#WhyWeWeld: Brandon Potter
January 15, 2026Brandon Potter is a welder and fabricator from Las Vegas, Nevada. On his Instagram @2jz_yota, you can watch him weld, cut, grind, and get his hands messy with his 1989 Toyota project. Right now, he is turning his Toyota into an Ultra4 vehicle, which will also work as a rock-crawler.
In this interview, we’ll see how far his build has gotten and what he did to learn the skills needed to make it happen.
The 1989 Toyota Pickup
The build started during COVID, in early 2021. Everything was closing down, and work had just shut down. During that time, I didn’t have much to do, so I started looking for a project truck on Craigslist that I could get for around $1,500. That’s when I came across this 1989 Toyota pickup.
Everything looked great, except the entire front of the vehicle was missing, along with the upper and lower control arms. The previous owner had attempted a prerunner build but never completed it and eventually gave up due to a lack of work caused by COVID. A friend and I went down to California to pick up the truck, and I got it for just $900.
On the way, we found a Ford Ranger rear axle on Craigslist that the owner was willing to give away for just $50. So we threw it into the box truck we rented.
Once we arrived to pick up the 1989 Toyota, I asked the owner if he had a welding machine. I didn’t have muchwelding experience at the time, but I had learned some basics from being inspired by another friend’s build. He set me up with a machine, so I welded the Ford Ranger rear axle right there in front of him—not serious welding, just enough to tack it on. Then we loaded her up and brought her back to Vegas.
The Build and Parts
Once I had the ’89 back in Vegas, I removed the engine and sold it for $500. My friend found a 2JZ 3.0L inline-six from an IS300 for me. I bought that engine for $350, and the seller even delivered it to me.
Since then, the build has been sitting at my buddy’s house because he has a big backyard and no HOA to deal with. I can work on it late into the night, sometimes until 3 or 7 a.m. I bought brand-new Vision wheels for $1,000 and managed to get six 40-inch BFGoodrich BFT tires for $400. I also acquired a 4L80E transmission for the build.
Axles and Transmission
For the axles, I ended up getting some Super Dana 60 axles from a guy in Colorado for $1,100. I went by myself, with no help, and each axle weighs about 400–500 lbs. I dragged them into my trailer using just leverage and a large piece of cardboard as a makeshift dolly. My back took a serious beating, and I spent the next three days completely immobile.
Once I was fully healed and ready to get back to work, I adapted the Turbo 400 transmission to the 2JZ engine and installed it into the truck. That’s when all the real work began—it was finally time to start fabricating the parts I needed.
Learning to Weld
I had already taught myself a basic understanding of welding, but I still needed to learn how to get two pieces to stick together so they wouldn’t come apart. I had to reinforce the structural integrity of the vehicle first, so I used Google, YouTube, and any online resource I could find to get my welding up to speed.
Since I was plating the frame, those welds weren’t necessarily visible, which made it a good place to start. Perfection wasn’t as important at this stage, so I could focus on learning the basics without worrying about making them look perfect.
Plasma Cutting and Truss Welding
Once the plating was done, I had to learn how to use a plasma cutter. The ’89 has a lot of thick cast iron that needed cutting, and I had never used a plasma cutter before. YouTube was key for learning how to get everything to sit right and where to make the cuts. I ended up cutting a lot of the frame to get the axle truss to fit perfectly flush.
Then we got started on the more serious welding work. I asked my friend if he had ever put a truss kit together by welding, and he said no. I knew welding a truss kit was a huge job, so I just started learning on the spot. First, I tacked all the parts together on the inside, then did the best structural welds I could. A lot of the welds were messy and wouldn’t stick, but it still took about a week to finish the truss completely.
After that, I welded the rear axle truss kit, all in January, while freezing cold. I also fabricated mounts to get everything to fit correctly in the frame, including fully custom lower mounts. A lot of this work can be seen on my Instagram reels.
Project Status and Goals
As of right now, everything is just tacked into place, and nothing is fully welded yet. The build is still in the mockup stage. For me, this project is all about commitment—I don’t want to make any permanent welds until every part is properly fitted.
I’m working on an Ultra4 rock-crawler, and it’s not functional yet. I’m not skipping any steps, and I’m still learning as I go.
This build is my ultimate dream project. Once it’s finished, I’ve been invited to the King of Hammers, a major off-road race, where I’ve been asked to showcase the build. The goal is to have it completed by 2027.
An Inspiration for All
My friend inspired me to try making something cool on my own, so I decided to get a welder and learn welding. I learned the tough parts while building, using Google and YouTube. There are lots of free guides online that show you how to do penetration welds and even how to stack dimes when welding. Everything you need is out there, so you can do it by yourself.
For beginners, the YesWelder 110V MIG welder is a great option. It’s affordable, and its wire feeder makes it easy to use. The MIG 250 Pro that I’m using now is amazing—I can’t wait to get my build on the road.
I think the future of welding depends on getting kids back into shop classes. With AI on the rise, it’s important for young people to work with their hands. Once my build is finished, I hope it inspires other kids to start their own projects.
When I was a kid, I loved going to car shows. Now, I get to be that example for the next generation, showing what’s possible when you learn skills and put in the work. I’m also planning a road trip down to Arizona to visit the team who supported me—it’s going to be a dream come true in 2027.
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