Mbreed's inbred build thread

I have been wanting to do this for a while, but I always tell myself it's too late. We'll, I'm doing it. I'm going to edit this and add to it as I go. I need to get better at taking pictures.

I bought this truck for 3k in 2017. Had a rotted bed but otherwise is in solid condition. The front lower shock mounts were blown out. So I replaced them with the Rancho Quick lifts. I could see the upper ball joints maxed out with the wheels off the ground. Watched some videos of upper ball joint failure and started looking into replacement upper control arms. Wow, those are expensive.

January 2018, multiple car pile up accident. I slide into the car in front of me and I get rear ended. Minimal damage up front and the rusted out rear bumper and hitch took most of the impact. I took the money from insurance, bought a rear bumper off Amazon to make it drivable and got Camburg UCAs to make it safer.

Spent $600 on some aftermarket wheels. Some local guy had them on his Tacoma. The truck came with cheap American Racing steelies that were rusting out and didn't fit around the caliper without a 1/4 inch spacer.

I ran it for another year before the bed got bad enough to fail inspection. I enlisted the help of a neighbor, who is a body guy to replace the bed and repaint. Something happened around the beginning of Covid and the bed we sourced was not getting delivered. I got tired of waiting, I said just take the bed off, finish the cab body work and paint and give it back to me.
[PIC]
Eventually sourced a bed for an exorbitant amount of 4k... It's rust free from Arizona and it's in my color.
Borrowed my neighbors truck and a friend's trailer to pick it up in central PA.
[PIC]
Cleaned and painted the bottom of the bed. Sprayed it all down with cosmoline.
[PIC]
Got it on the frame and installed some Amazon tail lamps.
[PIC]
Drove it to southern Jersey to pick up a bed liner, and as an added bonus found a factory hitch. It was super rusted and the powder coat was gone. Had a local guy sand blast it and primer it.
[PIC]
Will paint later.

Pulled seats and carpet out to shampoo.
[PIC]
Chased rear water leaks. My leaks were mostly coming from the 3rd tail lamps and the vents behind the rear seats. The rear window assembly came out pretty easy. I was then able to flex the frame of the window assembly enough to get the sliding window out and clean the drains. Sealed everything up and put back together with black urethane.

Attacked the rear end and front end work.

Found some original 16" wheels for $100 off Craigslist. Not sure if I want to put tires on them or put new tires on the 17's...

Mods:
Rancho quick lift coil overs
Rancho adjustable shocks
Spidertrax spacers in front
Front diff drop kit.
Camburg upper control arms

Repairs:
Timing belt
Water pump
From half shafts
Lower control arms
Rear wheel bearings
Rear brake backing plates
Front brake calipers

 

Oof, how did I screw that up? Can this be moved to 1st gen forums?