for a test drive.
My dad brought it by the house so I could take a look. I climbed out of bed with my old Olympus FE-230 digital camera in hand. It was a smoker vehicle and had been involved in 2 DUIs. The interior was especially dirty, with what seemed like gallons of makeup smeared all over the steering wheel, shifter, and buttons. The Alpine radio was partially functional, the most unfortunate part being the Volume down button. Most of the interior parts (bolt covers, roof console door, floor mats) were missing. There was a smashed cigarette in the glove box and beer bottle caps under the seats. The paint was messed up, all of the bumper plastic was faded, the tires were cupped, the antenna was broken, and the exhaust manifold had a huge crack right down the middle.
It happened to look way better than any of the 1996 models available at the time, in fact it was the only 1999 within my budget. March 30th, 2008, I bought my 4Runner for $5,500 (down from $6,000).
I needed something to daily drive, I didn't think I was gonna own it for very long. 2WD Auto 4 cylinder just meant good gas mileage.
These 4Runners, though... they get to you. This first photo was taken the first time I ever laid eyes on it, with the digital camera I'd mentioned before.
Finally, I didn't have a vehicle with more problems than miles! Thankfully, it came with basic SR5 options, such as power windows and locks, air conditioning, rear wiper, rear window defroster, aluminum wheels, etc.
The very first thing that needed to be addressed was the exhaust manifold. At the age of 17, I saved for the first 5 months of 4Runner ownership to buy an LC Engineering 3RZ Street Header.
I did a bunch of little things at first. Small touches, such as a Broadway clip on rear-view mirror and Pioneer head unit from the old Mercedes.
The 15" wheels and dinky donut 30x9.50x15 Hankook Dynamic tires had to go. A few minutes on craigslist and I picked these up, 2003 Tacoma 16" wheels with 265/70/16 BF Goodrich Rugged Trail T/A tires.
Halloween Eve of the same year, the 4Runner was vandalized. I came outside and found spray paint all over the sides of the 4Runner and a cut tire. Some high school kids were out with knives and yellow spray paint that they'd stolen from a nearby construction site. Unfortunately, the police were unable to do anything without any evidence of the suspects.
Quote:
Update, 2/3/12:
A friend of mine calls me. He and I haven't been very close, but we used to hang out in high school. He said he was in the area and that he'd like to stop by. I opened my front door and welcomed him to come inside. Basically, the gist of what he said to me:
"I feel bad that you're so nice, I came over and you're already inviting me inside and being a good friend. I have something I need to talk to you about..."
I thought he just needed a ride somewhere or something, a favor.
"Remember when someone vandalized your car a while back...? Well, that was me..."
I was shocked. I asked who the other person was... and it turns out that he was another one of my good friends, too. When I asked him why, "It was just some stupid high school drama. I met you again recently and I realized that I had made a big mistake, so I came to apologize. It has bothered me for a while, and I accept full responsibility and want to pay for the damages."
The next day, both of them came over. We devised a payment plan to cover the damages. I paid for it all out of pocket back then, even though I mentioned that insurance had covered it. That was just a cover story for T4R, it sounds like less of a problem that way.
It really took me by surprise, who vandalizes a car only to return and cover the damages? It took a big chunk of negative feelings away, and I am fine with forgiving them once the expenses are covered. It takes big guts to admit something like that, and I respect their mature decision to pay, even 3 years later.
Quote:
Update, 2/2/13:
These two guys, Shane and Andy, hadn't paid me a cent since telling me this. Not that they were ignoring me, well sort of, but both had no jobs and no kind of way to pay me back for what they had done.
So if Andy and Shane couldn't pay me back, what's the good news? I've taken delivery of my new car, Andy's 2001 Mustang GT convertible.
I hastily covered it up with an old car cover. Acetone and the coarse side of a household sponge got the majority of the spray paint off, destroying the Imperial Jade in the process.
The spray paint got in between the cracks on the license plate molding, in the rock chip pits in the front windshield, and in the crevices of the emblems. A local body shop buffed the side to hide the paint damage.
After getting the truck back, there was a pile of parts waiting. The cracked rear license plate molding was swapped for a new OEM replacement. A working power antenna mast, OEM SR5 fender trim, 4 265/70/16 Goodyear Wrangler RT/S tires, used air deflector, and a used OEM roof rack were installed. To top it off, the bumpers were treated with Meguiar's Back to Black.
The SR5 look started coming together. This was about the time that the LED tail lights came out for 3rd gen 4Runners, so a set of OEM 2002 style replaced the ugly cloudy 1999 tail lights. I made a quick video of the tail light install with the same digital camera I always used. Also bought an SR5 emblem from eBay, though I installed it in the incorrect spot. My LED Tails + How To Video
While driving the old Mercedes, I noticed that particular generation S-class everywhere. Someone once said, "You only see what you want to see." The 3rd gen Toyota 4Runner, though, they're more than everywhere. With such a good population of different 3rd gens on the road, it wasn't long before I wanted a 2001-2002 grill. $80 on eBay and I had one I could call my own.
Young and stupid, I decided to buy some billet grille inserts. Installation of the billet required cutting the grille up and fitting the billet with L brackets. I covered the brackets with double stick tape, drilled a small hole in each bracket, and screwed in the billet inserts. A little piece of window stripping worked nicely to cover the rough edge around the emblem. I finished the project and took these photos on my birthday, March 26th. Grille Update Thread
Used cars can be a nightmare. The previous owner of this 4Runner hadn't ever heard of car care. After cleaning up the gallons of makeup, smashed cigarettes, 15 tons of beer bottle caps, and old french fries, the interior was still dreadful.
The previous owner didn't have the front floor mats at all, in fact they used the rear mats instead, which covered up two giant foot holes in the carpet. The parts guys over at Power Toyota Irvine started to recognize me, this time leaving with a new set of OEM mats.
Base model 3rd gens come with a boring vinyl sun visor. The original sun visors in this truck were torn apart and flimsy, the vanity mirror hidden by stained vinyl flap. A roof console door and SR5 sun visors were installed next.
The rear spoiler from the junkyard didn't look too great. Finally took up spray painting and painted it with Krylon Flat Black.
Wow... so who knew modifying a car would be so fun? Craigslist was a great place for used parts. I saw an ad for "Toyota wheels." The ad only asked $150 for a set of 2002 Limited rims. Apparently, the seller bought them for his wife's Camry, but didn't know that they wouldn't fit. They were perfect, not a single scratch, wheel weight mark, or spec of dirt. I swapped my tires over, balanced, and mounted them at school in Autoshop.
The new mods brought about offroad use. The only local trail I knew was Holy Jim's canyon. At the time, there were lots of fun obstacles, even for high clearance 4WD's. The poor factory skid plate met the ground more than a few times out there, just enough to rust it up a bit. There was some left over Krylon from the spoiler, as well as some clear. The skid plate itself was so damaged that it wasn't worth the hassle of removal.
Somewhere along the line, I think everyone eventually buys a set of clear corners. I bought mine on eBay from neondials. They were better suited with white 194 bulbs in them, rather than the orange that comes in the package.
This 4Runner was the first vehicle I had significantly modified. Being about 18, I didn't know much beyond aesthetics. Since this 3RZ is so underpowered, I was forced to learn how to improve it's performance. Answer: K&N FIPK 57-9012. This eliminated the need for the elbow removal mod and the ISR mod, as well.
A guy who had a big van used to run 2 Alpine E10 Subs and 2 channel MTX amps. I bought them from him for $150 bucks. The amps went underneath the front seats. Lots of holes needed patching in the box, too. Subs
Round Table Pizza, Fullerton, CA 6/6/09
My first meet ever, hosted by Pikeman. Attendees (in order) were juiceboxer, Stick Figure, Me, Kellogg, and Pikeman
Once more, on Craigslist, an ad for 4Runner seats was listed. The seller's photos showed a background similar to that of an eBay seller that I'm familiar with. It turned out to be the same person, and it was actually a junkyard called Crossroads Foreign in Mira Loma, CA. The yard was incredible. I went in just to buy sport bucket seats from a 97 SR5, but also left with Imperial Jade mirrors, door handles, and a cargo mat.
The spare tire showing underneath started bugging me. A member on T4R, mike_1305, gave me his old hitch, which I painted and installed shortly after.
The hitch covered the tire well, but now the hitch itself bothered me. Alongside the dented chrome rear bumper, it looked horrible. The hitch came off and I bought a new rear bumper from another Mike, Pikeman, after his custom bumper build.
For a little while, I had to stop frivolous modding and concentrate on maintenance. New polyurethane bushings for the sway bars, rear brakes, and a pesky oil filter housing seal were installed.
While at work, there was a guy tinting a 2010 E350 right after the new E-Class body style arrived. He said that he would only charge $45 to match the front windows. That was the best price I'd heard yet. Unfortunately, he did a horrible job matching the darkness. The fronts are much lighter.
Due to excessive flat tires with the Goodyear Wrangler RT/S tires, I sold them on Craigslist to a guy who converted his 02 Limited to a 1KZ diesel. They still looked great, but $450 was greater. Finally bought a set of tires worthy of dirt, 265/70/17 BF Goodrich All Terrains, for $640. My best friend's uncle sold his wheels to me from his 2003 Tundra Step-side. I didn't want the tires to be mounted with white lettering, but the tire shop never asked me.
Of course, some jerk had to come cut one of them the first night they were on the truck. The shop I bought them from replaced it through Michelin.
Hey, I just want to say I think this is really cool. You've done very tasteful things with your 4Runner, and it's fun to look at everything laid out step-by-step like this. Keep up the good work, and keep us posted.
Well that was the top of the line S-Class at the time, now, the top of the line S-Class costs over $225,000.
Thanks MillerPKA, Richard, fightman, 024RunnerSE, THE MACF, and John!
I bought my truck with a misaligned drivers door. The low corner outside tip of the door was bent also. The door and fender had definitely been in a fight or two.
The new 32" BFGs are much too big for the stock 2WD suspension... I took off the front wheels and hammered away at the pinch welds. One hit grazed the driver fender where the mudflap mounts, disrupting the delicate panel gap balance. Wheels back on, opening the drivers door immediately caved in the fender.
I work at a dealership, a few friends of mine were able to help me get some work done for a great price.
Since the fender has to be replaced, the paint will have to be blended into the adjacent panels, such as the hood and rear left door.
Certifit sells a sport hood without the scoop guts for $56! The scoop guts from Toyota were $175. Now that the hood needs to be fully painted, the passenger fender needs to be blended.
Basically, the blending process means sanding down to the base coat of the adjacent panels, lightly respraying over onto the edges of existing paint. The whole thing is all clear coated for an expected even blend, if you have a good match.
The passenger fender has some scratches that will disappear thanks to that, also getting the headlight filler panels repainted too.
Linear Mode
