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1980 4x4 toyota sunrader. Having front and rear suspension done now. Next is the 2.7l 3zr swap done by previous owner. First thing I'm attacking is the floor. I have some pics. Looking for good advice. What order do you start in? I'm think floor up? Remove camper or leave it on? 

 

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Maybe with a handle like "Money" maybe people here are taking for granted you need no advice to get it done just $?

 

You have something that the previous owner had different plans for other than a camper,  who knows... To get back to a motor home a very steep curve if that's your goal here, most will shy away from because our toys didn't come in that horrid condition.

 

Suggest you start by hooking up with Sunny78 and her thread where she is replacing a sagging Sunrader floor.  

 

Gary

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Haha wish I could just throw so money at it🤑 it's just a nickname.  And I thank you for at least responsing and telling me this thing is in horrible condition. So my toy is Going to take some work.  Going to make it a motorhome again and I  Want to start with the floor. Has anyone taken the entire camper off? The plywood flooring is shot! 

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You my friend have a mountain of a task in front of you, but a wicked cool starting point! For that project first I'd see what it takes to take the camper off to replace the flooring, if you don't have to then get to the flooring and work your way up, making sure the thing is water tight first. In my mind the engine, running gear ie truck part of the camper is the easy part. You will end up with an amazing rig, best of luck

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This is a big-picture project. First off, if you take the body off how will you keep it supported? There will likely be damage to it if it isn't supported very carefully. I have done frame up rehabs, and I have to tell you that once the body is off the frame things get weird fast. If you want to tackle drive train issues, there is no better time than with the body off. 

What is your budget? My rig was $3k and I've stuck $4k more into it and I"m getting close to being done. Over 10 months of HARD work. 

There isn't much of a way to get it done a little at a time. You really have to start adding up your assumed costs for materials and whatever you want to add... then double it. Again, think about what "done" looks like in your mind. Are you going to have a fridge? Appliances? Bed? Disco Ball?

If it were me, I'd save up about $5k and take a lot of time making decisions about what you want BEFORE you buy a single thing. Most of the money I've wasted in vehicle mods and rehabs were things I bought that i thought I wanted/needed only to find out I hadn't thought things through carefully. Then I realize that my initial plans were nothing like what my plans became after careful deliberate thought.

You have what everyone wants, that thing has huge potential. I'm sure by the summer of 2021 you will be close to done if you have the money and the backbone.

 

 

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OK so here the lowdown. Your shell has already been off the original chassis at some time. It didn't come on that truck. Look at how the rear wheels aren't centered in the wheel wells. Also Sunrader never made a 4x4 in 1980. You need to understand how the floor is attached to the shell. It's essentially 1 unit. Floor is fiberglassed to the shell under high compression and that same floor gives the shell it's structural integrity. I don't see serious damage near the edges of the floor or sagging there. Repair should be fill areas where it's gone and attach new plywood over all to reinforce what's left of the existing floor and give you a new surface to work with. Epoxy any areas where it's soft or completely breaking down then screw and glue new surface into place. High quality plywood like marine grade will be stronger. 

Linda S

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6 hours ago, linda s said:

OK so here the lowdown. Your shell has already been off the original chassis at some time. It didn't come on that truck. Look at how the rear wheels aren't centered in the wheel wells. Also Sunrader never made a 4x4 in 1980. 

Linda S

This started life out as a 2wd and someone along the way converted it into a 4x4 with 8 lug axles, what does the rear end look like?

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16 hours ago, Money said:

Ok this is great thank you all very much. If the camper doesn't come off and have seen photos of the floor being repaired in place What about the seal between camper and cab? 

Overhead needs to come down to fiberglass for a complete rebuild of the bed area. Before you put any wood back seal the camper to the cab with fiberglass epoxy and mat. Should seal up nicely. More pics of camper to truck would help. Show outside where it connects behind the doors. Think the wood wall from truck to camper needs to go too but can't tell

Linda S

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ITS ALIVEmotor is running. Should be moving and stopping by Friday.  I will get pics of progress going asap. This looks like the OG SEAL. What do you think? I think this camper and toyota chassis are original it's just been turned into a 4x4? 

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  • 1 month later...

If Sunrader had built the frame like your doing, there would be a bunch more of them around these days.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello I'm back at it finally. So far lots of suspension work 2.7l 3zr is running like a top. Extended framework work. While the camper was up I decided to go with the original sunrader lay out but beefed up the splash gaurd to 16g aluminum riveted to the extended frame work then 3/4 x1 1/2 aluminum rec tubing for floor runners. Tomorrow going to fill the outside void space with a closed cell automotive foam then inside 3/4 foam board in between the runners. Next Try to match up 3/8 plywood sunrader sandwich and fiberglass that in and then do a final 3/4 plywood on top of that. Can't wait to get the floor done!!!!!!!!

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Fiberglassed in with 2 coats. Next I'm going 3/4 inch over that. Might go half I agree with Linda in another post, could use every bit of head room. Then start on the internal frame. Like an aluminum skeleton. Need to pull the windows glass and frames are good but the innerds are all dried out and cracking up. Is that the glazing?????

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  • 4 weeks later...

Purchase the coach, Suspension, Motor work, steel, aluminum,plywood, adhesives, sealants, tools........ I'm sitting at $3800 want to keep it under 10000 more like 8000. Starting to figure what holes I can use and what I have to seal. Weather in Oregon is turning fast. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 7/30/2020 at 9:58 PM, Money said:

Haha wish I could just throw so money at it🤑 it's just a nickname.  And I thank you for at least responsing and telling me this thing is in horrible condition. So my toy is Going to take some work.  Going to make it a motorhome again and I  Want to start with the floor. Has anyone taken the entire camper off? The plywood flooring is shot! 

My floors shot too. I’m taking camper off.. easier to work on suspension as I’m doing the 4x4,conversion. 

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On 9/12/2020 at 8:29 PM, Money said:

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7 minutes ago, Bigfoot89 said:

My floors shot too. I’m taking camper off.. easier to work on suspension as I’m doing the 4x4,conversion. 

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What’s under the foam board? Fiberglass? Or ply?? I’m scared to start tearing into it haha! 

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On 11/6/2020 at 6:08 PM, Money said:

Purchase the coach, Suspension, Motor work, steel, aluminum,plywood, adhesives, sealants, tools........ I'm sitting at $3800 want to keep it under 10000 more like 8000. Starting to figure what holes I can use and what I have to seal. Weather in Oregon is turning fast. 

No doubt! Where in Oregon are you? I'm in Eugene...

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