Steve's 81 Toyota "angelo" build

[sixstringsteve]

Perfect fit!!!

this is what you need!!

Is this a picture of your truck? Are you running these seats? I'm on the brink of ordering some of those grey empis you told me about.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Well, I gave in and bought some suspension seats. Rick turned me to this guy who sells EMPI seats. THey're mastercraft copies. I'm sure they're nowhere near Mastercraft's quality, but they're about 1/3 the price, so they fit my budget nicely. There's a huge thread over on Pirate about these seats. I'm excited to try them.

Here's a link:

http://www.jeepswag.com/empi/buy2/



2 grey bucket seats plus sliding hardware plus shipping was $285. Can't beat that. A single mastercraft seat is $365 without brackets or shipping.

So I'll be installing brackets sometime next week once I get them. Now I just need a pair of 5-point harnesses.

 

[sixstringsteve]

not sure yet, it depends on how much time it'll take. I only have two saturdays left before the trip, and that's one of them.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Rick, you're a bad influence on me. Soon I'll have a bender AND suspension seats.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Here's the update.

Steering
- IFS Box mount - done
- Steering Shaft Lengthened - done
- Hydro-assist
- PS pump mountend - 20% done

Exterior
- build Gas tank mounts
- new bed mounts
- front pass side brake
- Fix and re-torque pass-side hub - done
- Have driveshafts made
- New Exhaust
- fix the fuses I smashed with a hammer
- new windshield

Interior
- clearance horseshoe collar - done
- tranny/tcase flat belly mount - done
- Tranny tunnel install - done
- Replace back of cab - done
- Floor Install - done
- Seat install - 1% done. Ordered the seats today
- Fender Tub - done
- Put Dash back together

Not absolute necessities
- Heater/Defroster modification/install (not necessary for the 10th)
- Hook up ebrake (not a priority before 9/10/10)
- shock mounts (not necessary before the 10th)
- bed bob


fluids:
- trany
- t-cases
- Gas
- Radiator/Heater
- Brake (bleed)
- Steering (bleed)
- front diff
- check rear diff
- check oil level

I've got 3 weeks left. I think I can pull it off.[/QUOTE]

 

[sixstringsteve]

Just ordered my protools 1.75" die. Jeez, cost over $300, and it didn't even come with any KY.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I'm sure I can add to it. It doesn't ship 'till the 1st. I was getting 10% off too.

Shipping was $50. Crazy. I think the die was over 50 lbs.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Got some steering stuff installed. PS pulley, bracket, idler pulley, alt bracket, PS pump, and reservoir.

Still need to install PS cooler and hydro assist.

I'm still really conflicted about tomorrow, whether I go to the rally or not. I could get my sliders done in the time it takes to do the rally, or I could get it running...

... but the rally is so important...

i hate tough decisions.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I'm looking for a low-pressure fitting for my steering box. If anyone has a spare, let me know, I need one.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Got some work done today.

Front half of the floor primered. I can't do the entire floor 'till I mount my seats. I just needed to get enough done that I could put the heater in, and I want the heater in so I can start the truck and not get antifreeze everywhere.

And sealed the seams

Then herculined it.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Then I went to town on the power steering.

Here I am deciding how to mount that PS cooler.

I haven't had a picture of the truck from the front for a while.

I was going to make a separate frame for the PS cooler, but it wasn't lining up right, and I realized that thing weighs next to nothing, so I used the included zip-ties, and added two more just to be safe. I had to drill some holes through the rad support. I used some extra hose I had lying around to protect the cooler lines as they went through the front grill thing.

My wife is absolutely amazing. She spent 3 hours cleaning the garage today. For those who have been over recently, you know you've never seen this much of my garage floor before. I intend to keep it clean.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Then tonight I tried to remember how the heck the gas tank fits on. I couldn't remember for the life of me how it mounts.

Then I started reading on Pirate, trying to find some pictures of how the stock tank mounts to the horsecollar. Then I saw how a Ford E250 (and 350) tank will fit sideways. I'd really like to get one and stick it in there eventually.

Then I realized that the longbed tank is the perfect width to go sideways. Then I started getting crazy ideas.

I would obviously want to mount the tank lower than that, but it shows how perfectly it fits.

I'm still not sure if I want to go in front of, above, or behind the rear axle.

A sideways tank would have a few advantages:

1) I could cut out the horsecollar and build my own crossmember in there
2) I could get more weight to the rear of the vehicle (these pickups are just too light in the rear)
3) I'd gain a TON of ground clearance.

Since I won't be running a spare under my bed, I'm not worried about room. Also, since I have a shortbed frame, I actually have room to fit it in front of the rear axle. I think there should be plenty of clearance to avoid hitting the DS on it. I just want it tucked up and out of the way. I'll play with some ideas later.

 

[Marsh99]

Here is the mounting pics you were asking for

That is the horse colloar it did have 3 nuts welded to the top but I cut them all off because I snapped all the bolts in them

 

[sixstringsteve]

''you know you've never seen this much of my garage floor before. I intend to keep it clean.''

We all have good intentions....

Haha. You'll notice I didn't say "I promise to keep it clean." But I do work about twice as fast now that it's clean. It was disgusting before, when I would drop a bolt or a tool it'd take me 5 minute to find it. Now it's so clean that when I drop something, it's the only thing lying on the floor.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Here is the mounting pics you were asking for

Thanks man. So the tank mounts directly to the horsecollar? The bolts go from the bottom, through the tank, to the collar with the welded on nuts? Not that it matters now since I'm mounting mine horizontally, but I was curious.

 

[Marsh99]

you are correct

 

[sixstringsteve]

Thanks Brandon, I appreciate it.

 

[ricsrx]

Steve do i need to leave my truck parked in front of your house to keep you motivated.....

 

[sixstringsteve]

I would probably be more distracted. I would spend all day checking out your rig and studying your endless mods.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I have less than 2 weeks. I'm starting to get worried now. I've gotta get the engine started by the end of this week. I may be throwing some all-night wrenching parties in a week or so.

Steering
- IFS Box mount - done
- Steering Shaft Lengthened - done
- Hydro-assist
- PS pump mountend - done (minus one fitting from Tyler)

Exterior
- build Gas tank mounts
- new bed mounts
- front pass brake
- Fix and re-torque pass-side hub - done
- shorten rear DS
- build a square front DS
- New Exhaust
- fix the fuses I smashed with a hammer
- new windshield
- Shocks and shock mounts

Interior
- clearance horseshoe collar - done
- tranny/tcase flat belly mount - done
- Tranny tunnel install - done
- Replace back of cab - done
- Floor Install - done
- Seat install - 1% done. Ordered the seats today
- Fender Tub - done
- Put Dash back together

Not absolute necessities
- Heater/Defroster modification/install (not necessary for the 10th)
- Hook up ebrake (not a priority before 9/10/10)
- bed bob


fluids:
- trany
- t-cases
- Gas
- Radiator/Heater
- Brake (bleed)
- Steering (bleed)
- front diff
- check rear diff
- check oil level