AutoX toy truck

[WHITE-TRASH]

So I swapped an 84 x cab toyota parts truck straight across for a running and driving 90 2x toyota.



It ran but was way out of tune. It has a weber 32/36 a decent header and the worst excuse for excuse I've owned in years.





The day after I got it I started swapping parts out of my stash I'd been hoarding for a few years. Put on 4x fenders for added clearance up front along with a matching bumper & grill. Tossed the hubcaps, alleviated the front of some height via the torsion bars and put 3" blocks in the rear. Bolted a pair of vintage scat trac bias tires on the rear and traded out the 3.07 gears with some 4.10's and a welded diff. Also installed the steering column with wheel disconnect, tilt and delay wipers.




I spent some time swapping out the stock 4 speed for a W58 close ratio 5 speed from a supra and built new exhaust out of mandrel bends and a flowmaster that I swapped off of my wifes 4runner. The truck had a random hole in the drivers side of the bed so I put it to good use.






The truck had a hacktacular air filter assembly on it made out of I kid you not 2 10" wilton cake pans bolted around a filter. I ordered up an adapter plate from LCE and a filter from summitracing.com and dug up another piece out of the parts stash.



Unfortunately I had to lift the hood at the hinges to clear the filter until I finish wiring the battery in the bed. Then the filter will be mounted remotely behind the passenger headlight.








I'm off week after next so I'll tear into the truck then to start building and installing truck arms for the rear and making coilover mounts. I have 2" drop spindles and urethane bushings for the a arms too. The cage will get installed, my 15 gallon fuel cell will get sunk into the bed floor and I'll get off my ass about swapping in a pair of bucket seats too since the bench doesn't hold for crap when I'm hanging the tail out of corners.

[BBCorvette18]

Trashy you suck

[WHITE-TRASH]

Originally Posted by BBCorvette18

Trashy you suck

That's ok Jason you swallow and that's why you're so popular with the boys.

[Tommy R]

Cool project... So what are your ultimate plans for it?

I'm shocked to see a '90 model that came with a carb and a 4 speed....unless those were installed later on?

[WHITE-TRASH]

Originally Posted by Tommy R

Cool project... So what are your ultimate plans for it?

I'm shocked to see a '90 model that came with a carb and a 4 speed....unless those were installed later on?

The 4 speed and carb were on BASE model trucks only and came with 3.07 gears. I'm talking so base they didn't even have a cigarette lighter receptacle and if you wanted to put an SR5 clock in you have to find a wiring harness to power it since they left that 18" of wiring out of the truck.

The big bonus however is the 4 speed means it has an 8" 3rd member and 30 spline axles just like 4x's so swapping in better ratio gears is easy and they're much stronger than the normal 7.5" diff of better equipped models.


The end game is to go play in the autocross series that runs all over WA state and to have a boring looking lowered pickup that eats honda's and shits nissan's in the twisties.

[Tommy R]

Learn something new everyday, huh? I had no idea! And here I was thinking Ford was late to EFI waiting 'til '86 with the Mustangs.

Keep us updated in your progress. As an ex-autocrosser, I'm interested in where you go with it!

[WHITE-TRASH]

You probably wouldn't notice unless you really know toyota trucks but the dash is even different on the uber base model. There is no cup holder below the center vents and there is no room for the double DIN stereo that is radio upper half and cd player lower, and there is no trim under the dash ahead of the shifter that had a pocket.


Is that enough geeking out on toyota's yet?

[meatmonkey]

I did not know that the dash's were different.

How about some specs? Weigth? Weight distribution? top speed with the regeared rear end.

No concerns about the welded diff and light back end?

Did you have to swap the driveshaft for a different length when doing to 4 speed to 5 speed swap? Did the shifter stay in the same spot?

[WHITE-TRASH]

The truck is about 2200 lbs wet. Weight distribution sucks but it will get more balanced as I start the nose on a weight loss program and move the battery and put a fuel cell behind the axle. The welded rear end is just in to have fun for now, I'll swap in a limited slip before auto cross season starts. Not sure on top speed but a kid I work with passed me on my way in so I gave chase and he let off at 110 when his speed governor kicked in and I was still on his bumper.

Drive shafts are the same but the trans mount varies a couple inches fore & aft as does the shifter. The 4 speeds have the shifter a bit farther forward than any 5 speed.

[EeePee]

Originally Posted by WHITE-TRASH

and put a fuel cell behind the axle.

Better off keeping everything inside of the two axles for better rotation, closest to the center of the truck. A centered mass is much more easy to move around than one that has heavy things way out there.

Just sayin'...

[WHITE-TRASH]

Originally Posted by EeePee

Better off keeping everything inside of the two axles for better rotation, closest to the center of the truck. A centered mass is much more easy to move around than one that has heavy things way out there.

Just sayin'...

Yea I've been thinking about that as well. I'm trying to keep the weight as low as I can but I'll probably end up with the cell forward above the driveline anyway. The battery tray is already bolted to the bed floor on the passenger side rather than all the way in the back. I'm headed out to put a bigger booster and 1" master cylinder on it along with stainless braided brake lines in a bit. I'll probably wire in the battery out back while I'm in the neighborhood too.

[EeePee]

You're better off with it (fuel cell) mounted in the bed up against the cab than down low and way out back. Especially as it varies with weight as you use gas, as that changes the handling (yes, barely, but still).

I knew guys that ran one gallon cells (or whatever, they were really small) and still put them as close to the center of everything as possible.

My Honda is good in that regard. The stock tank is more or less under the (not there) rear seat which is thus very low, and right behind me when I'm in the car. I recall conversations about people relocating their battery to way out back in the trunk or hatch corner on the opposite side of the driver for better balance for the car. Physics say put it on the floor next to you.

[WHITE-TRASH]

Brakes are done. Holy shiat I like this setup. It'll be really good once I put po po package crown vic calipers and rotors up front and move the current fronts to out back but for now I'm happy.


Didn't get the battery moved but I did get to build a GM alternator mount for my dads 84 x cab yota since his craptastic 35 amp externally regulated alternator decided to let out it's magic smoke.

[BigSki]

Cool little ride, I had the same exact truck for a number of years as a parts runner. Never thought about using one as an auto-x vehicle. I do remember the SCCA had a class for the Improved Touring Series for the mini trucks years ago.

[WHITE-TRASH]

A couple of friends have been involved in scca for a long while so when I decided to build the truck I went straight to the source, one of them is tech/course designer and on the rules commity. We decided that I'd be happy in the challenge class since I'm linking the back. The challenge class is time only, run what you brung so long as it passes tech.



I scored a supra limited slip with a brand new stage 2 rebuild kit for $50 tonight. Going to put that in my 4.56 geared V6 3rd. The rebuild kit cost $75. Score!

[BBCorvette18]

again you suck how the hell do these deals just fall into your lap lol

[WHITE-TRASH]

Originally Posted by BBCorvette18

again you suck how the hell do these deals just fall into your lap lol

I didn't even try talking him down or anything. He posted it for sale without a price so I asked how much. He said he'd do $60 and another guy said he'd take it so I left it alone. An hour later I get a pm from the seller saying he'll take $50 plus the ride since he knows I need the diff and he doesn't know the other guy.

See its just not my fault!

[WHITE-TRASH]

I've been way too busy to have time to get the truck ready the way I wanted to for auto x and that lack of time also meant I couldn't go run it as/is either.

Well that all changed today! I beat the snot out of that poor truck. Started off with a 48.882 and ended the day 12 runs later with a 43.660. It was a HARD fought battle to get sub 44 seconds! By the 3rd run I was in the 46's and I kept ripping 44's off till the last one. Good thing too, I didn't have any tire left over to make another run. The fastest cars on the track were a pair of lotus elises and a buddies fully prepared acura integra all of them were on stickies spraying VHT on their tires before each run and they were pulling low 38's and high 37's all day. I don't mind being 6 seconds slower than rigs like that while I'm in my pickup with a single stock sway bar, the cheapest tires they sell at les schwabs and just a 3" drop of the suspension.

My tires are SHOT now and the next step is MKIII supra spindles and brakes and a big C notch to clear the rear axle and truck arm rear suspension. 15's don't fit on the supra parts so it's time for 17's. Best part is my wife is so stoked about the me running the events that she is 100% behind me new set of shoes.

[EeePee]

#Cool story bro!™

Shit was fun as hell. Glad you're having fun.

[WHITE-TRASH]

It was a hoot for sure. Working on uploading a video of a run now but I have pictures to prove I was at least on the track.