Not much left Tacoma left... 4500 koh build

[Hambone]

I picked up a wrecked 5 lug 3.4 95 Tacoma a few years ago. Original plan was to strip it, build a cage in it and swap the cage to my current white truck.

few years go by, I moved houses, actually started the cage and got the racing itch.

I started collecting parts earlier this year and started actually working on it mid August 2024.

plans on to be legal to race king of the hammers in the 4500 class as well as other races.

Will be ls, th350, atlas, 609 axles, 37s, 4500 legal “full hydro” steering, and more.

I’ll try to keep this up to date but I do post a lot of stories on Instagram of my progress so shoot me a follow at @hambone.114 or @hambone_fab_works

 

[Hambone]

My current truck is the white one (build thread on here) and I finished the red 4door not long ago for a buddy. Both solid axle with the intents to go fast. Bypasses. Coilovers. Lots of uptravel etc.

 

[Hambone]

Day I hauled it home

 

[Hambone]

I quickly stripped the interior and trans (motor was missing) after I got it (December 2021) We moved to our new house early the next year and it sat till the following winter when I pulled the cab and started a cage. It got pushed back outside onto the frame when the red double cab project came up and I started on the new frame middle of August 2024.

Table I made to move the frame around

 

[Hambone]

I slowly collected parts. Picked up two stock 5.3s that needed some work from one of the sketchiest marketplace deals I’ve ever done. A cam, new lifters, a gasket kit and more for the motor, a core of a th350, a foam th350, 3D printed atlas, knuckles and a bunch of other stuff.

 

[Hambone]

I then got to cutting. The plan is just a Tacoma shell on a “chassis” essentially. The floor is cut out and a subframe will be made. The front section of frame rail are 2x3x.188 and the section under the body is 2x3x.120 wall. Most the cage will be 2 in dom wirh 1.75 dom gussets .

I started small but things escalated quickly

 

[Hambone]

The frame rail sits just inside the body seam under the door. So I cut all that out to get the body sitting how I wanted

 

[Hambone]

And then made some motor mounts. Turned the bushings down from delrin and sleeved with 3/4 dom for a half in bolt. Most things will be cut out of 3/16 and then plated with 1/8 for strength. I find working with 3/16 is easier over 1/4 and my cnc plasma table cuts 3/16 way better.

 

[Hambone]

And that brings us about up to date. I’ll try to find pictures of the rest of the parts I’ve acquired but I still have lots left to buy/find and make. Goal is to make koh 2026

this is pre Labor Day weekend. I got themotor where I’m happy and about to start making the motor mount tubes.

 

[Hambone]

Needed to get the frame strong enough to support the motor to start working on everything else. So got it welded and the top section plated and the motor mounts in and welded. I don’t normally like to fully weld anything till I’m done but I need all this strong enough to support everything without crushing me. If I need to move it later, I’ll just embrace the suck and go to town with the grinder. I also started to try and figure out how I want to do the subframe and link mounts.

 

[turbomonty]

sweet

 

[Hambone]

Some more pictures from this week of work

 

[Hambone]

Housing showed up

 

[Flapjack935]

This is gonna be gnarly. Whats your plan with the white ext cab when your done with this one?...

 

[Hambone]

This is gonna be gnarly. Whats your plan with the white ext cab when your done with this one?...

I’ll probably end up keeping it as a trail rig. It may go down to 35s and be like a daily but I already have 2 other Toyotas I daily so we will see.

 

[Brett_408]

Where did these squares come from? I need a couple of them.

 

[Hambone]

View attachment 27749

Where did these squares come from? I need a couple of them.

Fireball tools. Those are the “regular” size ones and aluminum. I got them a few years ago and they keep everything super square. I’d like to get a set of minions from him as well and his magnetic shims.

 

[Brett_408]

Fireball tools. Those are the “regular” size ones and aluminum. I got them a few years ago and they keep everything super square. I’d like to get a set of minions from him as well and his magnetic shims.

Awesome thank you im checking out his website now

 

[Hambone]

Awesome thank you im checking out his website now

Pretty sure it’s these in 8” but I don’t remember them being 400 bucks. I will say they work really well. I rarely have to adjust things after using them and they do a good job of keeping things square. The “mega squares” are convenient for welding corners etc.

Fabricator Package

fireballtool.com

 

[dwphoto]

this things gunna be cool! You trying to race this thing this year?