mccamp82
New member
I wanted to go ahead and begin my "build" thread.....here is how it sits today:
And the day i got it:
Background:
I bought the 4runner used about 3 months ago after totalling my 2009 corolla. I have always loved the 3rd gen, especially the sport editions, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to use my insurance money and pay cash for what has been a dream car of mine for years. I paid $7000 for and 02 Thundercould Sport with 125,000 miles. It was a one owner vehicle coming from Arkansas with a clean carfax report. These trucks are still going for over $9000 at dealerships here with more miles. So it was a great deal to me. I originally didnt plan to do anything other than replace the stereo and do standard maintenance to it, but once being turned on to this site by a buddy of mine, I couldn't resist the urge to do some mods. Also, some thing are/were not quite right with the 4runner. Turned out it had been rear-ended in the past and looks like the previous owner just used junkyard parts to fix it. Looks like he used pre-2001 parts as i have mismatched tail lights, rear emblems in the wrong position, and the black rear bumper plastic is in bad shape. Also, the paint job on the tailgate isn't too nice. I'd like to rectify some of these problems as well.
Totalled Corolla:
The 4Runner is my daily driver and I live in the middle of Dallas, so it is not my goal to build a big off-road rig (especially since it's only 2wd), but I definitely love the look of 4wds, so i decided to do a lift, get bigger tires, and remove my running boards the rabbit hole continued from there.
Here is my list of mods/maintenance that have been done so far (all work done by me with the help of some good friends):
Suspension: 1999 Highlander Coils and KYB Gas-a-just shocks with a 10mm trimpackers in the rear, New OEM Toyota Lower ball-joints, new outer tie-rod ends
Tires: 265/75R16 Cooper Discoverer ATPs
Exterior: OEM Toyota Bug Guard, Front Mud Flaps, Yakima Roof Rack, Plastidipped Rear Emblems, and Plastidipped front Grille, new black license plate frames
Interior/Stereo: LED Dome lights, Sony Double DIN Head-Unit, Inifity Reference Components in front, Reference Coaxes in rear, Rockford Fosgate Amp (for components), Sound Ordnance 8" Powered Sub (under front seat), Sound deadened all for doors and tailgate, fixed Rear window (it was getting hung up when about half way down), fixed a few rattles
Engine/Etc: New Denso Plugs and Wires, Deckplate Mod, ISR Mod, New Fuel Filter (Wix), New Pre-cat 02 Sensor (Denso), New PCV Valve, Seafoamed Engine (gas tank, crankcase, and Intake), switched to Mobile 1 Synthetic High-mileage oil and OEM Toyota oil filter, Cleaned MAF and Throttle body
Mods to come:
New Denso Radiator with new hoses (Bought and ready to go on)
LED Interior lighting (Bought bought and ready to install)
Replace timing belt and water pump (will do myself with an amazon timing belt kit with all real oem parts)
Change differential fluid
Run some Trans-Tune through my transmission and change fluid
New brake and power steering fluid
New Performance rotors (Slotted) and Break pads (carbon-ceramic)
Taco-whip antenna (mine is not retracting anymore)
New LED Tail Lights
4xInnovations Sliders with Kickout (mainly for looks and to use as steps)
Poly sway bar bushings from Wheelers Offroad
All-weather floor-mats
Carbon Fiber vinyl on exterior door pillars (Like BigFishAllDay did)
Finding and fixing other various rattles on the interior
Other mods I'm considering down the line:
Transmission cooler
New Wheels
Performance cat and muffler
Getting some minor body work and paint done
....and whatever else comes along that i can't live without
I currently only have a few photos on me. I have some others on my computer at work so I'll post them sometime this week. I also had a lot of great photos (before and afters, lift install pics, etc) on my Pentax K5, but it was recently stolen along with all my lenses and SD cards. So all those photos are history.
And the day i got it:
Background:
I bought the 4runner used about 3 months ago after totalling my 2009 corolla. I have always loved the 3rd gen, especially the sport editions, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to use my insurance money and pay cash for what has been a dream car of mine for years. I paid $7000 for and 02 Thundercould Sport with 125,000 miles. It was a one owner vehicle coming from Arkansas with a clean carfax report. These trucks are still going for over $9000 at dealerships here with more miles. So it was a great deal to me. I originally didnt plan to do anything other than replace the stereo and do standard maintenance to it, but once being turned on to this site by a buddy of mine, I couldn't resist the urge to do some mods. Also, some thing are/were not quite right with the 4runner. Turned out it had been rear-ended in the past and looks like the previous owner just used junkyard parts to fix it. Looks like he used pre-2001 parts as i have mismatched tail lights, rear emblems in the wrong position, and the black rear bumper plastic is in bad shape. Also, the paint job on the tailgate isn't too nice. I'd like to rectify some of these problems as well.
Totalled Corolla:
The 4Runner is my daily driver and I live in the middle of Dallas, so it is not my goal to build a big off-road rig (especially since it's only 2wd), but I definitely love the look of 4wds, so i decided to do a lift, get bigger tires, and remove my running boards the rabbit hole continued from there.
Here is my list of mods/maintenance that have been done so far (all work done by me with the help of some good friends):
Suspension: 1999 Highlander Coils and KYB Gas-a-just shocks with a 10mm trimpackers in the rear, New OEM Toyota Lower ball-joints, new outer tie-rod ends
Tires: 265/75R16 Cooper Discoverer ATPs
Exterior: OEM Toyota Bug Guard, Front Mud Flaps, Yakima Roof Rack, Plastidipped Rear Emblems, and Plastidipped front Grille, new black license plate frames
Interior/Stereo: LED Dome lights, Sony Double DIN Head-Unit, Inifity Reference Components in front, Reference Coaxes in rear, Rockford Fosgate Amp (for components), Sound Ordnance 8" Powered Sub (under front seat), Sound deadened all for doors and tailgate, fixed Rear window (it was getting hung up when about half way down), fixed a few rattles
Engine/Etc: New Denso Plugs and Wires, Deckplate Mod, ISR Mod, New Fuel Filter (Wix), New Pre-cat 02 Sensor (Denso), New PCV Valve, Seafoamed Engine (gas tank, crankcase, and Intake), switched to Mobile 1 Synthetic High-mileage oil and OEM Toyota oil filter, Cleaned MAF and Throttle body
Mods to come:
New Denso Radiator with new hoses (Bought and ready to go on)
LED Interior lighting (Bought bought and ready to install)
Replace timing belt and water pump (will do myself with an amazon timing belt kit with all real oem parts)
Change differential fluid
Run some Trans-Tune through my transmission and change fluid
New brake and power steering fluid
New Performance rotors (Slotted) and Break pads (carbon-ceramic)
Taco-whip antenna (mine is not retracting anymore)
New LED Tail Lights
4xInnovations Sliders with Kickout (mainly for looks and to use as steps)
Poly sway bar bushings from Wheelers Offroad
All-weather floor-mats
Carbon Fiber vinyl on exterior door pillars (Like BigFishAllDay did)
Finding and fixing other various rattles on the interior
Other mods I'm considering down the line:
Transmission cooler
New Wheels
Performance cat and muffler
Getting some minor body work and paint done
....and whatever else comes along that i can't live without
I currently only have a few photos on me. I have some others on my computer at work so I'll post them sometime this week. I also had a lot of great photos (before and afters, lift install pics, etc) on my Pentax K5, but it was recently stolen along with all my lenses and SD cards. So all those photos are history.
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