What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Finally got the truck tinted, next week I’ll probably start installing the ham radio I got in the mail on Tuesday.
I’m tempted to build a small roll bar for the ham antenna and some lights but I’m not sure if I want to do that yet.

 

working on some 3rd brake light stuff to incorporate a wolfbox

$40 WOLFBOX Upgraded WDR Rear Camera for G840S / G840H / G930 / G850 /G850PRO, 1080P Waterproof AHD Car Rear View Camera

camera into the area tonight... still fine tuning the cutout to the Amazon lights I have.

$21 Calightskit LED Rock Lights 4 Pods Red LED Underglow Light Kit Waterproof IP68 for Car Truck ATV SUV Boat Underbody Glow Trail Rig Lamp

Red

$19 Yellow LED Rock Lights, 4 Pods Neon 12V Waterproof Underglow Underbody Kit Crawler Crawling Dome Exterior Wheel Lights for ATV RZR UTV SUV Off-Road Auto Boat Motorcycle Glow Trail Rig Fender Lamp

yellow/amber
white



this one is actually for the 15" snugtop brakelight, I'll design another one for the actual 3rd brakelight

 

Supercross in San Diego
T’was a rainy one.

 

Picked up a snugtop for the taco today, now to get it painted or just leave it black

 

Installed these APS iBoard Running Boards https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9QDJG2

Install went smoothly, however, to achieve reasonable level of the boards had to use some spacer washers (3-4) in the support arms as well as longer bolts through the pinch weld. The supplied M8x1.25x20mm needed another 10mm to function well for my install. Had to buy 8 bolts and about 26 washers to fit out all 8 support arms.

My goal is to protect the lower rocker panels from the wicked Wisconsin salt. I noticed that the factory running boards on my 3rd Gen 4Runner have provided excellent protection of the lower rocker and lower door panels and want to achieve the same thing for my Cali body & frame.

For added protection I sprayed CorBan 35 on the freshly drilled pinch weld holes and the self tapping screw holes.

Mike

 

Leave it black imo. How much did that set you back? I'm looking for a top for my double cab as well

 

One side finally done.

 

700 but you never find a old snugtop this far across the Mississippi

 

Started designing a headache rack for the truck, I’m thinking 2 antenna mounts, 2 side lights, possibly reverse lights. I think I can use the factory tie down points to bolt it into the bed and then have 3 bolts through the bottom tube through the lip of the bed.

 

leave it black! I’ve always loved the mismatched camper tops. I’ve got a silver Snugtop on my red Tacoma.

 

With the paint in that good of condition still I’d leave it black. If the paint was bad I’d say go ahead and paint it. I’ve had three black campers, two of which I painted black. My truck is white. Easier to paint it black than worry about paint matching white or any other color.

 

Installed a third brake light for softopper

 

2023 was mostly what I DIDN'T do to my truck .. pulled my bike a couple times and a beach trip or 2 with a few instances of daily driving when it was cold or rainy. Totaled 1,570 miles for the year. 40mi for 2024 so far.

 

Finally got my seatbelt sent in for replacement webbing. It's been fraying for a decade and haven't been successful in buying an OEM replacement. Looks like Safety Restore did a solid job.

 

I installed LCE headers a month or two ago on my 2000 with the 3RZ and today I installed their cat back exhaust. Freekin' sweet and at $600 delivered I can't complain one bit on the cost. What surprised me was they every one of the 24 year old exhaust hangers were still totally fine. I had a couple aftermarket hangers in the Toyota pattern if I needed them...but nope. The 24 year old ones looked like they have another decade. Crazy. But with the LCE headers and their exhaust the little truck barks pretty well when asked. And since it's a single cab no cutting, just bolt it up, and I liked they they put the ceramic coating on the clamps and nuts. Ha.

 

Those that have changed or removed headers, any issues with breaking studs/off in the block? I broke the studs on the flange and need to pull th headers to drill them out but worried about breaking them off in the block

 

They come off pretty easy on the V6, they won't snap I don't think, but you may pull a whole stud out of the head. A few of mine did that, no biggie to put them back.

 

Non-issue. Maybe break the nuts free with a socket first before zipping them off.

 

The flange on the headers is nice and thick. If something breaks ya did it wrong.

 

Just got a 3D printer the other week and since I never got a transfercase shift knob when doing my Prerunner 4x4 conversion ended up 3D Printed a J-shift knob that a friend made the model for!