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Show me your old Tacos (4Runner, FJ, Landcruiser, bronco etc)

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  • Here’s my 2000 LX470. I would’ve liked to have an 80 series instead but I do way too much highway driving and the 100s are just way better on the road. The LX has the adjustable height suspension so

  • Pato del Muerto
    Pato del Muerto

    So this makes an appearance at my work parking lot from time to time, owned by a guy that works in building maintenance. It’s pretty damn perfect. 

  • TxfightJr passed his driving test today, and I also got the big Bronco back from finishing painting.  I've planned to give it to him for about 10yrs, but now it's real. Fingers crossed going forward.

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I agree. That is one of the things I like about my FJ. It was made in the Hino plant where commercial trucks are also built.

I also think that the Japanese-built Toyota stuff really is one order of magnitude better built than the Toyota-USA stuff is.

Don’t know if it’s true but I’d read that back when the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe shared an assembly line, it was Toyota’s lowest rated plant for quality and GM’s highest.
 
Yeah the full-sized Bronco looks pretty bad-ass.  
There's been a decent amount of discussion about it on the Truck Nuts thread, and at least one surly poster that's on the waiting list to buy one.
 

Probably me. I got a build date of the week of September 6th. Should get delivery 4-6 weeks after that.

Yeah I have been checking out that forum since it was posted up thread. But damn, it is impossible to pull the trigger on an aftermarket pro grille. I, like most others, don’t want to pay OEM prices. I’m ok with $200. Every time I find a seller and read/watch some reviews, it’s seems like half are saying it’s garbage. I was intrigued by the one from tacovinyl, but wow the reviews of their customer service are bad. Their video of the install looked great though.

So I just need to decide on which one.

Next I am trying to decide between OEM all weather mats or go with weathertech.

Just have a few badges and aesthetic crap to put on in the meantime. First is a burnt Orange longhorn badge. The. Some fog light films.

Down the road I likely will address suspension/stance and wheels.
3 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:


Yeah I have been checking out that forum since it was posted up thread. But damn, it is impossible to pull the trigger on an aftermarket pro grille. I, like most others, don’t want to pay OEM prices. I’m ok with $200. Every time I find a seller and read/watch some reviews, it’s seems like half are saying it’s garbage. I was intrigued by the one from tacovinyl, but wow the reviews of their customer service are bad. Their video of the install looked great though.

So I just need to decide on which one.

Next I am trying to decide between OEM all weather mats or go with weathertech.

Just have a few badges and aesthetic crap to put on in the meantime. First is a burnt Orange longhorn badge. The. Some fog light films.

Down the road I likely will address suspension/stance and wheels.

The OEM weather mats are not as good at covering compared to Weathertech and Husky Liners. I have Husky in my Tacoma and Weathertech in Rav 4 like the Husky better.

Weathertechs are great. I had Husky before and didn’t like the more slimy feel of the material, but that may be different now.

I had weather tech in my Taco. I have Husky in my F150. I will by Husky again before I buy WT.

Hahaha. It seems it’s very much personal preference. Buy both from Amazon send the ones you dislike more back. 

Another vote for Husky. I prefer them over the weather tech mats I’ve had in the past. My wife does occasionally quip she can imagine i always was that husky kid growing up.

I went and looked and it looks like I had the Weatherbeater line, which seems like it might be the cheaper product of the two. The X-Act Contour looks to be the nicer product. That one is probably comparable the Weathertech.

X-Act Contour are the better ones. That is what I have in my Tacoma.

23bdc0a284682d5afd10bfe38ab61610.jpg
Beforea8066700e6fd835ad284a5f9da949828.jpg
After.

Swapped out the Bridgestone Dueler HT 265/70r17 for BFG KO2 275/70r17.

I am going back to them balanced. They have the same issues the originals had with a serious wobble at 60-70 mph. I wanted Wildpeaks AT3W but didn’t want to wait for them to come in.

I still plan on leveling it out with some billstein 5100s all around.
So.my buddy has basically this same one except lifted and bigger tires. There is squeaking from the front end. Lubed all the fittings and even the lower control arms. At this point is pretty much has to be the lca bushings imo. Anybody else have similar experiences?
So.my buddy has basically this same one except lifted and bigger tires. There is squeaking from the front end. Lubed all the fittings and even the lower control arms. At this point is pretty much has to be the lca bushings imo. Anybody else have similar experiences?

What lift?

Also we’re there a decent amount of miles on it before the lift? May be the upper control arm bushings.
So.my buddy has basically this same one except lifted and bigger tires. There is squeaking from the front end. Lubed all the fittings and even the lower control arms. At this point is pretty much has to be the lca bushings imo. Anybody else have similar experiences?

Have that issue in my taco. Ball joints weren’t lubed. A guy I did BJJ with owns a shop and did it for free. Went away for 6 months or so. It’s back but not as bad as it was. I was driving through a lot of deep water at the beginning of the summer so I figure that sped up the return of the squeak.

Alright, what’s on order so far:

Weathertech HP liners and cargo liner

Lumin-x yellow fog light films

Custom trim color badge to add to side (not removing the original badge, these will be next to “TRD” and just above “Off”.

Tri color grille badge. Maybe this is goofy, but it’s cheap and can easily be removed (bolted)

4runner Lifestyle TRD Pro grille. I rolled the dice. Let’s see how it works out. Saving $300+ going this route.

That’s it for now.

Oh yeah, I am not a fan of the predator bars. Came with the vehicle. Likely replace them with something more low profile and doesn’t affect clearance (my wife and girls like having something to step on).

The Predator bars do suck.

You can get some rock sliders that either bolt or weld on that have a step built onto them. Then you get good double usage out of it.

The Predator bars do suck.

You can get some rock sliders that either bolt or weld on that have a step built onto them. Then you get good double usage out of it.

Researching various rock sliders now. Hopefully I can sell the predators for $500. But it looks like good rock sliders are $800+.

I loved my Tacos, but so far I am really loving this 4runner.

Ultimate goal is an overlander lite.

Researching various rock sliders now. Hopefully I can sell the predators for $500. But it looks like good rock sliders are $800+.

I loved my Tacos, but so far I am really loving this 4runner.

Ultimate goal is an overlander lite.
Don't know about 4Runners, but good LC sliders tend to run about 1200 plus install.
45 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:
2 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Researching various rock sliders now. Hopefully I can sell the predators for $500. But it looks like good rock sliders are $800+.

I loved my Tacos, but so far I am really loving this 4runner.

Ultimate goal is an overlander lite.

Don't know about 4Runners, but good LC sliders tend to run about 1200 plus install.

Which of course is a smoking deal compared to fucked up rockers. 


Have that issue in my taco. Ball joints weren’t lubed. A guy I did BJJ with owns a shop and did it for free. Went away for 6 months or so. It’s back but not as bad as it was. I was driving through a lot of deep water at the beginning of the summer so I figure that sped up the return of the squeak.

Alright, what’s on order so far:

Weathertech HP liners and cargo liner

Lumin-x yellow fog light films

Custom trim color badge to add to side (not removing the original badge, these will be next to “TRD” and just above “Off”.

Tri color grille badge. Maybe this is goofy, but it’s cheap and can easily be removed (bolted)

4runner Lifestyle TRD Pro grille. I rolled the dice. Let’s see how it works out. Saving $300+ going this route.

That’s it for now.

Oh yeah, I am not a fan of the predator bars. Came with the vehicle. Likely replace them with something more low profile and doesn’t affect clearance (my wife and girls like having something to step on).
I realize you did t do the work but can you ask your buddy how exactly to do this?
I realize you did t do the work but can you ask your buddy how exactly to do this?

Watch the first few minutes of this video.

The stock upper and lower control arms have no serviceable fittings, though. Were yours replaced at some point?

The stock upper and lower control arms have no serviceable fittings, though. Were yours replaced at some point?

Yep.

I had been using a shop close to my hood because they *seemed* honest and I didn’t need anyone to pick me up, I could just walk home. In 2019 the squeaking was extremely loud, so took it to them. Knowing now what I’m about to tell y’all, they probably replaced more than needed and charged me for it.

They said I needed new control arms and ball joints. I realize it is easier, but not cheaper, to do that. Anyways, I did it. Squeaking went away for about a year. When it came back, I returned to the shop and said what the fuck? They claimed I needed new control arms and ball joints again. I laughed at them and left. Took it to a friend’s shop in the 5th Ward and he lubed the joints. Perfect and free.

Too long a story to tell about my wife’s car and this shop, but they recently tried to fuck us out of $2000 (this was before I got the job offer). A different shop was very honest and said if the cheap fix didn’t work, it’s not worth doing the $2000 fix because metal would already be in the engine (and also the cost of repair vs value of car).

Never, ever going back to the shop by my house. Fuck em.

Sorry for the TL;DR rant.

Ahh, gotcha.

I’m still on my stock lowers (at 130k), but I do want to replace them whenever I get around to having the Icon coilovers rebuilt.

I am running JBA uppers now, and they’ve been solid. I like the special bushings they have that allow easy greasing without them trying to push out from the arm. They also have grease-able and replaceable ball joints.

Nice.

I replaced the ball joints on a 1968 Firebird. Not an easy job and potentially very dangerous (loaded Springs).

Yeah, replacing them is a huge PITA and it isn’t really worth it these days. Parts cost a little more but the labor is less, and you get new bushings, too.

4 hours ago, AUinHsv said:

Gotta love $795 for VIN etching.... 

Don’t discount that nitrogen fill on the tires.

 

ETA:  Wife worked at GST for 28 years.  We bought 4 or 5 vehicles at below dealer cost.  Had a page on the employee portal that was similar to the dealer order system.   Distributor installed options had amazing markups and I imagine dealer ones are even worse.

Edited by davidg

Don’t discount that nitrogen fill on the tires.

Haha exactly. Over the last month I called out 5 salesmen over that utter and complete bullshit.

On the nitrogen, 2 months after I took delivery I was hit from behind and one tire had to be replaced. It doesn’t have the Nitro. Every time there is a pressure change outside that one tire requires air. Happens once or twice every month. Will read 32psi all other times.   Zero loss on the other three. YMMV

I don’t recall seeing this company’s website posted, but fuck they have some amazing restored and resto-mod FJ’s. Just don’t look at the prices. Like really don’t.

https://www.fj.co/available-now

Tomorrow my brother and I are installing the TRD Pro grille as well as some fog light films. Got the weathertech HP mats and are happy with the fit.

Loving this vehicle. One goofy thing though, the stereo controls on the steering wheel are backwards, at least to me. Left/right is volume and up/down is skip song. That should be flipped around.

7 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Just don’t look at the prices. Like really don’t.

Lol. I like old FJ. Think I’ll go with a Ferrari instead. 

13 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Lol. I like old FJ. Think I’ll go with a Ferrari instead. 

Haha, yeah, the price is absolutely insane.  I get it, it is quite literally a total nut and bolt resto mod, but come on.  Although, I haven't bothered to look what a 4.0 Toyota crate engine costs.  Here is a link directly to FJs they have done that includes photos of the restoration process.

https://www.fj.co/ourwork

18 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:

I don’t recall seeing this company’s website posted, but fuck they have some amazing restored and resto-mod FJ’s. Just don’t look at the prices. Like really don’t.

https://www.fj.co/available-now

Tomorrow my brother and I are installing the TRD Pro grille as well as some fog light films. Got the weathertech HP mats and are happy with the fit.

Loving this vehicle. One goofy thing though, the stereo controls on the steering wheel are backwards, at least to me. Left/right is volume and up/down is skip song. That should be flipped around.

There are lots of these resro-mod shops popping up for various vehicles. My favorite cruiser pr0n site is Corsetti Cruisers. They sell some fenders off resto-mods and some that are just clean and well maintained. If you're into old Defenders or need a "wow" vehicle to keep at your house in Aspen or Jackson Hole, check out East Coast Defenders

Ordered a new Bronco for the wife. She drove one and decided she needs it, instead of her JLUR. JLUR had a 2” lift and 35s and the Sasquatch equipped Bronco was a little bigger. She can’t wait for it to get here, but I think it will be a long wait. 

CB6E34BC-1813-46FB-9C07-6955794350C9.jpeg

I saw my first new full size Bronco in the wild today. It was going the other direction so I didn’t get to check it out too long, but I liked it much more than the sport. It was dark blue, looked like it had a little lift, and no top. 

So…

Should I leave the bumpers silver?

Buy the black valances?

Buy the black rear valance and a steel front bumper?

Go fuck myself? That’s a trick question, I will most likely jerk off later.

I’d lean towards black valance. Butt what the fuck do I know. I like the fog light film.

I’d lean towards black valance. Butt what the fuck do I know. I like the fog light film.

I prefer them too. And it’s cheaper than a steel bumper. And honestly, I don’t see myself needing a winch (and now that I said it, I will probably need one next week).
So…

Should I leave the bumpers silver?

Buy the black valances?

Buy the black rear valance and a steel front bumper?

Go fuck myself? That’s a trick question, I will most likely jerk off later.
Chop them off and install a steel bumper?

Steel bumper if you’re out there wheeling around rough shit. Black valance if you’re not. 

Nothing too hardcore, so probably just go with the black valances. Gonna wait a couple of months I guess. Pretty much done with the vanity mods. Next year I’ll do the lift. Most likely the Bilstein 5100. Watched a nice review on it and it fits my needs just fine and is inexpensive.

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