New 4runnnnerererer Looking for project advice

Iam looking for a 4Runner to build with my daughter as a way to teach her about tools and measurements and work and car stuff. The end result will be a truck for her to learn in and have when she’s ready. I personally have never done a Toyota truck or 4Runner but I’ve done a lot of mechanical stuff and have had drag racing cars and motorcycles and have done a few hot rod projects.
I started looking at trucks thinking it would be simple and basic and not to exspensive and safe er than a car maybe. Now I’d like to think about a 4Runner. I personally like the 1sy gen just because I love the top coming off and the basic ness if it. I have no reason other than looks but I realize that there may be arguments for other models and thought I should get informed before I buy a headache.
Truth is I love chassis stuff and I’ve chopped and channeled and air bagged a 49 ford so it should be pretty easy to go through a simple chassis. I’ll probably just pull the drive line and send it to a shop for re build if it’s the right price. Is like for her to learn on stuff she can see and appreciate so I’ll do the interior and paint it probably. Do t think I’ll frame off and powder coat sand blast and make it perfect but I’ll go say 6 of 10.
My goal is a fully functional slightly lifted clean 4runnet. Not a crawler for resto mod with a turbo lol. Now that would be cool but this is to get her to school and camping and to the river with her kayak. She’s 11 so if I start now I’ll get done just in time lol!
I’ve found a few under 5k that gone look fine but haven’t been to look and make offers. I don’t like body work as much as I used to so I’ve been passing on the 2-3k dollar beaters. Anyway what do you think of my idea ? Is it a bad truck for a kid? Am I underestimating costs are the parts hard to find ect? Here’s one I think I can get for 4500-4700? Iam in Montana if you have something interesting feel free to message thanks

 

You are a very cool dad. I would have loved doing something like this with my dad. He passed away a few years ago. Doing what you’re doing with your daughter would have made a great memory. I really miss him.

I’m sorry I can’t offer advice on the restoration of a classic car/truck. The 80’s… wow. I was living in Germany with my husband. Heck, I would love that truck! There is no doubt your daughter will love it.

I will look forward to watching/reading your posts as you progress. Kudos on being a great dad!

 

If you do go ahead with a vintage 4Runner, consider restoring and keeping things stock, e.g., factory ride height, 235/75R15 tires, etc. It run and drive better and will be easier to live with overall, especially for a young owner who's learning. Resale value will be better as well.

 

This is cool project but I'd go with something safer than 90s SUV as a first car. Rollovers, etc.

 

My first car was an 85 runner. Still have it and it’s apart going a resto. I’d say keep it stock or as stock as you can. I lifted mine suspension and body, put a locker in it…just got a new motor in it right before I took the body off. I’m now undoing all the stupid things I did to it as a teenager. If you get choose a runner, it’s worth finding as many stock parts as you can when you can as things are getting harder to find!

The next step for me is KBS rust solutions on the frame and start reassembly. Also getting the interior redone as close to stock as possible. Looking to put a vinyl floor in it as I don’t care for carpet.

 

Oh man that’s the first that I’ve heard that 4Runners have safety issues beyond typical? I did not know they rolled over easily? I was trying to find an easy basic mechanical project to teach her on. You know basics. I had a vw bug when I was kid and rebuilt the engine and forever had to mess with it. I got hit this last winter and it was a bad hit. I got close to not naming it. I have an old Subaru wagon I was saving for her but after my crash I realized I wouldn’t have survived in that car. I could obviously just buy her a newer car or truck but she really does not know how to work or take pride in her own accomplishments. Just re doing the interior and understanding how bad it sucks to spill a milk shake on your carpet is what she needs lol. She’s not a thrill seeker really.I thought having a slower vehicle would be good too? Hmmm. I haven’t bought anything yet that why i wondered what 4 runner guys would say. Thanks for the replies

 

As a retired LEO having seen lots of crashes, consider something with airbags and crumple zones for her first car. You can still teach her stuff.

 

Next year will be 30 years I've had my '94 Pickup. The last 15 years have been undoing/redoing everything I did to the truck the first 15 years. It does have beefy rear leaf springs (I got tired of changing sagging, broken leaf springs) and an Eaton Truetrac limited slip but otherwise it's bone stock. I unhacked every hack I did as a dumb kid without a well-paying job.

 

I wanted to say something like this also but didn't want to come across as a wet blanket. As well, 1996-newer vehicles have OBDII which these days is a mandatory skill set for any young DIY mechanic to become familiar with.

 

Yeah I guess my point is new drivers are perhaps the second most likely group to need safety features, behind drunks. If we already know that mistakes might be made, let’s plan for those mistakes to be survivable.

 

Yeah I guess my nostalgia for easy stuff doesn’t account for contemporary vehicles going fast. The Subaru doesn’t have armor bags either. Well shit maybe I’ll build one for me to use hunting lol. My wife has a newer Highlander and it’s so boring and expensive. I wouldn’t be a good father to set her loose in a death trap lol. I see range rovers for oddly cheap prices? Maybe I should just get her a Tacoma. I bought this truck from my uncle when I was 15 years old got 125 bucks. I re did it again a few years ago. It is not safe at all!

 

I’m wondering why all of us aren’t dead? J/k. It has seat belts! It’s odd that seat belts and air bags have safety concerns too. Just sayin…

 

Everyone wants their children to be safe. However, accidents do happen (we can’t stop that) and new drivers (especially male drivers) have more accidents than experienced drivers (experienced male drivers have more accidents than females). Luckily, your daughter isn’t a male driver, hehe. Unfortunately each vehicle has “safety” issues, including Sherman Tanks.

I got to thinking (uh oh). Plastic (new car) vs metal (old car). The vast majority of cars on the road are plastic, mine included. In an accident do you want to be in the metal car or the plastic car? Granted the plastic car has a “crumble zone” which makes it a safer plastic car. IMHO I will need that “crumble zone” if I’m hit by a heavy metal car. Just sayin…

The old and new 4 Runner have the same roll over rate, 3 out of 5 stars. The Highlander is 4 out of 5 stars. Little compact cars don’t roll over, sadly they get run over and crushed by bigger cars. Pick your poison.

Most common cause of roll over: Driver Error

Most Common Type of Roller:A tripped rollover. But what actually is a tripped rollover? A tripped rollover happens when a motor vehicle slides sideways off the street. The tires hit soft soil or an object in the way, and the huge amount of force on your tires makes the car flip over.

Everything we choose will have pros and cons.

 

Charles I love the concept but perhaps a restoration is a little ambitious. My girls (19 and 24) can both check the fluids, perform an oil change, change a tire, mount tire chains, balance a checkbook, (shoot a pistol). General life skills stuff. Plenty of quality Dad time teaching those things.

 

I had planned to do a boat build soon. Perhaps she’ll help with that instead. I suppose it’s more what I like to do than what’s important to learn. It just pisses me off when my wife says her “key is broken” when she drains the battery and the car won’t start! I did a big project about a decade ago. Fram off . As many mods as you can do to the frame. Engine swap . Channel, chop . Custom everything. It was so intense and fun and rewarding that I think everyone should do one. No offense to the 4 runner crowd but these trucks are simple and easy compared to some so even more fun! I never learned without doing but that’s just me. We’ll find something to do that will benefit her in the same way. We live in a really safe place filled with really dangerous outdoor adventures so if I don’t risk her life in an old truck I’ll do it in a whitewater rapid lol!

 

Unaliving is bad, but also be mindful of things such as head injury, spinal cord injury, amputation and other forms of life-altering trauma.

 

I came here to say this sounds like a great project. I wish I had a fun project like this when i was a 'kid'.

I'm 40 now and am just getting into really doing a lot of my own 'major' work on my cars. My dad did teach me the basics, oil changes, tire changes, etc. but i never got like 'deep' into working on cars until my recent project Foxbody mustang. I mean i can't disassemble and rebuild an engine from scratch (maybe one day i'll learn?) but for the most part everything else i'm learning and doing now. This goes for my 4runner too, although much less because 1. its not a project car so it just requires less work and 2. its my DD so i can't have it down for too long.

Long story short, if i could turn back time and learn what im learning now at a much younger age, who knows how smart with cars id be now. Maybe i could rebuild an engine, who knows, lol.

 

It’s honestly just nuts and bolts so doing it is the only thing. Nothing to it but to do it my dad would say. Trick is to have a manageable project so it’s not to overwhelming or expensive. Can do fun stuff like a scooter or motorcycle or a racing go kart whatever. Easy cars are old chevys. You can re build a small block Chevy pretty easy lol! When I was a kid I used thre different engines to re build one with a hand drill and hone. Mis matched lifters and used rings off different pistons . I even used different main and rod bearings lol!!! Yahaha! It used a bit of oil but ran just fine ! Yahaha! It obviously helps to have a good shop and a lift and all the tools but you know you can do it in the blue sky garage too! In fact one of these 4Runners is a great chassis project and a great engine swap project. You got all the basics and they are simple. If you did not care about body work you could drag home a dead one and lift it for a crawler and buy an engine tranny ready to go and swap without to much cutting and welding. You can’t do that to an old car. You cut and cut a cut and it’s a never ending custom fit. Be fun! I may do one just because it’s in my head now and use it for hunting. My problem with old trucks now is they feel so slow and loud lol. Don’t guess guys are stuffing LS engines in old 4Runners lol! The secret for me is to do systems. That way I don’t get lost in the clouds. I think I could do a simple 4Runner project in a few months. Iam actually not an off road guy so it’s not a very functional project but I love the way they look lol! Anyway don’t be too nervous to try. If you have a good machine shop in your area it’s not to terrible exspensive to do an engine project. Can even do a long block and it’s less scary!

 

Sounds like a cool project. Good luck going forward and keep us updated with all of the progress!