1978 Toyota SR5- One for Dad

[legopnuematic]

I am off work this Friday and Monday, so the basic plan is to get the truck up to the shop to do brakes, investigate the fuel system, front crank seal, etc tomorrow.

I also need to make a new battery tray. This is what I have to work with:

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But there is enough there to give me the basic information to make a hammer form and hammer out a new one. I hope. I could go for a basic universal tray, but I’d like to have one that looks correct, close to it atleast.

 

[DoubleDingo]

I am off work this Friday and Monday, so the basic plan is to get the truck up to the shop to do brakes, investigate the fuel system, front crank seal, etc tomorrow.

I also need to make a new battery tray. This is what I have to work with:

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But there is enough there to give me the basic information to make a hammer form and hammer out a new one. I hope. I could go for a basic universal tray, but I’d like to have one that looks correct, close to it atleast.

That looks like the one from my 81, the form, not the deterioration

 

[legopnuematic]

That looks like the one from my 81, the form, not the deterioration

That was my basic initial thought, was to find a stock and available tray from some other vehicle to adapt for it. I decided Ill try to hammer form one for practice and the fun.

 

[legopnuematic]

I had yesterday off of work and dad took a half day, I began my day prepping and painting more tractor parts tan for a base, then got the trailer and headed home.

Loaded up

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Some juggling and rearranging was able to get the truck on the lift.

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How it feels like sometimes working on such a variety of projects at the same time. But, I enjoy it.

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First was to remove the rear bumper, then drained the fuel tank, then dropped the tank. This truck has a factory in tank electric pump, of which was in pretty sorry shape (I believe it wasn't in great shape before it got parked 10 years ago, but time hasn't helped any either). Thankfully the tank itself appears to be fine, with a good cleaning I believe it will come around.

Now that leads us into the fun, the sending unit fuel pump setup is not available anywhere I can find, So we ordered a sender for a 1979+ truck, hoping the resistance will match, I know it will require some adapting to make it work, should be able to get something figured out. Then I plan to add a 5/16 line to the sender as a new feed, cut the 1/4" OE pickup to make it a return, run an electric pump on the frame and one of those wix filters with the return port so the pump is not being deadheaded.

I wish this had a mechanical pump. Interestingly, the 1979+ trucks went to a mechanical block mounted pump.

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What a variety I have in the shop.

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[idahovette]

@legopnuematic How did you get 6 pics in the post........I can only do 5? when did that change?

 

[legopnuematic]

@legopnuematic How did you get 6 pics in the post........I can only do 5? when did that change?

It is still a 5 picture/post limit, that is for photos uploaded and hosted on the site.

The plate spinning picture is a linked photo, as far as I know there is no limit to linked photos in a post. The tradeoff is, that if that host of that photo was to change, shut down, delete it, the link changes that photo will disappear, like all the Photobucket accounts and pictures that have been deleted and held for ransom more or less.

You can also upload photos to the media section of the site, and insert them into a post by linking, still a linked photo, but hosted on the site.

 

[idahovette]

Thanks for the lesson, Spencer

 

[78C10BigTen]

So I’ll give some backstory on why this. My grandfather had purchased a 1980 SR5, 2wd in yellow brand new in 1980 to replace his 1972 Cheyenne (worn out and grandma had overheated it, tail end of fuel crunch etc).

He had a GT spoiler camper shell on it, when he got it they had the rear tires removed and installed two snow/mud/truck tires, kept the two new takeoffs in the basement. I am told they ended up curling up bad and were not useable.

My grandfather worked at the journal in Jennings off of 367, about 20 miles from where they lived in Harvester. In 1982 when the blizzard hit, my grandfather with five sand filled pickle buckets in the bed, made the 20 mile trek to work just to find out no one else showed up to work.

My uncle had started it in the garage one time and didn’t take it out of gear or push the clutch in, it took off and went straight into the fireplace (shares the front wall of the garage with).

Grandpa would take my dad and uncle on the weekends down greens bottom road and drive along as they collected bottles and cans on the sides of the road to recycle.

The demise of the 1980 was my dad and uncle (driving) along with two friends, one up front and the neighbor Brad riding in the bed, I do not know how but lost control and rolled it. Everyone was ok. My grandfather was apparently pretty upset, partly because of the truck, but also that he was the one that had gotten from work, and gave them the tickets to the concert they had attended and were returning home from.

So this isn’t a to be just like my grandpas truck, but rather more of a in the spirit of type thing as the 78 and 80 are different styled trucks to begin with.

As youre describing this truck im seein the toy story pizza planet truck...

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[legopnuematic]

As youre describing this truck im seein the toy story pizza planet truck...

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You know, I had never made that connection. But, yes basically the Pizza Planet truck.

 

[legopnuematic]

Last night cleaned the gas tank best we could, had a lot of clay like sediment in the bottom. Power washer got it pretty good and blow dried it. One pinhole revealed itself, will get that sorted out.

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Got to use that Maddox flaring tool I picked up some time ago.

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The rear lines themselves were ok, but the tube nuts were stuck on the tube, got a six foot stick of Ni-copp line. Bending is not my strong suit.

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This truck uses dual piston front calipers, and to change the pads just remove those two pins and slide the pads out. Pretty neat.

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[legopnuematic]

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Cleaned up using the old gas from the tank

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Must be a high performance master, anodized piston.

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[legopnuematic]

I did find that I can get a new replacement fuel pump. I got a sender for a 1979+ truck, which I believe I can adapt to work with this and Frankenstein it together.

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Back on it tomorrow.

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[Grit dog]

Cool project!
Idk if I said it earlier but believe it or not, Yoda still equips the Hilux base model trucks with effectively the same truck bed.
Ended up with this as a rental in Australia last month and I loved it.
2.8 Turbo diesel. I noticed the higher trim model Hiluxes all have a modern bed similar to a Tacoma. But the old style bed has THICK sheet metal. The truck had a bungee cord tonneau cover on it and one of the screws for the buttons was missing. I could see 2-3 screw threads in the sheet metal! You wouldn’t dent it if you kicked the bed wearing sneakers but you’d for sure break a toe or 2!
I’m not a Yoda guy but fell in love with that new/ old school Hilux for sure. It just felt tough as nails.

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[legopnuematic]

Battery tray made up.

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[legopnuematic]

A little more complete than the original.

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