2TRunner

Thank ya'. I think I said it earlier, but it's just nice to have a truck that isin't missing big body parts and pieces

I was not expecting the mounting holes for a winch and never requested any. Appears I got some though. Was never part of the plan but I'm not complaining.

I'm not sold on mesh either, first thing that come to mind. Does needs something in that area, whether it be a winch, light bar, mesh or even like a solid piece of thinner steel.

Recovery point wise, I'll be honest. I have no idea. I do remember him mentioning adding some at one point but the memory is vague and there is nothing glaring obvious as a recovery point as such with the points on the rear bumper. Sending him pics soon anyways, so I'll ask about it.

The portion under the grille was painted and I did re-spray it before putting the bumper on. Same color as the rims, so it matches a little. A little partial to the color as it relates to the truck, like you and your green. Before I did any more painting of that area, I'd like to get a few additions (winch/lights/etc..) to the bumper then see how it looks. I made a little promise to myself to not turn my truck into an Oakland Raider truck as much as possible, the gunmetal really helps out.

Grill is muddy/dirty. Needs cleaned. Rederp'd within the past year, IIRC, might have been this spring. You think my headlights looks crappy? She needs a good wash, I can't remember the last time I actually washed it. Get some ADV lights then she'll see.

Fender lights?

 

You had 2 light pods on top of your fenders did you not?

Yeah I think mesh will just look too cheap. Especially on an off-road built bumper. I actually think that a Baja bumper style metal plate covering that area might look good. Maybe even with a fairlead hole cut out and a winch behind it. I think no matter what, a winch would look best sitting in that hole as that's what it was made for. And your headlights look fine, maybe. Are they just dirty or are they faded? One requires soap and water, the other requires new headlights. Haha and don't get all butt hurt on my you fuckin fairy

 

I did have some pods. Then I learned they were super ghey and became envious of yours/levi's lights. Then I had this little accident and had to remove the p/s light so they could replace the front panel. I removed them both, just 1 woulda looked stupid.

I'm very sold on the ADVs. I've seen how bright they are. Their a little pricey but not retarded. I've not found a light that's comparable. I'd really like 1 set of spots and 1 set of floods. Put the floods back up near the pillars and the spots down on the bumper.

The truck is dirty and needs washed, but I've been watching the p/s headlight honestly as I think it may be starting to haze over a little. An old boss of mine does an insane process on restoring headlights and they look amazing afterwards. Calling him has always been my plan.

 

Haha yeah I feel ya on the lights. Well at least you got a plan for cleaning her up. I've always found it funny the people that build their truck up all badass and shit and then have something as simple and bad looking as hazed over headlights. Haha seems popular to forget about, especially the sas builds I've seen

 

ADV had a sale through their site awhile back, be nice if they did another one. Ever been a Group Buy on them?

I've been wondering...did you purposely buy a 4 banger or was it something you realized after you bought it?

Here is a cool pic to enjoy while answering that question.

 

I actually bought all 4 of mine in a group buy. It's the only one he's had if I remember correctly. This was like 3 years ago.

I've owned/own 5 vehicles since I was 16. All of them had/have a 4banger in them. I was a dirt bike and go cart fan growing up and grew a love for small, high revving, simple motors. So I bought and built a crx with a motor that revs to 10k. Well down here, it's also pretty much required of you to like/go muddin and 4wheelin either in a truck or a 4wheeler so I bought my other truck, 94 single cab 4x4 pickup with a 22re. Well that little piece of heaven brought me to realize that Toyota's were beasts and it's damn impossible to kill their 4cyl motors and I'd probably be happy cruisin around in one of those for awhile. So when I decided it was grown-up time to buy a new vehicle, I walked up to the Toyota dealership and said "I'm lookin for a black, 4cyl, extra cab, 4x4, 5 speed. If you ain't got it then don't waste my time." 6 years later, here I am now, still just as happy as the day I bought it. So to answer your question ....... Yes. I purposely bought a 2.7

 

Go Yota 4 bangers!

I never really grew up with a thing for cars/trucks, worked in pizza shops until my early 20s. If anything, I'd say I've always preferred a truck, the first vehicle I bought from a real car lot was an S10. Grew sick of the pizza and started at a Quick Lube. 2nd Quick lube was Jiffy Screw where I worked up to Asst. Mngr. Noticed the Tacoma's that would roll through and took a liking to them. Quit there and started in an repair shop where my boss was a Toyota and offroad fool. I had the basis already, he really just drove it home until I ended up finally getting Rachael to let me dump the Blazer I had and get a Tacoma.

I was begging for a Taco for awhile, so I had to be cheap and I had to take what I could get. That a was a 12.5K, 2008, 2WD, 2.7L Tacoma. I'd say at this point I really had no interest in a V6. Had been working on cars for awhile then and 4 bangers are just easier to deal with, have less parts, both get ya' to 65 on the highway.

Only after I got my truck, did I find out about all the cool shit (off-roading) these truck could do. Then I'd look over at my little rinky dink Taco and...

I've had my truck 4 years now and I love it death. I could never, ever give this truck up. Couldn't sell it, trade it, nothing. Not after what I've put into it. I just really wish I lived closer to sand so I could go prerunning with my other fellow 2WD Taco's. Personally, I don't think I'd be to damn shabby at high speeds in the desert, certainly better than this mountain shit.

I've been thinking of trying to save up money and find a dead early 90s EFI single cab 4x4 to fix up, find one with a blown trans or something for 5/600 would be a steal.

 

4 years with the 5 lugger now. Bought end of July of 2010.

No new anything. Lots of driving however from the new house to/from work. 40 minutes there, an hour home.

 

And how's the house goin?

 

Going good. The house was a tad rough since it had been sitting empty for a good while. It was not in decrepit condition, just needed a lot of TLC.

Carpets were (and still are) in need of being replaced in the long run but for now I simply rented a carpet cleaner and did the best I could. Turned out decent, not professional or anything, but much better. Rugs cover things up to.

Toilets were about the worst. 3 toilets in the house. 2 were cracked and 1 was leaking pretty bad. However, I have a cousin who is a plumber so I picked up 3 new toilets and he came over on a Sunday and replaced them, all at the cost of some beer.

Craigslist has been a good friend of the new house. For $175 I picked up this sweet 42" Phillips plasma flat screen TV that has these cool lights on the side (ambilight....or whatever they call it). Picked up a good recliner, just like a I wanted for $60. Green fabric, no rocking function but does recline when you push back into it. Got a little TV stand for $65.

Hardest part now is figuring out what to do next. It needs a lot of little stuff. I think I'm going to hit the yard up the hardest the rest of the summer/fall since it's still nice out and when the colder weather hits then I'd like to worry about the inside more, like painting and such when you're stuck inside anyways.

I'm trying to spend like 20-30 minutes a weeknight doing a little something. Do a little bit at a time and it will go a long way and keep down on killing myself on the weekends doing a bunch of house work.

My birthday is Friday! 31

I got a raise at work and I got told I can take some...VACATION time. I am ungodly burnt out on cars.

I creep everyday in the TN thread, but I have nothing constructive to add. Me, be quiet and hang off to the side....never....

 

What kind of stuff do you need?

 

Yay for raises!!!!! And does that mean paid vacation time? And keep workin on that house and it will turn into somethin. Def a lil at a time or you will get burned out on it just like you have your cars. I like workin on cars but damn I'm glad I don't have a job doin it. I would have zero motivation to ever work on my truck. Haha

 

I use the fact that work in a shop to pull my truck in all the time......its at the point to where my co-workers ask: "what are you doing to it now?"

 

Not to much really and most of it is buy it as we need it kinda stuff. Got a free lawnmower, free cordless weed-wacker. Had to buy a rake, put me out a whole $5.

I've wondered if I would get paid vac or not, but I'm so desperate for one I don't give a rats ass at this point. Just time off work.

And to the both of ya, I typically have plenty of motivation to work on my truck, even burned out I got a jolt from the tailgate and bumper. It's getting the time that's a complete pain in the ass and usually ruins my good time of getting to play with my truck. This is a large part of why I'm thrilled about a garage, I can do things to my truck in the winter and be inside a structure.

 

Other than the garage, here is the area I've kind of started working on first and trying to get it all cleaned up.



The small blue tote was filled with sticks, twigs, some kind of potting soil and about half full of rank ass water. Rachael and I carried it to the back yard where I proceeded to dump it's contents down the groundhog hole that I have under the back fence. Hopefully between all the rank water and bigger sticks, he won't come around often.

Blue trash can was full of more yard waste. Sticks/twigs/pine needles.

If you look up at the gutters, you'll also notice that there is some gutter down-spouting missing from the very top. Climbed my happy ass up on the garage roof Tuesday night and got the gutter hung back up. I hate ladders. I hate roofs. I think I'm going to die the entire time.

I'll get a pic up tomorrow of where I'm at.

 

Is that a window back there behind the trash can? And I feel ya on the garage. You will actually enjoy workin on your truck now. Lol

 

A window indeed. Shows out of/into the spare "bedroom" on the lowest level. It's where we keep the computer.

Here is a better pic of the down-spout I had to hung back up.


Raked up the loose stuff. Under all that crap is a crappy brick walkway to the backyard. It's gotta go.


Called it a night. Unearthed some of the bricks from the walkway. Anyone want to give me a list of what steps I need to take to remove the bricks and get grass growing in this area.

 

i hate yard work. Im def the wrong person to ask. haha

 

Till it up mix in some good top soil and throw your grass seed down. Then might want to grab some fertilizer. It's honestly a little late in the year to start it

 

Fuckin' Crickets.