Yukikaze's build and BS: Utility Package AF

Are you talking about the front bumper section that comes unpainted on Utility Package Tacos?

I carefully removed it myself and brought it to a paint shop, cost me about $300 if I remember right. It was way cheaper because I did the removal myself, so all the labor was prep and paint, no install/uninstall.

 

GeeZ, sorry, I meant front bumper. I was concerned that the sort-of-textured black plastic might not hold paint well long term. So after painting the bumper matches the body well, and the paint has held up?

 

No worries man, I caught your meaning.

Paint has held up great, basically 100% factory! Color match is just a hair off, but we're talking in certain light and if I tell you to look at a specific seam from the fender to the bumper the hue isn't quite perfect.

The guy who did the paint is a master who does all sorts of exotics and restorations, and we had worked together before on some of my projects, so he gave me the full rundown on what to expect. Hue matching as described is tough simply because of the plastic vs metal substrate, even the factory doesn't get it quite right.
His biggest piece of advice though was to be extremely careful removing it before paint, because raw un-primed plastic can be a bitch to get scratches out of, because you start to fight a never-ending cycle of textures not quite matching up.

 

Wow, thank you for the great advice!

 

One more question: When you removed the front bumper cover, did you have to remove the grill and other parts? I noticed another person on the forum had his bumper cover painted, and posted a picture that implies the grill needs to be removed:

 

Yes it does. Don't worry though, it is exceptionally easy to remove. I'm sure there's a tutorial on here somewhere, but it boils down to two clips, two screws, and some gentle pulling.

 

LOL, that just means I might as well get a new TRD PRO grill while I'm at it!

 

I'm digging the build man. Keep up the good work...

 

Switch pros is slowly coming together, without a well stocked electronics lab a lot of stuff had to be ordered but this should turn out pretty awesome... Went the extra mile with some of my selections to make a clean install.

 

Big package from Del City arrived today...

 

Cross posting from the AZ BS thread where I waste a lot of time...

 

Switch pro is up and running, now I just need to finish crimping allllll these terminals on.


What I decided to do was group it out by upper row and lower row switches, to start.


Switch 1 is all ready to rock and roll, now I just need to finish the other 7 and tame the wiring.

 

Turns out if you get enough practice crimping terminals on they start to look really neat.


Not that anyone will see them, of course.



Neatened the install of individual connectors, and now we're good to go!


Pulling it back out to connect cables isn't a big deal either.

 

Decided to swap out the Vision X lights for Baja S2 Sports, not because the Visions are bad lights, just because I had made a poor choice in terms of lighting pattern. Flood does not project very far at all. However, they are great scene lights that I will most likely save for use somewhere else.

Wide Cornering pattern S2s can tuck in close to the A pillar really nicely and have a great pattern that I am really happy with!





I am still working on that vinyl design, too...

 

I need to take a pic in better lighting but the Retro Style vinyl design has been installed! A few little tweaks to make here and there though. We had trouble using this wrap material for the tailgate letters.

Also Archive Garage shackle mounts are in! It was a bugger of an install and it turns out the leaves I bought are the same as what I had, so I have not solved the mystery of the leaves...
Either way the hangars are awesome and I now have a leaf pack with only about 1000 total miles on it.


These things kick ass, they totally transform the truck. Highly recommended!

 

Very nice truck

 

What is that

 

Mine was basic with black bumpers too

 

Much better picture when it was cloudy. White truck + Phoenix Sun = eye watering brightness.

Been thinking about different wheels... or getting these powdercoated. I love the SCS F5's but I feel like glossy/brighter fits the look better... I could just be having a moment here.

 

Exclusive prototypes from the awesome @mesojdm :



Covering up those "grilles" under the headlights really streamlines the look of the truck even with a stock bumper.

Hopefully going into production, maybe with a few tweaks I've suggested, but all I can say is... Soon™

I also made up my mind and ordered a behind the grille light bar mount from SDHQ. What I'm gonna do is fab up a mount to attach where a light bar would, and run a row of Baja Squadrons in the lower part of the pro grille. My little homage to the 4- or 6-across rally light setups from days past.