Thunder's Garage Tetris: 04 Taco + 12 CTS-V + 06 GSXR

Those coastal offroad bumpers really are my new favorite ones.

 

Is that wrapped around or high clearance? I can't remember what they use

 

It's a little of both. I had to cut about 1.5" off the bedside but the bumper covers up the cuts.

 

same here, @Dave41079 shared a random link in our group chat a while ago and I saw they had some nice looking 1st gen bumpers. And for the price they can't be beat. A little more labor involved but I think it's worth it, especially since some of the lead times on the bigger bumper makers are getting pretty ridiculous.

 

putting here for future reference (stripped out a backing plate nut):
Nut: 90179-10067
Studs: 90114-10002
Special stud: 90114-10021

 

New diffs installed. 4.56s with front Harrop E locker. Did a quick function check and everything seems to work. Now to start the break-in process.

Finishing up grinding the bumper this week and hopefully will get to paint it this weekend. Probably going to finish wiring the front locker tonight.

 

Almost finished grinding. Couple of spots need filling and then it'll get paint. I also need to cut a little bit more off the fender next to the wheel wells (sticks out a bit there)

 

It's... it's beautiful.

 

leaving this here for speedo correction. Not sure if I need 32 or 33 teeth. Right now I'm reading 75 when going 70. I've read that one extra tooth decreases "read" MPH by 2 or 3%. Right now I am 7.14% off. I *think* the stock gear count is 31 for a 5 speed transmission with 4.10s.


Manual Transmission

• 32-tooth: 33403-39425 (buy)
• 33-tooth: 33403-39415 (buy)

 

Right? Like I have a bumper and I want this one so badly.

 

Cheap too. I'm sure you could sell yours and only be in this one for a few hundos...

 

Well the little license plate light doodads are not going to work where they drilled holes to mount the license plate. The acute angle of the bumper there is making it impossible to thread pretty much anything on the bumper from the backside. So I'll either have to drill holes somewhere down further on the plate, drill new holes in the bumper, or just say fuck it and not run lights, and use some kind of fender clip to hold the plate in.

 

Tape glowsticks around the license plate

 

Rear diff breather extension installed finally. Figured I might as well not trash these brand new ECGS gears.

I mounted behind the gas cap plastic surround. Totally invisible. (sorry no pic with breather installed but it's just a generic Dorman part)

 

French it into the tailgate with a 30° cant

Bumper looks sweet BTW

 

Probs gonna drill a couple more holes in the plate and bumper

 

Front locker is wired up. Only comes on when the rear diff switch is depressed as well. I just need to add some of that plastic wire loom to the wires that go from the relay to the diff (wires are kinda close to the headers).


Also went ahead and defaced my license plate in an attempt to be "legal" (the irony).

 

Not for nothing but I have had a couple times in the snow where I liked having the front on but the rear off. I know you don't see much snow but still.

 

I could see that being interesting. I'm mainly worried about fat fingering my diff switches on the highway and making things go boom lol

 

Finally done. Next mod is crawlbox but that won't be for a while