A Newbie's intro

Hi there, my name is Paul from Rhode Island, and I own a 2000 Tundra, 2 wheel drive V8 and I usually don't sign up for clubs unless I plan on stickin around for awhile, and of course having a passion for something. The only other clubs I belong to are all Datsun Z car clubs. I have a big love for Japanese vehicles and of course anything that is old and classic. My Tundra started out as a work truck at $1,500 dollars about 5 years ago, (to haul Z cars,) and it was green with a dent, and I mean dents in every panel, some crushed in real bad except the hood and cab and the front right door, no tail gate or even the means of putting one on, and a smashed rear window and no shifter....used vise grips on the cable. The day I first looked at it, and the add said runs and drives, the thing had no belt on it and mis-fired. So I easily found the coil that wasn't firing and showed back up a few days later with a belt and coil from rock auto, (cheap). Put the coil and belt in and all was good. Keep in mind this belonged to a man who owned a auto repair shop. He just got the new frame installed.....that's what I was basically buying. So before I take it and checking thing over I had to ask the shop owner for 5, yes 5 quarts of oil, NOTHING on the dip stick, at 350,000 miles, but it has never lost even a drop of oil since I owned it, so what the heck. Then I asked for some gas because the light was on, that's how low it was. So he had no gas and sent me down the road to a gas station, and the thing is we're out in the boonies. Found the gas station, it was literally a shack with one pump out front. Made it home with a very bad tie rod, and the timing belt was old and cracked, worse one I ever seen. The truck is now Blue, cab and hood got painted flat black, and now is a good looking truck that I now just love it, at 426,000 miles on it. So it doesn't loose or burn oil, and can climb hills in the Catskills with a load and still hit 105 mph. It was out in Wyoming this year, and then down to Texas for a car show, towing my 240z, fully loaded, and we hit 90mph once in Nebraska, just for a second just for the point of, I can.(no swaying with the trailer) 70-75 was average most of the way. I have to give credit to a junk yard in NY for building my truck. One week I got a notice they just got in a 2001 Tundra, and it was a 25% off everything in the yard. (of course after I'm all done they had a 50% off sale 2 weeks later.) So for $530 dollars, and this includes $100 for the yard guy to cut the bed bolts, this is what I got....bed with tailgate and bed liner, all 4 doors, 2 fenders, grill, sliding glass window, factory running boards, steering column, brake calipers and rotors,(one caliper actually seized on the way out there,) spare ignition coils, (always good to keep those in the truck, it's the only thing that has ever gone wrong with the truck, and 5 minute fix, love it,) and of course small plastic things and tray for after market radio. I built the truck at my friends house in NY and took all the old parts back for a core charge that is more money than scrap prices........of course there goes my VIN sticker on the door.....DOPE. I can get one from my local Toyota dealer, It's just a little process. I love this truck, best I ever owned, and just love driving it. I think the best part is that engine. A V8 with good gas mileage, and can hit 6,000 RPM's no problem. My first experience with this engine is in my 92 Lexus LS400 that is now officially an antique here in RI.and it's a keeper. I think it was a lucky find, because not all LS400's had air ride suspension, or factory built in radar detector that's all part of the cluster display and I got the factory body kit with side skirts and a rear spoiler, and different front and rear bumpers. I just love the Toyota V8's............and you can get a super charger for these, how awesome. Enufffff said, but more to say, thanks for reading and Enjoy Yer Rides. Z

 

Welcome from Arizona.

 

Nice intro Paul Zombie! Welcome from CO!!!

 

Welcome from AZ

 

Great story! Welcome to the party.

 

Hell of an intro! Welcome from Texas!

 

Welcome

 

Welcome from Ohio

 

Welcome aboard! That's one helluva first post.

 

Welcome from SoCal

 

Thanks guys, I'm one of those been around guys, so I used to work at Phoenix Engines in Arizona while in school, I have family all over in Colorado, I lived in Texas city and loss my eye there, so I was actually blinded in Texas, my brother was born there, My good friend is from Austin, and this year at the car show, I gave up track day at 115 degrees and we hung out at his friends place in a cold Jacuzzi with cold beer and Damn, Texas is big and my back seat passenger is the other girl in my life, 8 year old Siberian Husky. Binghamton NY is my home town that I travel back and forth from for my Moms sake, so putting on the miles, but what a nice ride for a truck. Not like the Lexus, but good for a truck. The front end is all freshly rebuilt, ball joints, tie rods, struts. I have new shocks in the back, but next will be new leaf springs, hopefully I can find more heavy duty, then a sway bar would be nice, and finally the air ride bags I've seen for sale on line. Is it normal for these trucks to blow by those big trucks with their Cummins diesel engines? I'm sure they can pull a heavier load then me, but why they try to race me, I don't know. Well off to the Toyota dealer to pick up a stupid banjo bolt for this Tacoma I'm working on. I have not found a single caliper or brake hose out there that comes with this bolt. WTH. but, but, but.....If you buy the steel brake lines like I put on my Tundra, you will get the new bolts. I usually get all my stuff from Rock Auto, have been for about 10 years. Unless it's a certain part that I feel should be OEM.

 

Welcome from TN!

 

Welcome from Ohio!

 

Welcome from WI

 

Welcome from SoCal

 

Welcome Paul. Great story. I'd have walked away from that truck and look at it now.

 

Welcome!

 

Wow. I knew these trucks lasted a long time, but 426k is impressive! Welcome from CO!

 

Welcome from CO.

 

Welcome from Colorado

 

Nice Tundra and great color, Welcome from Texas!

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

Welcome from Illinois! Sounds like you have some major skills to complete that transformation.

 

Welcome from Colorado

 

My trade skill is a mechanic, some day I'll be a Technician, or a real good back yard mechanic, even though I work in the front lawn. Body work just comes as fate of no choice. I'd have to say though this truck is easy to work on, doors are the easiest, the bed is easy and I did that all by myself. Front fenders were the pain, but not the worse in the world. I have the new frame so bed bolts came out easy, but the rusted frame in the junk yard, not so. I finally got a gas door, but need the lock for it, the one you see is from a Nissan Maxima. AND if your wondering about those original looking rear wheel wells...........Well, beds are not easy to come by for one, and at $150 with the bed liner, plus 25% off and core charge for the old bed, I settled for a little Rust. So after taking out the saws-all and making the wheel wells round again, the only fender flares that would fit, to cover the ugliness of course, came from a Dodge Ram. I will try and find the old pics of Zombie....it looked like it was at the scrap yard and one of those big claw machines grabbed it and started to haul it away............."put my truck down boy"