1973 Hilux aka Lola Lux

Discussion in 'Pre-1975 Build-Up/Project Threads' started by Cade01, May 16, 2014.

  1. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    I figure I should probably start one of these build thread thingies, never done one before. I picked her up a while back and probably paid more for her than I should have. Here she is when I brought her home, sitting low in the back and still had the Yakima dry dock rack on.

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    Pulled off the rack, now the just the Chevron mirrors are left.

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    Got some wheels for winter, the tires are too big for her though.

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    Lol!

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    Here she is the process of gettin' low, head down, ass up!

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    Alright, all dropped now, 3.5"/3". Taking care of some chips, scrapes, surface rust, and had ArmaCoat spray in a bed liner. Also pulled off the chevron mirrors.

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    Finished spraying the bed low gloss white(rattle cans, but hey it looks pretty good)

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    The previous owner painted over the letters on the tailgate, I re-did them in Krylon Banner Red, lol. Aslo used a Meguiars headlight restoration kit to polish the reflectors, tail lights, and marker light lenses.

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    Un fortunately I didn't take any picture form when I did any of the lowering, engine bay cleaning, or when I pulled the interior to clean the floors and spray them with rust converter until I can redo the floor pans. Next will come a bit of Bondo to fill in the holes from the mirrors and to smooth out the area below the rear window, it has some advanced surface rust(no holes, just kinda pitted) then the cab will get the same treatment as the bed did.

    I think I may get rid of the trim that goes below the rear window as well, not sure yet.

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    The interior is actually pretty clean. It has original unmolested door cards and a recovered factory bench seat. I would like to replace the bench with bucket seats but I have to find out a way to mount them. I had a set out of a 1980 SR5 but they wouldn't mount up, I guess the mounting points changed between '74 and '75(or somewhere close to there)

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    It even has an under dash parcel shelf, it's kinda cool!

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    CurDog likes this.
  2. strike0ut

    strike0ut Newbie

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  3. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    Thanks!
     
  4. Aircooled

    Aircooled Member

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  5. jdbragg

    jdbragg Enthusiast

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    Such a clean truck! I would leave that beautiful bench seat. Just my .02
     
  6. Xs5875

    Xs5875 Addict

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    it is clean...nice and straight..
     
  7. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    I like the bench ok, but the 5 speed transmission I have to swap into it has a straight shifter(it's a top shift mine current is a side) so the seat will get in the way, also I feel bucket seats would be a little safer for my son when he's riding in the truck.

    As far as being straight, it really is. I do wish I knew some one locally that could do the floors for me, they are a bit rusty. Also need someone versed in engine swaps to help get rid of the 18RC that is on its' last legs.
     
  8. Erick561

    Erick561 Veteran

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    you can swap the shift rail inside the tail shaft with a forward shift and find a forward shift stick w/ baseplate if you don't want to go with buckets
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  9. Erick561

    Erick561 Veteran

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    yeah i wish i lived close to you i know how to rebuild floors and i have a 22re that would replace that 18rc dohc 2.0
     
  10. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    Are those hard to find? Looks like a pretty easy swap/

    Well then, I wish you lived closer too, lol :D I keep seeing people do Mercedes OM6xx series swaps, I'm starting to lean towards one of those. Not only would I get the cool factor of a turbo diesel but more power, better fuel economy, and that low RPM torque.
     
  11. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    The passenger side floor is the worst and it carries into the cup that mounts the body to the frame, what would be the best way to replace that? I was thinking to do the floors flat with a hole where the mount is, then weld in a piece of pipe with a plate in the bottom(hole drilled in the center for the body bolt) the same depth as the original cup. Does that make any sense? It's the only way I could think to make the floor drop down to meet the body like it should.
     
  12. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    Pulled the bed to do some cleaning and so it would be easier to do some repairs. Wish I would have known that all the fuel stuff was attached to it before I started...:duh:

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    How do you guys go about attaching you gas tank to the frame when you have to leave the bed off for extended periods of time? I just used some boards and ratchet straps but it is just a temp thing, too sketchy to drive like it is, hits the driveline when the suspension compresses...
     
  13. disturbio

    disturbio Enthusiast

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    are the dodge springs on her in that shot above?
     
  14. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    Yes they are :) And here she is with the bed back on and 4 inch blocks in the rear.
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    twizted1 likes this.
  15. disturbio

    disturbio Enthusiast

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    Looks good...Does it ride like $hit?

    There is a dodge ram40 or 50 or whatever I was thinking of buying the springs off
     
  16. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    It's not too bad, it rides like an old lowered pickup I guess, lol, definitely not a racer or a luxury car.
     
  17. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    I do wish they weren't add soft as they are though, a stiffer spring rate would be better.
     
  18. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    Just a pic of the new wheels :) Getting ready to have a 3s-ge and a 6 speed swapped into it!

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  19. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

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    What wheels are those?? They look good
     
  20. Cade01

    Cade01 Veteran

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    They are off of the 1981-1983 Chrysler Imperial. I want something a bit wider soon though, I am battling myself about whether or not I want to put 240z flares on it and run 8-10 inch lower offset wheels. The 3s-ge will start out at over 200hp.
     

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