Well since I don't really work on my heep much anymore besides the usual repairs and maintenance and wheeling, Ive decided to go ahead and start a build thread on my Toyota Pickup that I have been working on as of lately. Unlike my XJ, this will not be a dedicated offroad rig. I currently drive my Toyota daily and would like to keep it that way. I also am trying to build it into a capable camping and expedition rig. Thought some of you guys might be interested in what I have in store for it.

So this is the day I bought it almost one year ago. Originally I bought the truck tor eplace my firebird that I sold. I had no real plans to turn it into anything but the modding bug bit me on the yota.




Specs as of purchase day;
-22R 4 cylinder (rebuilt, bored over, and mild cam)
-SR5 package
-5 Speed manual trans (rebuilt)
-bucket seats
-stainless steel header and full cat-back exhaust
-Toyota Fiberglass canadian style bed
-3inch OME lift

Future Plans:
-New Tires (32s or 33s)
-Black wheels
-Snorkel
-Front Winch Bumper
-build rear tire carrier bumper
-build sliders for the side
-can back soft top for the rear
-skid plates
-winch
-dual battery
-snorkel
-power inverter
-10in sub
-new headunit
-back up camera
-OBA system with air tank and tool hookup

 

It basically sat in my driveway like that for a month before I even drove it. It became apparent soon that my jeep was a PIG on gas with 33s, and was very uncomfortable driving daily. So now my Yota became DD status and my jeep was put on the backburner as my trail rig. I drove it a couple more weeks and decided the windows needed to be tinted. I also picked up a factory brushguard for it and mounted my hellas on it.

 

Drove it a couple more months and the small tires started to really bug me. It looked just downright retarded on the truck. So to figure out what size tires I wanted for the truck I swapped tires with my buddy for a day to see how it rode with 33s. It looked a lot better and I was determined to guy a set of 33s next. Around the same time I also swapped my factory Halogens out for some HIDs since driving at night sucked.

 

Then I got an amazing deal on some 32x11.50s so I got those mounted on my factory yota wheels and sold the 30s that were on the truck locally. I also got a rear bedrack that I and a buddy of mines built awhile back for his yota that he nolonger used so I threw it on there. I also sold my rear XJ bumper and tire carrier because it was too heavy. So I bought my yota a new front Addicted offroad bumper.

 

Picked up a set of extra doors pretty recently and started gutting them. These will be my new set of half doors for the spring and summer.







Also decided to bedline the bed itself and get rid of the crappy drop in bedliner.

 

As of recently:
Picked up a can-back soft top for the yota today from a local. Build is slowly coming together.




I ordered a rear tire carrier hinge kit so I can start on making a rear tire carrier. I received my backup camera in the mail and purchased some rock lights during cyber Monday. I will update once parts start rolling in and install starts happening. I also picked up a Viair 350C compressor which will be used for my OBA system. Started on a new design for some sliders for the yota also. Still in the designing stage but this is what I have in CAD as of writing.


The old shift boot was all old and nasty so I made a new one. Not my best sewing job but looks 100x better than my old boot. Also completely finished the drivers side half door and mounted the exterior skin.




Just installed some lights in the back of the truck for camping. Also added a few courtesy lights under the dash on a switch.

 

Looks awesome! I'm impressed. However, that rear bumper is AWFUL!

Whats the MPG with the 32's?

 

Yea the rear bumper is ugly as sin. I actually am designing a new rear bumper for it. Still drafting it up on cad. But I ordered the rear hinge kit already to make the spare tire carrier. Also she gets a steady 22mpg around the city and upwards of 26mpg on the freeway if I can keep the rpms down. As long as theres no hills its smooth sailing.

 

Dude, your truck looks awesome man.

 

Finally got around to try to wire some of my things up. I got my fuse block in the mail from amazon. Made a little mount for it in my engine bay, mounted my PA speaker, got some LED offroad lights and mocked up the one for the front bar. Also got my shackles from Wab-fab, however they were missing the nuts so I wont be able to install them until I get those.So here are pics! Also always any comments are welcomed.

 

Damn Sam...it's looking really good bud. Seems to me that you've given up in the XJ...?

Question, where did you pick up those LED lights? I love those

Edit* Got a pic of them on?

 

Yea the yota has come a long way and is still getting more parts soon. The lights are blitzpro LED offroad lights, pretty bright, I stuck the 2 smaller ones on my jeep to see how they look and they are wicked bright. I will get some pics of them on tomorrow. As far as the Xj Im still thinking about selling/trading it. I actually have the jeep posted up on craigslist for trade. My neighbor also offered to buy it from me. The issue im having with it is, that the Xj is proving to be much less reliable compared to my yota. It also sucks to drive daily and gets **** poor gas mileage. I mean part of it is my fault, but it seems like its falling apart and I have to keep trying to patch it up. If I havent sold my jeep by the time I have my yota built up, Im gonna take some time and rebuild the jeep from the ground up and just keep it.

 

Man that thing is clean. I'd say wheel the yota since those early 80s models are tough as nails but it's almost too clean lol. It's looking good bud, the half doors turned out nice.

 

Ok got the front bar hooked up and tested it out. This thing is wicked bright. Here are some comparison pics.

First one: HIDs no lightbar just HIDs on lowbeam.


Second one: Lightbar only No other lights.

 

Holy crap those are bright.