I've left the Toyota Fold, AKA my Montero Build Thread

**red87** · 03-09-2011, 01:37 AM

Hello all,

I picked up a 96 Montero SR yesterday with about 146k on the clock. I've been looking for a replacement for my truck for a little while now and the Monty ended up being the top of my list. It's the only the second car (out of nine, so far) I've owned that has AC and I couldn't be more excited

Its the little things, right? Pretty much everything works, except for the compass (it gets confused) and the little diagram that shows when I'm in 4wd, AWD, and/or diff locked never has my rear wheels lit up. Is that normal?

Anyway, at Cyi5's request, I'm starting a build thread and this is it.

Today's jobs included installing the third row seat, putting some 100w bulbs I had laying around in the fog lights, removing the running boards and taking off the stupid bullbar. If anyone wants either of those, tell me ASAP as I'm taking them to the dump pretty quick here.

Here are my as purchased shots so you can follow my changes:

I hate running boards so those were the first to go. I measured them once they were on the ground and I gained about 5" of clearance under my doors just by taking those off.

The bullbar was next. Whoever installed it must have been functionally retarded. They used carriage bolts like normal bolts and then didn't even bother actually connecting the wires for the extra lights to any kind of power source.

Here it is with all that garbage removed:

When I pulled the skid plate off (surpassingly beefy, by the way), I found this guy:

I'm not real sure what it is but my father said it may be a mixing tray for testing different kinds of ceramic glaze. Anyone else have an idea?

Finally, the key fob had been broken in the area the key ring normally goes through so I needed to address that. This is the nicest car I've owned so far and the keyless entry damn well better work

That's nothing I can't fix with my trusty Dremel, some strapping and some epoxy:

I know its a little ghetto but free is a whole lot cheaper than buying a new fob.

**Clem** · 03-09-2011, 04:05 AM

Nice purchase...I'm curious, did you buy your Monty near San Francisco? There was a red '96 for sale on craigslist that dropped in price $1,000 while I was watching it and was gone before I had a chance to look at it.

Congrats!

Clem

**red87** · 03-09-2011, 04:10 AM

Originally Posted by Clem

Nice purchase...I'm curious, did you buy your Monty near San Francisco? There was a red '96 for sale on craigslist that dropped in price $1,000 while I was watching it and was gone before I had a chance to look at it.

Congrats!

Clem

Yup, that was me. Did you by chance call the dealership as I was signing the paperwork?

**theicecreampeople** · 03-09-2011, 04:16 AM

sweet bro jazzed for ya ,looks good ...

**Clem** · 03-09-2011, 04:17 AM

No, that wasn't me calling while you were picking it up. By the time I got ready to make my move the CL ad was gone. Did the salesman use the call as a reason to not work with you on the price as the Monty was getting "a lot" of interest?

**red87** · 03-09-2011, 04:23 AM

Originally Posted by Clem

No, that wasn't me calling while you were picking it up. By the time I got ready to make my move the CL ad was gone. Did the salesman use the call as a reason to not work with you on the price as the Monty was getting "a lot" of interest?

Actually no, it was just that guy's bad luck. He said only a couple of people had looked at it and none of them had the cash or credit score to take it home. I guess it had been sitting on his lot for a month by the time I got it. That's the only time I've been happy about high gas prices. Who wants an premium-drinking SUV when gas is $4 a gallon?

**Clem** · 03-09-2011, 04:29 AM

Who wants an premium-drinking SUV when gas is $4 a gallon?

Just me, you and the guy who called while you were signing the paperwork, I guess

**CYi5** · 03-09-2011, 05:08 AM

Keep bringin' the photos, love watching the progress

.

**Silverwulf** · 03-09-2011, 07:57 AM

I'll take the stupid bull bar! I have same one, but damages and need to replace it. PM me .

Thanks, Chris.

BTW You're going to love these trucks!

Oh, the white tray thing is the thing that they use at oilstop to show you old vs new trans, diff, ps fluids. Lol, the dude under the car left it in there. At least you know they were servicing it :/

**red87** · 03-09-2011, 08:06 AM

Really? I would have never guessed that, haha.

Thread: I've left the Toyota Fold, AKA my Montero Build Thread

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