New Member “tankoma“ Raptor Liner Project

Greetings fellow taco lovers!

I wanted to share some work that I’ve done over the last three months with other people who get it. This seems to be the place. Sorry if it is in the wrong forum.

We recently restored my ‘99 taco and coated it with raptor liner bedliner product and a 2020 Chrysler color called “tank“. (Sacrilege?)
The man helping me paint it dubbed it “tankoma”, which I can see from my search of this forum is not an original term. So much for my dreams of trademarking it and selling it to Toyota for a million bucks....
This is probably the first and last new vehicle I will ever purchase.

The paint was roached and it had a couple of small whiskey/idiot dents here and there, but overall is in pretty good shape. Living in Central Texas all of its life has saved it from any major frame corrosion.

It has about 157,000 miles which are mostly highway, and just a few hundred miles of off roading and towing. (Sad, I know)
It has mechanically been well-maintained with timing belt changes and synthetics run in differentials etc.

We started off by scuffing it and repairing a handful of small dings and dents.

Then, we dove into the joys of trying to spray bedliner through an HVLP spray gun to make a finer texture.
Let me tell you that this is not one of those YouTube videos where a guy connects a schutz gun to a bottle of raptor liner and blasts away.
This took multiple tries, not just because of inexperience with this product, but because the “tech guy“ at raptor told us to use only 100 mL of Hardner “so it would all fit in the bottle“. We later found out that it requires 250 mL of hardener and had to sand everything back down and re-spray it.
We also left some recently sprayed parts like the doors tailgate, bumperettes, hood etc. out overnight because we thought they were dry enough, but the morning dew had other plans, reacting with the product and turning everything gray. Once again sand, wipe, and repeat.

It’s my fault for not questioning the info from the company as opposed to the directions. Live and learn.
Regardless, it’s a tricky balance of air pressure, product reduction, and spraying distance from the surface.
This is not like traditional automotive paint where you apply it and it flashes off and blends together. However it lays down is how it is going to dry. #TIGERSTRIPING


If you were going to try something like this, I would highly recommend a final fog coat from a distance to give it a more even texture. Hopefully some can learn from our mistakes.
We did the bed, rocker panels, and that patch underneath the rear window with a traditional schutz gun application.


Overall, it looks cool and different, but I’m not sure I’m satisfied with the scratch resistance. It’s gotten a couple of medium scratches since we painted it and I have been able to rub them out with a bit of thinner on a rag. I have also seen people use spray wax to blend in and repair scratches as well.
I do like the fact that it has a color shifting light absorbing Stealth bomber type finish to it. Different panels at different angles of light take on a dark green to an almost flat black looking appearance.




Of course, like any remodeling restoration disease, you fix or replace one thing, and uncover another. Like putting in new cabinets or replacing an appliance making the others look dirty and dingy....
So, we replaced the carpet and headliner and painted a few interior parts to match the outside.


Well, since we took the carpet out we might as well put sound dampener in and replace the factory speakers since we’ve taken interior panels out. Well, since we replaced the factory speakers, might as well put an amplifier to them because they’re not going to live up to their full potential. I’m thankful my friends helping, didn’t bury me in a shallow grave behind the shop.





This is a disease folks, but I can think of worse things to deal with, so please don’t take my use of the word literally....
Now, all that’s missing is that replica O/D Claymore receiver hitch cover that says “face toward enemy“ on the front of it.



Seriously, I am wanting to replace the Ball joints and other related items, But It’s probably not the right place to ask about it.
I wonder sometimes if the thousands of dollars and dozens of hours would ever come back to me financially and if it has increased the trucks worth, but I am comfortable knowing that it will last another 20 years. I’m considering being buried in it. (Past the axles...
Anyway, thanks for suffering through my sharing/venting about this project of my beloved truck. I look forward to learning a lot from you guys.
BTW, can someone recommend a particular tool to pry my six-year-old nephew out of the truck? He’s been glued to it ever since I brought it back home. He thinks that since he’s helped me change a couple of license plate screws that he now owns it!
I found out that he’s been cleverly leaving the sliding glass unlocked so he can sneak into it through the bed....

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Welcome aboard

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Welcome to TW!

 

welcome , great 1st post

 

Welcome, fellow newbie. Waaaaay better first post than mine!

 

Welcome to TW