Long time lurker, huge Toyota fanatic introduction

Hey guys just wanting to introduce myself and my current Toyota. My Names Andrew, been lurking for awhile and love this forum. Used it to build a Tacoma for my old man and I love researching on here. Tacoma World and Yota Tech are my two favorite forums out of all the Toyota forums.

I'm from Idaho and Washington but currently live near Houston, TX while I complete my apprenticeship through the IBEW to become a Lineman.

Here's my sleeper. We miss the back roads and being in the country but she's a 2003 3.4 with a 5 speed and she has:
-4.56 Gears front & rear
-ARB Lockers
-Toytec Coilovers up front with Bilstein 5100's
-Bilstein 5100's In the rear
-Marathon Seat Covers
-K&N Intake
-Flowmaster 5o Series Exhaust
-255/85/16 BFG KM2's
-Alpine Type R speakers front and rear
-Alpine CD Player
-Alpine Amp
and a few other little things. She's my daily driver with 180k miles and she still runs super strong.
Want to add a few things like an All Pro Apex Front Bumper with a Warn Winch and a Rigid light bar but for the most part she's finished. Maybe some liner on the fender flares & rocker panels.


I wanna build myself a new Tacoma when I top out but I want to use them for hunting, fishing, and short overland and expedition type trips.

I've had about 10 Toyota's ranging from '85-'03 and my dad gave me my addiction and has Toyota's for as long as I've been alive.

Hope to get more involved in the forum and look forward to sharing with ya'll.

I have a list of my dream build and would like some input and feedback. If you guys are interested let me know.

 

Nice truck! Welcome to TW.

 

Welcome to TW. Not sure what you mean by missing the back roads and country, you're in Texas, it's all around you!
The trucks looking good as well

 

Welcome to TW hope you have a good time.

 

Sweet truck man. Welcome!

 

Ive only been here a year so I haven't been able to find anywhere to go. I need to get hooked up with people maybe on here that know their way around the area! but regardless, the Northwest is hard to beat for back country driving.

And thanks for the welcome and the compliments guys.

 

This is my old man's 2014 V6 TRD Offroad Tacoma
The list is endless. I love this truck. It's my dream truck but it's missing a few things.
Here's the current list.

--ALL PRO OFFROAD--
-All Pro Offroad Apex Front Bumper
-All Pro Offroad Apex Sliders
-LED Light Bar Hoop
-All Pro Offroad Skid Plate
-All Pro Offroad Aluminum Fairlead
-All Pro Offroad APEX Rear Swing Away Tire Carrier Bumper W/ Jerry Can Holder (Pre Ordered)

-Warn VR8000-S Winch W/ Synthetic
-Weathertech Smoked Rain Guards
-Weathertech Black Floor Mats Full Set
-K&N Air Intake
-K&N Filter Cover
-Rigid Industries 20" E-Series Combo LED Bar
-Rigid Industries E-Series 20" Light Bar Cover
-Rigid Industries D2 Driving Lights
-Rigid Industries SRQ Backup Lights
-Factor 55 Pro Link Loaded Thimble
-3.5" Toytec Boss Lift
-Bushwacker Pocket Flairs
-2 Jerry Cans

-285/70/17 Cooper STT Tires
-17x9" Black Fuel Hostage Wheels (5" Backspacing - 1mm Offset)

-Leer Canopy
-Marathon Seat Covers
(W/ Headrests, 1 Set Of Gun Loops, Console, & Drivers Side Gear Pocket)
-Relentless Fab Hi Lift Mount
-Turbo Line Fender Flares, Rocker Panels, Bumpers, Rock Sliders & Skid Plate
-Flowmaster Exhaust

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Very nice! Welcome to TW. By the looks of things your dad should be a member too!

 

You and I are chasing the same career! I will start my apprenticeship sometime next spring or summer I'm hoping. How many years have you been an apprentice?

 

He's not very computer savvy unless it comes to meeting girls on POF lol but I tried getting him to take some pics as the truck got put together so I could do a build thread of it on here.
I'll see if I can get them and piece something together.

 

Bro it's awesome. I love what I do. I went to NLC before I came here and it was worth every penny. It gave me a huge leg up. I've been an apprentice since last November and I'm a third step. I slacked at first or I'd be even higher. Stick with it. If you have any questions, don't be shy.
Biggest help I can give is to advise on being an IBEW member. Only way to go in my opinion. I'll help ya out in any way I can.

 

Sweet, I don't have any schooling under my belt so I'm just going to start out as a grunt (groundman) and work my way into the apprenticeship, hopefully no longer than 3 to 6 months wait. I am signed up to be on call right now whenever they need work, but because it's winter they are real slow so I probably wont get called until March when the ground starts to thaw.

 

Have you applied to NW Line or Mountain States?

 

Yeah, but I think my math scores on my transcripts were too low. I've applied with Mountain States twice. It's okay though, I don't mind working my way into the apprenticeship. I was told that it usually only takes 3 to 6 months of being a groundman to get in which isn't bad.

 

It'll fly by. Just stick with it.

 

I plan to, just chomping at the bit for spring to get here and the work load to pick up! I just got my Class A CDL so that part is knocked out of the way.

 

Have you looked into going to line school? You learn a lot and most apprenticeships require it or prefer it. It's not cheap but it'll pay for itself in no time

 

Like I said, my math scores are too low, they wont let me in. Already tried to go that route last August.

 

Hey dude, I just got hired on as a groundman with CEI Electrical Contractors, start tomorrow, am so stoked! Hopefully I will be an apprentice in a few months.