Quick Cosmetic Mod – I drive a TOYOTA TRUCK!

[barlowrs]

Well, I could tell my truck was having some self esteem issues, as here she is this big truck driving around sharing the same Toyota logo as your grandmas corolla, so I figured I would try to make her feel better about herself..after all, she is a TOYOTA TRUCK!

Step one was to get the parts laser cut, MetalMiller over on Tacoma world let me use his great laser cutting services to cut out all three pieces along with a backing plate. He did a great job!

After some time in my machine shop, I had the edge of the outer oval blended, as well as guide holes drilled through backplate to hold the front pieces on. (Yes I did mess up once so you can see my incorrect hole…I did some math wrong on the mill..haha).

My original plan was to just press fit some pins and epoxy the pieces to the back plate, though considering how much I beat my truck up, and the fact that these are solid steel (heavy) parts, I was afraid it wouldn’t hold. I decided to tap each hole and use some 8-32 set screws with locktite to hold them in place.

After a quick trip to the chrome shop for the front peices and a few coats of flat black rustoleum on the back plate, here are the parts laid out.

And here it is installed on the grill:

And on the truck:

I can tell she feels a lot better now, after all she is a TOYOTA TRUCK and proud of it.

 

[Joe's Toy]

Looks good man! I'm sure a lot of people will be wondering what that logo means but us toyota guys get it. Does a 03 tacoma still count as a TRUCK!? So many people have told me "thats a nice little truck" all I can do is

 

[irish_11]

Looks good man! I'm sure a lot of people will be wondering what that logo means but us toyota guys get it. Does a 03 tacoma still count as a TRUCK!? So many people have told me "thats a nice little truck" all I can do is

Hell ya it does! My 99 counts as a truck, and so did my 81. Despite their size they look like a truck, drive like a truck and when the going gets tough they will get you home like a truck. Did I mention that the truck is a truck


Also sweet badge. I really want to replace mine with an oldschool TEG badge

 

[bucketosudz]

Awesome!! I love this kind of stuff, fun idea comes to fruition, Good Job.:victory:

 

[barlowrs]

Looks good man! I'm sure a lot of people will be wondering what that logo means but us toyota guys get it. Does a 03 tacoma still count as a TRUCK!? So many people have told me "thats a nice little truck" all I can do is

Haha yeah, my gf calls it the "mushroom truck badge" but its all good, toyota guys know it.

HELLS yeah its still a truck. Its a TOYOTA truck (and honeslty, the older versions are better built than the newer ones...but dont tell anyone I said that..I miss my 04, but I love my 06)

 

[huntoon]

Awesome!

 

[Dave Bennett]

I'm planning a Satoshi mod for mine, recently got a nice old school metal early Land Cruiser TOYOTA emblem for the grill

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=258681

 

[Tim A]

Nice job Robert. I may have to flatter you by imitation :victory:

I already spiced up my butt end with an eBay 4WD badge!

 

[Box Rocket]

Pretty sure there is a guy over on TTORA that sells custom Toyota badges including that one and the TEQ one.

Nice work though, I think it looks great.

 

[joker2041]

Pretty sure there is a guy over on TTORA that sells custom Toyota badges including that one and the TEQ one.

Nice work though, I think it looks great.

First off......nice work on the custom badge!

Secondly, Box Rocket do you happen to have a link to this guy?

Thanks!

 

[barlowrs]

Nice job Robert. I may have to flatter you by imitation :victory:

I already spiced up my butt end with an eBay 4WD badge!

I REALLY like that! where did you get that, I may have to flatter you by imitation! Once my rear bumper goes off, my nice 4x4 mud flaps are gone, so I need some other 4wd paraphernalia.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Once my rear bumper goes off, my nice 4x4 mud flaps are gone, so I need some other 4wd paraphernalia.

I lost my OEM's when I trimmed the bedsides so I found a set off an 04 with the brackets and modified them to fit my truck. I hated the way the new gens say "4x4" instead of "4WD" anyway

 

[barlowrs]

I lost my OEM's when I trimmed the bedsides so I found a set off an 04 with the brackets and modified them to fit my truck. I hated the way the new gens say "4x4" instead of "4WD" anyway

Hmm thats a good idea. That is my problem, I will need to cut my bedsides for my CBI bumper. This actually seems like a great idea because the older gen mud flaps are more flexible as well, so less chance of breaking them off.

Great idea!

 

[Tim A]

I REALLY like that! where did you get that, I may have to flatter you by imitation! Once my rear bumper goes off, my nice 4x4 mud flaps are gone, so I need some other 4wd paraphernalia.

Here you go sir. He also has a Transformers "Autobots" emblem:sombrero:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4x4-...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a5263bbb7

I also think that the "4WD" is more classy than "4x4"

 

[DblD]

Very slick execution fellas. Hope you all agree that imitation is truly the most sincere form of flattery – especially when I’ve nabbed your ideas and implemented them on my truck.

I’ve been trying to figure out how to mount the old style 4WD mud flaps to my 2nd gen. Tacoma w/o cutting the fenders. Anyone ever try this?

dd