Not glamorous...but paid for!

Brad B

Brad B

New member
I never thought I was a truck kind of guy but this opportunity presented itself so I had to jump on it. I bought a 1997 Toyota 4Runner insanely cheap. It was previously owned by a woman who babied it all it's life. It has always been garaged, has had more than twice the mandantory maintenance over the years, and was driven very gently. The woman, unfortunately, has a disability which eventually stopped her from driving. The Toyo was driven by hand controls for quite a while. I have the window sticker and receipts from day one!



I just started getting into the detailing and will do a full sweep of the maintenence. Fun stuff. I have another project now. I'll be doing a lot of scrubbing, painting and mechanical stuff and will post as I do more.



It's a LOT bigger than the rest of my rides. Do I have to detail what I can't see?

standard.jpg




The garage is getting full!

standard.jpg




Starting to take a few years of dirt off. (Zaino Leather Cleaner and Protectant)

standard.jpg
 
Hmm.. the paper on the floor.. there's got be a good reason for it. No need to detail what you can't see, If this is a beater, drive it till the wheels fall off. It's pretty unprecedented you got it with the maintenance it has had. The stars were seriously in your favor!
 
Brad B- Heh heh, you sound *exactly* like I did when I got my first SUV..."never say never" ;)



Looks like you got a great example, I'll be watching your progress with it. Now go buy some work platforms so you can do the roof properly :D
 
Rock solid vehicle. :)



I used to have that same Craftsman vacuum, lasted nearly 2 years, pretty good for constant daily use.
 
Looks like a great beach cruiser. Whatever you do, avoid busting your butt in this heat. Keep us updated on your progress.
 
Bill D said:
No need to detail what you can't see, If this is a beater, drive it till the wheels fall off.
Click to expand...



Yea, I've already been told I need a beater for my beater. Like always, I am getting carried away. The zillions of paper towels were used for spraying solvent on angine and drivetrain removing grease and grime. Then I rustproofed what I needed to (very little-I am shocked and giddy with this great find!) with POR and then painted everything. I will follow that up with a complete undercoat of Waxoyl.



I been jumping around on things, making some mods to the interior, replacing a few worn pieces of trim, etc. I've also changed the differential(s) fluid, greased the driveshafts, changed the oil, started detailing the engine and so on.



Had the front windows tinted and clear bra (remember-beater) put on the front of the hood. What can say!



Scottwax said:
Looks like a great beach cruiser. Whatever you do, avoid busting your butt in this heat. Keep us updated on your progress.
Click to expand...



No heat in here. I have the A/C cranked down and the tunes cranked up! 106 degrees outside today. 76 degrees inside!



Accumulator said:
Now go buy some work platforms so you can do the roof properly.
Click to expand...



Damn, you could see that! :) Yes, I just figured out I need some lift! But on the flip side, detailing and working on the underside is easy! Can't do this with a Porsche!
 
Brad B. said:
Yea, I've already been told I need a beater for my beater. Like always, I am getting carried away. The zillions of paper towels were used for spraying solvent on angine and drivetrain removing grease and grime. Then I rustproofed what I needed to (very little-I am shocked and giddy with this great find!) with POR and then painted everything. I will follow that up with a complete undercoat of Waxoyl.



I been jumping around on things, making some mods to the interior, replacing a few worn pieces of trim, etc. I've also changed the differential(s) fluid, greased the driveshafts, changed the oil, started detailing the engine and so on.



Had the front windows tinted and clear bra (remember-beater) put on the front of the hood. What can say!







No heat in here. I have the A/C cranked down and the tunes cranked up! 106 degrees outside today. 76 degrees inside!







Damn, you could see that! :) Yes, I just figured out I need some lift! But on the flip side, detailing and working on the underside is easy! Can't do this with a Porsche!
Click to expand...



I usually just clay/LSP roofs on family/personal cars that I have a hard time reaching the top. Of course, If I am ever paid to detail I will correct them. Heinous, I know, but I'm only 5'6" so I never can see it :)
 
Brad B. said:
..on the flip side, detailing and working on the underside is easy! Can't do this with a Porsche!
Click to expand...



Yeah, that easy-to-access/easy-to-see can precipitate an attack of Autopianism down there ;)



So you used POR-15 as needed and you're gonna waxoyl? Any way to talk you into considering Eastwood's black Heavy Duty AntiRust? Doesn't migrate on its own quite as well as Waxoyl but you *can* get it in the tight spots (and they sell some great stuff for spraying inside tight spots like in the doors and frame rails too). The big thing about the Eastwood stuff is that when it dries it looks a lot like satin/matte black paint instead of looking like undercoating, so it's my fave for the areas that show.
 
There's no hope for you, Brad :D ;) major :bow to doing all that just on the engine compartment alone! I know the feeling well, and would also probably be just as guilty. :o
 
Accumulator said:
Any way to talk you into considering Eastwood's black Heavy Duty?
Click to expand...



Good tip, I will look into that. I like the idea of a satin finish. I do have some great sprayers and attachments that help get it everywhere. Having restored so much British iron this is a must!
 
Brad B- Heh heh, yeah...once I read "Waxoyl" I flashed back to your XK :D That's absolutely good stuff, I just don't like how it looks hence my suggestion for the bits that show.
 
Funny story about the Waxoyl. I actually was on holiday in England many years ago and at the time it wasn't available here. (not sure if it is now or not) so I went to several car parts stores and bought about 12 jugs of the stuff. Big metal cans. Mind you, I am on vacation so I carted this stuff through the south of England for a week. Then I boxed it and thought I would ship it via checked luggage on the plane. (it didn't seem stupid at the time and this was pre 9-11.) But eventually people figured what it was and you can imagine the red flags! After negotiations with the staff they found a cargo transport plane and arranged the shipment for me that way. I left without my Waxoyl but a couple weeks later it showed up at my door with a COD charge of under $50. Not bad!



I bought black and clear Waxoly and have been using it as needed for a long long time. I guess they can spray my coffin in the stuff!
 
Brad B.- Heh heh, that *is* a good story! And yeah, it did turn out pretty cheap.



I didn't know they had a black version, wonder how it compares with the Eastwood stuff :think:



Wouldn't surprise me in the least if the Waxoyl is better, but for this application I'd probably still lean towards the Eastwood if only because it'd fit into the "windfall beater vehicle" thing, at least to my way of thinking; I'd be saving the Waxoyl for special applications.



If you do try it, I'd get a can of their aerosol version even though you'd normally just spray it all with the proper equipment; having a spraycan is handy for quick little touchups as you're done in half the time it'd take to set up/clean up your spray gun.



All this talk has me thinking how I really, and I do mean *REALLY* need to do this on the beater-Tahoe some day :o But to do that one properly calls for dropping the gas tank and at present I can't have it off the road for a few days.
 
Brad B. said:
Then I boxed it and thought I would ship it via checked luggage on the plane. (it didn't seem stupid at the time and this was pre 9-11.)
Click to expand...



Reminds me of the time when I bought about a dozen clay bars on clearance and brought them back home with me in my carry-on luggage. No red flags from security or anything! This was post 9/11 too! :nervous:
 
Bill D said:
Reminds me of the time when I bought about a dozen clay bars on clearance and brought them back home with me in my carry-on luggage. No red flags from security or anything! This was post 9/11 too! :nervous:
Click to expand...



That is smart! Without the Auto Magic monopoly pricing, it must of been super cheap.
 
Bill D said:
Reminds me of the time when I bought about a dozen clay bars on clearance and brought them back home with me in my carry-on luggage. No red flags from security or anything! This was post 9/11 too! :nervous:
Click to expand...



No accusations of carrying plastic explosives? :soscared:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top