1983 Toyota pickup with 1.9 VW TDI

Tacoma747

Tacoma747

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Winston-Salem
Just bought this truck from someone on the board, which after I searched, he had ONE post, and that was to sell the truck. He is moving to Nevada so had to sell it.

Some specs from when I bought it:

Hi-steer
Rear springs up front
Bilstein shocks front and rear
35" KM2's on 2017 4runner wheels
97' 4runner rear axle with disc brakes
2003 1.9 TDI out of a Jetta, turbo off something else, injector pump from a Landrover which makes the engine a mechanical injection engine (no computer, yay!!!).
Tiny intercooler
Glowshift gauges
Painless performance wiring harness, the truck has zero factory wiring in it other than the headlight/turn combination switch.

I drove it around my neighborhood a little, the previous owner said it should be around 170hp with the current turbo and injector pump. I don't know that it's 170 or not, but I can say it is WAY better than @climberdan 's 22re last time I drove it. I used to have an 87' 4runner but that has been 15 years ago so I don't really remember how it was power wise.

I have started working on the wiring, I wired the gauges today, and hooked up a few wires on the switch panel. I will get some pictures of that stuff soon.

My plans for the truck are:

Remove flatbed and tube the frame behind the spring hangers, build a full bed cage/flatbed.
Finish wiring
Install air filter housing
LOTS of little stuff that needs to be addressed (loose or missing bolts, etc etc).
Maybe 4.7 gears in the transfer case
Lockers at some point?

I'd like to keep this truck very streetable as I imagine it would get good fuel mileage with the diesel. Not sure what will happen with it once my Tacoma gets finished, may sell it, may keep it I don't know, I have always loved the first gen trucks.

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Sweet rig! Could you post pics of the RUF and where/how they mounted the hangars? Looks like they did a spring swap in the rear too. I’m about to do the same swap front and rear on my ‘81 and I’d love to get some first hand pictures. TIA and I’ll definitely be paying attention to this one!!!
 
skyhighZJ said:
Sweet rig! Could you post pics of the RUF and where/how they mounted the hangars? Looks like they did a spring swap in the rear too. I’m about to do the same swap front and rear on my ‘81 and I’d love to get some first hand pictures. TIA and I’ll definitely be paying attention to this one!!!
Click to expand...

The front spring hangers appear factory. I am thinking maybe all you have to do is the banana shackles?

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This thing is really sweet. Have been looking for something like this or the parts to do it for awhile now. I’m interested in what the fuel mileage is like before the build gets more extreme.


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Have gravity bled the brakes a couple times, they do actually function a little bit now, but could definitely be better. I need to.make sure the hose going to the booster is pulling vacuum and doesn't have pressure on it. I relocated the battery to the back today, the bracket was already there, I just had to run new cable, which luckily I already had. I also installed an air filter box off a forklift that I have had for probably 8-10 years. I had actually thrown it in the trash about 4 days before buying this truck... Already have three filters for it, so figured I would use it.

So far other than the purchase price, I have spent $0 on the truck. I do need to get a shifter for the transfer case though. Can get one for free but it is missing the snap ring...

I still have to mount (to factory mounts) the alternator and power steering pump. Once those are on and I go over the bolts/fluids throughout the truck, it would basically be ready for the trail (no lights wired yet).

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Frame seems to be in pretty good shape for its age?

The TDI swap is one my favorites. When the time comes, that's what's going in the 4Runner.
 
Bought a power steering pump from Pull-A-Part (because I needed the pulley, not the pump). Put it on today, now I have to go get a belt and I will have power steering and an alternator that works.

I ordered a 12 gallon fuel cell, will mount it on the bed. I decided I will leave the bed on it for awhile, too much other stuff more important than tubing the back of this truck. I am actually thinking about putting an 80 gallon fuel tank on the back so I can use it to fill equipment up and avoid toting jerry cans.
 
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