[MattJakobs]

Originally Posted by sterbenlicht

Yeah man, if you're having Mark take a look at it, I'm sure he'd be totally cool with that. He's an awesome guy and a wizard with these older Toyotas. I think he said you might be bringing it by sometime Friday? If so, there's a chance there'll be several of us around because that's when most of us hang out here. Mark is actually doing the head gaskets on a pretty awesome 2nd gen right now.

He told me about the 2nd gen so I'd love to see what all that looks like, I've never done anything besides regular/semi regular maintenance. I talked to him the other day about coming and I get out of class at 11 on Friday. I have a failed inspection but I have 15 days to drive so Friday should be a go.

Just want to thank you in advance with the help so far. Case of Corona's on me for Friday?

[Duckman97]

Sick pics bro loving the blue. On the Koai camped there in April around the stormy time and it was fair little expensive but whatever. Anyway you do any beach drivin?

[MattJakobs]

Originally Posted by Duckman97

Sick pics bro loving the blue. On the Koai camped there in April around the stormy time and it was fair little expensive but whatever. Anyway you do any beach drivin?

Do you mean the KOA campground in Rodanthe, it has the cool white cabins? I really want to stay in one of them but I think it also takes away from a lot of the joys of camping. I didn't do any beach driving my last two trips, the first was in my friends car and most recent was in mine (but I need two new tires) and didn't want to have to find someone to tow me out. I ended up going up and down the beach entrances, just no stopping on any deep, soft sand.

[Duckman97]

Yeah I'm talking about koa in rodanthe and yeah I've stayed In the cabins but we took our camper that time. And those permits are outrageous bro!! I'm gonna buy one next hear tho. And on the tires check out Goodyear duratracs they are great tires and not as expensive as bfg a/t's. I'm getting duratracs I know that much they're a little more agressive then the bfg's but not quite a mud terrain

[MattJakobs]

Originally Posted by Duckman97

Yeah I'm talking about koa in rodanthe and yeah I've stayed In the cabins but we took our camper that time. And those permits are outrageous bro!! I'm gonna buy one next hear tho. And on the tires check out Goodyear duratracs they are great tires and not as expensive as bfg a/t's. I'm getting duratracs I know that much they're a little more agressive then the bfg's but not quite a mud terrain

I really like the look of the aggressive look of the Duratracs, those were my second pick. I've had the All Terrains on all of our past vehicles and I know they last so just going for them for the time being. My uncle just but the Goodyears on his Taco so I'm waiting to see how they wear for him since he does a ton of driving, about 22k miles a year. This summer I'll be in the market for 4 bigger tires and will probably end up with the Duratracs.

And $120 for a yearly beach pass I did find out that you can get a free permit for having campfires on the beach which I thought was very cool.

[Brian757]

Originally Posted by sterbenlicht

Yeah man, if you're having Mark take a look at it, I'm sure he'd be totally cool with that. He's an awesome guy and a wizard with these older Toyotas. I think he said you might be bringing it by sometime Friday? If so, there's a chance there'll be several of us around because that's when most of us hang out here. Mark is actually doing the head gaskets on a pretty awesome 2nd gen right now.

Is this a shop that you guys are talking about? I'm actually on the hunt to find a decent Toyota mechanic in Virginia Beach/Norfolk area.

[MattJakobs]

@Brian757
sterbenlicht Has a lift in his home garage and I'm hopefully taking it by tomorrow to get mine checked out since it seems like I've been having trouble with my head gaskets. As long as they don't mind, you're more than welcome to hitch a ride with me if you'd like, there's plenty of parking in front of my apartment complex. I'm giving Mark (retired Toyota master tech) a call this afternoon to work out a time for Friday.

Edit: Since I finally have my vehicle with me, I was planned on going on a hunt for yours tomorrow.

[MattJakobs]

I purchased a brush guard the other week and just now got to talk some pictures of it. The bottom bar has a little dent in it, pushing it in but it didn't effect the way it mounted and with it being on the bottom, it's not very noticeable unless you're looking for it. This will only be on temporarily until I have the money for a new bumper. I also have tail light guards that I haven't put on but will hopefully get around to that later today.

[sterbenlicht]

Originally Posted by Brian757

Is this a shop that you guys are talking about? I'm actually on the hunt to find a decent Toyota mechanic in Virginia Beach/Norfolk area.

It's a house I rent from a guy named Mark. He works with me at Priority on the weekends, but the rest of the time during the week he works on cars here at my house instead of being a full-time mechanic for the dealership. It's in Chesapeake near Military and Providence. He built the place to do most things short of having an alignment rack, so he's very well-equipped to handle nearly anything and he stays pretty busy. Anyone who wants to hitch a ride or come over is more than welcome.

[Duckman97]

Brush gaurd looks good bro. I'm diggin it.

[MattJakobs]

Originally Posted by Duckman97

Brush gaurd looks good bro. I'm diggin it.

Thanks, it'll stay on for now. I've been looking at front bumpers and can't make my mind up. I jump from an ARB to a tube style, and everything in between.

[MattJakobs]

Finally got the tail light guards on. They took me so long partly because I was a little lazy. The screws that hold the tail light in were too short so I needed to go to the Hardware store and pick up 4 new ones with a longer extension.

[Duckman97]

Originally Posted by MattJakobs

Thanks, it'll stay on for now. I've been looking at front bumpers and can't make my mind up. I jump from an ARB to a tube style, and everything in between.

Go with savage off-road hybrid or addicted off-road plate. Dude they are the best IMO the arb is tooooo big. And the tubes are show way to much but on the other hand if you get a tube front bumper it will go with your rear and save you money in the mean time you could totally pull off the black fender flares, plasti dipped emblems and gold/bronze wheels js

[MattJakobs]

Originally Posted by Duckman97

Go with savage off-road hybrid or addicted off-road plate. Dude they are the best IMO the arb is tooooo big. And the tubes are show way to much but on the other hand if you get a tube front bumper it will go with your rear and save you money in the mean time you could totally pull off the black fender flares, plasti dipped emblems and gold/bronze wheels js

I think I am going to end up with a tube bumper to match the rear and I really don't need anything as big as an ARB up front. I've been checking out All-Pro's front tacoma bumper, it's really well priced and I haven't seen anyone on the forum running it so I'd have the unique factor playing in. As far as wheels go, I have black wheels on our other 4Runner and so does everyone else. Next time we rotate tires, I'm going to put the black on the Stellar Blue to see how it looks. I want something to really make the blue pop and look brighter so I've been looking at a couple silver sets.

The All Pro front bumper which would be painted black


The wheels I'm considering (but 6 lug of course)

[Duckman97]

You ever thought about the 17" spit spoke wheels for tundra? Then paint gun metal or black or even leave the stock color