txbonds 97 4runner limited project

[txbonds]

Okay, heck with you ebay guys that didn't buy it and causing me to have to keep working on it. LOL


Anyway, decided to work on the audio a little today and as such mounted up a Polk DB6501 mid speaker in the factory bracket. Planned to do all new brackets but quite honestly there is no point in trying to make a super high end setup here when this truck is so loud due to the tires and the windows usually all open.

Was a little torn on whether to pull the 12 gauge run I pulled from the amp into the door and put the cross over inside the door, or to pull two wires and run just front speakers active with a sub. So, I decided instead to pull the two wires that came with the polks into the door through the grommet and use them to connect to the speakers as they were made to do. Then the crossover will go in the kick panel area allowing me access to its tweeter adjustment more easily and the option to run active. Not sure which way I'm going yet but might start off active with just fronts and sub and leave the option to switch it later to passive with 4 door speakers and sub.

 

[txbonds]

Trial 1 using factory bracket with Polk tweeter. Good idea I thought but FAIL as it wouldn't fit under cover. The screw wasn't the problem either as it was the size of the tweeter above the bracket that was the issue.

Trial 2 works but have to wait for my DAP quick seal adhesive sealant to dry first. This is basically silicone caulk type product but it dries clear and holds well. Used it to seal my garage dehumidifier drain pipe I ran through the wall and was impressed with it. It's not pretty on the back right now but it should hold the tweeter really well once dry and cured.

Ideally I wish I'd had a proper sized hole saw but since I didn't use one of the mounting cups I couldn't find one that wouldn't be too small or too large and had to freehand cut the hole. Not perfect but I think will be fine once its all dry and ready to go in. Will possibly paint the silver ring black once its all dry as well.

 

[txbonds]

bracket for mid re-mounted. Now I need to find some material to cover over the two large holes in the door. Not sure what I'll use yet but something that will help seal the air space up a little.

 

[txbonds]

It's almost done curing. Turns clear. Ready to be snapped in I think though.

 

[txbonds]

I buggered the silver in a few spots but here it is on door. Might paint silver to black.

 

[txbonds]

Planning to put some more time into the stereo this weekend to try to get it closer to being finished but did go ahead and relist it on ebay.

 

[MStudt]

Planning to put some more time into the stereo this weekend to try to get it closer to being finished but did go ahead and relist it on ebay.

Put some sound deadener on the doors before you're done. You won't regret doing it! I installed new speakers without it, and then with it. You won't believe the difference it'll make.

 

[txbonds]

Put some sound deadener on the doors before you're done. You won't regret doing it! I installed new speakers without it, and then with it. You won't believe the difference it'll make.

Will see if I get that far as I have it for sale again. Funny thing is that with 21 people watching it and a ton of views I've not gotten any offers, not even law ball offers. Not sure if it's karma telling me I need to keep it or what but there are 3 or 4 days left on the listing so I guess I'll see what happens.

 

[MStudt]

Will see if I get that far as I have it for sale again. Funny thing is that with 21 people watching it and a ton of views I've not gotten any offers, not even law ball offers. Not sure if it's karma telling me I need to keep it or what but there are 3 or 4 days left on the listing so I guess I'll see what happens.

I can't believe you have received any offers yet!

 

[txbonds]

I can't believe you have received any offers yet!

Crazier still, I took both the 97 and the 15 to play with the 4x4 today and give them a little exercise and I honestly like the simpler setup of the 97 better. I may change my mind once I get the lift and tires on the new one but the 97 seems to just have a more straight forward feel to its use. No computer involvement and the shift to 4low is a straight line instead of a horseshoe like the new one.

 

[txbonds]

Worked on the truck a little more this morning.

Pulled amp power wire through firewall and tied it off under hood until I get to it.

Pulled the carpet back and got the wires from the polk tweeter and midwoofer connected to the wires I had run from the amp. They had been coiled up waiting under the flooring. Used solder and heat shrink as usual.

Hard to tell but I took the bird nest of wires that were visible by drivers foot area and organized and tied them up behind the dash. This was the alarm wiring the alarm shop had left hanging. Now it's tidy and out of view.

Got the drivers door skin reinstalled now that the new polk speakers are in there. I put in a new toyota interior door latch as the original one had some broken tabs on it. Also gave the panel a good scrub down like I've done with each panel during reinstall.

Got the alarm flasher light off the dash where it had just been laying loosely and got it installed into the steering wheel cover so it's clean and visible from outside. I need to snap a picture but the drivers side front is officially buttoned back up except for the door sill across the bottom.

Will continue to plug away at it until it sells. Items remaining to be done include connecting the rear amp and snapping the trim panels in place around it, installing passenger door speakers and putting trim back on, and mounting the radio and its wiring and then putting trim back. At that point only the under hood wire for the amp needs to be connected with its fuse block. It's getting very close and would probably only take a day or two if I still moved like I was 20.



.

 

[txbonds]

Feels good to drive around with a door skin finally. I've had that drivers door skin off for a year. LOL I tell you, if this doesn't sell soon I'm going to end up pulling the ad again too. I had such a good time driving it around tonight with all the windows and sunroof open.


Anyway, did a little more work tonight and got the alarm light set in place.

Also got the drivers kick panel fitted and the drivers front door sill fitted. By fitted I mean that you have to trim the aftermarket carpet to allow the panels to fit as it is so thick with the mass backing on it.

From this:

To this now that all the speaker, alarm and amp power connections are sorted out in this area:

Next up will either be the drivers rear quarter panel or the passenger door. Not sure which yet.

 

[txbonds]

Did some work on the truck today. Got the JL 700/5 amp mounted and wired up.

Started fitting rear quarter panel and trimmed carpet over wheel well to fit

Can't see it but I fitted trim piece beside seat and on rear drivers door sill into place. Also got the rear carpet, the rear cargo liner and the upper trim with light fitted. Still need to get the rear door sill fitted.

Also painted and installed the front feet pads on the roof rack today

 

[txbonds]

80 amp JL Audio fuse installed under hood for amp.

Made up my custom little harness to connect into power for head unit

Soldered and heat shrinked connections

Got wires sorted and ready to connect head unit

JL Audio base knob mounted and connected to amp

Head unit mounted

Testing for sound and power

And center console buttoned back up

 

[txbonds]

Next up tonight is getting the passenger door skin off, pulling speaker wire into door, mounting mid woofer and getting tweeter fitted into sail panel like on drivers side.

Tomorrow I'll button the door back up as the tweeter will need to be glued like the other one and I'll need to let it dry overnight. Also tomorrow I'll paint the roof rack divider bars and get them clamped in place and I think other than 2 or 3 pieces of trim I'll be at a stopping point with my adventure with this truck.


And that is good as it looks like it is going to be sold with a new potential owner driving down from Atlanta on Friday. Assuming everything works out Friday I will again be a one 4Runner family and focused on some changes on the new one.

Hopefully the new owner will join the forum and start a thread of their own to continue documentation on the truck.

 

[Rowdyron86]

Txbonds, looking forward to meeting you in person

...and your truck too. Bags packed, ready to go. Headed out on friday morning early.

 

[txbonds]

...and your truck too. Bags packed, ready to go. Headed out on friday morning early.

As you will be getting a hell of a truck at a hell of a deal (if you buy it Friday), you better do something damn near legendary and certainly super spectacular with it and post pictures and details when you do!


On a separate note, I did some more work this evening and stopped when the daylight ran out.

Painted the two cargo load organization bars and clamps

Got the second tweeter mounted into the passenger sail panel and the silicone glue drying to hold it in place

Pulled a set of wires that came with the Polks through the door grommet using a piece of bent coat hanger

Reaffixed the grommet with the wires pulled through

Passenger side mid woofer mounted with wire ready for tweeter to plug in. Once I get tweeter mounted and plugged in tomorrow the door panel can go back on.

Hard to tell much but you can at least see all of the LED's I swapped out during the build now that the center dash console is back in place.

Things I did but didn't get pictures include getting the speaker wires in passenger door connected to the amp wires I had already run. Connected with solder and heat shrink just like I had done on the drivers side. Also ran the blue tooth microphone up to the top of the drivers A pillar and mounted it while running the wire back under dash to the back of the radio. Lastly, I ran the USB cable that came with the radio into the glove box so you can plug in your phone or an iPod and keep it tucked away out of view.

The USB worked great with my iPhone for both IPOD music on the phone as well as streaming apple radio through the USB. The radio should be able to do both via bluetooth also but I'm not going to pair my phone up since the truck is being sold.


Tomorrow will involve getting the tweeter, door panel, kick panel, passenger door sill, and cargo door sills fitted into place. Also clamping the two roof rack bars into place. Lastly will involve hooking up the tuning mic and running some tuning on the pioneer once I play with the gains and settings a little more. I have the radio setup in network mode running 3 way active with tweets, mids and sub. Sounds good so far given no tuning but should get much better with some settings and tuning and running the auto DSP/time alignment software.



.

 

[txbonds]

Truck is finished. Everything turned out great. Got the passenger door finished with tweeter mounted, got the passenger kick panel and door sill installed. Got the cargo door sill and tie downs reinstalled.

Turned the headunit color to green to match perfectly with the green LED dash lights. Ran the auto EQ and Time Alignment software on the HEADUNIT a couple of times and dialed in the gains on the amp. Right now the stereo sounds awesome and makes me sad I didn't have it installed a year ago.

Gave truck a bath and a quick detail inside and out to get it ready for tomorrow. It is looking clean, lean and mean. Just in time for its new potential owner to check it out tomorrow.

 

[txbonds]

Snapped a shot of the green head unit lights. Poor quality picture but you get the idea.

 

[txbonds]

UPDATE: NEVER DID SELL ON EBAY BUT MY 1997 4RUNNER DID SELL AND GO TO A NEW FORUM MEMBER UP IN ATLANTA GEORGIA.

Thanks Ron (Rowdyron86) and hope you enjoy the 4Runner and give it a good home.