The Frankenstein Build: 1996 Tacoma Long Travel/Expo/Trail Rig

[Blackdawg]

Finally, the new cab went on! Actually started to look like a truck finally.













And the old body officially garbage..



Starting putting the engine bay back together first. And once again started noticing differences between the 2wd and 4wd body and that it was a 4 banger first and now a V6.




Like this mount wasn't there. Welder was handy to have.



Got new steering rack bushings too. Ironically wouldn't put these in for a long time.



then decided to bed line the floor while i was at it. Should have used a LOT more though. Really a different brand..





Started collecting more CB stuff starting with this folding mount which has proved very handy.

 

[crackerjack]

i really appreciate the dedication you have with this rig and the build itself. i've read most of your build thread over on tacomaworld. well done. your photos and trip reports/build reports are excellent as well.

 

[Blackdawg]

i really appreciate the dedication you have with this rig and the build itself. i've read most of your build thread over on tacomaworld. well done. your photos and trip reports/build reports are excellent as well.

Thanks man! I appreciate it.

It's been a hell of a build and adventure that's for sure. I like being able to share the adventure as best I can. Makes it even more enjoyable.

 

[Blackdawg]

Then i started the interior. This...was a much bigger PITA. Goes back together a hell of a lot slower then it comes apart











Eventually though, it started to look like a truck again!




And more goodies arrived in the midst of it. Some tie down bars and my CB cable and a spring which would end up not being stiff enough for my antenna





Then i finally got the dash in! Also added some dampening stuff to the floor. Wish i had added more in retrospect..





Put the grill on and a new tail light in!

 

[Blackdawg]

Kinda funny..it seems like it was fast in this build..but really..that portion took FOREVER. haha

FInally slapped the CB in there









played with ideas on the rails. Ended up on the inside of the bed rack.



And continued tying up stuff on the interior.







And even pulled in the beat to hell bed rack to start salvaging it.

 

[Blackdawg]

Then some real nice goodies showed up!

New air filter, went with the AEM dry filter. I really like it since it never needs replaced. Ever. Just knock it out and its up to 80% good as new. can use air to blow it out or even wash it for higher results. But i don't mind a partial plugged fliter..means less **** can get through. I have really enjoyed it, especially on dust trails.




THen another big ole box. Full of fiberglass!




I literally opened it. And then 15 mins later tried them on. And put in the new filter.









Then i took the Front bumper to the car wash to clean it and put in new front brake pads...i needed them bad..






The CB speaker came in as well and a Blue sea fuse box...which i actually never used..ha and enjoyed a sunset right out the shop door.

 

[Blackdawg]

Fresh paint always just looks so nice.




Then i started on one of the biggest pains of this whole project. Swapping over my electric powered windows and locks. Was a *****!






And in the middle of that i got the biggest package ever! Tim's rear bumper had arrived. as well as his old Skyjacker leafs and he even had given me his old 96s rear window for free that he had rolled.

This thing was awesome!








I also had him send me some front bumper braces for my Dads truck as the 2nd gens have a weak mounting point and these help. Got them for his Bday!



I put the rear window in same day! Not super hard..but wasn't fun. Two people job thats for sure.



Then...the time had come! After about a month or more of straight working every single night after all the jobs. I bought a new Red Top battery..slapped it in...and started it.




This is a start up vid



IT LIVES!!!

Making progress!

Started painting the rear bumper




And then, windshield time. Again..not a fun job. But hell. Cost me only like 120 bucks to do it myself and with my dads help we had it done in about 2 hours.





Put the doors on too!



Even put the hood back on!

 

[Blackdawg]

Then i painted the front fenders..just black.




This is kinda funny, i had "won" a mostly used roll of duck tape at the Moab meet for most carnage. So of course i used to to reseal the plastic liner of the door



Fenders looked good now. And the second coat on the rear bumper was curing.








I also took off some of the stickers on the rear window and applie 1,000,000hp more of new stickers.



It was coming together slowly

 

[Blackdawg]

Now i had to work on the leafs. After i rolled and we flopped it back over i thought i had damaged one of the leaf packs pretty bad. So i was going to just use the "new" to me skyjacker leafs.

So i started pulling stuff off!




The arch difference was...a lot..



I also mounted the front bumper as it was in the way.




Made quite the differance!

So figured, what the hell. lets slap the rear on. Holy crap. It was stupid heavy. Like 150lbs or more easy. It has never come off since was kinda hard to install with just two people.

But wow!













Damn good looking bumper!

Yes the tire is tipped back, yes i fix that later..as well as other things. But still! amazing craftsmanship.

 

[Blackdawg]

But back to the leaf springs..

turns out for whatever reason, the leafs where shorter. And they seemed to locate my axle way to far forward. Like into the bed side.

So scrapped that idea and decided id just take the Wheelers pack apart and the skyjacker and make...Frankenstein leaf packs. As i called them. Little did i know, i had just named my truck.

So i pulled everything apart and painted them and just sorta guessed on what i thought would work okay.






Turned out it was a bit higher then i wanted. Like way high..




It took me about 3 tries to dial in a leaf pack i wanted. But for the time being i decided the wheelers packs where fine and i just went back to just the wheelers leafs.

I also put my LF240s back on. Man i love these lights.




Then..i drove it out of the shop for the first time in 6 weeks!






But i was FAR FAR from being done.

 

[Blackdawg]

I still had a ton of things to do, but wanted to go camping damn it haha

And i needed to tow my lawn trailer as at the time i mowed lawns as one of my jobs.

Needed a drop hitch..even this guy barely cut it



And made a quick license plate mount.






Then started fixing the bed rack. I actually screwed up when i did this. And its till not totally straight. But it works. Have new plans for a new one anyways.

 

[Blackdawg]

Slapped the new tent on it and ran up for a quick over nighter in the mountains.
















The tent was awesome. truck dove okay and worked fine being half apart on the inside still.

But having no AC really sucked and no full stereo.

but at least i knew i hadn't screwed up anything major!

Another major flaw with the truck was with the rear bumper. Tim had never built a swingout before and had put on the tiniest freaking lil lock handle id ever seen. It did not work. So i purchased a 700lb double locking one thinking it would hold out fine. It wouldn't..but was better for a while.



I also scored some solid engine mounts and tranny mount off TW for a good price. Not totally soild, but way stiffer then stock.



So i set about fixing the handle. As well as adding a jerry can mount.

 

[Blackdawg]

Did not like how the hand was hanging down so low so i cut it off again and flipped it.






Much better.

Then i got back to the bed rack and added the upper brace for the roof rack as well and fabbed up a CB antenna mount.









5' antenna is a bit...tall...lol



The folding mount worked (still does) Great too! and look at that! Even tucks down into the RTT like it was meant to be!




Totally meant to do that

Another problem id encountered on the trail was the leafs..way way too soft and with the bed rack and gear and tent. The rear was sagging. So i tore them out again! record time of 1 hour and 20 minutes This time i only added one of the skyjacker leafs. Worked perfect.

Before:






After!





After that point. I then proceeded to wheel every single weekend of August.

First trip up, going back to Lander with my buddy Jon. Little did i know..it was one of the roughest trails id ever done....you know. Seems like a good first trail to run right after a major rebuild?

 

[Blackdawg]

The location was at Lander WY. We ran a trail saturday morning called Christina Lake, then that afternoon went to Shoshone lake and camped there then came out the next morning. Not super hard trails really. But very very very very rocky. The entire trail was rocks for a lot of the trail.

Its hilarious how completely different both our trucks were a year apart.

Jon got there fairly early, i believe around 6-7. I didn't get in till about 9 friday night. We camped at the city park and woke up bright and early at 5 am to head out.

amazingly the weather was AMAZING all weekend. Nice and cool but not a cloud hardly in the sky.

This is the start of Christina Lake. A shorter trail, but great fun.

Yea..there is a lot of photos. haha At this point i was full photo mode..just no DSLR yet.

Get over it its a beautiful place

 

[Blackdawg]

Still on Christina Lake.

Had quiet a river to cross here too. and a large *** ledge after it.

https://youtu.be/CZmn5tlUblA