Where to begin... I have owned 2 first gen Taco's over the years. Still have my 03 Taco, extended cab, 4x4, 3.4, second owner. SUPER clean.
In January of this year, I was making good money for a 27 year old bachelor. I picked up a 15' Taco with all the options, premium sound, 4x4, here is a reference picture;
5100's up front, some cheap 16" wheels in the factory tires. Sound deadened the entire truck cause it rattled like a $500 truck should. I still liked it, but I was honestly disappointed making a $650 truck payment each month. Then in April with just under 1k miles, I had an accident...
Don't do the truck's damages justice. It was a nasty one, I walked away with 3 neck fractures, 3 displaced discs in my back. This came a week after losing my job. So things were going GREAT! Lol.
Fast forward to September. Got everything settled, tried a couple Cherokee's for the duty my 4runner now does. Utility runs, comfy driver, something I could pay cash for, fun to tinker with. With the Cherokee, I realized it wasn't going to be a "work on at your leisure" vehicle. I bought 2 and they were both just not what I wanted.
Then I bought this, at the end of September;
Instantly did my usual, 110% tune up. Plugs, wires, all gear oil/t-case oil, oil change, yada yada. During this adventure, discovered the transmission was leaking. Hooked up with deathcougar off the board, got myself a new transmission/t-case and leather interior for good measure;
Went with a new Exedy clutch as well. Drove it another week and replaced a balljoint, CV axles, inner/outer tie rods, energy suspension sway bar bushings, new endlinks, Bilstein 5100's, replaced the missing cargo cover.
Most recently also threw on some new rims, changed timing belt/wp/drive belts for good measure, removed the bumpers for my tube bumpers arrival (Friday), Injen intake, Thrush welded muffler, full system/amp/sub, 2-way pager alarm with remote start, removed the fender trim, blacked out the hatch emblems when I couldn't get the impressions out. Griots compound, claybar, sealer treatment.
Oh, sport hood and sport grill also from deathcougar.
Probably some other stuff I'm forgetting.. but I love this truck. Super comfy, 22 MPG at 70, sounds great, working on the looks. Been cranking away at it lately even with bronchitis.
Hope it justified a build thread this far. Pictures with the new hybrid bumpers will be available by this weekend, unless more shenanigans occur with the business.
In January of this year, I was making good money for a 27 year old bachelor. I picked up a 15' Taco with all the options, premium sound, 4x4, here is a reference picture;
5100's up front, some cheap 16" wheels in the factory tires. Sound deadened the entire truck cause it rattled like a $500 truck should. I still liked it, but I was honestly disappointed making a $650 truck payment each month. Then in April with just under 1k miles, I had an accident...
Don't do the truck's damages justice. It was a nasty one, I walked away with 3 neck fractures, 3 displaced discs in my back. This came a week after losing my job. So things were going GREAT! Lol.
Fast forward to September. Got everything settled, tried a couple Cherokee's for the duty my 4runner now does. Utility runs, comfy driver, something I could pay cash for, fun to tinker with. With the Cherokee, I realized it wasn't going to be a "work on at your leisure" vehicle. I bought 2 and they were both just not what I wanted.
Then I bought this, at the end of September;
Instantly did my usual, 110% tune up. Plugs, wires, all gear oil/t-case oil, oil change, yada yada. During this adventure, discovered the transmission was leaking. Hooked up with deathcougar off the board, got myself a new transmission/t-case and leather interior for good measure;
Went with a new Exedy clutch as well. Drove it another week and replaced a balljoint, CV axles, inner/outer tie rods, energy suspension sway bar bushings, new endlinks, Bilstein 5100's, replaced the missing cargo cover.
Most recently also threw on some new rims, changed timing belt/wp/drive belts for good measure, removed the bumpers for my tube bumpers arrival (Friday), Injen intake, Thrush welded muffler, full system/amp/sub, 2-way pager alarm with remote start, removed the fender trim, blacked out the hatch emblems when I couldn't get the impressions out. Griots compound, claybar, sealer treatment.
Oh, sport hood and sport grill also from deathcougar.
Probably some other stuff I'm forgetting.. but I love this truck. Super comfy, 22 MPG at 70, sounds great, working on the looks. Been cranking away at it lately even with bronchitis.
Hope it justified a build thread this far. Pictures with the new hybrid bumpers will be available by this weekend, unless more shenanigans occur with the business.
