Chaotic's mild Tacoma build thread

Despite the title, I plan to keep my truck relatively mild.

Factory options:
Tonneau cover
Predator steps
Mud guards
Exhaust tip

Current mods:
Two iguana beanie babies (these guys have been riding since my first truck, an '85 Xtra Cab)
WeatherTech floor mats
Texas Overland patch
WeatherTech window deflectors
Debadged tailgate
Ceramic coat
Baja Utility Rack
All Pro Apex rock sliders
255/85 Dick Cepek Extreme Country tires

On order:
Nothing at the moment

In the future:
rear bumper
dual battery
on board air
electronic tail gate lock actuator
trailer brake controller
rock lights
light bar?
front bumper?

 

Looks good!

 

Here's the origin story: I bought a '95 4Runner way back in 2005 with 105k miles on it. Fast forward almost 12 years and 117k miles, and the transmission and rear differential both need rebuilds, plus a bunch of other niggly little repairs. I finally decide it's time to replace, and the short list is either a double cab Tacoma, or a crew cab Ram 2500. A weird list, but the 5 requirements are: manual transmission, 4X4, seating for the family, sunroof, and tow capacity over 3500 pounds. (Jeeps need not apply.)

So I go to the local yoter dealer, and they don't have anything on the lot, and seem pretty disinterested. Check the Ram dealer, more interest, but would have to order a truck and it would be $15k+ more. I circle back to Charles Maund Toyota, talk to some other dealers, and plunk down a deposit. They say they might be able to "expedite" the build date. Fine. I check back in a couple weeks and they say the earliest to expect the truck is September! I see my summer plans of camping, wheeling, canoeing, and beach tripping melting away, and I start looking around. I find some TRD Off Roads that fit the bill around the country, a couple in the northwest, a couple in the carolinas, one in Tuscon. Tuscon's closest so I call em up and try to verify the truck is real and fits my parameters. I'm convinced it might be true, so I grab a plane ticket and red eye my way to Tuscon where the sales guy picks me up at the airport in the truck. I drive it back to the dealer to sign the paperwork. Yep it's real, and yep I'm driving it about a thousand miles back to Austin right off the showroom floor.

Naturally I swing by the first dirt roads I can find, in Coronado National Forest. I snag my first pinstripes, luckily they're small and on the passenger side rear fender. After that it was a long trip home along I-10.

 

Hell yeah man

 

Here's some photos of the weathertechs and the cosmetic mods.

 

"Chaotic build"
...first mod is beanie babies on dash.

Welcome TW
And congrats!

 

Everything else had to be shipped, they came over from my 4Runner!

 

Misleading title is misleading

 

Well, this is pissing me off. Threw a wrench into getting the ceramic coat done *AND* cost me extra shells out of pocket. On the bright side, the FedEx guy just dropped a box at the front door...

 

Parking lot dent?

 

Stupid <expletives> in the parking garage at work. Last two times I parked in there (with some years in between) someone bashed my motorcycle to pieces, and this. Never parking in there again.

Question is, spend 675$ for a like new fix and new decals and so forth, or 300$ to pop the dent and touch up. Or leave it, like the wife suggested.

 

sub'd for pics of the beenies

 

Got the dent fixed yesterday, the paint guy couldn't quite get it as nice as he wanted so cut me a little discount. Ceramic coating next week, just in time for a trip to the gulf!

 

Looks good

 

Lots happened last week. Finally got the ceramic coat done. Installed the weather tech wind deflectors - not sure I like them. And did the first trailer tow plus beach trip!

 

i took my top (tonneau) off! It felt weird, so I put it back on, after we were done moving a couch. Also, before the ceramic coat I debadged the tailgate. If it had had the matching 4x4 to go with the V6 emblem I might have left them.

 

man looks good in show room.

 

How much for them beanie babies dog

 

pictures dont work..

 

Same