update on 2005 to 2012 headlights, grille, etc

as promised i want to keep you guys updated. its turning out to be a little more involved than i thought, but making progress. so far i have the headlights and grille in place but when i went to put the bumper cover tonight i ran into a problem, the bumper bars seem to be a tad longer on my 2005 so i will have to trim them in the morning so that the bumper cover will be able to fit snug, i attached some pics to show what i mean. i have had to buy a few more parts than originally planned for, but when done i will post the full list. some people asked about the hood,YES you will have to replace the hood or there will be a gap.

cheers,
disco

FYI - so far just parts cost is about $3,000 give or take, when its all done i'll have more accurate figures for you guys

 

I'm sorry man.... I admire your tenacity with this project but I just don't get it???? You mentioned in your last thread something about reliability issues with the later model Tacoma IIRC but it looks as though reliability issues will be a huge problem with all of the mods you are doing.

I've owned a 2011 and a 2013 with no issues at all.

I mean... I truly hope it works out I just don't get it?

 

x2

 

Add to the fact that if you ever try to sell it you will most likely get "less" money for it since it is a "fake" 2012+. I'm not trying to be a dick but I wouldn't consider buying it and I personally think you just devalued your truck by doing all of this.

Maybe I'm missing something?

 

3k? OUCH.

That's quite a lot of money just to update the front end. Why didn't you do more research before you started this project? That would save a lot of hassle and money.


I still don't understand how this has cost you 3k? I did this conversion last December and the only thing I'm missing are the side mirrors. I spent a tad under 1k for everything by buying o er time. However if you love your truck and have money to spend. No worries. Ive spent too much on this truck to comment on anothers money pit. I will buy 4 runner ones in the near future.

Good luck as it will pay off in the end. Enjoy it!

 

I see why hes doing it, 2012 look ba. What i dont get is why everyone is so worried about resell value. Its a truck. Even better its your truck, do with it what you will. Looking good man keep it up. Look at 60% of the trucks on here. They are alll modified with a devalue to it. Mixed with bumpers, lockers, frame modifications. Just a thought

 

I don't think my trucks value would go down after the conversion. I have pictures showing it was done for cosmetics as oppose to an accident. I used all oem Toyota parts as well as getting everything professionally painted. Then again mine would be quite Rare as it's a Radiant Red with the new front end. Maybe the OP is like me and doesn't plan on selling the truck. So resale wasn't a factor but imho. Keep the pictures showing it was updated before and after for the new buyer if you cross that road. I'm sure the parts he added on looks a lot better than the used 2005 parts he had on.....

 

There is another way to look at this project. Let's give the OP the benefit of the doubt and assume he's using money he earned from his own efforts, paid his more than fair share to various federal, state, county, local and municipal tax authorities, paid his rent/mortgage, utilities and maybe even threw a couple wing wangs into a tax sheltered investment and eventually gets down to the portion of our budgets we all love- discretionary spending.

May not add a lot of value to his truck, but it's a significantly more interesting and original forum topic than another "what's the biggest tire I can run without a lift?"

Based on my previous assumptions, OP it's your hard earned money. Set it on fire for all I care, I won't judge you.

 

Oh... I personally don't care. I was just stating that the original thread stated something to the fact of the reliability issues with later model Tacoma's (which I have personally yet to see). It seems to me reliability issues would be more numerous with this type of conversion.

As far as resale value, I'm not worried at all since it isn't my truck. And yes I agree it is his money and commend him on his tenacity for doing this project. I hope it works out like he wants it too.

 

Why would changing the front end change the reliability of the truck? Does adding a 3 piece glass front end change the reliability of my truck?

It's still going to be a reliable truck, just different aerodynamics, maybe throw off the weight alittle.


I like it, I would do it if I could afford it.

 

Judging by the amount of modifications he has had to make is what I'm basing my observation on.

I get the feeling you guys think I'm against him doing this. I'm not. I hope it works out.

 

I think it looks cool. I'd do it. At 7 yrs and 230k miles I'm not worried about reasale. Like ghost said, do with it what you will. Of course I'll do other things before I do that (like long travel) but I may just add this to the list

 

Howdy guys,
I said last night the bumper needed to be cut for the bumper cover to fit, THAT WAS NOT ACCURATE, sorta, the real issue is the radiator core bracket, where the bumper brackets screw in, i bought 2012 bumper brackets but did not think the core bracket was different, so core bracket change (NOT AN OPTION) or spacers built, thats easy, looks like about a 2" spacer needed, just wanted to correct that before anyone started cutting or anything

hopefully make some real progress today, keep you guys updated


cheers,
disco

 

howdy bro, i appreciate your comment, and i really truely agree with you, but i don't plan on selling her. she's pretty much a toy at this point, she was one of the first 2nd gens, she put her work in (about 125,000 of the hardest miles you can image, either running at top speeds, or traveling through sand/mud/clay/water) she always did great, still does great!

at this point its really not about resale value, its more about just showing it can be done, and for the fun of it

thanks guys
cheers,
disco

 

wow man i saw your truck, its amazing!

how did you find all the parts so cheap? the hood alone is about $400?

i'm keeping about $700 for paint and match also, and that at a friends shop (well that includes the extra i'm gonna give him for the help, not what he will charge me with the whole project/tools/paint/etc)

you have a secret source you would like to share


cheers,
disco

 

Yeah man... That makes sense. Look forward to seeing the outcome!

 

good point bro! excellent point! i know this is a taco forum, but plese give me some lee-way on this one, i just wanted to kinda support this members point. i attached (i know very poor quality but back then we didnt have digi cams so i had to take pics of old fashion pics)

this was my broncoII, the VERY FIRST one with a lift, i think it was 11", the tires are 35" so that gives you an idea. it had 13" wheel travel up and down. i had it designed from scratch, they did not make them then. a top notch fabricator, who builds 4x4's and track cars named Daren Troll designed it for me and built it, HIGHLY recommend his work!

anyways i think i paid like $12k for it in 1988, after lift, tires, wench, wench bumper, new rear end with locker, etc, etc i think it ended up at about $10k. i wish i would have taken pics right when it was finished before she hit the dunes

i sold it like you you see it in 1996 i think for $3k

so its not about the money really its about, like he said, its about your truck and what you want to do with it to make it, well your truck


thanks for the supports and interest guys, i keep you posted

cheers,
disco

 

that bronco is drool worthy

 

just a kool fun fact, thats more taco related, Daren Troll fab'd the first suspention lift for whatever that generation of 4runners is that started in like '96 or '97 something like that. the one with the big fender flares on the limited editions. that one was so high, swear to God, they had to flatten the tires to get it out of the shop, lol! it was an all black one for a guy named Mohammed, they had family oil money or something, i think he charged $13k for that one, but it was WAY more involved than my bronco, i remember it being in the shop, like for mine we found a set of springs from superlift that were made for another truck that would fit, that 4runner, they had to be fabricated. another truck i wish i would have thought to take a picture


back on topic, i got first in place fit of the grille, headlights, bumper cover, etc, still needa do the fog lights and put in the bumper fillers under headlights and a few other little stuff,but im about to call it a day/night, deal with it tomoro after work. i still do not have hood in hand, the place i had ordered from now says a few weeks, anyone have a source, PLEASE let me know.

the 2005-2011 hoods FOR SURE will not work, the lines are slightly different at the grille and then there is a gap, to prevent rubbing on the grille i ended up curling up the end of the hood, so that sucks for now i guess


cheers,
disco

 

ok, i said i was done for tonight but i guess not, i took some pics with my phone, i had few questions about hood, etc, this shows the deal with the hood and also i guess an update on progress, sorry pics are not the best and also how dirty she is

cheers,
disco