Fiiinnaallleeeeeeyyyy fooouunnnd the loooooovveee of a liiiffeetiiiiiiimme <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />
The chicks loved that one in high school.


What's this about 18 and needing paid lessons? A CA thing?

I remember it took me forever to get the hang of driving a manual too. My dad initially taught me on the 4runner and what made it difficult was that the clutch engaged really close to the floor, so I was either stalling it or giving it waaayyy too much gas to compensate. Lots of lurching. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> Once I got in my stepmom's Mazda 626 with its more car-like clutch with lighter pedal and more movement to the engagement point, it all clicked and I went back to the truck and everything worked for me.



Wait a tick. Play football, get truck? You gonna throw in a signing bonus and a Rolex too? What does the kid have to give up in this "deal?" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Yes, oh yes, they did... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Damn. That brings back mammaries.. er memories... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />

And yeah, all my rock has tons of bass in it.

And apparently a couple guys........... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Stripes are gay. Don't do it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" />

When I worked at Buick (in San Leandro/Oakland), I used to use a Megadeth cd to demonstrate how metal kills improperly installed stereo systems WAYYYY faster than rap.

I could get a 93 Regal with a properly working alternator and a good battery below 8.5v in about 10 seconds compared to 2 minutes with [c]rap. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Most of the High Schools in CA did away w/their drivers Ed courses by the mid '90's, now you are under 18, have to take/pass private classes(upwards of $300), before you can take the DMV driving test. Since my nephew wasn't too interested in learning to drive(some reason his friends weren't either), my Sister decided it wasn't worth spending the money to send him until he wanted to learn.



I had him in my '91 Toy 4x4 w/dual cases w/both engaged, it will move under idle speed alone, and he still could barely get the clutch pint down. He also wasn't able t concentrate on more than one thing, i\.e. shifting gears or watching where he was going. His Mom was the same way, and many have tried to teach her how to drive a manual. Some people are just so mechanically challenged a manual transmission is beyond their capabilities.:o



No, no signing bonus <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />. He is one of the 5% of kids who take ADD medicine that actually need it. W/o the meds he is a D student at best, and w/it he is lethargic and has very little energy. Last year as a Freshman he did go out, but only lasted 2 days of Summer training, he just didn't have he energy to keep up. In January my Sister allowed him to go off the medicine providing he maintained a B+/A average, his grades dropped some(still met the average for the semester), and he was actually motivated to go out for golf. When I talked to him about football for this fall he said it was too tiring and didn't want to be yelled at by the coaches for lagging behind the rest. I would like to see him at least try it again w/o the ADD medication, and see if he can keep up any better this time around. Given his physical size and natural strength, if he has any athletic ability for football, he would have a very good chance at getting a scholarship, and who knows maybe a chance to go pro. He enjoys the game, watches it on TV and plays Madden, and doesn't mind aggressive/violent activities, so it isn't like he would be being forced to do something he doesn't like to get a set of wheels.

Gay or not(not that there is anything wrong with it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />), I went ahead and shot some stripes on it. They are a metallic blue and change from dark to light depending on how the light hits them.


The stripes match the color of the truck box and the "Toyota" emblem on the tailgate.

Still got to get a rear bumper(or make one) for it, some seat covers and a little TLC for the interior.

I am also considering making a hard tonneau cover for it, like this one I made for a truck I restored a few ago.

Only instead of vinyl, it will be fiberglass painted to match the truck box.

OK, now I'm interested. Details?

I used 1.5"x1.5"x1/8" angle iron to form the frame, w/some pieces of .5"x.5" square tube to tie the sides together. I had originally planned on just using a vinyl top, and the sections of tube were to just act as support for the vinyl. After installing the junk yard gas supports, the lid wouldn't have been heavy enough to close the supports w/o a lot of effort, and wanted to bend the angle iron, so I added a 3/8" piece of plywood. With a solid top I went ahead and added two locks and a latch on the tailgate, making it a secured area.

I made my own piano type hinge using 1/2" cut into 4" sections w/every other section welded to a strip of 1"x1/8 flat stock, and used a 3/8" solid rod. I cut an eye bolt in two, welded the eye onto one end and the threaded section onto the other end ofd the 3/8" rod. This allowed for pivot rod to be easily removed, allowing for a quick and easy removal of the lid.

Unfortunately I had a crappy digital at the time, so not a lot of pics came out, and I didn't take that many during the fab stages or of the finished product, but here are a few that did turn out.



This time I plan to use the same angle iron, but then use a wooden boarder and stretch cloth across/fiberglass, sand/filler/sand. I think I wont have to use as a heavy a gas strut as II did before, the ones I used came from a a full rear hatch w/large glass, I think some standard shell window struts should be enough. Since it wont need to be removed quickly, I think I will just use some standard hinges and the mount will bolt to the truck box, or maybe the side, if I make it open from the drivers side.

If interested this is what the '86 looked like when I drug it home:


Shot of the interior when I was done.

The seats are a set of 60/40's from a '93 X-cab. Tight fit, but they fit.