*side note! I didn't get all my pictures yet, I'll update this entry once I've done that!
I'm trying to get the rest of my finances in order so I can start spending more on this thing. Anyone that knows me knows I'm a weeeee bit tight when it comes to money. I just don't like to spend it.
For this project, I do have a budget set aside, but having some trouble convincing myself to spend it on items that aren't specific for the car (i.e. tools, etc.). If it was a part specific for the car, I'd have a lot less issue.
I spent the last week working on cleaning out the trunk. This included removing the tail lights, the rear wiring harness, the rear bumper, and getting the gas tank freed up. These RA21s have the gas tank in the floor of the trunk (instead of directly behind the back seat). It's secured to the car via several bolts and screws around it's perimeter (not straps like a lot of domestic cars). Once these are loosened, all you have to do is disconnect the three lines going to the evap canister in the trunk, remove the fuel sending unit wire, and disconnect the feed/return under the car. The filler is between the tail lights, and there's a gasket between the filler and the body that also needs to be removed.
Before starting any of this stuff, drain the fuel from the tank! That'll make it easier to wrestle out of the car and (hopefully) make it a little safer. Remember people, it's the fumes that'll get you though.. not the liquid itself!
There was no fuel I could find in this tank. If there's any left in it, it's gonna be minimal (less than a quart). I was also happy it smelled of fuel and not of the death that rotten gas usually smells like. Here's hoping the inside of the tank isn't in that bad of shape!
On this particular RA21 I was worried looking at the condition of the trunk and the evap line covers. Everything was fairly rusty. From experience working on bolts on the front fenders I figured I'd have to wrestle a few of them out here too and that I'd end up breaking more bolts off in the process.Somehow luck was on my side. I was able to get all of the bolts out of it without breaking a single one. Some needed a little coaxing (penetrating oil is your friend), and I had one particular bolt that had rusted bad enough the head would no longer take the 10mm socket I had. I ended up putting a 9mm socket on it and got it out with minimal effort!
At this point I still need to disconnect the feed lines under the car to remove the tank completely. Until then, I left the gas cap, and vent lines all covered. The blue in the pictures is tape marking where the electrical has been disconnected.
The tail lights came out with little effort too, though a lot of the nuts holding them on were rusted in place. Toyota used threaded studs that screwed into the trim ring on these. That meant that any of the nuts that were frozen to the studs just ended up removing the stud from the trim ring (instead of breaking off of it). WIN!
The bumper on this car was from a 1973+. It has little black rubber bumper-ettes on it. I also found that these actually bolt to the car in different locations than the 1972 (news to me!). It looks like holes were drilled in the body to be able to mount this bumper. Some patching will be needed to fix these holes as I'm going to go back to a 72 style bumper without the little guys on it. This will also use the factory mounting locations that are reinforced at the body. Now if I could only find a 72 FRONT bumper.. I'm dumb and should have kept the two I had back in the day. Hindsight is 20/20!
Last bit this week was removal of the rear wiring harness and the headliner from inside the car. The headliner almost deteriorates in your hands, it's all dried out and ancient fabric. These ones use metal ribs or 'bows' that connect across from one side of the car to the other (instead of a hard piece of plastic/material etc.). It all came out of the car relatively unscathed. I'm hoping I can find a decent upholstery shop where I can have them essentially duplicate the old one for me. We shall see once I get further along!
By next week I'm hoping to have the hard floor insulation mostly gone, as well as the fuel tank out and start removing the suspension. Until then!
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