Ben's Regular Cab Build/Travel Log

My truck is a 2001 SR5 Regular Cab in Jade Green Mica. I bought it with 130-something thousand miles on it. I had been wanting a Tacoma for a while mostly because I wanted something that I could use to carry all of the bikes and take camping. It does both of those things- and lots more- very well.

9.1.2019

07.26.2017

04.14.2017:

01.16.2017:

10.29.2016:

Here's the earliest picture I have of the truck:


I drove it completely stock for a while and loved it. Here it is on an early camping trip or two:


Near Jim Thorpe, PA


GMNF, VT


Deleware Water Gap, NJ

I'd been helping my friend build up her Wrangler for a while and had learned a ton about working on vehicles and realized how much fun it is.

Here's the list of what I have done to the truck so far and a few of the places it has taken me.



Interior:
JVC Head Unit (the tape deck had to go)
Dynomat on the doors
Hybrid Audio Stage II Imagine Speakers
Panavise & ProClip phone mount

Appearance:
Black grill
Blacked out corner markers
USFS Dept of Shredding Sticker
SCS F5 in matte gunmetal
Tinted the windows but didn't go dark enough so I'll be going back
Debaged tailgate

Armor:
All Pro front tube bumper
All Pro IFS skid
All Pro sliders

Suspension/Tires:
OME Dakars w/AAL
OME 881s
OME Nitrocharges
OME Shackles
All Pro UCAs
265/75/16 BFG K02 (Used to beCooper ST MAXX)

Drivetrain:
Custom rear driveshaft - Drive Train Industries (Grand Junction, CO)

Accessories (in order of appearance):
Homemade Quick Fist mounts in the bed - They hold my shovel so I can dig myself in and out of street parking spots in the winter and an axe on camping trips.
(removed) Rocky Mounts Clutch Mounts for the bikes
Trail Gear LED turn signals
IPF 968 Lights
1up Hitch Mount Bike Rack
Wildernest


Wish List:
Roof Rack on the Wildernest
Cabinets/Kitchen Counter for the bed
Stainless Brake Lines (i.e. Crown Performance)
Swing out rear bumper
Winch


Pictures of some of the places it has taken me:







Pisgah NF, NC


Imogene Pass, CO


San Isabel NF, CO


Canyonlads National Park, UT


Sedona, AZ

 

09.23.17 - Crossed an item off of the wish list. Picked up a Wildernest in Salida, CO

I'll use this post for Wildernest specific updates

Things that it needs:

• Replace the lock on the back window
• Re-waterproof the existing canvas (I'll probably spray on something quick and cheap for the time being)
• Patch some tears in the canvas. Tears on the rear are significant
• Superglue/silicon a clip that holds the 'nest in place while stowed back into the shell
• New screens for side windows in shell
• Check out the light inside of it, rewire or get rid of it.
• Get a paco pad for it or figure out mattress
• Tent poles for front and rear windows

Here it is right after I picked it up:

First night in the 'Nest. Sunrise on the Arkansas River from Salida East:

Somewhere in Utah:


Camped at the base of Mt. Huron:

Buena Vista, CO:

 

Made some tool mounts for my axe/shovel out of deck ties and some hardware. They fit on the side of my bed above the wheel well. I had to drill out a couple holes in the deck ties to make them a bit larger but otherwise all you need is a screwdriver and a wrench. I had paint laying around so didn't include that in my budget.

Here's my shopping list:

Quick Fists - $10.95
6" Strap Deck Tie - $3.76
1-1/2" Right Angle Deck Tie - $1.16
#8-3/4 Sheet Metal Screws - $1.18 (for attaching the mount to your truck)
#8-3/4 Machine Screws - $1.18 (for the mount itself)
#10-1 Machine Screws - $1.18 (for the mount itself)

and how they came to be:

 

All Pro bumper with my old turn signals zip tied on.

Corner markers and grille blacked out

 

Nice!

 

Looking good.

 

Thanks!

 

The truck is looking on point ben. How's the ride with the all pro uca's?

 

Thanks! Hope we can get out on the trails together soon.

The ride is infinitely better than my 150,000-mile old suspension. It flexes a bunch more in the dirt and is much smoother on the road. It's stiffer than I anticipated but this might change as it breaks in. I like it though because it means I can still take corners like it's a sports car.

 

Do you know the 4th truck (all the way right) has his lights mounted. I really need lights on my truck, and don't want aftermarket bumpers

 

Lol I bet. Yea Def soon man. Maybe we can get up those hills this time

 

That would be me

 

Well pleasure to meet you, PM incoming

 

Likewise buddy.

 

Please take my stock wheels away! They're taking up almost an entire half of my tiny apartment!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2001-sr5-wheels-free.438988/

 

Whenever I go to the Adirondacks, I'm amazed at how awesome a wilderness it is while also being so close to NYC. Also, the truck is lots of fun to drive in the snow.

No truck pictures but a few from various hikes last weekend: