DJB1's 2003 Regular Cab

My first Tacoma was a 2nd gen double cab, which was alright at first but I grew to despise it. I've always loved Toyota 4X4s but the more they change their trucks to fit normal American preferences, the less I like them. I got addicted to awesome 1st gen regular cab builds from @Jiveydude, @Ritchie, @allenfab and @cdj1. My incurable lust for these utilitarian little mules meant that the 2nd gen had to go and "Whitey" came into my world.

Our first day:




Recent:





Exterior:

-El cheapo ebay TOYOTA tailgate decal
-El cheapo used aluminum shell
-Junkyard sourced OEM sliding rear window
-Painted cab pinch welds black (AKA instant 3/8" lift)
-Relentless Fab aluminum tailgate reinforcement
-Relocated turn signals:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/01-04-blinker-relocation-mod.305152/

Interior:

-Dynamatted cab
-Uniden CMX560 compact CB

Wheels & Tires:

-1st gen spare steel wheels
-Yokohama Geolandar MT 255/85r16 tires

Engine:

-NAPA Platinum AGM battery
-New spark plugs, water pump, drive belts and coolant
-Custom starting/charging system 8GA cables with 130A alternator and military-spec battery terminals.
-3RZ deckplate mod:
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/79-1st-generation-1995-5-2004/386372-deck-plate-mod-my-2-7l.html
-Wiper fluid reservoir relocated to engine bay:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-wiper-fluid-reservoir-relocation-for-1st-gen-tacomas.441906/
-Flowmaster 50 muffler

Chassis:

-4:88 gears
-Front & rear Harrop e-lockers
-Old Man Emu 880 coils/Dakars/greaseable shackles
-SPC upper control arms
-True North Fabrications skid plate
-BAMF LCA skids
-Sonoran Steel diff drop
-Toytec steering rack bushings (yuuuge difference)
-Marlin Crawler shifter bushing kit
-CBI Off Road frame reinforcement plates
-Sky's Off Road spring hanger reinforcements
-Stubbs Welding HD-SKO rock sliders
-Trail Gear front bumper, reviewed here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ow-profile-bumper-for-1st-gen-tacomas.441752/
-Rear diff breather mod:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/differential-breather-mod-for-dummies-pics.15686/
ADD to manual hub conversion:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...or-the-1st-gen-tacoma-3rd-gen-4runner.460180/
-Wheeler’s Off Road extended rear brake line
-PlasticsGuy Durobump bump stops
-Deleted ABS and LSPV garbage

 

Goodbye chalky paint!


I love this little bugger! My first mod was the old wheels & tires from my 2nd gen. I think these wheels look better on the 1st gen trucks. I also like that they're hub-centric and only 7" wide. Next up will be new spark plugs and belts, then synthetic oil in the diffs, t-case and transmission. In the near future I'll do the deckplate mod, new steering rack bushings and a @BamaToy1997 Stage II electrical upgrade in preparation for a winch & plate bumper.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that "Whitey" already has a reinforced theft-prevention tailgate (metal on both sides!), double cardan one-piece rear driveshaft, flexible off-road worthy mudflaps, dechromed and debadged. 2nd gen "mods" are 1st gen standard features!

 

Great looking regular cab. I like the rims on it. I have a 98 regular cab. I love it. Tough as nails. 220,000 miles on her. Still running very strong. Curious as to what a Bamatoy electrical upgrade is?? Also curious as to what you paid for that low mileage gem?

 

Thank you, @98tacoma3rz, I agree. Last night when I was done primping and preening him I had to sit on my front porch with a cold one and gaze lovingly into his headlights. Here is the link to Bamatoy1997's electrical upgrade kit for 1st gen Tacomas. So stoked for it...

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1st-gen-electrical-system-upgrade.311091/

What I paid, I will only say it was way above KBB but well below what a dealer would have charged for low-mile 1st gen 4X4's, as they are extremely popular here. Myself and the seller were quite happy with the price.

 

That white with the black fenders, grill, and bumpers make your regular cab an eye catcher!

The 2nd gen wheels do look sharp on your 1st gen.

 

Well, things are happening a little faster than expected because I just got a screamin' deal on these barely used Cooper ST Maxx 235/85r16's on 2nd gen steelies. Thank you so much, @ikarus! I planned on putting this exact combo together at some point in the future anyway, so this was quite fortuitous.

 

Thanks!

 

Electrical upgrades are pretty nice. I upgraded my alternator to a 130amp. Stock was 70amp. Had 215k miles on stock alternator. Still worked but had it rebuilt for a spare. I was able to fit a group 24 dual purpose marine battery in the stock battery tray too. Helped a lot with winch and air compressor.

I bought my regular cab from a one owner with a carfax of literally every 5k miles at toyota dealer. I paid above kbb too but when you find a nice tacoma like yours it's totally worth it. 230k on mine. Only had one issue. Head gasket went out around 200k. Other than that just preventative maintenance. I've wheeled the hell out of it too ☺

 

What kind of lift are you planning on? Does it have 4.10 gears?

 

What I have in mind is a 2-ish inch lift that will be fairly plush and allow for some decent bump absorption. I'm thinking for the rear, Wheeler's 8-leaf packs and bump stops along with greasable pins/shackles. For the front I'd like a reputable brand of adjustable coilovers with Wheeler's bump stops. I don't know my gear ratio. Right now I'm kicking around the idea of getting front and rear truetrac diffs before a lift, but before any of that I'd like to find a decent used aluminum shell for weatherproof sleeping and storage.

 

Nice! Sounds like a good plan. I have 4.10 gears with 32" tires and around 3 inches of lift. Truck is a dog now. Regearing is my next mod. I have Old Man Emu Dakars. Been very pleased with them. I have a powertrax no slip rear locker as well. Been great too. I'm probably going to regear in the next month or so and will be selling my 3rd member with the locker. Do you have ADD or manual hubs on that?

 

I'm interested in the truetrac limited slip diffs because I hear they're more predictable than lockers for winter driving and more civilized on dry pavement. I think those with a winch in the future will be plenty capable for my needs. I have ADD hubs and I love manual hubs but I've heard the ADD's are stronger. Know anything about that?

 

I would be real suprised if the ADD system is stronger than manual hubs....

 

I thought I had read somewhere that ADD front ends had thicker CV axles and I just found it on TTORA: But I'd still switch to manual hubs if I stumbled across a good deal on the parts...

 

New steering rack bushings, swaybar bushings, Bamatoy1997 Stage II electrical upgrade and Redline gear oil are on their way!

 

I'm not sure which is stronger but I believe manual hubs would be more reliable. Less to go wrong. I have read that if you break an axle with manual hubs you can still drive it home. ADD not the case. Either way they're Toyotas so they're strong no matter what lol.

I put redline oil in my truck as well. Great stuff. Just pricey. Not many people know that the front and rear diff should be GL-5. Not either gl-4 or gl-5.

 

That's what I meant to say aswell in regards to ADD vrs manual.

 

New spark plugs are in, throttle body is cleaned, all drivetrain oils are changed to Redline synthetic. Steering rack bushings are changed and really weren't too bad to do after the old bushings soaked in PB Blaster for a while. The little guy drives like a brand new truck. @BamaToy1997 Stage II electrical upgrade is on its way. I may even get motivated to put on the Cooper ST Maxx 235/85's in time for a trip to Southern Utah in a few weeks.

I was slightly worried the 2.7L would feel too slow after driving a 4.0L 2nd gen for several years but after driving a rental 2015 Silverado 6.2L for work the past few weeks, everything else I've ever driven feels slow. This afternoon I dropped off the rental Silverado and picked up my 2014 F-150 company truck from the body shop after it got rear-ended with only 4000 miles on the clock. The F-150 has a 5.0L V8 which now feels like a 4-banger compared to that 6.2L Silverado.

So I've spent several months in a new F-150 and several weeks in a new Silverado, but my "new" Tacoma is still the most satisfying to drive for some weird reason. It has almost no options other than A/C, the wipers don't even automatically wipe when you spray fluid on the windshield, the cab is a lot noisier than a 2nd gen, it rides like an old willys jeep and I love every second of it.

 

I checked my axle code and I have 4:30 gears. So far I've only tried 4-Lo in my driveway but that explains why it feels crazy-low compared to my 2nd gen.

 

awesome!