87 4 Runner Build
- Thread starter SV_Dude
- Start date
nashville67
New member
and snow
If all else fails I'll still have my hard top. These soft tops were really designed with warm weather in mind. It's a good thing there's a lot of good marine upholstery shops near Tacoma and Seattle that can give me some good advice on making this soft top functional for wet and snowy weather. Hopefully I'll get to Washington in time to so some snowboarding before the snow turns to mush on the mountains!
Well, I'm off work for the next two weeks and it's about 60* outside. Who knew that it would be this warm in February?
This was done a few months ago but I didn't take pictures during because I was in a hurry. But you know the bar that mounts under the dash and goes from each side of the body? They're ALWAYS rusted and nasty so it had to come out and get cleaned up. It's hard to see in the pics but I cleaned it up and threw a coat of primer over it so it doesn't rust anymore:
Anyways, I have plenty of time to work in the garage and get some things taken care of on the runner. First on the list is to repair the dash cracks and install an inclinometer
Just a preview of what the dash looked like before:
So I took the dash pad off and sanded down the high spots from where it was cracking:
Next I cut and drilled into the dash pad so the inclinometer could sit flush and pretty. Then I applied resin over the cracks to fill them in and over the bare padding from where I cut:
This was done a few months ago but I didn't take pictures during because I was in a hurry. But you know the bar that mounts under the dash and goes from each side of the body? They're ALWAYS rusted and nasty so it had to come out and get cleaned up. It's hard to see in the pics but I cleaned it up and threw a coat of primer over it so it doesn't rust anymore:
Anyways, I have plenty of time to work in the garage and get some things taken care of on the runner. First on the list is to repair the dash cracks and install an inclinometer
Just a preview of what the dash looked like before:
So I took the dash pad off and sanded down the high spots from where it was cracking:
Next I cut and drilled into the dash pad so the inclinometer could sit flush and pretty. Then I applied resin over the cracks to fill them in and over the bare padding from where I cut:
4runnertank
New member
How did you get that dash off! I tried soooo hard and took out like 20 screws and bolts, and just couldn't get it off.
Recdiver
New member
Dashpad remove 88 4runner
I used these pdf's when i put my inclinometer in my '88! They did the trick!
To remove the dash pad you need to remove the trim around the gauge cluster, there is a 10mm nut under it that needs to be removed. Now you need to remove the air vent by the passenger door, this is a PITA, once its out there is a 10mm bolt behind it that has to be removed. The next part you need to remove is the glove box, once removed you will see a heater vent duct above the glove box, it needs to be removed also, once its out there is an almost hidden 10mm nut that needs to be removed, you can see with a small light. Then there are 4-5 phillips head screws along the front edge of the dash that also need to come off. The front center vents and dashmat wiggle and came off easily on my '88.
I used these pdf's when i put my inclinometer in my '88! They did the trick!
To remove the dash pad you need to remove the trim around the gauge cluster, there is a 10mm nut under it that needs to be removed. Now you need to remove the air vent by the passenger door, this is a PITA, once its out there is a 10mm bolt behind it that has to be removed. The next part you need to remove is the glove box, once removed you will see a heater vent duct above the glove box, it needs to be removed also, once its out there is an almost hidden 10mm nut that needs to be removed, you can see with a small light. Then there are 4-5 phillips head screws along the front edge of the dash that also need to come off. The front center vents and dashmat wiggle and came off easily on my '88.
Attachments
It's a pretty simple process. Remove the plastic trim that surrounds the gauge cluster. Remove the glove box and carefully remove the passenger side vent. There will be 1 10mm nut on the driver side of the dash, one 10mm nut in the middle (you do not need to take off any heater ducting), and one 10mm bolt behind where the pass vent was. Last, remove 4-5 phillips screws on the bottom edge of the dash. At that point the dash should slide right off. Don't force it, these old parts can be quite brittle and will crack or break easily.
So I put some bondo on and sanded it smooth:
I guess I didn't get any pics of it sanded down but you get the idea.
Next was a few coats of gray vinyl dye:
Assembled:
And installed:
The color match isn't all that great. It looked like a better match when I compared the can to the vents... Some day I'll pull it again and paint it with a darker shade of grey.
It's far from perfect but it looks 10X better than before:
I guess I didn't get any pics of it sanded down but you get the idea.
Next was a few coats of gray vinyl dye:
Assembled:
And installed:
The color match isn't all that great. It looked like a better match when I compared the can to the vents... Some day I'll pull it again and paint it with a darker shade of grey.
It's far from perfect but it looks 10X better than before:
KidVermicious
New member
Holy Moly, that looks great! I was thinking I was going to have to fix my dash with fiberglass, I never even thought of bondo.
Too bad you fixed it already, for a color match you could have peeled off a little piece and taken it in and let the paint place match it perfectly.
Too bad you fixed it already, for a color match you could have peeled off a little piece and taken it in and let the paint place match it perfectly.
Thanks!
I took the vent off the dash and brought it into the store. I tried to match the color of the vent to the lid of the can. A little bit of shade and lighting inside of a store can make a big difference in the way a shade of a color looks. I used vinyl dye from a company called SEM. They have excellent and long lasting products but they don't really do a custom color match. It's a small sacrifice for a good product that will last a long time.
I took the vent off the dash and brought it into the store. I tried to match the color of the vent to the lid of the can. A little bit of shade and lighting inside of a store can make a big difference in the way a shade of a color looks. I used vinyl dye from a company called SEM. They have excellent and long lasting products but they don't really do a custom color match. It's a small sacrifice for a good product that will last a long time.
KidVermicious
New member
And not that big a deal anyway, especially if you're motivated enough to eventually do the rest of the dash to match.
How does the texture compare?
ToyoTech
New member
i would have left the dash alone and got a nice dash cover. i only had a tiny maybe half an inch crack on the back of the dash and decided that a nice carpeted dash cover should prevent future cracks plus i got a darker color and turned out great. i can hide wires under it as well 
i didnt use the tape in the picture to hold it down
now that its repaired, should look into one. this is the one i got in smoke color
Original DashMat for 1987-1989 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH INCLINOMETER | eBay
i didnt use the tape in the picture to hold it down
now that its repaired, should look into one. this is the one i got in smoke color
Original DashMat for 1987-1989 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH INCLINOMETER | eBay
I repaired mine so I wouldn't have to use a dash cover. In 5 years or so if it cracks again then I'll repair it again. It cost me maybe $50 in materials and about a half days labor. Easily done and looks good. Not that I think the dash covers don't look good, but it's just not my cup of tea.
Time for some more updates
I finished removing all the a/c related stuff from the front of the 4runner. Eventually I'll remove all the junk under the dash but that's another project for another day. With everything removed I should have a LOT better airflow to the radiator.
All this junk went bye bye
I also had a big rust hole under the battery. The p/o had a bad battery and it destroyed the whole area. Good thing though is that is the only rust on the whole vehicle.
I grinded away the spot welds and removed the rusted battery tray.
Next I cleaned the area a little bit and started cutting and forming my new inner fender. I drew a template with a piece of paper and cut the sheet metal to size. I used 16ga because it's what I had in the shop. I would have liked to use 18ga or 20ga but I didn't want to drive 45 minutes to the metal yard. I formed it to shape using a body hammer on a soft rubber mat then slowly formed it to shape once temporarily attached to the 4runner. Once it was completely formed I traced the area around it with a black sharpie.
I came inside to get out of the cold for a little bit. But now I need to cut out the traced area then weld in the new piece then fab up a battery box. More pics to come.
I finished removing all the a/c related stuff from the front of the 4runner. Eventually I'll remove all the junk under the dash but that's another project for another day. With everything removed I should have a LOT better airflow to the radiator.
All this junk went bye bye
I also had a big rust hole under the battery. The p/o had a bad battery and it destroyed the whole area. Good thing though is that is the only rust on the whole vehicle.
I grinded away the spot welds and removed the rusted battery tray.
Next I cleaned the area a little bit and started cutting and forming my new inner fender. I drew a template with a piece of paper and cut the sheet metal to size. I used 16ga because it's what I had in the shop. I would have liked to use 18ga or 20ga but I didn't want to drive 45 minutes to the metal yard. I formed it to shape using a body hammer on a soft rubber mat then slowly formed it to shape once temporarily attached to the 4runner. Once it was completely formed I traced the area around it with a black sharpie.
I came inside to get out of the cold for a little bit. But now I need to cut out the traced area then weld in the new piece then fab up a battery box. More pics to come.
Deathcricket
New member
Nice thread and loving this documentation! I think your dash looks perfect and am hoping to achieve similar results. Had a question about the texture coating. Did you just use a spray on then? I see you used SEM? I did a quick google search and found this, did you use similar?
SprayPaintDepot - Texture-Coatings
SEM - Aerosol Texture Coating:
SEM - Aerosol Texture Coating
Duplicates the original finish on plastic bumpers, instrument panels, dashes, consoles and other textured plastic and vinyl parts. May be topcoated with FLEXIBLE BUMPER COATER, COLOR COAT or most refinish materials. No priming required.
Last edited:
Yes, I used the black SEM texture coating. I did use a high build primer from SEM before the texture coating. But you absolutely have to make sure that it is 100% clean first. I used rubbing alcohol with a clean rag and rubbed it down a few times using an air compressor to blow out every little pore as good as I can. Just make sure you have a good color match so you won't have to repaint it like I do. SEM products are pricey so do it right the first time.
Cut out the inner fender:
Test fit:
Welded in place. Some of the welds are ugly but I am no pro at welding, especially this thin body sheet metal. But the welds are good and strong.
Welds all cleaned up and smooth:
The bottom:
And primered gray:
All finished:
Now I get to build the battery box.
Test fit:
Welded in place. Some of the welds are ugly but I am no pro at welding, especially this thin body sheet metal. But the welds are good and strong.
Welds all cleaned up and smooth:
The bottom:
And primered gray:
All finished:
Now I get to build the battery box.
