New Cleveland guy here.. Stock sucks, need to get this thing lifted..

What's going on guys and gals? Names Joe, new Taco owner in Cleveland, Ohio. Just picked up my 2015 Taco about a month ago, after a year of research and trying to justify a new truck. Pretty excited for it, and so far 100% satisfied with it. Traded in a 2003 Ram for it which had seen better days. This isn't my only truck, I have a Dakota too, which I'll share more info in a bit..

About my self, always been into custom stuff. I have been in custom truck/auto industry for a while. Started working at Stylin Trucks (Stylin Concepts at the time) back in 2006, and went from sales, to trainer/floor supervisor and then into customer service/tech support. Worked there 6 years, went to SEMA for them, did product reviews and what no there, along with running retail show room occasionally. Got a lot of knowledge from the job and got me in trouble when I bought my 2000 Dakota and then 2003 Ram. Left there when I saw the company going down hill, and glad I did because about a year later the JC Whitney line was closed and brought over to our call center (sister companies) and then about 6 months later they closed that so both Stylin and JCW were outsourced to Phillipines. I left there to go to 4 Wheel Parts, where I was a sales guy for about a year. Left there after a year after getting my degree and went to Pepsi to be a warehouse/inventory manager. My old Assistant Manager at 4WP about 2 years later touched base after he was promoted to be the store manager, and offered me the Assistant Manager position, so I have been back slinging parts for the last year.

Back to the Taco. Picked it up about a month ago. So far I had added a garage door opener and bed light switch from Air On Board, and the garage door opener switch button is hooked up to a normal garage door opener. Bed light switch is hooked up to Extang bed lights which were transplanted from the Ram. Windows have been tinted and remote start installed. Also hooked up my Bullydog GT Tuner, which doesn't have a tune for the 2015 year, but according to them should be within the next month or two. For now it's just a fancy monitor. Another project I am working on for it is added a second fuse/relay box. Took it a fuse box out of a Dodge Stratus, rewiring it and making a mount for it. I plan on doing some more quirky stuff over the winter, and in spring I am going to be installing a 6" Pro Comp lift, 35's, 17" wheels and so forth. Also do bumper guards, on board air, and so forth. Right now saving for a Bakflip tonneau cover. You'll all see the progression of the truck here.

My other truck is a 2000 Dakota Sport. V6 5-speed 2wd. Bought it in 06 bagged and a lot different than it is now. Over 9 years it's had the entire suspension redone, interior tweeded, doors shaved and suicided, and a ton more. Been "for sale" for a while, wanting to get a Charger or something else with 4 doors or atleast a back seat so when the wife want's to pop out babies, I won't be stopped from going to shows. Whatever I get will be bagged, but we'll see, I still love the Dakota but some days hate it. haha. Owning it for almost 10 years will do that. The truck has got me to know a ton of badass people in the minitruck scene including Xtreme Gravity which the club I am in since 2011 and became the club's secretary in 2013 and they are my 2nd family. We also host a 2 day show with 3 days of camping in Ashland, Oh with a car crush, AWD dyno and a ton of fun activities called Laws of Physics ( www.lawsofphysics.org / ) and this year Discovery Channel filmed an episode of Fat n Furious at it.

Oh yeah, have a 77 Yamaha RD400 2 Stroke Cafe build which has been on the back burner. Tore down to the frame and built it back up. Just need to throw some engine covers on, carbs and wire up electrical and brakes. And me and my brother have a 51 GMC 3 window 3/4 truck in peices somewhere, haha.

Well here's some pics of the Taco, Dakota and the Ram I traded in, and cafe.

Purchase day:




Old turd:




At the job:


Next to the Kota at home:






Bedlights:


Fusebox mock up:


Flexing at work: #fridayflexing


The Dakota:








The RD400 Cafe:




The 51 GMC:

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome Joe, nice looking toys!

 

Thanks guys.