A little off topic, but I've been toying with the idea of getting an older 4Runner. There's a 1998 4WD Limited near me that seems well taken care of and has some nice add ons to it. As the resident 4Runner, do you think it's a good year to look at? The only things to check I've read about are ball joints and the possibility that the coolant mixes with the trans fluid. Any thoughts?

 

@gnuts wow, you have got some rusty nuts to be coming in here purposely trying to derail this thread. wow.

 

I don't have any personal experience with 3rd gens, but I've always loved them. They were what made me want to get a 4Runner in the first place, I love the look. They're pretty bulletproof overall, definitely check for rust spots and the ball joints. I know a lot more about 4th gens than I do 3rd gens though unfortunately.

 

He's a good dude, we go way back on the CL side bruh

 

I came close to buying a 3G T4R in college. Dealer wasn't playing ball with the numbers so I walked. Probably my favorite gen, as far as exterior appearance.
I actually looked around here earlier this week & there's a few clean late model 3Gs in Houston.

 

I know g unuts!
duh...
I was just busting chops.

 

Thanks man, my CL is back up for sale again after I sold it last year! Still looks good.

The local 4Runner is up for $5,500 but wants a quick sale, so I'm tempted to offer low. Me and the kids could work on it. Anyways, thanks for the input! Love the paint on your new 4Runner!

 

Thanks man, let me know if you end up getting it for cheap

 

 

Hit 20K miles on the old girl yesterday, they grow up so fast

 

time to trade it in

 

Man so old and still no eye implants yet

 

The OP is talking about his car and not his woman, right?

 

Both.

 

Changing directions, still lots of progress....

 

I know tinkering and working on a car is constant for many guys but approximately how much time you spending on your ride per week? Or is it in spurts?

 

Spurts, been changing jobs and getting stuff ready for wedding so haven't had much free time. I did a couple small things here and there but haven't had much time other than the small projects I'm trying to post updates on. The headlights unfortunately have been on the back burner a bit

 

So here's a small update, I picked up a new set of brighter sequential turn signals for the side mirrors. I then gave them the Black Ack treatment.

Unlike the stock ones that I painted before, these ones are white and not chrome






And here they are after 5 coats of VHT







They came out pretty smooth but I did want to get rid of any orange peel, so I wetsanded them.




Then I started applying clear coat (note I had to wait for a warm day)



Here they are after 5 coats of clear, they look like glass



And here's the finished product, going to wetsand the clear and polish them some night soon and get them installed

 

And here's a little teaser of the headlights, still trying to decide on a few things, but they're really close

 

Very cool. Can't wait to see it on the truck.

 

all ball busting aside...
you do good work, Chris.

 

Thanks d00d

 

Will be like driving daylight when you hit the highs.

 

And that's without any of the aux LED lights I have mounted

 

your future is so bright, you gotta wear shades?

 

 

I was thinking Timbuk 3!

 

 

So I wrapped up 2 small projects this weekend. Haven't had time to mess with the headlights, but I got the mirror turn signals wet-sanded and polished.





I also got a new set of puddle lights for the mirrors as well. Been waiting to install them together



Here's a before of the old ones that I had installed



And here's a side by side of my first set of night-shaded stock turn signals next to the new ones.



And here's a before with the new bright ass puddle light pods.



Here's the new sequential LED and smoked turn signal, they are WAY brighter than the stock ones.



And here's a side by side of the old and new, old on the left, new on the right



And here's a side by side of the puddle lights, the left ones are just a T10 LED bulb, and the LED pod is on the right, I thought the left sides were bright until I put them side by side.



Crazy difference



And here's a closer up of the light output of the new pods



And here's a closeup of the old one, it's crazy the difference in output



And here's the new turn signal installed, looking nice and sleek. Blends really well with the mirror housing.




Another cool fact is that our mirrors have a drain hole in the bottom

 

Nice, dude...
you ain't rolling your ankle in unpaved parking lots at night ever again!

 

Are those Meso custom puddle lights?

 

Yup, well they're VLED pods, but he makes the 3D Printed brackets that they mount into

 

Very cool. Nice work, dude.

 

Thanks H

 

Dearest Blackura,
When will I get my new headlights put int?
Sincerely,
4Runher.

 

He makes a lot of cool stuff; keeps me broke

 

fixed

 

You did great work on those turn signals. They looks glass smooth.

 

The painted housing needs some touch up so probably not until after the wedding/honeymoon....

 

Thanks man, I was happy with the first set, but they weren't dark enough for what I wanted, I'm way more happy with how these ones came out and I really love how they look.