The 2.7l 5spd RC Hooptie Build

I traded my 2011 Silverado for this little fuel sipping Tacoma. I began collecting and acquiring steel and parts from other vehicles to turn this little truck into a mediocre fuel efficient vehicle that can go lots of places few can!
The day brought her home

Only 32k on the clock for 2010 pretty sweet
Vs
Current


Suspension
Front:
-Fox 2.0 series struts
-SPC UCA (installed)
Rear:
-Bilstein 5100s
-Dakar AAL
-Shackle Flip
Armor
-Self fabricated skid plates, front and rear bumpers
Rims/Tires
-American Racing Baja rims
-Treadwright 35/12.5/17s
Misc.
-Badlands 9k lb winch
-Bucket seat conversion
-Softopper
-Hilux snorkel
-KC spotties
-Useless lights that came off my 4runner with KC covers
-Cobra 19 DX IV with a custom tune
-5' Firestik
-4lo TRAC wire mod
-Ram Mount for the phone and ipad

 

For some reason I decided lift was priority so immediately made a decision to go with adjustable bilsteins with 3 inch eibachs up front with 5100s and an AAL in the rear (really regret this decision)



Also the same weekend bent up some ditch light brackets for a set of KC spotties. And around the same time decided a snorkel was necessary (truck had still not seen the end of the pavement)

Next I began the ever changing front bumper!

Originally I started with a tube style bumper because I had a bunch of tube lying around.

Version 1.0 complete

And after all that work an adventure finally ensued!

 

The road to more adventure!

I picked up a beat up set of rims off an FJC

They needed to be stripped refinished and repainted

Painted them a color called oiled bronze

I went on a mini adventure to a friend's camp while waiting for tires to come


During that short trip we planned a big overland style trip now know as The First Annual JD Wilderness Fest! A three day adventure through maine on mostly dirt roads. This trip required some serious rig prep!
First it was time for a front skid plate, so I rigged up a plate bender that used the weight of the truck on a piece of chanel (that is now part of my back bumper)

You can see the outline drawn in to be cut

Next my tires came in! Treadwright Guard dogs in a 285/70/17

I began planning how to add a winch to the front bumper
And I also needed more storage for so I began making a bed rack to house my spare a jerry can and my hi lift

I don't have any finished product pics but you will see it the pics from JD Wilderness Fest shortly. The Wednesday before the trip I got the tires mounted balanced and aligned. And a flex pic! With the skid plate tires and rims mounted!
And Friday morning I was off to the races after working on the trick until one in the morning replacing a cv axle that had started clicking finishing and painting the bed rack I was off with one stop to make. Forgot to change my oil. You can kind of see the back rack.
Then it was a B line for my buddy JD's house to get him and his tj on the move
We drove late into the night trying to make our planned camp site but at about 1130pm it was time to call it a night and settled for this sweet campsite!

We drove almost all day as we were to meet up with a buddy up near Moosehead lake

A few more shots for viewing pleasure before more building takes place

This was our destination on the last day pretty cool

And the parting shot

I travel with to many jeeps!
More to come but my lunch break is over

 

[Reserved]

 

[Reserved #2]

 

New addition to the command center. Not fully functional but soon enough

 

Latest and greatest! I scored a set of SPC UCAs through a group buy and they sat on my desk for a couple months while I decided what to do about changing out the struts and settled on the Fox 2.0 shocks...could not be happier rides like a Cadillac!
Before

(way too high cruising through CVs steering was touchy ride was stiff)
Out with the old!

Old vs new


And after all suspension mods one must do a flex test!

 

Lookin good. I need to redo my whole front suspension, it's getting worn out.

 

Thanks! The truck has changed quite a bit even since my last update here...really dig your build too man

 

Thanks man! These regular cabs are definitely fun. Haha

 

Fun and extremely capable! I may try to bring this thread a little bit more up to date

 

For sure, the wheelbase is perfect. That's what I've been trying to do to. It sucks though because I was so far behind it took forever to play catch up. So definitely get it caught up before its too late. Haha

 

Only real downside is lack of power but I'll take it...yeah I have some catching up to do one of these days Ill get it caught up

 

While I'm at it...I did get into some leaf peeping and camping this weekend in NH! Had a great time camping at Pillsbury State Park. Scored a great secluded camp site on a pond!




Even got into a bit of wheeling!

 

Looks like a good time!

 

Thanks man...it really does look like a real truck now I drove around with half finished bumpers and stock rims and tires with a 3.5" lift for awhile really played the part of the hooptie...not so much anymore!

 

Well I'm going to try to bring this up to date in one post there will be a lot of pictures and some explaining of said pics...doing this now because there are some big changes coming!
First up the only picture I have of the shackle flip I did!

I am on my 3rd front bumper I have sold the first couple here is a quick evolution of the front end.
The tube bumper

The winch bumper

And finally my favorite and current with a 2" receiver for the winch to be removed for daily driving!
Without the winch

And with the winch

Somewhere between the first and second front bumpers a rear high clearance bumper with a swing out was fabbed...this has been one of the best modifications I have done to the truck. it has saved my bedsides on numerous occasions and has actually saved me from rolling the truck...slipped into a rut and the truck stood on the drivers side 2 wheels while leaning on the rear bumper ( not the bedside!) anyway pictures!
While being fabbed

And in action right before the near role experience
As you can see in the the last picture I also added a softopper...absolutely love this thing! I found it on Craigslist for half price and I absolutely love it. It has changed the truck completely not only visually but how I am able to use the bed space both for work and for wheeling/camping (overlanding?) trips.
Well that is pretty much up to date just daily driving and the occasional wheeling trip...always tinkering and slightly modifying...stay tuned because there are some bigger changes coming somewhat soon mostly waiting on parts at the moment!

 

Diggin' the rear bumper. nice work!