1981 Toyota Pickup - Some Assembly Required

Big horsepower came George's way in the form of an LT-1 350 MPI engine out of a '95 Z-28. Being that the stock mill was already long gone, the decision to drop some American muscle under the hood was an easy one, especially because the frame modifications were carried out with such a thought in mind. A TH400 transmission went in next, followed by a mess of transfer cases that included a Dana 300 and an NP203.In search of the ultimate low, George mated the 'cases utilizing a WMS-built adapter. The 203 went in upside down, necessitating much of the floor to be cut out. Three shifters were installed to operate the combo, which offers a Low range selection of 2:1, 2.6:1, or 5.2:1. To fill the hole created by the upside down NP203, George went about constructing a custom console with a B&M shifter mounted atop it to operate the TH400. The console was built into the remaining stock dash sections and outfitted with a selection of gauges and switches to operate such items as the ARB, an onboard air compressor, the electric engine and tranny cooler fans, and even a few fun extras such as oil slick and smoke screen. With the custom console in place, George had the entire interior coated with a spray-on liner, in addition to constructing an interior 'cage and installing stock seats and belts.

The exterior benefited from George's craftsmanship as well. George bent and welded the tubes for the exterior rollcage and the front bumper, which houses a Ramsey REP8000 winch. Headlights from a '93 Chevy pickup were affixed to the front fascia, and a custom bed was constructed using electrical junction boxes. An onboard welder and an air compressor were installed within the bed box and a tranny cooler and electric fan were mounted on the rooftop to the exterior 'cage.

As you can see, George knows a thing or two about vehicle design. And, true to his ever-changing attitude, he has since replaced the steering system with a full hydraulic set up. While some might call his Toyota a "work in progress", it's more accurately defined as "progress at work." He installs or builds the parts, uses the parts, then pulls them off to make room for the next design idea that pops into his head. So far, the rig has worked better and better with each new transformation. Maybe George will never stop building it. But if he does, one could certainly say that it was a job well done.