no name taco.... 2016DCSBOR

I have caught the bug.. it bit me hard, as I want to do some traveling across country.. I started watching a bunch of overlanding videos, and quickly got addicted to the idea of offroading, camping, seeing places few get to, all while carrying your stuff with you, albeit my version I will still own my home in Midcoast Maine.

Starting from the beginning October2018.. The wifes car had a bent valve in cylinder #2.. $1800-2000 was the quote I was given for the repair.... well damn.. I looked up the cars value.. 3400 on a good day.. this cars body had seen better days... the engine was burning a little oil, and the interior was filthy (I blame my wife for never cleaning it).. and after she crashed it in 2009 it never rode the same again..

I went hunting for a newer vehicle.. I'm the bread winner, and for the last 5 years I was commuting to work in a 2013 Mazda CX-5 that I bought new with 26 miles on it. it was AWD, and did decent in the snow, much like a subaru.. but for adventuring as I'm going to call it.. i wanted a truck, and something with a V-6 or diesel.. sadly my bank account, and credit rating (its ok, above 700)... I didnt want a huge payment...

I looked online, and my current truck is one of the ones I found. at Lee Toyota in Topsham, about an hour ride away.. soo.. on a thursday, I called in sick to work and went car.shopping. I looked around everything was overpriced, or too used. I stumbled across my 2016 DCSB OR (inferno orange) stock size 265/65/16 yokohama geolandar AT's (new) AVS hood deflector, and window vent.. this is a pic from that night waiting for my parents to show up.
I called my parents to come down, treated them to dinner, and pick up the CX-5, and help me get my new truck home.

winter came upon us.. I ordered myself a few new years presents.. a

roll up tonneau cover off Amazon Tyger $189 so far I'm satisfied with it..

Cali raised Ditch light brackets, adn their 28watt ditch lights, wiring harness, and relay mount, along with a factory style switch $165

I worked a bunch of Overtime at work, and I hated the chrome grille...

TRD PRO grille from $140

so far that is all I have added

other items I've added since then are such as accesories
Baofeng UV5R+ ham radio
butane cook top ($20 walmart)
JetBoil Flash (for coffee, and rehydrating quick meals)
2-5 gallon plastic jerry cans for gas
1-5 gallon plastic jerry can for potable water
1 large tote for toiletries, cooking, dry food storage

1.25" wheel spacers (I like the stock rims, other than a set of beadlocked Method 305's in broze $2k in rims!!) budget controls this one... plus I can find stock rims at a wreckers if I need to.. or ebay... or god forbid a dealer if need be... truck feels more stable, and steering is a bit more vague.. but not bad without alignment..

04/28/2019 2 sets of QuickFist grippers attached to bedrail with Amazon T-slots and a Tractor supply mending brace https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/national-hardware-n351-4561181bc-mending-plates-black-finish?cm_vc=-10005
I made my own shovel, and axe holder, although the holes are a bit close together for the style shovel handle I got, it works well.. all for $28 in quick fists from local marine supply, and 2-$5 plates, and 2 of the 5 $15 T-slots i ordered off amazon.. post a pic soon..

05/01/2019 BIG PURCHASE (will update
*ordered my RTT (ARB-Simpson III, with annex)
*KBVoodoo HiRise bedrails (sadly not enough funds for the Maxrack before the next trip (5 days in northern Maine woods..

I'm still working on solutions for bed organization, and I like to keep my tonneau cover to keep things relatively dry, and clean (bed is not sealed) I hate stuff rattling around in the bed..

things still to buy:
Viair compressor
tire deflator (staun, or deflator tool (undecided)
fire extinguisher (where to store?)
KBvoodoo MaxRack modular 14"
Maxtrax set of 2 to start eventually I want 4
SSO hybrid front bumper with 20"lightbar
10k lb smittybuilt winch with synthetic line, wireless controller
rock sliders (BAMF - bolt on)
rear bumper with single swingarm
2-3" lift OME BP-51 (dream setup, but budget may dictate a simpler Bilstein 5100's with upgraded coils, and rear AAL with U-bolt flip kit from Timbren
https://www.suspensionconnection.co...ywRyWnxa-LxfQf-2b5_lh8j7yxYqgVK0aAs83EALw_wcB
hammer shackle hangers
285/75/r16 Cooper STT Pro, or MAXX still torn between these 2.. as this truck is my DD.

hers a few pics of me out goofing off on my own.. trying not to get stuck anywhere without a winch, or a buddy to give me a tug..





this is what i came from.. fully modified 1974 CJ-5.. edelbrock 650CFM 4bbl carb, adeabrock performer intake, AMC 360 V-8, true dual 2.5" turbo 40's, Ford T-18a, D-20 transfer case, NTD44 rear lincoln locked, stock D30 front, front disc brake conversion, 32" mud king radials, she's a beast, but not practical at all.. and horrid fuel mileage (like 12MPG)..

 

Looks great!

 

Wait til you start modding that Taco lol.

Welcome to the Inferno! We have cookies.

 

Nice truck! do you still have the Jeep??

 

YES, the jeep is sitting in my driveway.. although looking to sell it soon, just dont have time for it. and its needing some work. nothing major, but a bunch of small stuff.. have a BUNCH of upgrades for it too.. just no time or money to put into it.

AMC 360 V-8:upgrades
bulltear SS oil pump midplate
Bulltear HRC cut/matched oil pump gears
bulltear matched timing gear set
bulltear oil filter relocation kit
bulltear oil cooler (not installed)
edelbrock 650CFM 4 barrel carb with offroad needle/seat kit installed (less likely to stall on hills/inclines)
edelbrock performer intake
HEI ignition
1 wire GM alternator (need to fab up a better mount than a long bolt and stacked washers..)

Trans: 1984 Ford T-18A (ford F-250) fully rebuilt less than 2k miles ago, new Novak adapters output shaft.

T-Case: D-20 transfer case-rebuilt less than 2k miles ago stripped, (painted, oil level tube installed, really needs a twin stick setup on it)

rear axle: NTD44 rear axle welded spiders 3.73 gears( goes ok, but with anything larger than the 32" mud kings I'd regear to 4.10, or 4.56 gears) has the larger 11x2" drum brakes and uses the stronger u-bolt style pinion yoke
*rear disc brake converstion from SSBC (not installed)
*all parking brake cables were brand new when rebuilt in 2005

front axle: NTD30 front open diff 3.73 gears (new bearings, and rebuilt in 2004) converted to front disc brakes from a 1976 CJ-5 (knuckles out) warn premium hubs (5 bolt i believe).

Steering: converted to power steering (try and find a 1980's AMC 360 power steering bracket that is not cracked...) new PS box, and lines fora 1976? CJ-7. (steering shaft was shifted lower approx 2 inches lower for a lower steering wheel).

Wheels: american racing 15x8" white steelies (unsure on backspacing/offset)

Tires: 32x11.5" mud king radials only 2k mile on them.

Frame: stock other than the custom rear crossmember I made from 1/4" plate steel, and custom rear high clearance rear bumper with weld through shackles) have front bumper to match, but had to remove to mount my tabor 9500 winch.

body: Fiberglass with 2 inch body lift steel windshield frame, steel hood (original), steel grille (original), fiberglass fenders

electrical: Painless 12 circuit wiring harness (need to be cleaned up, and ends propely terminated (soldering)

Brakes: manual brakes with correct proportioning valve for front discs

uppgrades I have yet to do...
*Scout II Dana 44 widetrack axles (will push tires out 4" each side)
*Oil cooler
*Majave heater installed but not hooked up for blower/switch
*partial top (no doors/frames)
*New brake lines (3/16 copper corrosion resistant line full package, want to replace all the 48" sections of coated/aluminized line and multiple junctions (cleaner look)
*New driveshafts (the one on it, they work, but are a bit too loose (splines/play in shaft for my liking) and the rear shaft need a DC joint in it (too steep an angle on such a short shaft).
*rebuild carb (starts up, but wont stay running think the idle ciruit has a clog, and its been a while
*remove mechanical fuel pump (has an electric micro pump that is more than sufficient with areturn so it does not burn out (also needs hard lines run, strictly rubber line only from tank to the stock mechanical pump. tank,a nd skid are (brand new in 2005)
*hydraulic clutch (the mechanical bellcrank linkage SUCKS!!!.. when you get off angle, and hanging a tire.. the clutch can disengage.. I have the slave, and master cylinder that are supposed to work for it.... just havent had time to do it..)



its a solid jeep, but definitly a bunch of small projects on it that need attention, I lost my wheeling buddy to marriage, house, and kids 5 years ago.. and just lost interest in getting myself stuck without a buddy to help haul my ass out of a mess...

 

KBvoodoo high rise tonneau brackets arrived.. beefy!! theyre definitly going to be able to handle my RTT..

 

bed rack is on.. pretty fast shipping from KBvoodoo.. I ordered on 5/1 (late at night 9:30-10:00pm) had the brackets on friday night (5/3 when i got home from work), and the crossbars came in this afternoon 5/6/19, couldnt wait to install them.. just need to get the RTT before I determine their final resting place as I will have to cut back the gasket foam on the tonneau rails the KBVOODOO brackets make it sit too high..and its pretty dense foam... sadly my tonneau has these thich cross bars that kinda make my tonneau cover not a tonneau.. I tried removing them (they velcro in place, so I may wind up making some thinner ones..) but it just flopped around, and kinda thundered like a drum... its definitly strong though.. there is NO FLEX in the crossbeams ( stood on top of them after install (Im 6'3" 260lbs).... and the brackets look/feel like they can take a beating...

from the shipping labels its roughly 29lbs for the brackets, and 19 for the crossbars.. so 48lbs.. the tent will add approximately 130-165lbs depending on is I carry the annex with me, or not.

 

More progress! My ARB series III Simpson rtt showed up on 5/7...
Boxes arrived!!! Was in the midst of cleaning/ detailing interior when trucker came wandering to the back yard. Backed the truck up to the trailer and just loaded it onto the crossbars... package had slight damaging, but was double boxed.. interior box was unscathed.. set about to continue cleaning the truck.. until it started to rain.. figured it was time to switch gears as I was home alone, and no way to move the 171lb package into the house by myself.
All packed up it sits just at the roof line. I do need to replace or cut the ss bolts shorter so I dont have to use the longer strap type mounting and just do 4 bolts to the crossbars.. I packed it up when the rains stopped around 7:30pm.. and then I opened it to air out at work today..