Prince Valorum's 95 626 Build Thread
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PrinceValorum
Member
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- 95 626 FS, 89 Toyota Derux 4x4
Lol good luck, right now is prime time for them to be as expensive as possible. I'll definitely go wheelin with ya if you get one though!
Black and yellow brutha!
No, we ran into some brutal rott around the windshield frame (He's been slacking with the updates/pics!) and he had to get some used A-pillars so I can section in the whole pieces, as opposed to patching it with bits and pieces of metal.
Only thing left is get that done, prime the cab, then prep the cab, fenders, tailgate, passenger door, and cowl panel for paint. Not sure how long the painter will have it.
Only thing left is get that done, prime the cab, then prep the cab, fenders, tailgate, passenger door, and cowl panel for paint. Not sure how long the painter will have it.
PrinceValorum
Member
- :
- 95 626 FS, 89 Toyota Derux 4x4
Yeah, what Josh said
Wes, some may call you crazy for putting the $$$ into a Toyota truck, but let's face it... those things were stupid dependable, and still pull in some pretty good money. I'd call it an investment for if you choose to sell it later on. Plus... the damn things are just THAT cool. I still want one.
PrinceValorum
Member
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- 95 626 FS, 89 Toyota Derux 4x4
Yeah, man, that's basically exactly what I'm thinking. My dad was giving me crap, saying I was going to have as much wrapped into it as it originally cost, and at first I thought that was a stupid thing to say, but you could get Rangers for like 7-9k new in the 90's, so he might not be far off. After the rust repair, paint, and making it look presentable, plus the 1UZ swap I have in mind down the road, plus a few other mods (Tundra brakes, rear disk maybe, a few sliders/armor, etc), I think it would easily go for quite a bit of money. Even lightly modded ones in good shape go for 5-6k easily, which is a ton for a 20+ year old truck. I don't have any plans to sell it, though. Like Evan, I like to hang on to my stuff forever (I never intended to keep my Miata). The 3vz it has in it isn't the most dependable motor (I've read a few consider it to be the worst motor Toyota ever made), it's totally underpowered, and sucks gas, but it works for now. The 1UZ would nearly double the power of it, and increase MPG's, plus you can get the motors dirt cheap.
I can't wait to get it all wrapped up. I've got high expectations for everything.
I can't wait to get it all wrapped up. I've got high expectations for everything.
PrinceValorum
Member
- :
- 95 626 FS, 89 Toyota Derux 4x4
Lol the general reaction I get when asked what I drive is "what's that?"
steffenaj14
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- Mazdaspeed Protege
sub'd
PrinceValorum
Member
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- 95 626 FS, 89 Toyota Derux 4x4
Very true, and sad (for me) at the same time. Back in the day, the PGT (same chassis) was THE handling standard for fwd cars, as the MSP was in its time. Such an underrated car.
Picked up the A pillars today for the Yota, and a little extra... (naughty)
PrinceValorum
Member
- :
- 95 626 FS, 89 Toyota Derux 4x4
Thanks, I'll probably just end up snagging one off a stock SUV in a junk yard or something if I like the design. I'm not driving out to Indy for that, lol.
PrinceValorum
Member
- :
- 95 626 FS, 89 Toyota Derux 4x4
Longest post in history, coming up...
Well guys, you know me, so I won't lie, I've been lazy with the updates. I'll try to win you back with a video, though. I probably wouldn't watch it at work, or if your lady (or man, I don't judge) gets offended with sexytime stuff. (naughty)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgFJJ77w2nA
Last time I left off, we were waiting for the glass guy to come take the windshield out. He kept dicking Josh around, but another dude finally came and got it done.
Josh, prepping the surface
Yeah.. not looking so good. The windshield was replaced at one point, and the guy who did it obviously scratched the metal while scraping the old urethane off. He didn't bother to cover the raw metal (probably a case of, "you only paid to have the windshield replaced, not to have it done right"), as clearly that's not his problem, so rust and time had their way with the window surround.
Not good either (passenger side)
At least the top and bottom were in good shape.
That left us waiting to get some new A pillars off a truck from the junkyard. It ended up being the same one I got the door from. The guys were helpful, and quoted me for just the pillars. I asked how much for the dash, and it was going to be another 100$, so I said forget it.
I went to the yard to pick up the pillars in the 626. I figured they would be cut out and ready to go. The guy's like "so you got a truck to load this in?" and I'm like, "A trunk?" being optimistic, lol. He showed me what they did.
It was going to take too long for him to hack through the dash, so he just whacked out the whole firewall and gave that to me for the quoted price. I ended up getting the dash and a lot of other goodies too! I love good surprises, even though it wouldn't fit in my car!
Nothin but serious business here with the Mazda crew
Some surface rust on the new door ground down and coated with a product that chemically converts the rust into an inert form.
Drying it with the heat gun that can do 1200*F
Old A pillars, all cut out
The insides and structure inside are coated with some kind of awesome battleship paint that seems to be pretty robust and good for resisting rust. I'm really surprised they didn't look much worse than this. Usually the insides are 10x worse than the surface.
Only the structural part of the pillar was left on, Josh cut the skins off.
Lots of layers
Bottom of the driver's side
Bottom of the passenger's side
Top passenger's side
Fender, ready to be sanded
Door, awaiting seam sealer
Josh's skillful finger at the ready
Beauty
Whups
Some of the goodies that came on the new clip were the fact that that truck had a tilt steering column and an intermittent wiper switch. I sorely missed both features, but didn't even know they were available, and couldn't justify spending the money to get them at the yard. But since I got them for Free.99 (my favorite price), it was swaparoo time!
Steering wheel apart
Harness to the wheel (responsible for the horn, lights, wipers)
All da junk danglin in da breeze
New tilt column!
Po' man's breaker bar. It's the handle off the jack, one of my favorite tricks
The work lights get so hot, it was friggin cooking the seat, so I had 20's years of butt sweat being baked out of it right into my face. Not my favorite smell…
Columns next to each other. Tilt is the bottom one. You can see all the extra junk it has on it compared to the other one.
Another view
Baller trick Josh showed me. We had to swap the key switch since I didn't want to have to carry two keys (one for the locks and the other for the ignition)
Turn the key to accessory
With a thin screw driver or a nail or something, push on the little button in the middle and pull the key housing out
So simple! I love 80's tech!
I was trying to show the key dust here, since you might be able to see how worn down my key is in the picture, but I accidentally bumped it and knocked the dust onto the table, so it's hard to see. Kind of weird, I'm not sure if Toyota makes their tumblers diamond lined or what, but key wear seems to be a common issue.
This is inside where the key switch goes
All empty. Notice the little V thing that hangs down from the metal mount above
Another hang up. Josh patiently waited while I noobed my way around. I installed the column no less than 4 times, and once was when I realized that the harness coming from the back of the key switch was different! I panicked!
Not to worry, it's just held on by screws, and they're a direct swap.
Another time when I installed the column, I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't bolt down all the way. I finally noticed that this thing was getting in the way, and decided I'd have to cut it. I about cut 4-5 different things, but Josh was the voice of reason and would point out that whatever I was about to buzz off was held on with bolts that I'd overlooked in my frenzy to use power tools
I looked at the two different mounting plates, found the centers of the holes, drew a line between them, and what do you know, they're the same size. I thought I'd have to notch the tilt one to fit (figured it was bigger for whatever reason), but it turns out that it hooks over the V thingy and sits on it. It helps hold it in place. I was getting weak from installing it so many times, and fooled with it for several minutes, trying to get the spline shaft to line up, the V thing to hook over, and the other bolts to fit in the holes, all with no success. Josh comes over and does it first try. Show off.
There are subtle differences between the knee plastic trim piece, mainly the bulge under the column that covers up the junk. I'm not super worried about it since I don't plan to spend any time under there looking at it.
That was a lot of pictures, and I'm about done in.
Well guys, you know me, so I won't lie, I've been lazy with the updates. I'll try to win you back with a video, though. I probably wouldn't watch it at work, or if your lady (or man, I don't judge) gets offended with sexytime stuff. (naughty)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgFJJ77w2nA
Last time I left off, we were waiting for the glass guy to come take the windshield out. He kept dicking Josh around, but another dude finally came and got it done.
Josh, prepping the surface
Yeah.. not looking so good. The windshield was replaced at one point, and the guy who did it obviously scratched the metal while scraping the old urethane off. He didn't bother to cover the raw metal (probably a case of, "you only paid to have the windshield replaced, not to have it done right"), as clearly that's not his problem, so rust and time had their way with the window surround.
Not good either (passenger side)
At least the top and bottom were in good shape.
That left us waiting to get some new A pillars off a truck from the junkyard. It ended up being the same one I got the door from. The guys were helpful, and quoted me for just the pillars. I asked how much for the dash, and it was going to be another 100$, so I said forget it.
I went to the yard to pick up the pillars in the 626. I figured they would be cut out and ready to go. The guy's like "so you got a truck to load this in?" and I'm like, "A trunk?" being optimistic, lol. He showed me what they did.
It was going to take too long for him to hack through the dash, so he just whacked out the whole firewall and gave that to me for the quoted price. I ended up getting the dash and a lot of other goodies too!
I love good surprises, even though it wouldn't fit in my car!
Nothin but serious business here with the Mazda crew
Some surface rust on the new door ground down and coated with a product that chemically converts the rust into an inert form.
Drying it with the heat gun that can do 1200*F
Old A pillars, all cut out
The insides and structure inside are coated with some kind of awesome battleship paint that seems to be pretty robust and good for resisting rust. I'm really surprised they didn't look much worse than this. Usually the insides are 10x worse than the surface.
Only the structural part of the pillar was left on, Josh cut the skins off.
Lots of layers
Bottom of the driver's side
Bottom of the passenger's side
Top passenger's side
Fender, ready to be sanded
Door, awaiting seam sealer
Josh's skillful finger at the ready
Beauty
Whups
Some of the goodies that came on the new clip were the fact that that truck had a tilt steering column and an intermittent wiper switch. I sorely missed both features, but didn't even know they were available, and couldn't justify spending the money to get them at the yard. But since I got them for Free.99 (my favorite price), it was swaparoo time!
Steering wheel apart
Harness to the wheel (responsible for the horn, lights, wipers)
All da junk danglin in da breeze
New tilt column!
Po' man's breaker bar. It's the handle off the jack, one of my favorite tricks
The work lights get so hot, it was friggin cooking the seat, so I had 20's years of butt sweat being baked out of it right into my face. Not my favorite smell…
Columns next to each other. Tilt is the bottom one. You can see all the extra junk it has on it compared to the other one.
Another view
Baller trick Josh showed me. We had to swap the key switch since I didn't want to have to carry two keys (one for the locks and the other for the ignition)
Turn the key to accessory
With a thin screw driver or a nail or something, push on the little button in the middle and pull the key housing out
So simple! I love 80's tech!
I was trying to show the key dust here, since you might be able to see how worn down my key is in the picture, but I accidentally bumped it and knocked the dust onto the table, so it's hard to see. Kind of weird, I'm not sure if Toyota makes their tumblers diamond lined or what, but key wear seems to be a common issue.
This is inside where the key switch goes
All empty. Notice the little V thing that hangs down from the metal mount above
Another hang up. Josh patiently waited while I noobed my way around. I installed the column no less than 4 times, and once was when I realized that the harness coming from the back of the key switch was different! I panicked!
Not to worry, it's just held on by screws, and they're a direct swap.
Another time when I installed the column, I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't bolt down all the way. I finally noticed that this thing was getting in the way, and decided I'd have to cut it. I about cut 4-5 different things, but Josh was the voice of reason and would point out that whatever I was about to buzz off was held on with bolts that I'd overlooked in my frenzy to use power tools
I looked at the two different mounting plates, found the centers of the holes, drew a line between them, and what do you know, they're the same size. I thought I'd have to notch the tilt one to fit (figured it was bigger for whatever reason), but it turns out that it hooks over the V thingy and sits on it. It helps hold it in place. I was getting weak from installing it so many times, and fooled with it for several minutes, trying to get the spline shaft to line up, the V thing to hook over, and the other bolts to fit in the holes, all with no success. Josh comes over and does it first try. Show off.
There are subtle differences between the knee plastic trim piece, mainly the bulge under the column that covers up the junk. I'm not super worried about it since I don't plan to spend any time under there looking at it.
That was a lot of pictures, and I'm about done in.
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