Let the conversion begin :P

Thanks man, still workin on it. It's a Nova in front.

The Mud Fugger just turned 240k miles and is still running strong! well as strong as those 3.0L were lol. I do think it has a small gas leak on a fuel line by the tank but, should be a quick fix. These hardbodies were the shiz, hard for me to even think about selling mine too.

 

Took a few pics at lunch with my phone, I'll try to get better ones with the good camera when I get home.

 

LOVE the switches...

 

K, finally sunny and I took some pics today, trucks still dirty. If you want to read the descriptions of what I did, try to click on the pic. Should show up. I'm still going to make a build page just going to take me time to put it together. And I gotta find all the other pics from along the way.

Thanks

Side view with my D21 in back





Trucks










Switch Panel














Interior pics

 

I haven't had time to build or do anything with the doors but, something will happen with them. The gears are still turning in my head figure out exactly what I want to do.

 

do you have any progress pics from building the switch panel?

 

I'm still looking for them, I'm pretty sure I took some however apparently they were not on my iPhone. I'm going to search the other cameras and computers. I'll definitely post them if I find them, I'll be really bumbed if I can't find them. The switch panel seems to be stirring a lot of interest.

 

Got off my butt tonight and shot some iPhone pics of the light output. Going to line both trucks up one night and do a side by side with halogen VS HIDs. BTW, it's pitch black out, no street lights anywhere near and the trees are about 250ft away.

These first sets are from the driver seat:

Headlights only


Headlights + driving lights


Headlights + driving + HID roof lights


HID roof lights only



Standing outside the truck

Headlights only


Headlights + driving


Headlights + driving + Off road lights


Off-road lights only



Back LED lights, need to adjust them up a bit, they are aimed down a little, extremely happy with output. Pics don't do any of these lights justice.





Just after I mounted all the lights

 

subbed

 

Can you post up pictures of how you ran your roof rack lights? Thanks in advance...

 

I love the switches!! And you can never go wrong with the jesters, i want some myself!! great build man +1

 

I'll try to snap some pics later. But I drilled through the factory black rubber strip in a smaller diameter than the 4 conductor (x2) I ran for the lights. Then drilled through the channel underneath it. Rubber grommets and silicone to seal it up. The seal on the 4 conductor jacket is pretty tight to keep water from running down past the rubber into the channel. And I'm sure water goes under the rubber from else where so I siliconed it up anyway. Been through unrelenting rain this summer and a hurricane and not a single drop in the ceiling, so i'm happy. I ran two 4 conductor sets so I have extra options up there for future use. I also used water proof connectors for the lights so I can remove the rack if I so choose. I'll try to get some pics, it's raining hard here today.

Thanks! And I love my Jeters! Get lots of complements and heads turning. I like the red accents and I'm trying to carry out the black with red accents around the rest of the truck. Good thing no one has them around here and hopefully it will stay that way. I haven't seen them anywhere yet on another truck.

Update

I bought a slim tool box from Lowes for $150 or something like that and bedlined it black. I know it's not the most sturdy thing but it'll do for now.

I also fabricated up some pretty cool mounts for the factory tie downs which allow me to use my roof racks for my daily driver in the bed. It's nice because I just have to loosen the factory tie downs slip these in and tighten down. They have a rise to them so anything that is long can clear the toolbox. Or they can be put in from under the tie down to sink down into the bed. I put a lip on the end that goes behind and to the side to keep them from sliding out or just being pulled up or down. IE the knob has to be loosened far out enough to clear these lips (safety and functional feature). I TIG welded every thing from 1.5" flat stock, 3/4" and 1" square stock. Only thing is I need to get longer Thule load bars. The ones I have are too short (for a Jetta wagon). I can attach my bike racks, snowboard racks, surf racks or anything else I want back there. I like it!

These aren't the best pics, heck I didn't even tighten the racks down I was just getting a working idea. I'll go take some of them not installed when it stops raining. The last pic you can kinda see the lip underneath, so you can see how it keeps them from pulling up or allows them to be used upside down. My cousin is a lawyer and thinks it's such a neat idea he is looking into patent. LOL

I'm trying to save up for sliders and a rear bumper now... Looks like it's gonna be a while though....

 

Nice man! Love the Pathy! I had one and would probably still have it if I didn't get car jacked and the dude totaled it! Here's a couple pics.... Loved that truck!

 

Pics of the tie down rack mounts.

This is how you slide them down; Unscrew the tie down all the way out then slide them in and tighten until it clicks.










Mounted from the bottom






Just some playing a couple weeks ago.

 

I love it all man great job!! I am ordering my leather kit this next week and also plan on dying my panels the same as you did on the bottom of the seats. I am still debating on dying the center console or not. I also am looking to change to color of the carpet...

Tomorrow I am going to do some research and find out if the carpet from a 2012/3 is identical and if so, how much. Ill let you know what I find out.

couple questions for you since I am doing pretty much this same thing this month:

-What leather kit is that? I was going to order a catzkin kit with the perforation like yours. I might add TRD embroidery and contrast stitching though.

-Before you sprayed the dye, exactly what steps did you take to prep the plastic?

-Did you put a clear coat on after the dye? I heard you can do this to prevent the accidental scratched like you mentioned already happening.

-Do you think the Duplicolor dye you used can also be used to spray the shift bezel with the cup holder? Im assuming since you said you already sprayed it that it will work fine but just wondering what you though?

-Ever considered dying the door sill trim pieces to help complete the 2-tone look? My worry would be the high traffic on them might wear quickly, but Im debating that part still.

And did you know that the same exact spray you used for the dash can be used on the carpet as well. If it is the Dupli-color vinyl/plastic dye then it will work great. Probably saves about $150-200 on a new carpet. I think dying the carpet then putting some weather techs over them would hold up well and look great.

Sorry for all the questions... Just really interested because I am doing the exact same upgrade/mod.

Keep up the great work!!

 

What kind of roof basket is that? I'm really liking it.

 

Thanks! I didn't go with the catskinz, I got them of of ebay. (second vehicle I've gotten them for) really good quality and color options also available, custom stitching available, etc. just much less expensive. I think I paid $450 shipped. If you want two tone its the same price just have to wait a while. Below is a like to them, they are called Clazzio.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyota-Taco...fits=Model:Tacoma&hash=item337b6baeca&vxp=mtr

I clean the panels really well with mineral spirits and my little trick that has always seem to work is dry them with a heat gun and then before I hit them with the dye I warm up the panels with the heat gun again to try to open up the "pores" in the panel. Then I spray with adhesive promotor. Heat again and then hit with several light coats of the dye to keep the texture. I have used a satin clear coat in the past but didn't in this case and it has held up really well. The scratch on the back of the center console was so deep that it went down into the plastic more like a gouge than a scratch so no coating would have prevented it.

Yes, I know I can dye the carpet as well, but I'm trying to see if I can replace the whole thing just because of some wear spots but, it's looking like I may go that route and do weather techs like you are planning on doing. A few trips to the forest and the cloth TRD ones are looking well used already, probably was a mistake going with the cloth ones. But I was in a hurry and they were cheap. But definitely let me know if you find out about the carpet!!!

For the gear shift bezel I used SEM dye, I've never gone wrong with it, I also painted the radio trim and a/c bezel with the same SEM for a better match. Holding up really well to the abuse of being a flat surface and many cups going in and out of the holder. Everything else was Duplicolor product and I have to say it has help up just as well.

I haven't done anything with the doors yet, I'm still debating on whether to do a stereo in here or not and that will dictate whether or not I customize the doors. But, I will tell you I have an idea and color scheme in mind if I don't. just haven't revealed it yet.

Thanks, The roof basket is a rhino basket now. It used to be a Rage basket when I bought one for my D21 pickup, but I guess they merged or Rhino bought it or something. I had to search for it because I did like it so much on my D21 I wanted another for the Taco. I believe I got it off of Amazon, and it's much less expensive than other baskets on the market. I noticed that now that its a Rhino it also comes with a plastic faring but I didn't use it, it goes right where my front facing lights are.

they've gone up in price! I think mine was $189+, seems they are now $230+, but still a nice basket, comes with mounts for crossbars and stuff already.

http://www.amazon.com/Rhino-Rack-Mo...=1347128521&sr=8-1&keywords=rhino+roof+basket

 

Nice work man, wow.

Im loving the Lights,

Also I may end up getting that same tool box and doing what you did, coat it in black,

Thanks for the idea!

 

I may have missed it but where did you get the switches??

Thank You

Bill

 

I like your bed rack fab pieces. Would you be interested in fabbing some more and selling them?

Nice build man, I love your truck