TRD in AFG

I'm a 1st Gen guy but thought you all might be interested to see one of your 2nd Gens in a truly hostile environment and doing well! Kinda surprised that the company that brought it over decided on a TRD Sport rather than an Off-Road, but whatever.

This place, btw, is like the mecca for Toyota enthusiast unobtanium, like the 70-Series Land Cruisers (which I get to drive at-will!), armored 200-Series Land Cruisers, Hiluxes galore, Prados...the list goes on. And all of it is just affirmation as to why Toyotas are among the most reliable vehicles in the worst environments in the world!

Enjoy!

 

I remember seeing Yota's there all the time doing some crazy stuff. Saw one take a drone strike, roll over, smoke everywhere. 2 days later saw it driving around. Dented to all hell but driving.

 

You should see the old toyotas the locals drive up and down the wadi systems and through the mountain passes around here.

 

By the looks of that barb wire you are not in a people friendly place. Keep your head down.

 

Yeah, Beavis, I think that the pass compartment was armored, b/c when those dudes parked next to us and got out it looked like their doors were a bit heavier. And the guy was having all kinds of problems locking it with his key fob--you know how it makes that "BEEEEEP!" if you try to lock it when a door's not fully shut? Yeah.

xb it's funny about the concertina wire, we were well within the perimeter and they have that crap strung up! This place has been built up and up and up, so what might once have been the outside wall is now well inside! But yeah, this isn't Disneyland, either! If I see another Taco I'll snap a pic of it. Otherwise it's a bunch of the stuff I mentioned previously (which is still pretty cool IMO!), but if you want to see lemme know.

 

Lets see em!

 

Yeah, you won't get any pics from the flight line, I promise you. Beat down Toyotas? Sure. Nothing top secret there!

 

I saw a few second gen Taco TRDs scooting around BAF when I was there. I know a couple of them had been up-armored too. But Afghanistan is full of toyotas getting abused. It's part of what finally got me to buy a Taco.

 

Precisely. These things survive in the anus of the earth with nary a dealership to sell overpriced parts and labor to the masses...yet they keep on going! Yeah, after the '01 invasion with ODAs rolling the Taco doublecabs purchased in TN/KY and shipped directly in-country, I was sold.

You ever seen the AFSOC Hiluxes? I saw two at Bragg back in '08 and took pics, but I may have to dig for those...

 

AFSOC Hilux. I have to compress the other pics to upload them.

This thing had the following: up-armored, 3 satellite antennae, bad-ass rack up top, roll bar with accessories mounted, super- front and rear bumpers, and a weapon hard case/sheath mounted onto the tailgate. Oh, and a snorkel.

AFSOC sure can spend that money, huh?!

 

Sorry guys apparently my phone takes huge, multi-megabyte pics and I can't get them smooshed down small enough to upload, plus my connection here sucks badly. Rain check?

 

OK no problem we'll just hang out, don't do anything that will get you in trouble, and would love to see what you've got. Thanks very much.

 

"Mad Max Tundra," I call it...

 

So. Much. Want.

 

Well I just got out of the sack and turned this computer this on. OOOOHHHH Boy those two are pretty beefy. Beautiful pictures. Thanks Jefferdy! I'd give you this one but I think I'm taking it fishing today. Please be careful out there.

 

xb thanks! more to follow, various Yotas. Have a great day fishing!

 

Taken @ BAF recently....

 

Awesome! All that tire and no armor, though, huh? Guess they gotta trade off somewhere! Got a couple of some 200 Series today, but the sweet Prado like the one you posted, Sig, went by too quickly. If I have a pic of a 1st Gen Hilux do I need to post it in the 1st Gen area? haha!

 

When I was in BAF there were 1st gens everywhere it was pretty awesome.

 

For your enjoyment!

That Surf has something I have always wondered why we didn't get in the States: a power backup mirror that folds down from the air deflector above the rear window. You look in your rearview mirror, see the image in that flip-down downward-facing mirror, and instantly know how far away you are from that object you're backing in towards! In Thailand it was like standard-issue on pretty much every Toyota SUV they had, power and fixed models were available. Seems like a much more reliable, failproof way than backup cams and sonar dots, which can cause problems--like mine have. It's like the roll-down windows version of those systems!