Meet Blondie --- 2002 Golden Pearl daily driver/weekend warrior build

[OrRunner]

This is my 2002 Golden Pearl 4Runner limited. I bought it from a Toyota tech in Dallas who had bought it from and old lady who had ordered it with every available option and kept it in her garage since since new while racking up 182k before somehow managing to throw a rod out the side of the block. The technician put in a used 120k motor, did the timing belt and water pump, changed the fluids and sold it to me for $3800.

The vehicle is pretty interesting- one year only Golden Pearl with paint in excellent condition, heated front seats you can cook a turkey on, dealer installed remote start, and dealer option electroplated 24kt gold emblems (hideous.... but kinda neat)

I named her Blondie.

And she was real clean underneath

I bought Blondie literally weeks before moving to Portland Oregon (good choice since they're about 70% more expensive here) so I set about making sure she'd be safe and reliable for the drive.

Had a shop install a new radiator, TBU, lower control arms, sway bar ends links and a new set of Michelins. Shop put the thermostat in upside down so I moved it to the correct 6 o'clock position.

I was coming from a newer vehicle, so I couldn't live without Apple Carplay and a back up cam

With the help of my lovely assistant

Needed to do something about the ugly gold emblems, so we picked up some spray paint and 3m tape

Then we moved to Portland, with a stop for photos

Once in Portland we found one more issue- at some point an axle seal had leaked on the right rear, and while the seal was replaced, the brake shoes and drums were not. So, new rear brakes!

Once in Portland I made my way to Tillamook Forest and went just about far as my Michelin Defender LTX tires and stock 02 suspension could take me

So it was time for an upgrade- Icon coilovers, OME 3 inch lift rear springs with Icon shocks, and a set of 265/75/16 BFG KO2s

Then we found some mud

But always cleaned her up when done

 

[Etool711]

Very nice find!

 

[apohl17]

You have got a great start on the best adventure vehicle there is- I'm sure the rig is thanking you for letting it get off the pavement for the first time in its life. The backup camera and 7" Double DIN make a huge difference revamping the "age" of these trucks!

 

[4-Ripcord]

I always love a golden pearl build

 

[OrRunner]

You have got a great start on the best adventure vehicle there is- I'm sure the rig is thanking you for letting it get off the pavement for the first time in its life. The backup camera and 7" Double DIN make a huge difference revamping the "age" of these trucks!

Thanks! I forgot to mention it but I also swapped the interior, dash, and cluster and climate control bulbs with white LEDs, between that and the radio/backup came it really brings it into the modern era. Just need some retrofit HID headlights to really bring it up to date.

 

[OrRunner]

So finished up a couple projects this last weekend-

Did a "stealth" CB build using a midland 75-822 portable CB radio.

Ran a 3' Firestik antenna with a SRQ antenna mount from the driver rear

up through the yellow vent that you can just barely see in this pic

under the trim in the OEM loom up to the dash where I added a flange in the black cubby by the 12v power points

and 3m taped a mic holder onto the dash

and voila!

I unscrew the antenna and put it where the spare tire tools are, unplug the 12v and antenna and throw the handset in the glovebox and you'd never know I had it (minus the antenna stud)

 

[OrRunner]

and my other project- a set of EIMkeith panhard correction brackets

The panhard is pretty level on the middle setting, but still at a slight angle.. might try the bottom setting and see how it sits.

Definitely affected the alignment, steering wheel is off center left and the vehicle drifts right now.

 

[meeceboy78]

great build up so far. you found a nice clean 4Runner.

 

[4Runner4Leon]

This is a gorgeous truck! And it once again sways me in the direction of repainting my Limited cladding white (i.e. body color) as opposed to repainting it in the original silver. I know that Natural White is a bit different than the pearl, but hopefully close enough.

 

[OrRunner]

This is a gorgeous truck! And it once again sways me in the direction of repainting my Limited cladding white (i.e. body color) as opposed to repainting it in the original silver. I know that Natural White is a bit different than the pearl, but hopefully close enough.

As a matter of opinion I find the two toned look to be a bit dated. At times it works when it plays on the late 90s early 2000s nostalgia, but some of the color combos they put out are just horrendous. I saw a light blue (glacier metallic is the color I think) with silver two tone the other day that was god awful.

 

[4Runner4Leon]

As a matter of opinion I find the two toned look to be a bit dated. At times it works when it plays on the late 90s early 2000s nostalgia, but some of the color combos they put out are just horrendous. I saw a light blue (glacier metallic is the color I think) with silver two tone the other day that was god awful.

I agree. I know for a fact that I don't like the silver cladding with the white, I'm just 100% convinced yet that I'll like body color cladding on my truck, which has the chrome front/rear bumpers. I'm afraid the rear mudflaps in white might clash with the chrome. My goal for this summer is to figure this out and get it done.

Sorry for the threadjack!

 

[Bwmartinkc]

That gold and pearl on the black wheels looks really nice.