Containerized: Retromod Global Tacoma
- Thread starter Containerized
- Start date
austintaco
Explorer
x2...again on the tailgate. I just told my wife that if she ever wanted to surprise me for my Birthday, that she could source a Tacoma tailgate and a 70's tailgate and get this done. killer.
Containerized
Adventurer
austintaco - If we did it over again, I think we could do it way more quickly. A lot of the trick with the tailgate was making sure all the measurements were right and that we were going to clear the latch mechanism and not make the tailgate weaker. As it turned out, I suspect we made the part stronger, between reinforcements behind the new panel and the fact that the late 1970's tailgates were made out of much thicker steel than the current sheetmetal Toyota uses. Obviously, it takes time to do the preparation and the bodywork, but it's not unmanageable for a person with some basic drafting ability and "garage engineering" skills. I'll be the 'guinea pig' but if it turns out well (and I think it will), I wouldn't be surprised to see others follow suit.
Main Line Overland
Supporting Sponsor
We are loving this build! Can't wait to see the finished product!:beer:
24HOURSOFNEVADA
Expedition Leader
You make a statement like this when you're removing a better, brighter head light (2012 Tacoma) and installing, best case scenario 15 year old lighting technology. One could actually say 21 year old lighting technology because I don't think they changed the 80 series headlights during the production run. It seems like fluff over function.
24HOURSOFNEVADA
Expedition Leader
I was thinking T-100 until you posted that pic.
Flagster
Expedition Leader
they are also quite a bit more $ if need to repair...bare assembly is about $150 tacoma...$200 95 LC
Containerized
Adventurer
You won't get any argument for me in defense of the 80 lamps functionally: lots of what's being done on this truck is more style than function. I could have left the wheels teflon, etc. But there's a style component in this build that pure utilitarians will undoubtedly see as a waste of money.
That said, this truck has more light output than my FJC with the two XMITTER units in the grille, and the FJC has plenty of light for (relatively unlit) drive from Kampala to Juba (I do my best to not move at night, but sometimes night falls sooner than you thought).
Worst case, I could add another XMITTER bar or additional individual lamps on the headache rack... but I don't think it'll be necessary.
Kermit - Remember that you're only looking at the supports for the grille, not what will be exposed. See the earlier cardboard mockup in this thread to see the grille design, which is much less "Dodge" looking. Also, I'd be surprised if most people who see this truck will have ever seen a Dodge product (aside from the more adventurous Jeeps, Chrysler products don't get overseas much).
24H - This statement wasn't made to say that this build has the "best of the best" parts; it certainly doesn't. It has good enough parts for what I plan to do with it. But the statement was made to say that too often people will just bolt up a headlamp instead of transferring the lamp, the bracket, the harness, etc. My issue isn't with parts transplants or parts quality, it's with hackjob fabrication practices (the kind of thing too many second-hand owners on this forum discover down the road).
That said, this truck has more light output than my FJC with the two XMITTER units in the grille, and the FJC has plenty of light for (relatively unlit) drive from Kampala to Juba (I do my best to not move at night, but sometimes night falls sooner than you thought).
Worst case, I could add another XMITTER bar or additional individual lamps on the headache rack... but I don't think it'll be necessary.
Kermit - Remember that you're only looking at the supports for the grille, not what will be exposed. See the earlier cardboard mockup in this thread to see the grille design, which is much less "Dodge" looking. Also, I'd be surprised if most people who see this truck will have ever seen a Dodge product (aside from the more adventurous Jeeps, Chrysler products don't get overseas much).
24H - This statement wasn't made to say that this build has the "best of the best" parts; it certainly doesn't. It has good enough parts for what I plan to do with it. But the statement was made to say that too often people will just bolt up a headlamp instead of transferring the lamp, the bracket, the harness, etc. My issue isn't with parts transplants or parts quality, it's with hackjob fabrication practices (the kind of thing too many second-hand owners on this forum discover down the road).
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Clutch
<---Pass
It is starting to go down the goofy road. I dunno, dude...seems like an awful lot of work for a face only a mother could love...
Maybe if the bumper was tucked nice and tight near the headlights, you might be on to something...
Your front end is looking like a mix between the Dakota and the new Ram, just with an extra cross bar...take out that second crossbar from
the top and I see Dodge...
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Clutch
<---Pass
The grill is looking slackjawed Dodge to me at least.
Yeah, the headlights look T-100 fa sha'.
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Containerized
Adventurer
Again, not really concerned since the Dodge grille (or the Dodge brand generally) doesn't really exist outside the U.S.
And, with the final grille design we have planned, there won't be any doubt it's a Toyota. Just wait and see...
And, with the final grille design we have planned, there won't be any doubt it's a Toyota. Just wait and see...
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