price of fixing up a 1st gen

Going to look at a 03 access cab 4x4 today. It has under 70k miles but it's from the northeast. Front frame and undercarriage looks pretty good but the rear was undercoated by toyota years ago and hard to tell. I'm going go bang around on it today.

From what I read things it may need just wondering a cost for them
Timing belt on original so I'm guessing around $1200
Radiator ?
Rear pumpkin looks rusted any guess if I had to replace the whole axle how much $$?

Interior carpet or better yet do they make a vinyl kit? And how much $$$?

Just trying to decide if it's worth to spend 10k on this and clean up or spend 20k

I don't need it to be a garage queen or show truck. I'm going to run it in the winter and don't feel like cleaning the frame every snowstorm but if I could get 10 years out of it I'd be happy.

 

The timing belt and water pump are a good start. I just priced them for mine (with tensioner and idlers) for a little over 800. I'd replace the lower ball joints (300 for both sides) and sway bar bushings (maybe 20 bucks).

As far as the carpet, if you can remove it, I'd pressure wash it and dry it in the sun. Not sure about the rear end, but I'm sure they are out there. I would think you could do a lot for $3,000 even.

 

There is a really good chance that truck will be a rust bucket. Be very wary and very thorough with your inspections. Feel free to take frame pics and post them up here. A rusty pumpkin is a dead giveaway already.

 

Pass. Chances are it's rusting under the coating, and you probably won't hear it by tapping on it. Sadly, since it's been coated, it's no longer eligible for frame swap.

Unless they're selling at $5k or less, I wouldn't even consider the purchase if it's lived in the rust belt and was coated by Toyota, which suggests it was already rusting.

 

Spend a little more money on the front end and buy the best rust free example you can find, even if you have to drive or ship it. You will save a ton on the backend.

 

Take a good look at this thread and decide if this is the type of work you want to get into: https://www.tundras.com/threads/my-2001-trd-access-cab-repair-modify-thread.71679/

 

Thanks all appreciate the feed back. I'll still go and check it out and maybe throw some real low offer.

Thanks for that, definitely way beyond my skills and way beyond my budget to pay for that type of work.

 

The truck you're looking at might not be as bad, but that thread sets a good standard for rusty truck refurb, and the work in that thread is top quality. As mentioned before, the undercoating they used on the truck you're looking at might be hiding something even worse. Rust might make it's way into other areas of the truck and cause seized bolts.

It might cost more up front but if you're set on a first gen, expanding your market is a very good idea. My truck has been in the south it's whole life, and the frame and undercarriage has very little surface rust.

For funzies, here's a type of truck you should avoid at all costs: https://www.tundras.com/threads/i-got-screwed.105021/