Paradise Blue Single Cab First Gen Build!

Hello all and welcome to my upcoming build thread! My truck is a 1997 Tacoma 2.7L 4x4 5 speed base. It is basically a factory truck with the exception of LED headlights and my CB setup. I've had the truck for a little over 3 years and have always liked the factory look. However, I'm ready for some changes. Problem being, it is a highway truck and rides up and down a 7% grade every day. I've always been a broke high schooler/college kid, but now I work full-time and can afford to do things. Upcoming changes include:

-3"-4" suspension lift
-3rd gen 4runner 5 star wheels
-235/85/16's or 265/75/16. Leaning towards 235/85/16.
- Re-gear to 4.30 or 4.56, leaning towards 4.56 for extra torque climbing the mountain. Also, if I can find it, a factory e-locker rear axle swap with the new gears.

This should come in just the next few months.
First is current setup, second is a month or two after I first got the truck. It is still super clean and absolutely no rust.

 

welcome to tacoma world

ooh paradise blue, too bad it's a rare color because it's so pretty

Nice truck and good luck for your build
Well, you're already lucky to have the prettiest color out there matched with the best looking front end year!

 

Welcome to TW!

I have a 2nd Gen regular cab myself, and the regular cab is probably my favorite style of Tacoma.

You should start out with functional stuff. Since your rig is a base model, it probably does not have intermittent wipers. If the lack of this feature bothers you as much as it did me, you should installed a stalk with the variable/intermittent function. It's very easy to do in a 2nd Gen, but I'm unsure of 1st Gen.

You should also add a backup camera and a head unit with Bluetooth.

 

Welcome to TW!

I have a 2nd Gen regular cab myself, and the regular cab is probably my favorite style of Tacoma.

You should start out with functional stuff. Since your rig is a base model, it probably does not have intermittent wipers. If the lack of this feature bothers you as much as it did me, you should installed a stalk with the variable/intermittent function. It's very easy to do in a 2nd Gen, but I'm unsure of 1st Gen.

You should also add a backup camera and a head unit with Bluetooth.

 

Those wheels look good on there. Save your money.
EVERYONE ELSE has black

 

I cannot wait until the black wheel trend dies the fiery death it deserves to die. Down with the hovercraft! Silver wheels for the win!

 

Love the color I had a 98 extra cab 2wd same color a few years back to bad the rust got to it good luck on the build.

 

Take it from an old guy......Keep it the way it is. It is beautiful! Buy a beater to modify and scratch or invest the money. I wish he black wheels would go away as well.

 

Oh it will mostly be a pavement princess lol. I don't want to make it a crawler or a hardcore bigger, just something like for camping, a mild trail, and keep it looking nice as it should be.

As for the black wheels, I'm not 100% sure on that. the reason I would like the black wheels because everything on the truck is black (bumpers, future soft top, etc.) I have seen some graphite colored wheels like FJ or TRD wheels that I really like as well.

And yes it does have the intermittent wipers, as well as a bluetooth head unit and sub under the seat. Does also have a K&N cold air intake. I changed the horn to a low tone because I hate the pussified factory hi tone horn lol.

Also I just got my heat back from a heater core job done in a few hours in my garage. What a pain that was, at least I never had to drain the AC.

 

Just a quick update-

-Lift is ordered: Skyjacker 3" lift with new strut and add-a-leaf
-Wheels are ordered: No they're not black.
-Managed to find a dash panel for the OEM clock beside the ignition switch. Now to find said clock!

Currently debating on tire sizes and then gear ratios. I am thinking 4.56 and 32's for the power gain, but also 4.30 and 32's to keep milage about the same. It would also bring the rpms down on my daily commute.

 

You're out of high school, you're out of college, you have a real job now---and you still want black wheels? Interesting.

Edit: just saw that you came to your senses! One less hovercraft truck out there.

 

Lol yeah I did. I photoshopped some on my truck and didn’t particularly like it. 4Runner 5 stars for me!

 

love the color! my first truck was a '95 plain 4x4 truck before the '95.5 and was a dark blue color. When I traded in a couple years later for a more 'beefier' Tacoma they unfortunately only had a white, green and black model on the lot of which 2 were automatics (not sure I could get the dark blue anymore way back when) …

I am just curious as to what type of bugshield / hood protector you have there? I am having great difficulty in locating a Toyota bugshield for my '97 that was recently literally destroyed in a highway ditching incident.

Also, I am curious as to why your back gate has different design than mine does being as its the same model year? perhaps somebody can educate me on the history of that design
-Jj

 

Yes. I've been looking for 4runner 5 stars for a year now. No luck. I'll get them eventually. In my opinion, the best looking toyota wheels out there.

 

I got my 5-star wheels from need-a-wheel.com. They were $129 a piece, sandblasted and repainted with free shipping. As soon as I get them I’ll upload some pics.

As far as the big deflector and the tailgate the design, those were both there when I got the truck over three years ago. I don’t really like the tailgate; I want the blue TOYOTA sticker on the tailgate like it was originally. I can barely see the outline in the clear coat from where the sticker was, so the previous owner must’ve ditched it, as well as put the bug shield on. He also must’ve put the K&N intake on.

 

I concur.

 

Nice truck, I don't know if it's been mentioned yet but you said you wanted a 3-4" suspension lift...myself and many others on here would advise against going over 3" if you have 4wd, 2.5" is a safer bet. Reason being is that at 3" or higher your CV axles start to get too severely angled and they will be a lot more likely to fail, and the boots on them start to rub which will cause them to break apart very quickly.

2wd Tacomas can get away with higher lifts but 4x4s should stay at 2.5" or under...unless you go with a drop bracket lift which keeps the front drivetrain in the stock location...but then you don't really gain any front clearance.

 

The lift I ordered is a an adjustable skyjacker lift. It’ll go anywhere from 1-3” in the front and I think 1.5-2” in the rear with the add-a-leaf.

I’m aware the steep angles of the axles will hurt them, but I drive with my hubs unlocked anyways. The axles don’t spin unless the axles are locked so I’m not too concerned about that at the time. While I swap the front diff, I’ll try to remember to stretch the boot out a hair anyways to keep the fins from rubbing one another.

 

What is the current gear ratio? 4.10s?

 

Nope. Current ratio is factory 3.58.