Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
HELLO 2026!
Not sure where to begin, so perhaps I’ll set some Goals for this year.
Build some bumpers.
Go Driving.
Straighten the steering wheel.
Do more driving.Pretty lazy goals other than those bumpers I’ve been procrastinating to build.
Last night I repaired my glovebox. Once upon a time, the Chevy swap had an ECU in the glovebox, and a big hole was cut in the back for the wiring. With that ecu removed, I was left with a big hole, that duct tape temporarily closed up…for 7 years. Last night I cut some very thin sheet metal (was formerly a heat shield), and rivetted it into place. Looks ugly, but should hold.
On Saturday I reinstalled the battery that Matt borrowed for his pickup, and let Redee sit and idle for 10 mins. She started perfectly, and idled without incident.
A couple more nights working in The Shop has just about completed Matt’s mini truck.
A new/refurbished alternator sorted out the charge light, and a new belt with it. Had to pull the lower rad hose to snake the alt out, and it is in awful shape, so that’s been added to the list.
I dug through the shed of curb-picked stuff and uncovered a muffler for matt. A pair of reducers to get the ID to match the teeny tiny stock pipe, and she’s exhaling in a muffled manner once again.
Replaced the shifter bushings, and drain and fill the trans.
Also added to the “later” list, the heater control valve is very stuck in its lukewarm position, however the heater control cable is also stuck in its sheathing. With then disconnected from each other, neither is willing to move. When Matt buys a lower rad hose, we’ll disconnect the valve as well.
Anyways, the truck is once again parked in storage (local mini storage) for the piggy bank to replenish, and next guy up to do some work. Matt has hired our buddy Eugene to weld a new drivers side floor in…but Eugene is not available till the end of February.
Pics are the exploded muffler, and the downpipe before I welded a sleeve in place. Think it turned out well for how rusty the tight clearance I was working with.
Took Matts mini truck for its first Test drive on Sunday morning, was a total success…mostly.
Positives, clutch driveline brakes and engine are all awesome.
Negative, the alternator doesn’t work, and the muffler went KA-BANG leaving the last stop sign. Matt and I jumped and nearly shat, my fear was the BANG came from the driveline.
Anyways, alternator is on order locally, muffler is going to be replaced with a curb unit i have in the shed, trans fluid will be drained and flushed, and power steering flushing.
More wrenching on Matts pickup in the shop. Making great progress on this little truck, nearly done the teardown phase I agreed to do. Most recently last night I dropped the trans to replace the clutch. Had to fight the usual bell housing bolts to drop the trans in matts truck, and some strangeness around the crossmember where it looks like somebody attempted and failed to remove the trans previously. The crossmember has an extension piece bolted on which the rubber trans mount bolts to. The crossmember extension itself was only installed with 1-of-4 bolts, and that one remaining was fully and completely rounded off…. Which reminds me to go to bolts+ and get replacements.
The rubber mount to trans also has one bolt broken off in the trans, which I’m not worried about, 3/4 should suffice if I can’t extract the broken piece.
Anyways, now that the trans is out, pretty clear to see that the pressure plate is FUBAR. No arc (preload) on the diaphragm springs at all, they are flat or slightly inverted.
Rock auto clutch kit and flywheel should arrive by tomorrow. Gives me time to pull the clutch and flywheel, get hardware, and swap out the downpipe for the NOS part matt grabbed in the states last week.
Hopefully this test drive happens in the next couple days. Fingers crossed reassembly is smoother than the tear down.
Made some Christmas Day progress in the shop while working on Matts pickup.
I was able to bolt in new upper control arms with new ball joints, the new calipers and brake pads, flex lines and one new hard line up front. Previously I added sway bar end links and an idler arms too. With the new brakes in I attempted to bleed the brakes, but both rear cylinders refused; one operated but the bleeder was welded shut, the other would push fluid iut the bleeder, but the pistons were seized in place. So I pulled both drums and replaced both cylinders, along with the drivers side hard line which immediately broke. Brakes were bled, all seem to bite.
Up next was break free the clutch which seemed to be adhered to the flywheel. I chocked the tires, used the NEW TO MATT clutch cancel start button, and started the motor in first gear with the clutch to the ground. A few very slow cranks, followed by a pop, then neutral!! That’s where the good news ended for the night.
With the clutch finally broken loose off the flywheel, it only grabs with 1% life remaining, or clutch pedal 90% pressed.
Have two theories on the go, but haven’t pulled the inspection cover yet to look upon the problem.
Theory 1- Something in the throwout system won’t fully release, letting the clutch disk fully engage. Just bound up with rust.Theory 2- This clutch was slipped into organic glue, and then left to solidify for a decade. I’ve simply freed up a useless clutch disk.
Anyways, truck is sitting on its wheels, can be pushed around easily, and operating brakes at all corners. If only it would GO.
A new clutch kit is in order I’m sure, not really looking forward to the task, but it has to be done.
Been keeping busy The Shop working on a new project, my Buddy Matt bought an ‘87 Pickup 22R, about a month ago and it’s been parked for way too long before he scooped it up.
Anyways, the short list of work completed is as such; engine unseized, carb replaced with aftermarket OEM, fuel pump, brakes un-stuck all around with calipers pads and hoses up front, steering idle arm, belts & pulleys, sway bar links, distributor cap & rotor plugs & wires, clutch slave cylinder. Still to-do; upper control arms and balljoints, power steering flush, and exhaust patch work on the downpipe.
Overall it’s a very clean truck, little bit of rust on the A-pillars and drivers side floor. Fingers crossed it’ll pass a aafety as-is, feeling confident.
Oh yea, needs another cassette deck radio, this one won’t power up.
Yea it has felt a little one sided around here for a while. Evan popped in for a post in his build thread the other day.
Yesterday I put Redee to work, used her power to drag Matts pickup into the shop from the driveway. With a couple partly seized brakes it was harder to push than I had planned on excepting force to do. So with a very short strap and careful driving, Redee did all the hard work. Then I shut off the 3RZ, unhooked the strap, and Redee refused to restart. I suspected low voltage on the battery, got out the booster, no change. Not even a click on the solenoid. So the boys and I pushed redee back into her corner, I put the charger on, and decided it was a later problem.
Four hours later im into Google looking up the starter relay mod again, because I did pull the OEM relay out of a “random bucket” about two years ago, no idea hire long it had been in there, maybe a couple decades.
With a screenshot, some fresh 12ga wire, and an Audi 40amp relay from my drawer of miscellaneous relays, I built myself the equivalent of the “Painless performance” kit in about 15 mins.
This morning I pulled the battery charger off, and hit the key, pleasantly surprised Redee started the quickest she ever has. Really hoping this cured my “low voltage dammit I need to use the booster again” no-crank condition I’ve had for years. Fingers crossed, will find out next year for sure.
Attachments:
Another old Toyota has come to shelburne! Just got back home with Matt, who just bought himself a little runabout truck.
1987 Pickup, 2wd, 22R, 4-spd manual, 257000kms.
Matt plans to obsolete the vehicle he and his wife lease, and add some old school versatility to their fleet.
First pic from the Kijiji ad, second on the borrowed trailer being hauled home by the taco.
Let the fun begin.Attachments:
Had a couple late nights in the shop wiring Matt’s trailer. This was a free trailer that only needed wheels and tires, bearings, lights, wiring, welding, paint and a deck. So it’s been a project for a couple weeks between our driveways. Last night we wrapped up the be wiring and called it DONE! With exception to a new deck that matt will buy and install in the spring.
We have to make space for a potential new project. Going to check out a Pickup for Matt tomorrow. Bringing a trailer, unless it’s rotten, it’s coming home with him.
Attachments:
Well the shop has been intermittently busy, but nothing really exciting.
I had to put rear brakes and an axle seal in the taco to stop gear oil from filling the left drum.
I have been working on trailer hubs and bearings, soon to be some welding and wiring for Matts trailer.
I have been tinkering with one of matts scooters that has a “running out of gas” condition. We think the fuel pump is dying. It’s vacuum actuated and 40 years old, the theory being that diaphragm diaphragm is stiff and not working as efficiently as it should. Parts are in the Mail, we shall find out soon.This past weekend I finished up the rear brake refurbishment in my daughters truck by adding a manual proportioning valve and new wheel cylinders. In late September I replaced the brake hard lines from the rear wheels to the front distribution block on the frame rail, but ran out of time to finish the under hood work. Time was stolen by the fact that I wrecked a fuel hard line while attempting to drop the crusty brake lines. All that work occurred in the backyard on the lawn, in the sun. Ahhh I miss those days working in the hot Sun. A few more tasks to complete on her truck before I start welding patches into the floor and frame. There’s also some front end alignment work to complete, and the knuckles need new seals and ball wipers. She’s not of driving age yet, so we’ve got time to work on these tasks together (hopefully).
Bumpers first, then trail riding.
Redee has been packed away for winter in the shop. I can still drive out with no fuss, but the snow has arrived and taken away my desire to go touring (without bumpers haha).
I’ve got sketches, and with the cold shit weather now here I’ll have time. Gotta buy some steel and start cutting.
Redee hauled my buddy Dave and I round trip to The Point in Ardbeg without a single complaint. Sure, once fully loaded the tailpipe was 1mm from the leaf spring, and made contact on any bump, and on the big bumps that same tailpipe also touched the rear tire, but those are minor details that barely shade the successes.
13.1L/100km, cruising at 3,000rpm, teaching straight, braking hard, and ohhh so smooth with all that suspension pre-load. The 4.88s and lunch box locker made easy work on the very minor trail I ran to get into the Point. At go home time, I still didn’t bother locking the hubs, and crawled out of camp with ease.
Before next year I must build bumpers (to have at least one recovery point), and re-seal my windshield, it still leaks very aggressively directly into my lap.
Be aware, The Loggers Station is currently closed, fenced off, with a For Sale sign.
