Austin Area TW Chapter (all gens welcome, even T4Rs; heck, just make it a Toyota and we're good)

Snow video from last month... Heading south on the 183A frontage road by the HEB Center. Notice the toll road is CLOSED!!!

 

Checking in with the Austin Crew.

I'm waiting for Caliraisedled rock sliders. Powder-coated, as it will be mainly a pavement queen. Just enough off-road not to want to deal with a crushed rocker and pinched door. Full aluminum plates on order (trying to save a little weight). RSI cap on order. The first two I can install by myself, CAP installation, depend on when all four kids can stop.

I got the house PVC done; the pool is toast (heater core split, lost valves). Thankfully pump and filter survived, so at least I am not dealing with green slime. My dogs still love going swimming.

Doublegangers: there is another 2021 Silver DCLB OR close by. I get confused enough, but when the door doesn't open, wtf? I just hope it is someone with a sense of humor and don't get shot messing with someone's truck! Or that, he has pissed-off ex trash the wrong truck!

 

What up! I'm not very good at reading but did somebody try to get in your truck?

Congrats on those purchases, that's bad ass! I always wanted a shell for my taco but they so expensive and second hand go quick.

 

I tried to get into the wrong truck! Oops.

Couldn't find a DCLB in Texas, bought hence road trip to Colorado to buy it.

 

Clean ride!!! Time to customize it so ya don't go shaking the wrong handles anymore

 

Yesterday was a great day for Tejas. Saturday is looking good for Reveille Peak.

 

Today was an awesome day. Weekend starts.

 

Ever get to bidding on stuff while you're drinking? Well I evidently had the great idea of turning a Kenworth T300 into an RV... so yea.. that's the new project.



Floor plan will be set up like this.

 

Grats bro!! I started a fire pit last night. Going to try and have some small gatherings of toyota family this summer.

Will finish the other half tonight and conc them in tomorrow. Need to find some large natural stones for the top so it doesn't look so manufactured.

 

Should have left it like that and called it Chadhenge...

 

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My OCD didn't want me to call it a night last night but my back did

 

Looking good.

My son has been making firepits. 1/4" steel! I still want one, but for the new house as you need an engine hoist to move them! He has done a few out of Stainless 300 series. This is one of his steel ones. Not cheap but will last beyond my lifetime.

He does pretty welds.

https://imgur.com/gallery/fWEENkU

 

Where the pole?

 

Really nice welds.. your son ever make sliders?

 

He's too busy to make my sliders! I went with Caliraised as there is so much time involved in building one-offs.

I had JD2 hydraulic bender but soon realized your 10th item looks just right. Haven't priced a stick (18 to 22') of DOM in ages, but it wasn't cheap 20 years ago. My sons would help in the shop, but unless you do a lot of it hard to justify. The best thing I did was send my older two to Kent White's "metal workshops". I learned how to oxy weld Aluminum from Kent, was so impressed paid the kids to attend. So Alex learned heat control long before he picked up TIG and started welding. Pretty welds. I had a distinct "Z" pattern to my welding, Parkinson's tremor!

I sold my TIG (old school Hobart, 200 Amp machine but you could run it 80% duty cycle. 4 Minutes weld, 1-minute break, and go all day). Once I had the hardware installed (pacemaker for my brain) no more Arc nor TIG. I still have my OA rig, just fun much thinner stuff. Four kids, all four in different industries. Sold my LeBlond metal lathe off, now to clean up and sell an Index 555 Milling machine (power X Y Z feeds). I still have a Hypterm 900 in the shop. It's a catch 22 as I need to downsize (empty nester) but the kids don't have room for years worth of stuff.

 

Today I made the decision to delay my Overlander cap 6-8 weeks in order to have it completely coated with the OTR spray. It broke my heart as this delay pushes some road tripping plans but ultimately I am happy with my decision. I had no idea it was even an option until this morning.

 

I'm right down the road if you ever need a hand!

 

Today was install day for the bed rack.

 

Gwad dog those are sweet.

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