81 Toyota Pickup (Lowlux)

[JayinMI]

Love this body style. I'm currently (slowly) building an LS powered 89 S-10...in a messy garage. With the same welder, jack and engine hoist. lol



Jay

[JohnJ@RideTech]

Pretty sweet ride man! I like your choice of suspension.

[cmccuneusaf]

Pretty sweet ride man! I like your choice of suspension.

Thank you very much! I cant wait to put them to use!

[cmccuneusaf]

Its been a few weeks since I've updated. I did more thinking then working for most of it haha. Buuuut i did do some work and took a big step forward on both the truck and hopefully my confidence. I've never attempted this much "fab" work before this truck so I mostly just wing it and read.

Anyway on to pics

This was after i cut the frame obviously, and mocking up a new lower link crossmember. It will have a loop for drive shaft once everything is welded fully.


My first thought for frame rails was to have them match the angle of the upper links and straighten back out past the axle for the fuel cell. After attempting a few compound cuts and watching the smoke pour out of my ears from geometry i gave up and decided to cut them straight the whole way which will actually work out better.






They are just over 17" apart for the fuel cell in the back and lined up almost perfect to the angle i had my shocks mounted at previously. I also made a template for shock mounts but ill wait to make them once the frame is fully welded.


A friend from work has a tig and has offer to both help and teach me, so hopefully that will make progress move faster.

Thanks again for all the support!

[Twentyover]

Just a stupid question-

not sure i understand why you narrowed the frame so much behind the cab. Won't the narrow stance of the shocks on the rear render them significantly less effective in roll then if they were further outboard?

[cmccuneusaf]

Just a stupid question-

not sure i understand why you narrowed the frame so much behind the cab. Won't the narrow stance of the shocks on the rear render them significantly less effective in roll then if they were further outboard?

The only mounts that have to be moved will be the upper link bars. The coilovers will be the same. Im hoping narrowing the frame wont make it less stable.

[cmccuneusaf]

Did some small stuff on the little truck and some projects in the garage to make it easier to work on things in the future. First I finally got around to hanging up the LED shop light I had for my work bench. Also for the work bench i actually mounted the top so I'm not using random flooring pieces.


Then I made some gussets/fish plates for the back half.






One of basically everything I accomplished.


Annnd last but not least I washed the M, and you can see the top of the other DD behind it.


Theres a few more gussets that need to be cut out and welded, but i started getting too overheated. Once the back half is done I'll finally start motor shopping!! Which excites me a little bit.

[cmccuneusaf]

Heres some of the photos the photobucket took down

[cmccuneusaf]

I cant quite remember where i left off, so ill start with i bought a cheapish tig to learn on. I was playing around with it for awhile completely ignoring the truck haha


Then i figured i need to get down to business and at least make it a roller again.




Then i picked up the motor that hopefully will make its way in the bay sooner rather then later.


And then put some itbs on it because who doesnt love some itbs, other those that have turbo.


Thats about all that i can remember. The upper link bar mounts aren't the final product, but i couldnt figure out for the life of me how to get the angle i needed out of the mounts i wanted to use. I just used the box tube so i could get the anngle right and transfer it over.

Annnd heres a picture of the better of my attempts at tig

[sh*tcarsteve]

any updates? looks sick so far!

[Motoracer838]

I like this truck, are you going to leave the patina???

Joe

[aduarte]

I just found your build on this site. Awesome build! I have a 1990 Toyota pickup standard cab 2 wheel drive with. 5.3 LS motor and 4L60E trans in it. The rear end is stock but I have complete 8.8 rear end on standby from a Ford Explorer. I plan to change out my stock torsion bar front end in the near future for a Mustang II suspension. The weight of the LS motor is not much more than the 22R that I pulled out, but I want a modern front suspension with suspension options like coil overs or air bags. Keep up the great work!