1978 Toyota SR5- One for Dad

[Grit dog]

Super cool of you @legopnuematic!
And moments to cherish. Never got the chance to build a car or a house w my dad. We did buy a 54 Chevy pickup together, got started on it and then I graduated college, got married and moved cross country all in about a 2 month span. Sold it later that year for my half of the $ for a down payment on a house….
Dad also wanted to work w me as he’d always wanted to be a carpenter and I became one through college. When I built their retirement home he wanted badly to work on it with me, but the cancer had relapsed and all he could do was watch.
Make sure you finish that truck w dad! The rest of your projects can wait…
PS, the current base model HiLux trucks still have the same style bed with the tie down hooks and tailgate latches. That timeless design has survived 6 decades of vehicle advancement!!

 

[Ricko1966]

The GM 4 wire HEI works on damn near everything including,using points to trigger it,with almost no load on the points. Kind of a hybrid HEI. it's true HEI but point triggered instead of reluctor triggered. The points won't burn,but the rubbing block can still wear. You can trigger a 4 wire just by licking your finger and then touching and releasing the 2 input side terminals.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Very cool project, looking forward to watching this one. I wish my dad would hurry up and pick up a project and/or didn't live 2hrs away so he could help me with mine more often

 

[legopnuematic]

I was out of town last weekend, and mom and dad had left for Maine Sunday morning, returned Tuesday so nothing got done. We had ordered the first round of parts though.

Dad spent a little time on the passenger side. It could probably use a real cut and buff but this really shows the potential it has.

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Pulled the grille and radiator as it sprung a leak and the remains of the battery tray.

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[legopnuematic]

Swapped the rest of the new wheels on. Dad somehow managed to find a bag of splined lugnuts in the proper M12 thread at a garage sale for $5, with the socket even. Need to find some push through center caps.

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Need to check for rubbing upfront and determine if the 205/75/14s will work or not. These were the wheels on my buddy's boat trailer, so they are trailer tires. All but one have big bulges in the tread and are junk anyways.

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It appears these are like GM's with a narrower rear track width. Might get some spacers to bring things out in the rear a little.

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The roof has a couple pin holes, so there is a good chance I'll strip and paint the roof. Think white or tan would look nice. I also have the lingering thought some custom lace paint work or something would really be neat.

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[DoubleDingo]

I vote no spacers

 

[75gmck25]

Do a little research on the 4 cylinder engines of that vintage (or a little later), looking for issues with the timing chain guides. There is one version of the Toyota 4 cylinder engine (I think it’s the 22R) that used plastic timing chain guides, and they got eventually got brittle and broke. Not always catastrophic, but bits of plastic circulating around was not good.

 

[bucket]

Swapped the rest of the new wheels on. Dad somehow managed to find a bag of splined lugnuts in the proper M12 thread at a garage sale for $5, with the socket even. Need to find some push through center caps.

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Need to check for rubbing upfront and determine if the 205/75/14s will work or not. These were the wheels on my buddy's boat trailer, so they are trailer tires. All but one have big bulges in the tread and are junk anyways.

You must be registered for see images attach

It appears these are like GM's with a narrower rear track width. Might get some spacers to bring things out in the rear a little.

You must be registered for see images attach

The roof has a couple pin holes, so there is a good chance I'll strip and paint the roof. Think white or tan would look nice. I also have the lingering thought some custom lace paint work or something would really be neat.

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Just paint the roof like that pillow on the passenger seat...

 

[idahovette]

@legopnuematic please ignore @bucket ...........he's "touched"............lol

 

[Ricko1966]

Do a little research on the 4 cylinder engines of that vintage (or a little later), looking for issues with the timing chain guides. There is one version of the Toyota 4 cylinder engine (I think it’s the 22R) that used plastic timing chain guides, and they got eventually got brittle and broke. Not always catastrophic, but bits of plastic circulating around was not good.

The 22r timing chains would get so sloppy they'd wear holes in the engine block. We did lots off 22r timing chains late 80s early 90s I don't remember guides breaking,just sh!t wearing out.

 

[legopnuematic]

Rolled it outside and sprayed down and washed most of it. Focusing on the underside and engine compartment. The new radiator arrived so I got that installed. New cap, rotor, plugs, and wires installed. New belts installed.

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But we were able to take it around the block a couple times. I think the front right is the only brake that is working, and the siphon gravity feed fuel system doesn't work great (worked fine on a tractor).

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I got it up to maybe 35mph and into 4th. Clutch feels good, shifter is sloppy, but otherwise goes in and out of gear ok. Feels peppy when its not surging and losing prime for fuel.

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It appears to have an oil leak at the front of the engine. Thinking harmonic balancer/seal. Need to investigate some.

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[idahovette]

Looks to be a fairly strong antenna @legopnuematic Spencer

 

[legopnuematic]

Looks to be a fairly strong antenna @legopnuematic Spencer

It’s structural

 

[idahovette]

RIGHT!!!!

 

[TotalyHucked]

This is a cool little truck, it's gonna be awesome once y'all get it dialed