The Salvaged MM

[Low9Life4]

So for six months I have been rebuilding my '95 MM with a 4G64 and 5spd. I have done a lot of work, and much more is to come as my spare block and trans wait to be built.

At first I wanted to baja the truck. After robbing some parts off a donor truck with lowering blocks, I have changed my mind.

I will post pictures from when I first bought the truck to where it is now. Here is all the work I have done to it so far:

-Head Gasket Job
-Timing Belt/Water pump
-Exhaust (will be changed again soon)
-Bucket Seat Swap
-Cluster Circuit Board Swap
-Bed and Tailgate Swap From Donor Truck
-New Studs
-Powder Coated New Wheels
-Lowering Blocks
-Added Tachometer
-Electric Cooling Fan Conversion
-A/C Delete
-Bumper From Donor Truck (Painted to color match)
-LED 3rd Brake Light (Probably deleting after inspection)


Soon to be done:
-Clutch/Clutch Cable (Still trying to figure out the cable)
-New Doors From Donor Truck
-P/S Conversion
-LED headlight conversion

Later on:
-4G64/4G63 Head Turbo Build
-Cyro Treated Trans Build
-Fender Flares/Wide Body
-4 Link Rear

This may not sound like 6 months of work, but between stripping the trucks interior, waiting on parts, and balancing family life it has come a long ways since purchase. I have also more than likely forgot quite a few things.

[Low9Life4]

First Purchased

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The Bedside
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[Low9Life4]

New Wheels, Old Bumper, Bigger Tires
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New wheels, smaller tires, lowering blocks, new bed, and new painted bumper. (It's dirty and I need to figure my fenders out for larger tires.)
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[geezer101]

The wheels look great. IMO you're gonna need flares on it (some pretty crazy ones too) but the contrast between the gloss black wheels and white bodywork really stands out.

[tortron]

some pretty wild offset on the front there. Might pay to keep an eye on your wheel bearings

[Low9Life4]

Geezer101 thanks! Yeah me and a bud are thinking about doing some custom fenders/wide body to blend into the body. I really want to do sheet metal. I know most people use fiberglass, but I'm not really too worried on weight. I'm still debating.

Tortron, yeah luckily when I changed some studs I found that the wheel bearings were new with fresh grease. I'll be routinely checking them and my ball joints every other oil change for wear. I just really like the offset, and a little faster wear on parts is fine with me on it.

Project today will be swapping my doors from the donor. Really worried about the panels. Mine are perfect and I dont want to mess them up. As the donor had different color interior.

I also need to finally measure my clutch cable to find the right length.

[89mm]

Got any tips and tricks for a head gasket job?
I plan on redoing my 89 mighty max and a little discouraged by the timing chain.

[Low9Life4]

Sorry guys, haven't been on here in quite a while! A lot has been happening.

I finally got the truck legal! The guy doing the inspection was months late due to covid. Said he was super surprised how clean it was though.

I haven't done anything else to it yet, and will be driving it instead of my daily for the next few weeks.

My next course of action will be figuring out if I can get the power I want with the 4g63 head and turboed with pump gas, or if I will need to do a V8 swap.

[B-Line]

Looks pretty good for a salvage truck.

[Low9Life4]

Looks pretty good for a salvage truck.

Yeah unfortunately they salvaged it out for a messed up bedside and bumper years before I bought it.

I also just remembered I need to get my clutch cable right.

[Low9Life4]

Can anyone please post a picture of their clutch cable at the firewall? I'm still unable to picture the actual way it is suppose to be without the previous owners rigging.

[85Ram50]

I'd recommend the manuals section but I can't find the second gen manuals in the thread "second gen manuals"

[dash]

Seen a few MMax with cable outlet at firewall all botched up and hacked/rigged.... including my D50. Why truck cost $150

My next course of action will be figuring out if I can get the power I want with the 4g63 head and turboed with pump gas, or if I will need to do a V8 swap

question is... will the 5 speed handle the hp/torque you're after ? The 4g63/4 can do whatever
Example: Near stock 2.0, 272 regrinds, $150 holset/header, auto tranny = 3000 pound street DSM ET 10.1sec
Fat torque curve, 500+ ft-lbs/500+ hp. Enough to kill most v8s & @ only half the size

[Low9Life4]

I've heard these trannies can hold a good bit. I have a spare 5 spd I'm going to tear down and have the internals cyro treated just in case.

I'm aiming for the 5-600hp range. I just haven't looked at the math yet, and no one within 2 hours of me sells E85 or race fuel.

I was able to find a good picture. It just bugs me. I want to stay cable clutch, so I will try and get it fixed properly.

[geezer101]

*With a reinforced sump/trans cover they will hold 500 HP. The problem is the gearbox housings flex and the end result is the gear sets not meshing properly, shearing teeth off them when they're pushed. Conquest had a ribbed sump on the 5 speeds to improve rigidity (think Monteros did too...?) Even with a reinforced sump, they'll bust like any other trans if they're abused. The stock clutch set up won't hold that kind of power. In the trucks the firewall flexes around the clutch cable adjuster and the sheet metal cracks. This can be overcome, by once again reinforcing the area before installing a heavy duty pressure plate for the clutch.

*there is/was a product available called a 'TUFF PAN' designed specifically for KM145/KM132 5 speed transmissions which was basically a 1/2" thick piece of billet aluminium and upgraded bolts.

[Low9Life4]

Appreciate the insight! I will look deeper into this. If I can't running about 5-600hp off pump, which I doubt I could for real streetability, then I'll be looking into 5.7L hemi swapping. I planned to 5.7 swap the daily, but it'd be interesting to try in this.

If I did go the 5.7L route, then I'll aim for about 700 on blower.

After the drivability is taken care of for now, I will be redesigning the steering and front suspension geometry. I'm going to keep the leafs in the back and run adjustable shocks.

[dash]

gearbox should live.... until you bolt on a sticky tire, then the deal's off. She'll ask for a divorce
Projectzero forum had several twincam 2.0/2.4 trucks, show you where the 5 speed packs it up
5-600hp for daily driving a rigidy ol mini pickup..... seriously ?
if u must, pump gas + water/meth, or Toluene from the hardware store - ask the buick GN crew. Decades
Only when set on kill. 2.0 Hp/tq on a pump gas tune, is more than aqequate daily street use..... for a sane person

[Low9Life4]

gearbox should live.... until you bolt on a sticky tire, then the deal's off. She'll ask for a divorce
Projectzero forum had several twincam 2.0/2.4 trucks, show you where the 5 speed packs it up
5-600hp for daily driving a rigidy ol mini pickup..... seriously ?
if u must, pump gas + water/meth, or Toluene from the hardware store - ask the buick GN crew. Decades
Only when set on kill. 2.0 Hp/tq on a pump gas tune, is more than aqequate daily street use..... for a sane person

It won't be a full-time daily. I have my quad cab for that. I want it to be street worthy enough though to turn the key and drive it when I want though.

I have had a 600whp single cab truck as my sole daily before. It really ain't that bad. Trying to squeeze 125+hp per cylinder out of a 4 banger on pump is kind of pushing it I believe. It can be done, but I think it'd be pretty aggressive and harder to keep cool in traffic.

Plus, once I completely re-engineer the front suspension and add my adjustable rear shocks it won't ride too rough. Not more than what you'd expect for something static dropped a couple inches on offset.

I think I'm going to 17 inch wheels for street, and a set of 15s to put radials on.

All this is still up in the air. I won't get a good start until I get moved into my new garage.

[geezer101]

You'll get better power to the ground using an LSD. The factory LSD is not made for dumping big HP through but added traction will help. It's long been an idea that S10 coil overs will work on the Max with some modification, and I have looked at Mustang II front coil overs as an option (conversion kits for them are relatively affordable) You would need to use the lowest rated springs you can get as the truck is pretty light and it'll feel 'crashy' on undulating roads and pot holes.

[dash]

I have had a 600whp single cab truck as my sole daily before. It really ain't that bad

Not in a mini pickup... it is that bad. What will you do with 600 ?
Tire slip is the only chance at that 5 speed staying together..... so u slide all over the place trying to 'use' that power

Trying to squeeze 125+hp per cylinder out of a 4 banger on pump is kind of pushing it I believe. It can be done, but I think it'd be pretty aggressive and harder to keep cool in traffic.

Hot DSMs keep cool with no frontal area... reckon a truck would be worse ?
Good thing is, no need to guess at what a 4G can or cannot do. Combos been done to death

if 700hp prescibed for a trip to walmart, or local cruise spot, etc... that pump gas 700hp blown hemi sounds like the ticket

[tortron]

Lol even my truck was hardly drivable coming out of intersections without wider tyres and an LSD, i cant imagine another couple hundred HP being translated into forward momentum

[Low9Life4]

I go to meets and cruises. I also live around a lot of rural country. 700hp is manageable on the street if you have adequate throttle control. I will of course have different tunes to load from a standalone ecu. So, it also won't be the hot 700 tune all the time.

If I want to take a trip in my 700hp grocery getter then yes, I suppose I would. Again, this truck isn't to daily. It is getting built mainly for street digs and strip. With that said, it will see some normal driving around town and on trips out of state.

I'm going to stay with offset style wheels, and of course go a lot wider. The 15×8's were free and are temporary for mainly just seeing what I want to do. The goal is between a 12 to 14 wide on street and radials.

If I go 5.7L route, which I'm sure I will at this point or similar, the trans I decide to go with will be built accordingly with a rear end to match. I know from experience that drag racing is definitely harder wear and tear on a manual trans, but I'm not really too concerned.

There are definitely 4Gs pushing the 1200hp range. So I know they are pretty capable.

[Low9Life4]

Also, you can put about 600 down on the street with a good suspension tune, air pressure, and driver. Yes, even in a mini truck. 700 is pushing it for anything, but I plan to use all of it at the local drag strip.

[dash]

I will of course have different tunes to load from a standalone ecu. So, it also won't be the hot 700 tune all the time

how would you turn the boost down on the blower ocasionally ?

I'm going to stay with offset style wheels.... The goal is between a 12 to 14 wide on street and radials.

exactly what are 'offse style wheels' ?
12-14 inch wide wheels on a mini, is just as wack as the street 700hp idea

you can put about 600 down on the street with a good suspension tune, air pressure, and driver. Yes, even in a mini truck

A toyota 4cyl powered mini turck gone 7s on stock leaf spring rear
what is your 'good suspension tune' on the leaf spring rear ?

There are definitely 4Gs pushing the 1200hp range. So I know they are pretty capable

Dunno where 1200 comes in, but you seem to think a 500hp 4G suffers overheating issues in traffic
A stock 4G dyno'd 600 - stock cams, stock cam gears, no spray. Too aggresive ?

[Low9Life4]

You can put down 600hp on the street in a leaf spring suspension, adjustable shocks, small pickup. I know because I have built, tuned, and driven them.

I would run the bigger pulley unless on the track with a very conservative tune for just driving it around.

A stock 4G making 600hp? It's not considered stock if it is just the block and cams. The stock bottom end couldn't hold anywhere near that. Even so, thats still a lot of money invested into something you can't run 94 in, which is my current issue. If I had e85 or race fuel closer I would stay with the 4G.

12-14 wide on a mini pushing 700hp isn't "wack". The street wheels/tires will be mainly for the looks, but still have a sticky tire on them. The radials will be closer to a 12 wide wheel, maybe 10 if I need to go down to hook better. It's knowing how to build something to go down the track/street. You're literally objectifing to things I have personally done.

I don't know the overlap on the stock cams, as I have never built a 4G, but it is just safe to assume to make 600hp out of a 4 cylinder it is going to be a little more aggressive to drive it on the street. Considering you are pulling more than 125hp from each cylinder, you will need a good amount of boost, and usually large amounts of boost work better with cams that allow it to enter the combustion chambers as fast as possible. So again, idk the stock dohc specs. Maybe they like high boost. Either way, I don't want to be driving it on the street with it constantly at its limits on just premium octane fuel, or having to have the boost always turned way up to be near my goal. I always build something rated for more than what I drive it for. For example, my 600hp 383 could of handled another 200 shot if I wanted. But I left it on the table.

Yes, there are 1200hp 4Gs. Same as 1200HP K24s and 2Js. They can do it, it's just how much money you have.