I bought my '89 'Runner new and it was my DD until 2009. I didn't do much to it other than regular maintenance and a switch to some slightly larger tires. I ran it on some trails and sand dunes in Ontario, and some mud, but nothing too rough. I moved to BC a few years ago and started getting interested in more serious off-roading but marriage, kids and a mortgage meant not a whole lot of play money. Here's a picture of the truck from 2004, basically the way I bought it.

Since the stock suspension was pretty bagged after almost 400,000 km, I swapped in a 2" OME lift in 2005 with springs, torsion bars and shocks. I also put on an ARB bull bar.
Before:

After:

In 2008 I went to 32" A/T tires on 17" forged wheels, swapped the 4.10 gears for 4.56s and added an ARB air locker. I also added a 1" body lift. Last summer I finally got out to play and had some fun. Now it's time for some serious changes.

The parts list includes:
-36" super swampers on 15x8 wheels
-dual t-case and adapter (likely MC)
-SAS with a Trail Gear 3-Link
-High-Clearance fiberglass fenders and quarters from toyotafiberglass.com
-rock sliders
-solid rear bumper
-fender hoops to connect the bumpers and sliders

I stuck the tires on for fun and decided to get the body done first.


Here are the pieces from toyotafiberglass.com

And a couple more of the panels. The 'stock' flare is 2" and this are about 3" wider than that. Should cover the tires no problem.







The plan is to gut the interior in the next few weeks then get the truck up to Penticton BC. Since Corey (Slacker on the board) makes the panels and knows more about these trucks than I ever will , I think it's best to have him do the install. Can't wait to see these on. In the meantime, I have to order the 3-link and coilovers for the SAS. More pix to come.

Very nice, I am in the well not exactly same boat (not married, no kids, or a mortgage) but am not getting any younger, but between being away from my truck 90% of the summer due to work and school in the winter and my supra It is a long term build, but the important thing is its mine and paid for and there will always be a market for parts and upgrades for these unbelivable vehicles.

Take your time and make a plan. right!

Good luck keep us posted!

Nice truck man! Loving those 36's. I know how ya feel money ain't easy and Toyota mods ain't free. But keep up the good work and keep us posted. Hands down my favorite '89 on this site!

Wow what a nice 4Runner Is it a special edition with two tone paint? Not sure I would mod such a nice and rare 1st gen 4Runner for off road.

Yes, it's a 1989 Special Edition. I think Toyota threw some chrome and SR5 seats in the leftover 4-cylinders to move them out for the new 2nd Gen 1990s.
I know what you mean about being rare but it has a ton of miles on it and some rust issues. This way, I get to keep it for another 20 years!

I plan to keep the paint scheme as it is and do a gravel guard or bedliner for the lower black portion. Will keep posting.

The rig is coming along nicely!! Cant wait to see the SAS and 36's! Keep up the good work!

Nice plan! I saw an old T100 at work yesterday with bedliner on the bottom 6" and it looked sweet and practical!

Wowzers! Great project! I really like the way you are headed with that!

The truck will be going to toyotafiberglass.com next week. Today I took the rear bumper and trim off and cleared out the interior.
Outside:

Inside:




More to come.

I took the truck to Penticton Saturday and dropped it off with Corey. Spent and hour talking about the build. Lots of rust in the windshield pillars but I have another roof to be used for patches. There's also rust in the rear innner wheel wells. Corey got right into it and by Sunday night it looked like this:



The small tires are the only snows I have and the trip is close to 250 miles with mountain passes so they had to go on. 36s will look a bit less dorky.

Thing looks sick bratha!!!

killer

Today Corey got the rest of the rear quarters off and the outer wheel wells. Also got into the replacement roof pillars. See the rust behind the spot-welded drip rail. This was invisible from outside and the rails will be cut off where they used to bend down the pillar. Looks like years of Rust Check paid off as there is little rust in the body. Too bad about the pillars.
Shiny scrap metal:

Replacement pillar and drip rail:

Wheel well prep:

Wheel well removed:

Side view:

Today Corey test fit the driver's side panels and got the replacment outer A-pillars ready. Those pillars made me nervous everytime I drove the truck. Can't wait to get it back with no rust!

Driver's side panels test fit:

Front view. Nice curves!

Outer A-pillars prepped:

Driver's side pillar fit:

Got into the doors, today. Removed the skins and prepped for POR15 and the new skins. There was rust in the doors seams. Not unexpected since the driver's one was re-skinned twice.
Door Prep:

Seam Rust:


Prepped and POR'd:

New and Old Skins: