"The Darkside Project" (TDP)

Well Boys and Girls there has been much talk the last year or so of me building a new rig. I had many ideas and I almost bought a couple different rigs. I looked at a couple of YJ's and a CJ as well but in the end I found a deal that was hard to walk away. So here it is.

http://picasaweb.google.com/eyerks/Toyota

Its a 1984 Regular cab solid front axle pickup.

This weekend Ryan and myself pulled to cover off of TDP. I bought the truck back in September. When I bought it was running but not if a very strong shape and looked to had been sitting under a tree up in PA for the last 3-4 years. So after washing the truck and looking over it to see what needed to be done we went to the parts store with list #1 of many trips to come in the future for parts for TDP. The plan for Sunday was to just give the truck some simple TLC.

What was done:

Changed the valve cover seal
Changed the oil and filter
Changed the oil in front and rear diffs
Changed the T-case oil
Changed the Transmission oil
Checked the timing chain
Changed the belt
Toped of the coolant
Changed the fan clutch
Changed the radiator cap
Checked all the lights and gauges
Drove and let the truck sit running
General over view the the truck

After all was said and done the truck runs great. Everything runs great and works perfect with the exception of the E-brake and the rot spots on the frame. So hopefully The Darkside Project will see Phase 1 complete soon.

Phase 1

-Clean Truck
-Perform simple maintance to insure condition of truck
-install power steering
-install 63" 1/2 ton chevy springs in the rear with combo of stock rear leaf to lift rear to match front
-Flip Axle U-bolts
-Install power steering
-install IFS steering box and high steer arms
-33" tires or better
-weld the rear

Items on the maybe list that might wait for phase 2 are

-Propane injection
-Aussie locker in the front
-Longfield Axles
-Cage
-Winch

I figure everyone is laying out there plans for the winter so I thought I would do so as well and use this as a record to keep track of my plans and lists of what I have done and need to do.


http://filebox.vt.edu/users/arebrahi/Publicly%20accessable%20files/Toyota%20buildup/2-11-07f%20002.jpg
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=301056&stc=1&d=1177636079

Just to give you guys ideas of what I plan do make this look like.

Nice rig, lot's of potential... good buy,

Looks like a great plan. let me know if you need an extra set of hands. If you are really looking into propane then let me know. I still have the propane kit for the 4.0 that I'm not likely going to use. I bought it from gotpropane.com. You could call them and find out what is needed to make it work for your motor and save a bunch of $ buying the kit from me. I know a lot of the parts are identical but it may need a different part to fit the carb or replace the carb. the one that fits the 4.0 fits on top of the carb. If nothing else I have a 40# propane tank here already filled and ready to run.

hmmm propain i'm definitly intersted in watching this get done. When you get ready for the cage let me know I should be buying a good tube bender here in the next few weeks.

Hell I can use the tank you have for my fork lift at work. But yeah I will bring my book of toyota stuff on saturday and we can figure something out.

md4wheelin wrote:

hmmm propain i'm definitly intersted in watching this get done. When you get ready for the cage let me know I should be buying a good tube bender here in the next few weeks.

Yeah I will have a party for "the propane day install"

we should also have a tube bending party when you get to that.

Thats cool the shop has a big parking lot. I could break out the grill and make a event of it. Only thing is you boys need to come to VA.

he with the tube bender should not have to travel

thats fine we can put this show on the road. I can crash at your place and live it up with the fire pit and the boys in the front yard drinkin beer.

Well this weekend I didn't get any work done on the TDP but I did score some sweet deals on much needed parts.

-Seats out of a 87 4-runner with all the hardware 50 bucks
-Full power steering out of a 86 4-runner with a carb (everything should blot on) Thats the power steering pump, hoses, reservoir and all bolts for 50 bucks
-IFS steering gear box for my high steer setup 30 bucks
-Set of fenders off a 88 4-runner for 25 bucks

Total for the day 150 bucks
Total invested in the rig 805 bucks

Next on the list is the High steer knuckles and hardware. Along with the propane setup which I think I scored yet another sweet deal. Stay tuned for pictures on the weeks to come as I know have parts to work with.

Great sounding project man. Let me know when you work on it I can bring the little man by and atleast watch. Let me know where you are getting your toy parts Im always on the lookout for a set of axles.

Will do I'm working on it at my shop with Ryan. I will check with some guys I know and see if they have a axle.

I think I just read about some toy axles for sale on teh RC forum.

Well TDP has been on hold since the early part of the year due to buying a house and work. I did manage to get the it on some 33's and mount the CB along with the 4 runner seats.

I took it up to RC for the ADA run and after running the rig around the park we found out that the frame is cracked right between the cab and bed. So once we got it back home we started figuring options on what we can do to. So after three days in the garage at the house we have cut the rusted old bed up and thrown it away. Removed the stock leafs in the rear along with the brake lines shocks. We also removed the gas tank.

So know for the good stuff. I did find a set of 63" chevy leafs to run in the rear for the new leaf springs. I got a hold of a sweet deal on a propane kit for the 22R and the parts should be to me in a couple of days. We have been cleaning up the frame and preparing for the repair job. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks the side work I'm trying to line up will come thru and I will be able to get my debts payed off and get some of the parts that I need to hook up the IFS steering box and the power steering.

Here is a picture of how it looked before I pulled the jeep in to garage for the tear down.

http://picasaweb.google.com/eyerks/ToyotaFrameRepair#

I will post more pictures in the the next couple of day the plan at the moment is to work on it this weekend and at least get it back on the wheels by this coming week.

Are you concerned about the chevy spring rate being too great? Great to hear you are able to finally tear into that thing. must have been your destiny to do this.

Rockn93YJ wrote:

Are you concerned about the chevy spring rate being too great? Great to hear you are able to finally tear into that thing. must have been your destiny to do this.

You must have never gone thru the Toyota section on the pirate.

More pictures of the work that we have done this week.

http://picasaweb.google.com/eyerks/Toyota02#

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20665

this is the link for the chevy springs on Toyotas. Mainly running 63" springs that came on the late 80's early 90 trucks.

Hey guys I have been working on the Toy with Ryan for the last couple of weeks. We are almost ready to mount up the rear springs. I was thinking about stretching the wheel base cause thats what we do with Jeeps. I was checking with some tech write ups on the pirate and other sites and can't find out if the stretch is a good idea or not. The stock wheel base is 102". I do plan on moving the front axle 2" forward. So with out moving the rear I will be at 104". My question is should I even think about moving the rear back. The bed is gone and I only plan on having a tool box, propane tank and spare tire on the back. I'm thinking leave it close to stock location. Any input would be a great help. Thanks

When Mike did Pats he used chevy springs on back and rear toy springs on front, Mike did say it was a pain in the ass But it seems to flex good. I will give you one suggestion put as little money in it as poss that makes it a ton of fun cuz you dont care about it.

the wheel base depends on what its going to be doing. Ie rock crawling and hill climbs longer is better. If your going to be doing mostly east coast trail riding smaller is better due to the tight turns and trees.

102 should be fine for an all purpose trail vehicle regardless of toy or jeep.

jealos-z wrote:

When Mike did Pats he used chevy springs on back and rear toy springs on front, Mike did say it was a pain in the ass But it seems to flex good. I will give you one suggestion put as little money in it as poss that makes it a ton of fun cuz you dont care about it.

Everything I have listed still has the budget so far under 1000 bucks.

Rockn93YJ wrote:

102 should be fine for an all purpose trail vehicle regardless of toy or jeep.

I was thinking the same but once I put the rear springs up front I will have 104" which should set me stright for the 1 ton running gear that I want to put under it.