My budget build 3rd Gen

[PitbullRescuer]

Well boys and girls, I'm back in a T4R. I sold my beautiful 99' SR5 in June, just bought a 97' Limited today. 187K on the clock, 1 owner, never been hit, decent starting point.

It is the dirtiest vehicle I've ever sat in. I feel like I needed a shower after test driving it. But, it's rust free, straight and I bought it for a song.

Pics to follow.

This is going to be a budget build at it's finest. I don't go off roading, I strictly will drive it for work, carting my 6 year old around, driving around adoptable Pitbulls, etc. So it's not going to sit real high or be anything outrageous but it'll be a nice daily for not a lot of $$$$. My idea is to show what can be had for not a lot of coin by looking for used parts, putting in some sweat equity and shopping around. The total budget, including the $2800 I spent to buy it is $5000. Stay tuned.

Progress: (I will stop in and edit this post from time to time so anyone that is interested doesn't have to scroll all the way through)

PURCHASED 9/11/11

$150.00 Tundra 199mm Brake Kit Thanks YotaZack
$284.12 Bilstein Shocks for all four corners AJ USA
$29.28 NGK 3967 Double Ground Plugs Amazon.com
$27.79 NGK 4412 Spark Plug Wires Amazon.com
$2.42 New PCV Valve Amazon.com
$19.38 Fram Air Filter Amazon.com
$15.85 Fram Fuel Filter Amazon.com

$32.00 Energy Suspension Poly Steering Rack Bushings Thanks 98'4RunnerSR5
$300.00 16" 3rd Gen 5 Star Wheels eBay

$140.00 99' TALL Springs USED 62,000 miles. Thanks C4Runner

PURCHASED 9/12/11

$34.94 New OEM Hood Release Cable

PURCHASED 9/14/11

$40.00 Used Factory Head Unit and Amp. Thanks Twitchee2
PURCHASED 9/19/11

$50.00 TruCool Tranny Cooler. Thanks Hosehumper

PURCHASED 9/23/11

$275.00 Used Hankook DynaPro ATM 10/32" Craigslist.

PURCHASED 11/7/11

$244.98 Tacoma LBJ's and OTRE. NAPA

PURCHASED 11/15/11

$85.00 WeatherTech F&R All Weather Mats. Thanks RllyDrvrIX

MAINTENANCE 12/26/11

Climbed under with my grease gun and greased all the zerks in the driveshaft and ujoints.

1/27/12 Sold the Split Spokes and Tires

-$200

1/28/12 Sold the Running Boards

-$100

PURCHASED & Installed 3/22/12

$151.00 Cherry Bomb Vortex Muffler




$1430.76 + $2800 purchase price = $4381.76 Total so far. Also thinking about doing Aircabinman's Timing Belt/Waterpump kit just to be safe.


$4230.76 TOTAL

Pics added 9/13/11

And Now:

12/26/11 Removed the running boards today:

 

[kzak]

Wow, that is a good price!

 

[t4r4life]

wow and i though i got it for a good price

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Yeah, I got it real cheap. Found it on Craigslist yesterday, called the guy within 10 minutes I him posting it he said. Nice guy, he didn't need it, knew I did so we worked it out. I couldn't believe that even the leather in the drivers seat is nice. I'll take some before and after pics when I clean it up this week.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Well, it's been about 20 hours since I actually purchased the 4Runner and about 12 since I picked it up. Just wanted to give a little update to my progress so far. Here is what I've purchased:
$150.00 Tundra 199mm Brake Kit
$284.12 Bilstein Shocks for all four corners
$29.28 NGK 3967 Double Ground Plugs
$27.79 NGK 4412 Spark Plug Wires
$2.42 New PCV Valve
$19.38 Fram Air Filter
$15.85 Fram Fuel Filter

$528.84 Total Parts so far.

Also, left over from my 99' I have a brand new Denso 02 sensor, Poly Sway Bar bushings and a deck plate. All will go on the new one.

On the drive home last night I noticed a slight wheel bearing hum (The airplane sound.) I will be ordering new wheels bearing and LBJ's for it tomorrow as well as anew hood release cable. (it's stretched so the hood doesn't latch all the way)

Trying to put a deal together on a set of springs now aswell as a set of wheels. It currently has the split spoke wheels, I'd like a set of the 5 spoke 3rd Gen Wheels or I may actually go up to 17's. (FJ Cruiser Wheels)

I will also be changing out all the driveline fluids probably next weekend. Any recommendations on which fluids to use are welcome.

That's it for now. A lot more to come.

 

[trerc]

You can cam the latch over manually with a screwdriver to get the hood to latch until you replace the cable, been there done that...lol.

 

[Smog-guy707]

Damn good starting point

 

[PitbullRescuer]

You can cam the latch over manually with a screwdriver to get the hood to latch until you replace the cable, been there done that...lol.

I thought about that but I was worried about how I would open the hood if I did that. Would the release still work even with the stretched cable?

Also, how much of a B8tch is it to replace the cable? I imagine the replacement is simple but not sure about actually routing the cable.

 

[josh.bunch]

$284.12 Bilstein Shocks for all four corners

Where did you find all 4 this cheap? What kind? Were they used?

 

[trerc]

Depends on how stretched your cable is... Mine was stretched just enough that I had to pull the latch handle and smack the hood to get it to release, then like I said I would manually push the mechanism with a screwdriver to get it closed. I took my hood latch off and cut away all the anti-theft bs so that I wouldn't ever have an issue getting the hood open regardless the condition of the cable.

 

[BradB]

Well, it's been about 20 hours since I actually purchased the 4Runner and about 12 since I picked it up. Just wanted to give a little update to my progress so far. Here is what I've purchased:

$150.00 Tundra 199mm Brake Kit

Was this for NEW brakes? I was interested in an upgrade as well.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Where did you find all 4 this cheap? What kind? Were they used?

Brand new. AJusa.com

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Was this for NEW brakes? I was interested in an upgrade as well.

No, these were from another forum member but it's still super cheap IMO.

 

[lddrew]

this is just my opinion but MANY share it... NEVER USE FRAM ANYTHING!!

 

[PitbullRescuer]

this is just my opinion but MANY share it... NEVER USE FRAM ANYTHING!!

I've heard that in the past too but I've used their products for the last 20 years without incident so "if it ain't broke..." I appreciate the heads up though, I know there are a lot of people who don't use Fram and I'm sure they have their reasons.

 

[trerc]

I've heard that in the past too but I've used their products for the last 20 years without incident so "if it ain't broke..." I appreciate the heads up though, I know there are a lot of people who don't use Fram and I'm sure they have their reasons.

No offense to you whatsoever, but if you could get better filters for the same money why wouldn't you?

 

[lddrew]

I'm just saying their build quality is the cheapest of cheap. the filters are plastic where others are metal.

when one collapses and causes catastrophic damage it's not pretty

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Update:

$32.00 Energy Suspension Poly Steering Rack Bushings
$300.00 4 3rd Gen 16" 5 Star Wheels.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

No offense to you whatsoever, but if you could get better filters for the same money why wouldn't you?

No offense taken. Like I said, I've been using them for 20 years and have never had an issue. What filter brand do you guys recommend?

 

[trerc]

Myself I use either Toyota OEM, Purolater (makes Toyota filters) or Napa Gold (made by Wix) all are very nice quality filters that get great marks for quality.