The Prodigal Son Returns - Build

We took it out last night on it’s maiden voyage and it felt really solid up on top of the camper shell with just the 2 Yakima rack bars. I don’t think it needs reinforcement, or the need to sell this canopy to buy one with reinforced honeycomb in the fiberglass or whatever

Here’s the mounting setup with it up top:

 

Looks like an awesome camping spot! I also like that your wife is creeping in the first photo

 

I was actually just creeping on your IG this morning looking at your hard shell canopy & I think tent up top (?). Gonna do further investigating here on TW now that you reminded me

I didn’t notice it until later that she photo bombed it

 

Yeah, it’s a Go Fast Camper. It’s a hard shell canopy with tent built in. So far it has been a nice upgrade over our RTT with the extra space. We just wanted something that provided more covered space for the kid and her pack n’ play crib. Otherwise we probably would have stuck with our RTT.

 

Awesome! Might have to try it out on mine see how it goes.

That camping spot is beautiful!

 

Planning on starting a similar drawer build this weekend, really impressed with how this turned out. quick question for ya: did you secure the drawers to the bed at all? or are they just kept in there via gravity?

 

I appreciate it man. I did not secure the bed drawers. I have confidence in the lock that they can’t be opened unless someone’s uses a hammer, crow bar and/or an axe. The weight of it loaded, there’s no way even a couple guys would get far with it if they could even scoot it out of the bed

 

Good to hear, I wasn't too worried about people making off with my stuff, more about the drawers shifting in the bed. Glad to hear that isn't a significant issue though!

 

It never shifts either. It’s very snug side to side with the wheel wells and doesn’t slide front-back

 

Installed my Warn m8000-s. Mounting the solenoid was tricky, no room in the bumper so I had to order a relocation pack with extended cables (76”) to swap them out. I found a pre existing mounting location and the mounting bracket that came with the winch - you just need to flatten the ends of the bracket that are bent 90*

 

Here's a few more pics of the solenoid location







Here's some nasty wiring. I'm fine with it for now until I need to get a new battery cause this one is leaking a lot of corrosion out of the post(s)

 

Here's some exterior shots I took when at the dog park today:

 

Here's a few interior pictures:

 

Seeing your 1st gen makes me miss mine sometimes... I love how comfortable my 3rd gen is, but wheeling a 1st gen was much more fun!

 

That’s funny cause often I think how nice a double cab would be, and the comfort aspect but I can’t complain at not having sensors & having the simplicity and reliability of the 1st Gen

 

Exactly. The sensors/features have been pretty nice for long trips, but it just depends on how you plan to use the truck. Those double cab 1st gens have been getting pricy too. Heck, all Tacomas have been holding crazy value over the last year or so.

 

I looked at literally buying a DC and swapping over all of my mods, this was about a year ago. All the low mileage, not modded DC 1st Gen Tacos around WA/ID/OR we’re in the $15-20k price range. I figured I’d wait. Might make the jump to a newer 4Runner in the next few years. We’ll see if the family grows

 

I'd be lying if I said I haven't considered swapping over to a 1st gen double cab given how much "built" 3rd gens have been going for lately. But it would have to be a ridiculous deal on a very low miles 1st gen for me to actually go through with it and not feel like I've lost too much in the mods I've bought so far. At the end of the day I don't think I want to go through that headache.

That's exactly why I got rid of my extended cab 1st gen. Didn't want to throw money into a vehicle I knew I'd have to see as soon as we have kids. 4 months after buying the 3rd gen we found out we had a kid on the way, haha! I was very close to getting a 4Runner over a 3rd gen Tacoma as well. But at the time a new 4Runner was about $5k more for a vehicle with less features, so that pushed me over to sticking with a Tacoma. I'm very interested to see when they finally make a new 4Runner generation.

 

In an ideal world, for sure! That's like finding a unicorn when you find "a ridiculous deal on a very low mileage 1st Gen", but I guess they're out there. I've heard of dudes straight robbing people, like finding a garage or barn stored later 1st Gen with like 40k miles and pristine paint

When are they supposed to come out with the new generation of 4Runner?
We are in the same exact boat. Like the 3rd Gen would be sweet but also, I have a canopy on all the time and like having bed storage drawers so what's the difference between a Tacoma with a canopy that will VERY rarely come off, and a 4Runner... ya know?

So many decisions, so much money with either route too

 

Question for you: Which of your 1st gens do you think you like better overall, the 99 or the 02?