Built by a 14 year old (with some help from my dad)

yes, material is free as long as it is 1/4". so we will make it work. we are light in the rear anyways, don't even have a spare

 

I was gonna ask if that was 1/4 or 3/16. Bumper is gonna be super beefy

 

Bumper progress:

 

Looks awesome

 

I just sat down and read this entire thread. It's beyond impressive. Obviously your dad has a well stocked garage with lathe, tube bender, multi ton press and all the tools and welders needed for this awesome project. And let's not forget his knowledge and ingenuity to complete this build and passing his life experiences on to his son. I hope that when your about 21 or so, you do something really nice for your dad for helping you complete this bad ass looking Tacoma.
I'm 65 and retired on disability now, but I think back on my youth after reading this, and hell I couldn't get my dad to take us fishing, or camping. He did take us hunting once on a company owned deer lease. He was just too busy chasing the Almighty Dollar. He grew up dirt poor in Oklahoma during the depression era. Don't get me wrong I loved my Dad dearly, and me and my older brother took care of him during his last years. He lived to be 90, and we miss him.
So be humbled by this experience and don't forget to give dad many hugs and thanks for all the hard work.
As others have already stated, this has to be the best build ever on TW, and I think this truck should be added to the 2023 TW calendar without a doubt. Thank you so much taking the time to create and post this thread. The knowledge and hard work ethics your dad has passed onto you should last a lifetime.

Maybe I should have stated the truck be added to the 2024 calendar, since it's almost 2023 already.

 

If you're ditching the factory hitch, that weighs a good bit so the net gain really won't be too terribly much. My old bumper was 3"x4"x1/4 " tube and 3/16" wings and it was still only 115 lbs.

 

we got the rest of the shape roughed in, lots of welding and grinding coming up

 

We took it off and added some pieces across the bottom:


2 hours of welding:


And 1 hour of grinding:

 

getting there! Nice work!

 

We put on some filler to smooth out the corners:


Then POR-15:


Then Raptor Liner:

 

Sweet I hope you and your dad had a good new years.

 

bumper is on and came out really good:

 

That looks great, so your finishing process is Bondo, POR, then raptor liner? Is there any primer used?

 

Awesome

 

Sounds like a great start to fun adventures ...I recommend only changing parts that will improve the performance ..have fun with it

 

Yes, thats it with scuffing the POR before the raptor

 

@jwarr how's the project coming along ?

 

I clicked on as soon as it popped up hoping it was a update

 

Great, it is pretty much done. I get my license in 4 weeks. Pretty much only small things left. We added the 4runner dust shields to the front brakes. We also charged the AC ourselves by first putting a vacuum pump onto the system and pumping it down, then valved it off to look for any signs of leaks. we added 2 12 oz cans of 134a, we tried to keep a little in the second can because we read that the capacity should be 22 oz, but it is hard to do and it all went in. so it is probably a little overcharged. but it was getting to 42 degrees, so hopefully good:




Need to get it registered and then get an alignment done. We are looking for an alignment shop in new england that will spend the extra time to adjust the SPC upper arms

 

That's a sick build and you will appreciate it more that you and your old man did it together. Lots of memories to come enjoy it