BayAreaTaco's Expo Crawler. Custom 1 ton SAS!

Thanks Dude!!

 

More of a bandaid than a fix but I couldn't take the nasty clear coat on my hood anymore, wax and polish was starting to make no difference.

Before



I started off by laying down a big piece of carpenters contact paper, comes in a roll and is sticky on one side, I traced out a rough shape with a sharpie and cut it out, laid it on top of the spot and kept cutting/tracing to my satisfaction. Luckily for me I did a good job on the original hood blackout so I was able to use the same stencil on both sides they were identical. Use a straight edge for the long straight parts! The butted edge came out nice, it's not ideal but better than nothing,



The next step was to peel that off and transfer it to the 3m vinyl, cut that out and apply with water/squegie, there are plenty of YouTube videos to help you with that step.

 

Continued awesome work man! That sucks about the sun damage to your paint, anyway to protect against that besides shelter? Would a coat of wax help protect the rest?

 

Thanks! Wax helps a little, but I think most of the damage has been done, I don't think this paint ever saw wax until it was in my hands, stupid previous owners!!!

 

atleast its in cali not a salt state! it wouldve been rusty here btw truck looks great!

 

I think mine just saw wax for the first time this year! I guess most truck owners don't care as much since it is a truck... I made sure to wax before I came since I don't want to see my paint torn up.

This was the only option I had for my truck...moving out to Cali to stop the rust, its sooo bad!

 

Man I wish I had your truck bro. Or more time and $$ to do all kinds of stuff to mine. Mine is white so luckily I don't have that paint problem. But, mine looks pretty dull a few days after a wash. I bought my 99 Taco in Jan. 2006 from a guy in Oakland and up until 2 years ago I was in the bay area. Now currently in AZ. I have been wanting to wax the poor thing since the day I got it but still never have lol. Something always comes up or I just get lazy. One of these days I gotta get it done!

 

A wax and buff will do wonders for faded paint!! As for the mods, slow and steady wins the race, I've been saving for a while and am fortunate to have a good paying job for not going to college lol

 

Yeah I have some polish compound that works good that I was gonna put a coat on, then I also have NuFinish wax I was gonna use after the polish. I just put it off cuZ it will be a solid day's work to wash it thoroughly, tape everything up then do the 2 coats. And I will be doing it all by hand most likely. So, not lookin forward to doin all that, but damn it needs it.

If I was still in Cali, I would wanna come see your truck in person lol maybe get a few tips for what to do to mine

 

Dude sweet rig man love what you have done! Yall make me wanna find a first gen and start a build!

 

Hey thanks! If you can find a good deal on one do it!

 

Wouldn't that be ironic? What if waxing and polishing ruins clear coat faster than an occasional wash? My friend has a green Taco just like yours and he was religious about waxing the damn thing, now his clear coat is fucked! Maybe its just a green truck thing

 

The green paint Toyota used is known for having issues... I'm amazed my 99 doesn't have any issues. 90% of the 90's Toyotas that were green I've seen have paint issues. Honestly my truck is the only green truck I've seen without issues... but My previous owner was crazy OCD about it.

 

I've been following your build and think you have done a very nice job! Tasteful choices, good looking truck!

 

I actually believe that, the hood was fine 3 years ago when I bought it. I noticed a few small dots of faded clear, it feels like once I started to wax that spot it all when to shit very quickly. Guess that's what I get for caring haha, should have gone with silver.

Thanks man!! You and Reynolds get jockeyed for my iPad background all the time, that pic of your rig in the snow is titties. I'll catch you guys on a trail or at PC one day...

 

Yeah its like once the clear starts to "fade", its actually removing itself from the paint and develops small holes in it and applying any kind of wax or polish exacerbates it since it can get underneath the clear coat easier. I've never waxed any car I've owned so I may be talking out my ass but it kinda makes sense right?

Jeff (joemauma) is coming down from Oregon this summer (July 17 weekend I believe) to run the Rubicon. You should join us! Your truck would do just fine.

 

Yup, Rubicon in July. Come run it with us!

 

shit, I may be in! I'll take a few bypasses and call it good

 

I'm down! Do you know all the dates? I'll mark off my calendar right now

 

7/17