Gambling for St Jude's 2019

[Noahfecks]

The 2019 Gambling for St Jude's car officially got underway this weekend with our first wrench turning session.

The plan is to merge one 1990 Toyota 2Runner

and a 1992 Lexus LS400

into something ridiculous and fun to flog

The goal with the gambler is to stay under $500 so that will be our goal here too. I will keep a running total of the cost of the cars

Lexus
$250 Lexus LS400
-$20 Front seats
-$180 Catalytic converters to the scrap yard ($60 x3)
-$78 Lexus LS 400 body to scrap yard
-$100 assorted part out
-------------------------------------------------------
-$128 Total Cost (In the money)

2Runner
$300 1990 2Runner
-$60 Catalytic converter to scrap man
-$100 old drive train sold
-------------------------------------------------------
$140 Total Cost

Gambler
$12 net car cost
$325 Timing belt/engine tune up
$100 wheels and tires
$50 fan
$50 Tacoma exhaust manifolds
-------------------------------------------------------
$537 Total cost

Our goal again will be to raise $$$ for St Jude's children's hospitals through a pledge drive for each checkpoint we make this year. Thanks to all those that donated last year!!!
https://www.stjude.org/

 

[Noahfecks]

So day one had to do with getting last years gambler out of the way. So long Green Latrine, sold back to George to live on as a gambler for $500


and tearing the heart out of the Lexus. Ok so in the pictures this car doesn't look that bad but believe me it was completely thrashed, especially inside and whoever owned it doesn't understand that cars need at least some maintenance. It was truly a cesspool on the inside.

A bit of wrenching, cutting, and prying and we separated the patient from it's motor

 

[I Lean]

I'm watching this one.

 

[Noahfecks]

I have been horrible about updating this but here is some progress. The wife lets me have one day a month to go play cars with Phil in GJ so this is literally a one Sunday a month build.

Test fitting the motor, it's kind of tight in there

 

[Noahfecks]

A few weeks later the heart transplant was complete. In the end we had to swap out the oil pan for a rear sump pan off of an SC400 (straight trade) and replace the exhaust manifolds with some log style from a Tacoma ($50). Phil whipped up sme motor mounts using some scrap and parts of the 4.slow and Lexus mounts. The exhaust manifolds had to be pie cut and turned at the collector, saved a good 3" on each side of the block. Trans cooler made from an old oil cooler in the scrap pile, power steering fluid cooler from stock, and $50 for an aftermarket electric push fan.




Good deal on wheels and tires, $100 bucks at recla metals. Tires are like 50% tread 265/75/R16 and the wheels are wayyyyyy mo betta looking than the factory. Neighbor was throwing away a pair of 25% 265/70/R16 tires that I grabbed for spares.

 

[Noahfecks]

Cooling system complete. Need to finish the exhaust, build carrier bearing mount for driveline, and finish the wiring.

Soooo close to doing a big smokey burn out.

It was too hot in the shop by 11am to do much so out came the masking tape and Krylon. I like it so much I am going to daily it when it's finished!

 

[mbryson]

LOVE IT. That should be a fun ride?

 

[kmboren]

Looks too good for a gambler car. Loving it.

 

[Wulf]

 

[2002maniac]

Great progress! The paint turned out sweet too!

I believe we met at the 2018 Gambler. I was in the Saturn Vue that lost the head gaskets and went nuclear for the last 10 miles. You stopped to see if we were ok.

We did the spring gambler in a 2wd suburban and will be back with something new for the 500!