Need help

[crawler dude12]

So First off I'm 17 looking for a DD that I can take on the trails if I ever get the chance. I have 2 vehicles I am eyeing at the moment. The first is a 1970's jeep willys that has been sitting in storage for about 8 years it will need some surface rust cleaned up it has not been started after it was taken from storage and it needs all new lights f/r along with some dash components and wiring. The second one is a first gen Toyota 4runner with the 22re. It needs to be timed in order to run and it needs just a drivers side headlight. They are both asking the same price for them just can't decide if I want to go vintage and not have to deal with emissions and have a lot of other work to get it to pass safety or if I should get the runner fix the timing and have to struggle with emissions. Any opinions? All info would be helpful thanks!

 

[iamsparticus]

So First off I'm 17 looking for a DD that I can take on the trails if I ever get the chance. I have 2 vehicles I am eyeing at the moment. The first is a 1970's jeep willys that has been sitting in storage for about 8 years it will need some surface rust cleaned up it has not been started after it was taken from storage and it needs all new lights f/r along with some dash components and wiring. The second one is a first gen Toyota 4runner with the 22re. It needs to be timed in order to run and it needs just a drivers side headlight. They are both asking the same price for them just can't decide if I want to go vintage and not have to deal with emissions and have a lot of other work to get it to pass safety or if I should get the runner fix the timing and have to struggle with emissions. Any opinions? All info would be helpful thanks!

So why is it that you think you will have to struggle with emissions? as long as you take care of the 22re it will pass emissions with no problems. A 1970's willys will be alot of money to fix up and maintain not to mention a huge project, the 4runner will be alot easier to build and wheel as well a modern motor will save you lots of headaches

 

[crawler dude12]

I have just always been told anything older than a 96 would be a struggle to pass emissions.

 

[gertsch]

My 94 grand passes fine, so does both of my 75 international pickups and my scout.

 

[crawler dude12]

I always thought anything older than a 80 does not have to pass emissions? I have always wanted a scout! My first crawler I drove was my uncles scout on Kane creek in Moab

 

[rockreligious]

You stated that you wanted a dd, and trail rig, the 4runner is probably a better fit as a dd/trailrig. old CJ's are cool, but require more wrenching and such to keep it going both as a daily driver and trail rig.. most toyota owners I know abuse them harshly and hardly ever service them or wrench on them unless they break a birfield and they seem to keep running reliable. only argument I have for the Jeep, is that they are cool.

 

[Rot Box]

When I was 17 all I wanted was something reliable, easy of fuel and able to take me off the beaten path then back home again (not much has changed ). The 4runner gets my vote by a long shot. Timing is simple, spare parts are everywhere for cheap and with minimal work its one of the most capable off-road vehicles out there. Emissions shouldn't be a problem with a tune up and that EFI will be your best friend off-road and during the winter.

 

[blznnp]

I agree with rockreligious and Rot Box, I would take the toyota over the jeep. The jeep would be cool but probably a lot more work to make it as reliable as the toyota will be.

 

[rholbrook]

Buy the Toyota. Holy Sh1t, did I just say that? There is nothing better than having to wrench on your old Jeep before you go to bed, go wheeling, go to school, or go anywhere. Winter will be cold and noisy in the old jeep. Buy something that can be a good DD for you. Of the two options, Get the Runner.

 

[Zerkalo]

I agree with rockreligious and Rot Box, I would take the toyota over the jeep. The jeep would be cool but probably a lot more work to make it as reliable as the toyota will be.

agreed. if you are weighing DD over wheeling. Toyo is hands down more durable..

but a jeep gives you the infinite possibility on trails. if you have the gas money, go with a jeep.

 

[Coco]

4runner. My first vehicle was a 1990 4runner. It has the 3.slow w/ 224K in it, but it ran like a top. Was a great first vehicle, still fun to go out and beat on, and was reliable. I have owned many Toyotas, and they have all been awesome to me. I have loved every single one of them. I had a couple Jeeps too. I had a 98 TJ that was a POS (previous owner beat the living hell outta it) and I owned a CJ7 for a brief time. The CJ7 was an offroad only vehicle, and really didnt have much left that was Jeep. I liked it. The TJ was a GAS HOG!! It seemed like it took a half of a tank of gas to get from UT county to SLC. It had more problems than anything. It broke everytime I took it to Moab, etc (again, not every Jeep is like this, I just had a bad experience with the TJ that left a bad taste in my mouth for them)

As for the emissions, emissions is pretty much required on all vehicles newer than 68 (give or take a couple years if I remember correctly) It is just on how the emissions test is performed is the only difference. Anything older than 1996 will be OBDI. Which will be a two speed tail-pipe test. Basically make sure all the emissions equipment is working properly, and it is running clean.

1996 and newer is OBDII which means the on board computer will perform readiness tests, and if it passes them and everything is working properly, it will pass.

Very skimmed version, but that is what emissions is.

 

[crawler dude12]

Ok so if I go with the runner what should I look for knowing it won't start cause the "timing is off" but don't really know much cause I have not seen it and the only info I have is from the seller?

 

[BCGPER]

If it won't start because the 'timing's off", I'll bet the timing chain has failed. Look away!

Is there a reason you're looking at two of the most overpriced 4X4's as a first vehicle?

 

[crawler dude12]

He told me that he did a gasket and seal overhaul and when he put it back together he tried to start it up and it wouldn't start so he pulled the valve cover and it was off a few teeth.... But then again it's just what the seller has told me. And at the moment I have 500 to spend on a beater and like 200 to spend to fix it up. The reason I was looking at those 2 rigs was cause I talked them down from about 1-1200 down to 500. That's why.

 

[hoosier]

The runner is stupid easy. Pull the number one plug set a thin long screw driver down in there and get it to the top of tre cylinder. Make sure the rotor and tre number 1 plug wire match and it should start. Maybe not run well but start

 

[BCGPER]

If it was "off a few teeth", there's a good chance you're looking at a bent valve or two.

Given your limited budget, I'd be looking at something like an old XJ. You might get lucky and find an older Toyota pick up in your price range as well, if the back seat isn't an issue.

Don't get me wrong, I bought my first Jeep at 17, it was a 74 CJ5 (no such thing as a 70 Willy's by the way). I had a blast in it, and it was a chick magnet, but I had a dependable daily driver so I didn't have to DD the Jeep. keep in mind though, you can't lock an old Jeep up at night. You'll need a safe place to store one.

 

[crawler dude12]

My bad is a 40's jeep willys. There was one 88 Toyota pickup extended cab with a 3.0 l v6 that needed a ignition coil, radiator, and alternator for about the same price.... But I'm really digging the 4 runner. I'm not really looking for an already running really well vehicle It is a project to work on in my shop class. It could be a good learning curve for my self it it does turn out to be just the timing chain and gears need to be reset

 

[skippy]

Judging by your budget you need to find a beater civic or something similar no 4x4 you buy for 500 bucks is gonna be reliable or cheap to fix

 

[Maverick]

If it's a shop project, think about what kind of stuff you want to learn how to do in there, then find a '90's rig that has that problem and buy it with your $500. Then you can drive it or sell it when you are done.

You probably already know that $500 and $200 are just the beginning and pale in comparison with other costs that sneak up. Tires are going to run you $500.

I picked up a sweet '90 blazer for $1500 because it needed the steering wheel rebuilt and new axles, which I knew how to fix and was going to replace anyway.

 

[Caleb]

I agree with what BC is getting at. If it "just needs to be timed" or is "just a few teeth off" then it would be fixed and running. I'd go 4runner over the Jeep, but not THAT 4runner. There's very likely something more wrong with it. If you can get it running before buying it, then take another look at it otherwise I'd skip it.