What Have You Done To Your 2nd Gen Tacoma Today?

why not just drop them off at a powder coater?

 

thanks Steve- fully understand, our 4 kids are married and gone, just the wife and I and dogs, we have 4 grandkids that visit periodically. I retired from the Air Force 21 years ago after 22 years service. I still work as a contractor for AFSOC.

i have to admit my wife got this one right when she wanted to move from the city back out to the country buy a house with a shop and land

I use to do all my work on my truck either in the three car garage(at the custom home we had built in the city (6 years ago) or take it to base and work on it at the auto hobby shop. My wife’s father was a mechanic for 50 years had his own shop and when he passed I got all his tools etc. my dad was a contractor built custom homes in San Diego for 50 years and when he passed I got all his tools and power tools etc from his shop. So this new shop has been a blessing as I have now moved everything I had in storage into the shop half the shop is setup for woodworking and half is setup for mechanical/automotive/welding etc. I am finally able to do all the things and honey do’s I need and want to do

 

Measure 3 or 4 times…. Cut once.

 

I have the equipment and materials to spray them myself.

 

When I changed the oil yesterday I realized just how dirty I got the engine/under hood.
I hope to give the truck a bath today.

 

Looks like mine did until recently. It sat for about 6 months, only driving to the dump 1 mile away. Total of 6 miles a week or less. Then back repair came, and I'm back to driving more.

 

That was after a half a day of wheeling. 2 moderate mud puddles.

 

Spotted a sweet Speedway Blue Honda Ridgeline today with black wheels.

 

Rebuilt & painted my calipers:

 

I wish my 06 Tacoma looked that good. I promised to wash it today.

 

Father in law just had to pop by this morning and screwed up my plans.

Good news, bought a laser auto leveling level to ensure a straight level line lol. This looks to be much better.

 

Made some progress to start on a Switchpros install. Decided that I want the switchpad in the overhead sunglass holder. So cut a hole and cut out 2 small brackets to hold it in place. Nothing fancy, but they'll work. I purchased the SDHQ Tacoma specific mount but didn't realize that it won't work with hood struts. I used a portion of my old fuse panel mount to move the SDHQ plate down and towards the firewall, out of the way of the strut. The only downside to doing this was that it slightly rubbed on one of the wiring harness runs. So I found a piece of 1/2" x 1" aluminum that I cut up and used as a spacer to move it inward and away from the harness. I also had to cut off a small portion of the bottom of the SDHQ bracket. Painted everything black and hopefully get it all wrapped up next weekend.
Then to top off the day, I reserved a Tacoma (albeit a 3rd gen) for an 8 day overlanding trip to Alaska next May.

 

Got ARB snorkel mounted, but with my sausage fingers I can’t get to all studs/nuts. I’ll have to remove the wheel and try again tomorrow.

 

What did you use for the surgery?

 

Finally stopped procrastinating and did my CMC.
Not the best welds but they will do

 

I went from 40x80 on 10 acres to barely a 2 car garage on 1/3.