Chief's Slowly But Surely Build

So I figured it was about time I started a build thread as my Tacoma is progressing along nicely. This is my daily driver and my goal has always been to have a clean looking, reliable and capable rig that is ready to go at any moment. I am a weekend warrior that doesn't spend near as much time off road as I wish I could. I love to go camping, trail riding and pretty much anything outdoors. That is the direction that I went with my truck. Most of my mods to date have been basic and preventative as well as some aesthetics. Here is where I started out:

First Tacoma, day 1.
2010 TRD Offroad





Then this happened after only a month or so.



So, I took my insurance money and bought a replacement. 2011 TRD Offroad, basically the identical truck but a year newer and less miles. 100% bone stock and driven by an old veteran with a handicap plate that had recently passed away (found an old insurance card and did some research). Pretty sure it had never been offroad once.



Above pic is day one of ownership, below is where it is today.



Basic and free mods so far:

Bilstein 5100's all around
OME 885 coils up front
OME Dakar leaf pack
Pioneer AVHX-5600BHS Head Unit
Debadged tailgate & theft prevention
CSJumper LED Interior Kit in white
Fog Light Anytime mod
Locker Anytime mod
Diff Breather re-locate (inside gas fill door)
removed mud flaps
removed side steps
shorty antenna
Ultragauge
AVS in-channel window visors
Husky Liner floor mats
265/75-16 Wild Country MTX
Rigid Industries Dually Spots and Floods

Future plans at the moment:
steel bumpers front and rear
winch




I started out with some plastidip. So far I have done the emblems, rear bumper, tailpipe and overhead console.













Bumper:








I also bedlinered the stock side steps but ended up selling them since I like the truck better with out them. Maybe some sliders down the road.





My latest venture is making my own Satoshi grill. I picked up a 2010 donor grill and went to work on it after reading lots of threads from others.









Fast forward...Primed and ready for paint. Going to do the inside black and the outside color matched to my SSM.





Sneak Peak:



Random Pictures:

 

Here is the truck as it currently stands:





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKq1gsSNOJc

 

Got the inside of the grill painted last night, starting the surround today.

 

Woo Hoo, satoshi is done and installed. For my first time ever doing fiberglass, bondo/body work and painting anything that anyone else would see I am very happy with the outcome. Best of all, there is officially no more chrome on my truck!

 

What caused that to the first taco?

Also...hows the plasti dip holding up on the exhaust tip?

 

For the wreck, I honestly don't remember. I had just gotten off work, driving home. Lady behind me said I braked hard and swerved left to avoid something in the road. Bada boom, tree. Nobody else got hurt and I only had a minor concussion.

The plastidip on the exhaust, is still there but dirty at the moment. I will clean it up and take a look. Last I remember it was fading a little bit but not horrible. Could probably use another coat or two.

 

I plastidipped the lower valance the other day, I think it came out pretty good.

 

I added a couple Rigid Dually spot patterns in the lower valance this weekend. Had to make a couple custom brackets and everything worked out great. I also have a set of flood pattern that I am putting in the fog light holes this week.

 

Well a few more updates... I got my other pair of Rigid Dually's (flood pattern) installed in my fog light holes after a bit of fitting and cutting. I'm very happy with the result.

 

Lift installed! Loving it so far. Decided on Bilstein 5100's front and rear, OME 885 coils up front and OME Dakar leaf pack in the back, minus one overload leaf. I also did the 1/4" spacer on the drivers side. With those, I put on some Spidertrax 1-1/4" spacers on each corner.

 

Here I moved my Rigid Duallys from the lower valance higher up using the CBI ditch light brackets.

 

Also put in a new stereo and added steering wheel controls. I got the Pioneer AVHX-5600BHS.

 

Show some more of that bikini girl mod...... Looks great!

 

There is this one:

 

How is that Pioneer receiver? I was thinking about getting one. Does the tilt feature work on it?

 

I love it. The unit tilts into 3 different positions and opens fully. The only complaint I have is that there is something fishy with the controller that works with the steering wheel controls. I purchased the kit from *********.com and got everything wired up correctly. Everything works perfect after start up for about 5 minutes but then something happens and volume up becomes volume down and scroll down becomes volume up. I am going to have to reprogram the controller but not too keen on taking everything back apart.

 

how do you like those Rigid Dually fog light mounts? I'm going back and forth between those and the G&G Lighting ones.

 

Looking good!! I have some Rigid Dually D2's in CBI ditch light brackets and I love them. I have some Relentless Fabrication ditch light brackets but I like how the CBI's raise the Rigids up off the hood more. Nice work with all of the light and your mods OP!!