COB's 1990 4Runner 2-Door
- Thread starter ChildrenOfBodom
- Start date
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
The truck did not come with a spare wheel. The spare tire lift mechanism has just been dangling and clanking around under there. I have a matching TRD spare rim with a 265/70/16. Tried to fit it under the truck, but it wouldn’t fit between the panhard bar and hitch receiver. Surprised that a 31” was too big for the spare location. Seems the hitch receiver is too intrusive. Debating removing the hitch, unsure about that one right now. Might try to grab an old Marlin tube bumper. Good to know that the spare mechanism is all fully functional at least.
Vacuumed interior, 303 interior protectant all around, and new Dash Designs dash cover installed.
IMG_2390 by James Harb, on Flickr
Trimmed exhaust tailpipe
Before
After
Also cut off the chewed up trailer wiring harness. There were some damaged wires already. It will have to be redone at a later point, or just removed altogether depending on if the hitch stays.
Vacuumed interior, 303 interior protectant all around, and new Dash Designs dash cover installed.
IMG_2390 by James Harb, on Flickr
Trimmed exhaust tailpipe
Before
After
Also cut off the chewed up trailer wiring harness. There were some damaged wires already. It will have to be redone at a later point, or just removed altogether depending on if the hitch stays.
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
A while back, the city came to repave our street. After a game of Toyota Tetris, this truck sat tucked inches away from my turbo 87 4Runner until the manual swap was completed. As a result, the passenger side was inaccessible. While the rest of the truck got a polishing, the passenger side was left unpolished.
Since becoming functional again, the most it’s had is a wash with soap. It’s time to give it attention.
After clay
Polish round 1. Meguiars 205 Ultra finishing polish on a red foam pad, then again with yellow foam pad
Meguiars Gold Class wax
Since becoming functional again, the most it’s had is a wash with soap. It’s time to give it attention.
After clay
Polish round 1. Meguiars 205 Ultra finishing polish on a red foam pad, then again with yellow foam pad
Meguiars Gold Class wax
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
The Toyota dealership that did the steering recall accepted responsibility for the damaged valance and told me to come by. This is what they had waiting:
A brand new OEM valance, free of charge. They’re around $300 new. Shocking to think these are not discontinued.
The original plan was to change to a set of DEPO clear corners, bumper signals, plus a 92-95 bumper. I have already purchased the bumper and 92-95 clear bumper signals, but it’s not every day that a brand new OEM valance comes along for a 35 year old truck. Seems like a solid excuse to keep the 1990 bumper and clean up the front end. The 92-95 stuff can be used on the 89 pickup instead.
One of the sealed beam headlights has a good amount of condensation inside. I decided a few months ago to throw away the 10 or so sealed beams piled up from projects over the years, but kept one Sylvania just in case. It’s no contest, the H4 conversion headlamps are a better option, but I plan to steal the ones from my 89 pickup after the 92-95 4Runner front end conversion. The extra Sylvania will do for the time being.
Taped the grill off and painted the center and headlight buckets with SEM bumper coater. Removed the V6 emblem for good.
Masked off TOYOTA emblem.
Everything installed. Clear corners, bumper signals, new OEM valance, painted grill and emblem.
I might pull the bumper back off to push out that dent in the chrome, and it needs a little adjusting to straighten it, but overall a great improvement.
OC Yota Nights. She’s really coming around. Solid 20 footer.
A brand new OEM valance, free of charge. They’re around $300 new. Shocking to think these are not discontinued.
The original plan was to change to a set of DEPO clear corners, bumper signals, plus a 92-95 bumper. I have already purchased the bumper and 92-95 clear bumper signals, but it’s not every day that a brand new OEM valance comes along for a 35 year old truck. Seems like a solid excuse to keep the 1990 bumper and clean up the front end. The 92-95 stuff can be used on the 89 pickup instead.
One of the sealed beam headlights has a good amount of condensation inside. I decided a few months ago to throw away the 10 or so sealed beams piled up from projects over the years, but kept one Sylvania just in case. It’s no contest, the H4 conversion headlamps are a better option, but I plan to steal the ones from my 89 pickup after the 92-95 4Runner front end conversion. The extra Sylvania will do for the time being.
Taped the grill off and painted the center and headlight buckets with SEM bumper coater. Removed the V6 emblem for good.
Masked off TOYOTA emblem.
Everything installed. Clear corners, bumper signals, new OEM valance, painted grill and emblem.
I might pull the bumper back off to push out that dent in the chrome, and it needs a little adjusting to straighten it, but overall a great improvement.
OC Yota Nights. She’s really coming around. Solid 20 footer.
Last edited:
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
Found a spare 4Runner wheel and 225/75/15 tire on the side of the road, just happened to fit perfectly underneath the 2-door where the 31” would not fit.
Swapped some 265/65/17 on the rear and went off to smog
Passed!
Tagged!
233,000, the first time crossing over on the thousands.
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
Having issues with shifting into first, suspecting there’s wear to the bearing retainer. I put in some Marlin Crawler delrin shift bushings to try to see if it’d help things, but it didn’t.
As a result, I found a guy online selling a transmission, but had labeled it as having come from an 84.
The picture shows the transmission in the back of a truck upside down. It was pretty clear in the image that it was an early R150.
After visiting the guy, who had a killer custom cab, I got the transmission for $500.
More pics after I unloaded it from the truck.
As a result, I found a guy online selling a transmission, but had labeled it as having come from an 84.
The picture shows the transmission in the back of a truck upside down. It was pretty clear in the image that it was an early R150.
After visiting the guy, who had a killer custom cab, I got the transmission for $500.
More pics after I unloaded it from the truck.
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
Fresh wash
With my buddies 4Runner swapped taco
Cook’s Corner
With my longtime buddy Jay AKA driffter33
With my buddies 4Runner swapped taco
Cook’s Corner
With my longtime buddy Jay AKA driffter33
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
I visited OC Yota Nights and finally met the owner of one of my favorite mini trucks.
We got to chatting and he shows me how to mount a set of 92-95 4Runner lights onto a pickup/90-91 4Runner core support.
He was nice enough to sell me a 92-95 grill with emblem and I went on the hunt to find a pair of headlights.
Found a 4Runner part out and went to grab some parts.
Headlights
Paired up with the new grill
Center console bracket
Missing knob for HVAC
92-95 4Runner signal and corner lamp plugs/sockets
Driver side mirror triangle
Right side, original, is broken.
Center console latch (amazon)
Shift knob from a pickup, matches the putt (my 89 pickup). The interior is so similar between the two that I’m beginning to confuse contents of the gloveboxes between the two. I have some nicer shift knobs, but this one feels more natural. Cleaned up with some simple green. Still hunting for a shifter bezel and boot.
We got to chatting and he shows me how to mount a set of 92-95 4Runner lights onto a pickup/90-91 4Runner core support.
He was nice enough to sell me a 92-95 grill with emblem and I went on the hunt to find a pair of headlights.
Found a 4Runner part out and went to grab some parts.
Headlights
Paired up with the new grill
Center console bracket
Missing knob for HVAC
92-95 4Runner signal and corner lamp plugs/sockets
Driver side mirror triangle
Right side, original, is broken.
Center console latch (amazon)
Shift knob from a pickup, matches the putt (my 89 pickup). The interior is so similar between the two that I’m beginning to confuse contents of the gloveboxes between the two. I have some nicer shift knobs, but this one feels more natural. Cleaned up with some simple green. Still hunting for a shifter bezel and boot.
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
Time to swap headlights and grill. 2nd gen headlights are total ass so these were a mandatory purchase.
Rimthin 9004 LED headlight bulbs
Moisture in the driver side headlamp, I’m just over the sealed beams
A little cut to the core support and test fit of the passenger headlight
Clamped in place and grill test fit
Driver headlight test fit and new clear corner lights
Finalized position and drilling mounting holes for headlights. Horn relocated to under passenger headlight. A/C dryer remounted about an inch over to the left to clear driver headlamp.
LED headlights wired in and functional, LED 194’s in the corners
All done.
Rimthin 9004 LED headlight bulbs
Moisture in the driver side headlamp, I’m just over the sealed beams
A little cut to the core support and test fit of the passenger headlight
Clamped in place and grill test fit
Driver headlight test fit and new clear corner lights
Finalized position and drilling mounting holes for headlights. Horn relocated to under passenger headlight. A/C dryer remounted about an inch over to the left to clear driver headlamp.
LED headlights wired in and functional, LED 194’s in the corners
All done.
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
The putt and the 2-door with their new faces
Finally starting to like what I see. Golden hour at the Costco gas station.
Windshield wipers are rusty and ugly.
Time to reach for the SEM Rust Mort. This stuff is amazing. This pic was taken only about an hour in, but after sitting for a few hours, the rust was completely converted and there wasn't any trace of it left.
After SEM Rust Mort and a little sanding with 320
Eastwood rust encapsulator
SEM Trim Black
Wipers Done
Finally starting to like what I see. Golden hour at the Costco gas station.
Windshield wipers are rusty and ugly.
Time to reach for the SEM Rust Mort. This stuff is amazing. This pic was taken only about an hour in, but after sitting for a few hours, the rust was completely converted and there wasn't any trace of it left.
After SEM Rust Mort and a little sanding with 320
Eastwood rust encapsulator
SEM Trim Black
Wipers Done
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
Next up is the rear end. There’s a lot of faded blacks and plastics here. Let’s start with the spoiler.
With the spoiler repainted, the next overly glaring issue was the hitch receiver.
Before:
Wire Wheeled
SEM Rust Mort (only set for about an hour)
After a coating of Eastwood Rust Encapsulator and SEM Trim Black
With the spoiler repainted, the next overly glaring issue was the hitch receiver.
Before:
Wire Wheeled
SEM Rust Mort (only set for about an hour)
After a coating of Eastwood Rust Encapsulator and SEM Trim Black
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
The faded bumper cover is next, but since it’s plastic, SEM Bumper Coater in Flexible Black was a better fit than the Trim Black.
After all the paint was done. Chrome bumper cleaned up with 0000 steel wool. Still some work to be done in regards to cleaning up the exterior, like reinstalling the SR5 V6 badge and cleaning the yellowed reverse lamps.
The two rarest 4Runners ever made… 87 Turbo and 90 2-Door
After all the paint was done. Chrome bumper cleaned up with 0000 steel wool. Still some work to be done in regards to cleaning up the exterior, like reinstalling the SR5 V6 badge and cleaning the yellowed reverse lamps.
The two rarest 4Runners ever made… 87 Turbo and 90 2-Door
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
Thanks for checking in, bud. I always appreciate your likes and kind words.
The shift bezel has been found. I'll get started on making updates right now.
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
Oh man, I hear ya. I apologize for your struggle my friend. [MENTION=44831]JohnsD90[/MENTION] from CT told me many a bewildering and frightening tale of rust. The tales say these Toyotas all rusted away long ago, vanished into the air, crumbled into dust.
In CA, people's old abandoned Toyotas have sat for the past several years outdoors in the elements, waiting to be plucked by wackjobs like me with too many cars. Frame, rockers, arches, literally every inch of them will be free of rust. Factory frame paint still intact after 30-40 years. OEM hardware as rust free and easy to use as new.
Sir, I am grateful to be of the land of no rust. :boink:
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
Got some window seals for the doors from a pickup. The old ones had a lot of shrinkage.
Before:
After:
Passenger side as well.
Wash time!
Close up on the paint shows how rough it is.
Light polish to get it ready for ceramic coating
Reinstalled V6 badge
Before:
After:
Passenger side as well.
Wash time!
Close up on the paint shows how rough it is.
Light polish to get it ready for ceramic coating
Reinstalled V6 badge
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
Ceramic coat completed
Brand new OEM shift boot and bezel
Some new goodies for later - Energy Suspension Polyurethane master bushing set!
Brand new OEM shift boot and bezel
Some new goodies for later - Energy Suspension Polyurethane master bushing set!
ChildrenOfBodom
Moderator
Hot wheels 2nd gen, never thought I’d see the day
The TRD wheels aren’t really my style and the muds are just atrocious. Too heavy, shit handling, awful MPG.
Score! Full set of 5 BFG A T KO2’s for $600.
Time to get these mounted up.
These will go on a long time favorite, the 1st gen Tundra step side 17” split 5-spoke. The step side had a unique shade of gray that was different from the standard silver or hyper silver seen on most Tundras.
The TRD wheels aren’t really my style and the muds are just atrocious. Too heavy, shit handling, awful MPG.
Score! Full set of 5 BFG A T KO2’s for $600.
Time to get these mounted up.
These will go on a long time favorite, the 1st gen Tundra step side 17” split 5-spoke. The step side had a unique shade of gray that was different from the standard silver or hyper silver seen on most Tundras.
