Hi everyone!

I'm from the Cumming area and joined the board in hopes someone could help me find info or give suggestions for some things I'd like to do to convert my '89 Toyota Hilux to a sport truck for the street. Most Toyota Pickup (Hilux) boards are for the 4X4 crowd and the rest are for the low riders, but I'm looking to get mine to turn corners and make a little power while still being a practical daily driver, so no slamming or bagging or tubbing here.

I'm using my old Toyota because, though the well worn (300K miles, bad valve) 22RE is the farthest thing from a power house, I already have it and have an attachment to it since it's the first truck my parents gave me back in high school about 17 years ago. Also it's not worth anything on paper, so I'm not worried about devaluing it. I don't ever want to get rid of it, anyway.

Right now I'm working through a laundry list of issues I've neglected over the years, but the first major mod I would like to do, and what brought me to this board, is to convert the rear drum brakes to disc. There are kits for the 4wd trucks but, besides being for 6-lug axles vs my 5, they use heavy GM calipers and do away with the e-brake. I'm wanting to keep weight to a minimum and retain functionality, so I'm looking for info on Honda S2000, Acura RSX, and the various RX7 rear calipers. Anybody have any of these lying around to weigh? I know I can use 94+ Mustang rear brakes and rotors but the rotors, at least, are heavier than I want. I'm also open to suggestions for other good lightweight hydra-mechanical (integrated e-brake) calipers. Some I've looked at can't work because they place the e-brake cable where my axle would be.

Aside from the rear discs, in the near future I'd like to lower my truck a couple of inches (might need 4wd front fenders for clearance), correct the front camber issue, convince myself to ditch the camper shell and replace it with some kind of bed cover, relocate the battery somewhere under the bed, and adapt a better rear sway bar. If I get really ambitious, and find enough info and help, I'd like to swap the motor to a Tacoma 3RZ, though I think I'm going to need a crate 22RE in the short term if I determine my current engine is on it's way out like I think it is. Further down the road I'd entertain adding a turbo to the 3RZ and would like to figure out a 4-link setup for the rear axle. After all that, it also needs a lot of body work on the Left side thanks to a fence and a Lexus, and good paint, but that's probably the last thing I'll do.

Here is my truck as it currently sits. I've already done a few little things like add 16" Ford Explorer aluminum wheels and performance tires, an electric fan and crank scraper to help the tired 22RE out, KYB monotube shocks all around, a (cheap) rear sway bar, and had the tire shop dial out as much of the positive camber as they could (went from +0.9* to +0.2*). All of this made for great improvements in handling and a little more fun scooting around town.






Looking forward to chatting with people about some of my ideas!