June 2021
I was browsing the classifieds like I’m sure we all do. I stumbled across this listing for a well used, but pretty well equipped 1999 Tacoma Pre-Runner. It had a early generation Total Chaos long travel kit, with the added double bypass shocks, F67 deaver springs, TC 12” shackles and 2.5” double bypass shocks. Fiberglass fenders and bedsides
The fab work on the front looked to be of decent quality, the rear not so much. The inside had decent seats, harnesses and a fabricated harness bar. The paint was thrashed and she was definitely ridden hard and put away wet.
Asking price was $7,500 reduced from $8,500. Messaged the seller and made an appointment to see it.
Met with a mom and daughter. Mom was in charge, it was the daughters truck. They got it for her already built and she lost interest after one Glamis trip. Truck was pretty beat to shit, but in typical Toyota fashion, ran and drove well with the 250,000 miles on the odometer.
Made a deal at $5,750 and picked it up the next day.
Here is the plan:
Rebuild and prep the front suspension and shocks.
Swap out the F67 for H70 springs and set them up properly. Swap out the axle to a sequoia ( tundra width with factory disc brakes) one and mount the shocks outside of the frame rails. Add air bumps.
Ditch the bed completely and build a bed/cab cage. Il be doing the C pillar on the outside of the cab. It’s way easier to build and saves a lot of interior room. The rest of the cage will be inside like normal.
The best mod, adding 4wd. With all the parts, it’s a simple swap. I’m going to do it the easiest way. Keep it an automatic, use a manual J shift transfer case and lock the ADD in the front diff so the axles spin all the time. Zero electronic changes needed. Need 4wd, yank the lever into 4H. Need 4L, stop and shift into rock donkey range.
Blasted off all the grime today and backed it into the garage. Going to start striping it down tomorrow and ordering a shit ton of parts.
