Tacoma Stalking, er...uh, Spotting, with Charlie™ (2nd Gen Edition)!

I have taken so many pictures of Tacomas over the last few years that I have decided to organize them by generation now!

CLICK HERE to reach the actual photos in this thread!

CLICK HERE to see my new 1st Gen photo thread!

CLICK HERE to see my new 3rd Gen photo thread!


ORIGINAL POST (January 2017):

THE SUBJECT OF THE THREAD IS ONLY A FANTASY!

This however, is a true story...

A few years back Toyota built a one-off 2WD extra cab Tacoma for SEMA show, outfitting it with a Tundra 5.7L V8 and giving the exterior a #95 Lightning McQueen theme. I have no idea how hard it would be to install, or even there would be enough room under the hood, for stuff like air-conditioning and power steering/power brakes.


My 2010 Tacoma had just over 70K miles (just barely broken in!) at the time I started this thread and is pushing 152K now, so I do not have plans on ever swapping out the engine, even if I somehow become obscenely rich. If I do win the lottery or get rich somehow, I will keep my Tacoma. I will upgrade the stereo more (subwoofer, kick panel enclosures, etc), but other than that I will leave it as-is.


Now back to fantasy:

Anyway, putting in a 5.7L V8 is one thing... However, the space underneath the hood of all Tacomas is the same. That means once the computer/software and electrical stuff were replaced/upgraded to accommodate the V6, there would probably be no problem making a regular cab Tacoma with a V6 appear stock. When I say stock, I mean no parts would have to be specially made, and things like A/C, power steering, power brakes/ABS could be retained without any modifications.

Obviously, this goes far beyond taking out the 2.7L and putting a 4.0L in it's place. Computer system/engine software and electric stuff will have to be swapped, and I'm pretty sure the A/C compressor is in a different spot with the V6 than it is with the 2.7L. The V6 radiator is probably larger than the 2.7L radiator as well.

The transmission would have to be replaced as well, regardless of whether or not the truck getting the swap is automatic or stick shift. Again, it's probably pretty easy to put a 5-speed auto or a 6-speed manual into 2.7L truck.

Don't know if the rear end/final drive ratio would have to be modified/replaced.

Does this fantasy seem like it could be made into a reality?


UPDATE (July 2019): It has been two and a half years since I posted this! As of this posting, my truck has over 101K miles and got a significant stereo upgrade in March-April 2018 (4th aftermarket head unit in less than 2 years, 2nd component speaker system in 5 years, plus a subwoofer and amplifier)! Not including the backup camera and various materials (wiring, sound deadening, etc), I have about $600 in my stereo as of right now. Let's just say it sounds a lot more expensive than it actually was!

UPDATE (December 2020): I decided to merge a bunch of older threads into my 2nd Gen "Tacoma Stalking with Charlie" thread...

 

I'm pretty sure total chaos built one. it was a full on race truck, but I would imagine everything would fit in place (maybe a little bit of fab). I think the 2.7 only gets the 4.10 dif, and the 4.0 has 2. 1 with locker, 1 without (not sure of ratios of all of them, I know mines 3.73) not sure about gearbox, but with $ you can make anything work. As far as the computer goes, I don't know. I can install a lift kit or bumpers, but can't wire a light bar in. Wires and electronics are my weakness

 

not fantasy, but don't know the details . .

http://www.chaosfab.com/Toyota-Tacoma-2wd-Prerunner-Off-Road

 

In 08 or 09 it was a factory option.

 

Of course it possible.

Doing so with a 5 lug truck? Likely the bigger question.

 

I know this question's been bandied around on here a couple of times previously, but unfortunately no one's stepped up to spend the money on such a project. My feeling is that it should be a bolt in. When you consider the fact that the X-Rubber is a 5 lug access cab, everything that goes into making that vehicle should be a bolt-in on a regular cab.

Personally, I think a V-6 regular cab would be a wicked little truck. Why don't some of guys quite bolting on new do-dads and make this thing happen, lol.

 

One of these days I'll get a 2nd tacoma, this one a reg cab just for this purpose..

 

I've had this mental build/fantasy going for quite some time of building a hot rod Tacoma. Sometimes it's a RC X-Runner with a supercharged 4.0 and other times it's a RC 4X4 with a 1st gen Tundra V-8. All I need to make it happen is time, money, and skills, lol.

 

Look at Tundra 5.7L v8 4x4 regular cab short bed and put on trd supercharger. A bigger brother of v6 reg cab tacoma.

 

Please don't talk about that.. I need to get it out of my head before I become overly tempted..

 

Does my truck have a 4.10 diff from the factory?

 

I look into it a little bit more, i read that the 5 lug has a 3.31 diff and the 6 lug 4CYL comes with a 4.10. Still not 100% sure

 

That's a random number. I'm surprised it doesn't have a 3.42 or a 3.55

 

@MikieSwartz


August 6th, 2017:

I spotted this significantly damaged 2nd Gen driving around the Carlisle Fairgrounds on the last day of the 2017 Truck Nationals.

The guy you see in the pictures owns a local dealership and bought this Tacoma from an auction for next to nothing. The previous owner flipped it onto its side and the insurance company wrote it off as a total loss.



The owner, his kids, and his Min-Pin puppy:

From the front:

And, parked on the showfield a short time later:

 

Nice, do you know how much he had bought it for?

 

Sadly, no...

I forget whether he said he was going to totally repair the body or just drive it as-is. Either way, the truck had not been officially inspected for the purposes of being issued a rebuilt/salvage title, and wasn't technically street legal yet...

Luckily, a dealer tag is an easy way to get around that!

 

Looks rough.

 

How did he "bring it back to life?" Looks like he just put the key in the ignition and started driving it as-is.

 

Right I clicked on this thinking there would be a Before and After photo's

 

I was waiting for the before and after pics. But the after never came. I feel robbed.