Tundra Power
(July 2010)
Will Browne's '89 Toyota 4Runner doesn't jump out at you, even though it flies through the air with the greatest of ease. Beneath that stealthy exterior is a 4.7L iForce Tundra V-8. As if the V-8 swap weren't enough, Will built his own adapter to mate the iForce to his stock manual five-speed. Pure genuis.
Instead of going with fiberglass fenders and bedsides, Will found a custom motorcycle fabricator who pulled off a clean flaring job with real steel.
Long-travel front and rear suspension, consisting of a Total Chaos Gen II Caddy Kit up front and custom Deaver spring-under leaf packs in the rear, gets the V-8 power to the ground.
It was a no-brainer to pick Will's 4Runner as a Top 4 choice.
Specs
Vehicle: '89 Toyota 4Runner
Owner/Hometown: Will Browne/ Corona, California
Engine: 4.7LToyota Tundra i-Force V-8
Induction: Stock EFI, K&N intake tube and filter, custom air filter box
Transmission: Stock R-150F manual 5-speed rebuilt by Marlin Crawler
Transfer case: Stock chain-driven Toyota V-6 type
Front end: Total Chaos Gen II Caddy Kit, T.C. idler arm, and T.C. King Kong steering. Fox coilovers and bumpstops. T-100 axle shafts. Custom-machined inner CV bells. Travel: 13 inches.
Rear end: Toyota V-6 Prerunner with wheel spacers. Deaver spring-under leaf packs, and Browne-built four-link. Doetsch Tech shocks, Fox bumpstops, and stock bump stops. Travel: 13 inches
Ring and Pinion: 4.10:1
Front Differential: Stock open differential
Rear Differential: Stock open differential. (Note: Open differentials are great for preserving the drivetrain. You won't get as much traction, but you'll also avoid some types of breakage.)
Tires: 33x12.50R15 BFG Mud Terrain T/A
Wheels: American Racing 15x8
Future Plans: Full rollcage, suspension seats, and more trips to Baja.