Project Serenity: an 08 Tacoma DC overland build-up

Greetings ExPo!
I've been lurking here on and off for a few years and figure I'm a little overdue for posting a build thread. Not really sure it's worthy compared to some of the amazing rigs that I've admired on here, but we've been having a lot of fun with it and plus I figure this will be a good place to get advice and discuss some of the upcoming mods that I have planned.

This project was a few years in developing, as my old XJ just was finally starting to show some reliability issues after years of abuse :smiley_drive: A 4wd vehicle for my wife and I used to be simply a means to get us to the trailheads and back, and get us around in the mountains. All that started to change a couple years ago when we started talking about buying a new truck. Well, a couple Google image searches later I was freaking out over a picture of this killer silver taco with a snorkel and some kind of crazy tent contraption on a rack over the bed.. that's when I found ExPo and said goodbye to ever having spare money again, thanks Tacodoc! :ylsmoke:

We really wanted to have the ability to expand our exploration range and do more long range vehicle-based adventures in relative comfort. We also wanted to have a more purpose built vehicle for this task, one that could sit ready and able to go with minimal notice or prep work.

So we started doing the research, planning and shopping around etc.. After comparing some different options, we decided to stick with the late model Toyota Tacoma doublecab TRD Offroad model as a base platform for our build. This was not to be our first Toyota 4x4, as we had previous experience with an FJ40 and an FJ60 (still own the 60) In fact the vehicle that I learned to drive a manual tranny in was a '76 Toyota pickup that was nicknamed the green weeny lol.

A couple months later we had located our truck on the lot at Helena Motors. There she was: a 2008 Toyota Tacoma double cab 4WD TRD Rugged Trail Edition in Silver Streak Mica with all factory options. Engine is the 4.0 liter V6 VVTi and tranny is the 5 spd Auto A750F. Birth date of 02/08, built at the NUMMI plant in Fremont CA, made in USA!


Here's how she looked the day we brought her home!



And how she looks today













Older pics that are still cool
















(updated 11/02/12)
List of Current Mods and Upgrades

Life Support:
- EeziAwn 1200 series rooftop tent
- Engel MT35 fridge/freezer with transit bag and slide-lock
- FrontRunner Bakkie bed rack for tent mount
- Frontrunner 40L footwell water tank
- Shurflo water pump with shower sprayer head
- ExpeditionOps shower mat
- Shower/privy enclosure
- PETT portable potty system
- (2) Scepter MWC
- 5lb propane tank
- Two burner Partner Steel stove
- ARB 4ft awning

Wheels/Tires/Suspension:
- Baja wheels powdercoated flat black
- BFG AT K/O 285/75 R16 tires on all 5
- Icon 2.5 coilovers, remote reservoir
- Icon Uniball billet upper control arms
- Icon rear shocks, remote reservoir
- Timbren bumpstops front and rear
- All-Pro Expedition spring packs
- All-Pro U-Bolt flip kit

Armor:
- ARB bull bar with fog light kit
- All-Pro e-locker guard
- Slee sliders
- CBI high clearance rear bumper with swingout, mounting (4) 5 gallon can holders and 5lb propane tank

Lighting:
- superflux orange LED cockpit lights (5) in cab
- LED rocker switches installed in modded center console
- High output white LED lightbars installed in bedsides and on frame rails
- Fog lights anytime mod
- DTRL ‘stealth’ mod
- Golight Stryker 50w HID spotlight
- Vision X tantrum rock lights
- (4) Vision X Solstice LED lights mounted to rack fairing

Recovery:
- Viair onboard compressor system with 2.5 gallon tank
- Dash mount for air tank pressure gauge and on/off switch
- Staun deflators and various air tools
- Warn m8000 winch with Viking 3/8 synthetic winchline (solenoid relocated under hood with Warn wireless winch controller)
- Viking 350 series Hawse fairlead
- Viking thimble isolator on winchline
- (3) Scepter MFC

Storage:
- Underseat storage modded for comprehensive FAK and emergency kits
- Actionpackers for bed storage
- OEM rack crossbars
- Bajarack roof rack
- Truxedo Lo-Pro tonneau cover
- Custom steel bedrail caps
- Pop n Lock tailgate lock
- Weatherguard toolbox
- (2) Hardigg 3100 Stormcases hard mounted to rack basket
- custom folding cargo platform w/ MOLLE panels
- (2) super Quik Fists mounted inside of bed
- Custom aluminum fairing for roof rack

Electronics/Electrical:
- CB radio install, Cobra 75 WX ST w/ Firestick NGP whip
- Magellan GPS unit
- 400w inverter in cab
- ScanGaugeII w/ Blendmount
- IBS-DBS dual 12 volt system with battery controller in cab
- Optima Yellowtop D34/78 auxiliary battery
- Blue Sea 12 circuit fuse block and 100 amp breaker under hood
- Vector 1000 watt inverter mounted in toolbox, added remote on/off switch near tailgate
- GlobalSat BU-353 Waterproof USB GPS receiver
- JBL sound system upgraded with USA-SPEC Ipod adapter
- Bed wired for 12v outlet on drivers side

Misc:
- Front windows tinted to match rears
- Vent visors
- Debadged
- Custom Satoshi “deep-dish” grill mod using Grillcraft, surround color-matched
- Seat belt chime off mod
- Rear diff breather relocated
- OEM bed mat
- TRD neoprene seat covers
- Deer Whistlers
- RAM laptop mount
- Safari Snorkel
- Blackout hood vinyl
- Exhaust chopped down

Planned Future Mods:
- Have the grill surround re-painted by a pro (since our homejob is not holding up to the gravel very well)
- Budbuilt skids,
- Yaesu 2m radio system
- aux. backup lights
- Big Sky Racks rifle rack


Fun to think about mods (the maybe category)
- aux. fuel tank (kinda looks like an XJ tank might fit?)
- front locker
- Light Racing jounce shocks
- Total Chaos lower arms
- re-route the exhaust
- some aux. IR lighting and a brake light kill switch

This build project will continue to be focused on long range comfort and capability for the most part. We don't really need a crawler (I can use my XJ if I want to bash something on the rocks lol), instead we will be aiming for light weight (relative term when it comes to expedition type builds I guess), low center of gravity, and general efficiency. This means I will continue searching for a nice balance between off-road capability and on-road comfort and performance when selecting future mods and parts.

wow that was a bunch of typing.. sorry for the novel. My wife likes to take pics and we have a bunch of them. She has helped me with documenting most of the mods, so I will get them posted in here as time permits.

welcome and looking very good. you will love the truck. I have had nothing but good times with mine! VERY nice build!

Great writeup -- your Tacoma looks like a very capable vehicle.

Thanks guys!

barlowrs, your build thread was very inspirational so I stole some of your ideas. In particular the fuse block mounting plate, now I just need to get the winch solenoid stuffed under there :costumed-smiley-007

Welcome to ExPo! Very nice, capable looking rig.

CB install and some initial mods

thanks!

ok these pics seem like forever ago, but I'm trying to go back to the beginning so here's about where we got started:

CB install. I chose the Cobra 75 WX ST for it's compact form factor and all controls on the handset.


I mounted the main unit in the rear of the center console underneath the cupholders.




routed the antenna cable out to front of the bed, fabbed a mount and grounded to the frame underneath. Later I moved the mount to the passenger side. Even later I moved it to the roof rack..


I don't know why Toyota makes these flaps so long, would've smashed 'em the first time we got off road, so they got trimmed.


i suffer from chromaphobia so we painted the original emblem black which got me thinking...


then we painted the entire grill and surround black and she looked like this for awhile

Nice looking truck- I see you're a Firefly fan. LOL Is that a Sockmonkey decal?

very nice!

frozenground said:

Well, a couple Google image searches later I was freaking out over a picture of this killer silver taco with a snorkel and some kind of crazy tent contraption on a rack over the bed.. that's when I found ExPo and said goodbye to ever having spare money again, thanks Tacodoc! :ylsmoke:

Click to expand...

Nice rig! :costumed-smiley-007

Welcome to ExPo!

blueprinting the rear cab wall for future ref.. also wanted to see how the JBL amp and sub were set up..


here's a pic of the wiring for the fog-lights anytime mod, minus the relay. the how-to is in my bookmarks somewhere so if anybody wants a link lemme know..


center console removed in prep for switches install


used a 3/4 hole saw for the led rocker switches




two superflux orange LEDs installed in front cupholders, wiring incomplete in this pic..


switches installed, leads wired and labled.

Well thought-out build! Got some more pictures of your enhancements?

Like to learn more about your navigation system/laptop.

OBTW, for your reference, I'm thinking of an auxiliary fuel tank too and the XJ tank (20 gal) does fit between my gen's frame rails with about an inch clearance. But it hangs a little lower than I'd like - more than the spare did - so I'm looking at different fuel cells.

thanks for the comments fellas :smiley_drive:

robert said:

Nice looking truck- I see you're a Firefly fan. LOL Is that a Sockmonkey decal?

Click to expand...

yep, a Browncoat at heart. The vinyl was done by Coyote Custom I believe, my wife ordered it so I'm not 100% on that..

TangoBlue said:

Well thought-out build! Got some more pictures of your enhancements?

Like to learn more about your navigation system/laptop.

Click to expand...

Thanks! Sure do, trying to get them up in some kind of chronological order and there's a bunch lol

it looks like everything was well thought out and executed... and looking at the "still to come" list it should turn out awesome!

bed lights and step lights

Installing the white LED lightbars in the bed, one on each side under the bedrails, and one on each outer frame under the doors


wiring all 4 LED lightbars together


wiring up into the cab to the switch, came in on a bedplug under the drivers seat


a mess lol


wiring up into the 3 position rocker switch and splicing into the dome light ground circuit so that I have 3 options for the bed/step lights: 1) all the time on, 2) all the time off, or 3) behave like dome light. I like this part as the lights will come on with lock/unlock just like the dome light..


drivers side A-pillar is where i tapped into the dome light ground


bed lights and step lights install complete


cockpit LEDs install complete, the orange matches the dash lights very well