Tooting my horn

When I purchased my 1997 Tacoma DLX one year ago, it had a blown head gasket, totally clogged heater core and radiator, spaghetti wiring everywhere, and dangerously defective front suspension. The truck felt like a death-trap on the highway. To make matters worse, I had no prior experience with driving a manual transmission vehicle.

Over the last year, I have slowly improved my truck. I work on it in an enclosed parking garage attached to my apartment building without access to electricity. I use hand tools for everything.

Recently, I supercharged the 3RZ-FE with a 70mm pulley. After about 500 miles, I checked and upgraded the spark plugs to Ruthenium plugs (heat rating of 5; not exceptionally "cold" but "cold" spark plugs can foul more quickly anyway so there's a real cost-benefit analysis to conduct relative to boost). While I was at that, I conducted a dry compression test.

The results of that test are as follows:

1. 170
2. 169
3. 172
4. 175

The variation above is extremely low, and each respective value is incredibly close to what is stated in the owner's manual, namely 178. I am so happy.

Absolutely every single person in my life told me not to buy this truck. My mother demanded that I return it. The woman I dated around the time I bought it - openly hated it. My colleagues said I was nuts because they know I can afford something far "nicer". My best friend said I was an idiot.

Even if this truck gets stolen or wrecked, I don't regret a single minute or dollar spent on improving this truck.

No matter what anyone says, I am proud of this old thing, and I am proud of myself for manifesting something I quietly admired as a kid, namely the boxy Toyota trucks around my small, country town.

Some of us drifted away from imaginary friends as children. Some of us were implored or forced to say goodbye. Some of us are loyal and find ways to manifest our long lost friends as adults. I suspect that a common theme among "car guys" is that they rank highly on loyalty. Our trucks are a conduit, an homage to our long lost imaginary friends. They live on in our trucks. And, for those who are astute or thoughtful, through our trucks, it is possible to meet the child in us.

 

Yes.

 

Very well said. only a few times in my life have I not owned a truck, and I missed having one every time. I've wanted a Tacoma for years, but could never afford to buy them when new. I've owned my 03 DC for 13 years now, and at the rate I'm putting on milage, I will never wear out this truck. Just rolled 150k today.

 

Awesome truck and awesome story.