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“Why does this guy have so many threads?” You may wonder. I’m trying to keep all these projects organized.
So I put a deposit on a 98’ 3rz 5 speed Tacoma, california truck 200k miles.
It’s from Shane at Toywerks in Orangeville and his son.
It needed a clutch that he agreed to order and install so. I didn’t drive it but the motor sounded healthy, and most importantly the body and frame was clean overall.
I’m excited to get started on it, I never really wanted to be an overlander because rock crawling is in my blood. But I’m going to start this build as kind of a mix in between.
The plan right away is bumpers, sliders, winch, possibly lower the body lift I believe it has a 2” in it. I guess I’ll have to do that first before I start the bumpers and sliders.
I’d like to bed line the inside of the bed and get a cap or a soft topper for it. Some kind of mid-arm coil over setup, 2wd 63” Chevy leaves in the back. And then see how I like it after that. I picked up those bronze t series wheels from 4wp, and I got a good deal on tires from an old SONTT member coincidentally. So I’m starting collecting parts before I even have the truck!Here’s the truck, he’s removing the tube work on top to keep for another project, which is great it’s not really my style. He’s going to get a tailgate for it, the factory tail lights and throw a stock front bumper on it too.
I’ll snap some new pics when I bring it home on the trailer!
Got it home, definitely needs more than I thought but I order a few parts for it to get started. A CV, and a starter. But first I have to get it safetied tomorrow.
I got my tires and wheels mounted up I have to pick them up tomorrow and I already sold the ones on it which is goodHey buddy the new Taco looks great. Hope your parts come in quickly and your safety is straight forward.
Are the rear springs flat, or the front already have a lift in it? Looks a little higher in the front already.
I remember seeing that truck on kijiji (and in person a few years ago), and the scaffolding in the bed was pretty intense. I wonder how much weight you shed by not buying that part.Whew I dont know I imagine it was pretty heavy though. The rear leafs are pretty flat but it has old school air shocks in it front and back that I think are lifting it up a bit, plus the body lift.
Got it all safetied, licensed and on the road. Definitely needs more work than the guy let on and a few things just simply were not true, but it’s in better shape than most others. A friend helped me out with the safety as long as I do the work it needs which Id want to do anyway.
The old owner said it needs nothing though and it’s ready to go, which is pretty deceiving considering they own a specialty Toyota shop and just replaced the clutch in it and had it up in the hoist. I’m sure he would have seen the wore out rack and pinion, inner tie rod, totally shot CV axle, leaking O2 sensor, and lack of an ebrake. But who knows maybe he’s blind. I should have looked it over better, ultimately it’s my fault.Looks good on the outside though doesn’t it?
Glad they put a clutch in it, frustrating they omitted (or lied) about the other issues. How much of the e-brake system is missing?
Taco looks great on those rims and tires! Are they 33s or 35s? Hard to tell, but lookin’ like 35s.
Gonna need to see a picture the taco with your trailer hooked up 👍🏽
Yeah I’ll just put the work in and get it fixed up. I think the e brake system is all there it just needs to be adjusted, the cable is really loose along the frame. We’ll see how it goes once I start into it.
They’re in between a 33 and a 35, I’d have to measure them now that they’re aired up and on a wheel. Yeah I’ll have to hook it up to the trailer, there’s lots of snow here so I’ll get one once I get it out of the shop.
Cool buddy! The wheels are a sick colour, and tires look to be of proper size. Truck will look wicked on Chevy leaf springs, a mod I’ve always wanted to do.
Thanks!
I’m torn on what to do with the suspension I need to think about it and possibly drive the truck for a bit first. I’m gonna use it for a bit as it is I think, and then make a decision. Will focus the next couple weeks on the armor and bumpers
Today I did a starter, a CV axle and fixed some body work on the roof.
I picked up some steel, a hitch receiver and started on the rear bumper. Not sold on the design but I’ll have it figured out tomorrow, most likely going to trim the bed to keep it high clearance.
I’m torn on what to do because the previous owner brought the exhaust through the bed on the passenger side and I’m not Super excited with how it looks ending the side tube before the exhaust tip.
Good start on the bumper. I’d either turn down the tip (cut it, rotate 90 degrees, weld back), Or put it through the tube bumper. Double stack those side rails once you cut the bedside, and put a hole saw through the midpoint.
What size steel do you use for the bumper to frame connection plates? And the bulk of the bumper? I’m determined to make a bumper for Redee this year, but I don’t know what specs to target for the steel. Please enlighten me buddy.
Sorry every time I resize pics they go sidewards on me.
So bumper material, 1/4 plate is the main peice coming off the frame using factory mounting hole, the main tube is 3/16 2×3 and the rest of it is 1/8 wall 2×2. I was being cheap because steel is really expensive so I was trying to use some of what I had around. I’m happy Overall though.
I started on the front this aft too, got the frame extended and winch plate mounted.
Thanks man, gonna try to get some steel through work and put pen to paper again.
Where do you buy your receivers? Just a princess auto special, or is there better source?I dig that you chopped back the exhaust a little, those lower bed side kick ups looks pretty good. Curious what your front is gonna look like.
Let me know what you think, tried to follow the same design as the one I built for my landcruiser. It took a little bit of tweaking because of how far out the winch sits but I’m overall happy with the shape, it just is a little bulky out the front is all so I 45’d the front and took 1 1/2 “ strap to fill it in just to take out the bulky look. The base is 1/4 inch and the rest is 1/8.
Like the last one I built I made the winch plate bolt seperate from the bumper itself so it’s easy to install and service the winch that I eventually
Will buy.Finished product.
Trying to work find a tailgate now, and I gotta make some sliders. My SPC adjustable upper control arms showed up today and the differential drop kit.
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