mh.meier
6️⃣ Aficionado
I have never done a build thread. So its fitting that I should do my first one on a forum that isnt even for my truck.
History:
I bought my truck in 2011 as a birthday gift for myself after I got out of the Marines, paid cash and have never looked back.. It has been all over the country. Wheeling, exploring, pavement pounding, camping etc. Truck Norris knows no bounds. When I first started building the truck I had access to fabrication equipment and started doing some stuff with my buddy Andrew out of his backyard garage! The truck has been through many different phases in its 200K+ existence. I would like to share those with you now.
I picked up my 2008 Toyota Tacoma SR5 in Silver Streak Mica in the Double Cab Long Bed configuration (because truck things), 4WD of course (also because truck things).
Here is the stock(ish) Truck Norris. I had only done the BHLM, Plasti-dipped everything and a Billy 5100/All Pro Leaf lift.
It also came with a shell from the dealership from Jason Industries that I sold to Josh Immediately.
Took it "wheeling" a ton! As much as possible even though I did not buy the truck with that intention, I just lived in a very rural area.
I had fallen asleep at the wheel while driving on a mountain road when I was working and going to school,. not a good excuse but I ended up having to run without a bumper for a while as that insurance money went to some new mods.... 285/75R16 BFG KM2's and some Avid Offroad weld on sliders with some sweet Ebay headlights
!
Which I used to explore some badass places
I even took it to Moab for the first time without a front bumper, where I also "sent it" for the first time......
It was also my first time running Kane Creek, which is hands down my favorite trail. It has changed dramatically every year I have done it.
From Moab the adventures continued. I used to go find old abandoned mines with my buddy Andrew (AKA JeepAndrew) and we went to some cool ass places:
I used the truck for everything. To pull Jet Skis, to wheel, to camp, mine exploration, to take my trusty sidekick Kuma out and that's how it all started really.I ended up building a custom rack system to mount things too and add a full size spare. The rack attached to my custom bed stiffeners made from 1/4" steel bolted through with 1" bolts. (lost my tailgate wheeling) and added one of them fancy strap ones.
Then there was the addition of the custom Avid Offroad bumper and some Blitzpro lights, custom brake line relocation lengthening brackets, 7" Kragen HID's and a custom tire gate!
From there I went on my second Moab Trip which involved fabbing up custom skids and a custom hybrid rear HC bumper to replace my constantly damaged one
Some cool Moab stuff:
Per my no shirt wheeling rule:
From there my build went a little "overland" I added a 6ft ARB touring awning, new custom built bed rack and a camping lab Mansion RTT that I found on CL for 500$. Dont even care if there was a murder in it! We also added some NATO can mounts to the inside of the tire gate and a new CB radio. Cant forget to mention the Desert Rat Rattler II rims and new BFG KM2 255/85R16's!
Now on to the good stuff, my first Pelfreybilt bumper! I met Tyler on a random off-road trip through Log Corral Trail outside of Phoenix that leads to Bartlett Lake and the rest is history! Here is installed my Pelfreybilt Steel, Full Hoop front bumper with Rigid Industries Dually foglights and a Rigid SR series 20" lightbar:
After my Pelfreybilt front, the next logical step was a Pelfreybilt rear with gate! Here it is installed with fold down table, dual NATO can mounts and Rigid SR-q back up lights!
I then upgraded to Icon EXT travel coil overs with 700# king coils, Camburg upper control arms, and some upgraded Billy rear shocks. And you might notice some sweet retrofit headlights as well!
During this time, headed to a camp out I lost my steering rack and burned through the 255's s I stepped back to my 285's while I found something new:
From here I decided to go to a single hoop, after selling my full hoop bumper to a buddy! I went full steel Pelfreybilt skids and a single hoop color matched front!
You also may have noticed I found that new new and went with 315/75R16 Goodyear MTR's with Kevlar, SCS SR8's in gloss black, 16" , WARN Zeon Platinum 12-S winch, and added another shell as well that I picked up for 200$!! Then I added a mesh grille to keep the new new going!
Also feature is my ARB/AirFlow hybrid snorkel Baja Designs Squadron Sport fog lights, and Baja Designs Squadron Pro amber ditch lights on Cali Raised Brackets:
At this time I am also rocking King RR EXT travel coilovers with CDCV valves and TC upper control arms! This was not the last time the build changed! I am now currently set up as a 2012+ Tacoma! (from the front)
History:
I bought my truck in 2011 as a birthday gift for myself after I got out of the Marines, paid cash and have never looked back.. It has been all over the country. Wheeling, exploring, pavement pounding, camping etc. Truck Norris knows no bounds. When I first started building the truck I had access to fabrication equipment and started doing some stuff with my buddy Andrew out of his backyard garage! The truck has been through many different phases in its 200K+ existence. I would like to share those with you now.
I picked up my 2008 Toyota Tacoma SR5 in Silver Streak Mica in the Double Cab Long Bed configuration (because truck things), 4WD of course (also because truck things).
Here is the stock(ish) Truck Norris. I had only done the BHLM, Plasti-dipped everything and a Billy 5100/All Pro Leaf lift.
It also came with a shell from the dealership from Jason Industries that I sold to Josh Immediately.
Took it "wheeling" a ton! As much as possible even though I did not buy the truck with that intention, I just lived in a very rural area.
I had fallen asleep at the wheel while driving on a mountain road when I was working and going to school,. not a good excuse but I ended up having to run without a bumper for a while as that insurance money went to some new mods.... 285/75R16 BFG KM2's and some Avid Offroad weld on sliders with some sweet Ebay headlights
!Which I used to explore some badass places
I even took it to Moab for the first time without a front bumper, where I also "sent it" for the first time......
It was also my first time running Kane Creek, which is hands down my favorite trail. It has changed dramatically every year I have done it.
From Moab the adventures continued. I used to go find old abandoned mines with my buddy Andrew (AKA JeepAndrew) and we went to some cool ass places:
I used the truck for everything. To pull Jet Skis, to wheel, to camp, mine exploration, to take my trusty sidekick Kuma out and that's how it all started really.I ended up building a custom rack system to mount things too and add a full size spare. The rack attached to my custom bed stiffeners made from 1/4" steel bolted through with 1" bolts. (lost my tailgate wheeling) and added one of them fancy strap ones.
Then there was the addition of the custom Avid Offroad bumper and some Blitzpro lights, custom brake line relocation lengthening brackets, 7" Kragen HID's and a custom tire gate!
From there I went on my second Moab Trip which involved fabbing up custom skids and a custom hybrid rear HC bumper to replace my constantly damaged one
Some cool Moab stuff:
Per my no shirt wheeling rule:
From there my build went a little "overland" I added a 6ft ARB touring awning, new custom built bed rack and a camping lab Mansion RTT that I found on CL for 500$. Dont even care if there was a murder in it! We also added some NATO can mounts to the inside of the tire gate and a new CB radio. Cant forget to mention the Desert Rat Rattler II rims and new BFG KM2 255/85R16's!
Now on to the good stuff, my first Pelfreybilt bumper! I met Tyler on a random off-road trip through Log Corral Trail outside of Phoenix that leads to Bartlett Lake and the rest is history! Here is installed my Pelfreybilt Steel, Full Hoop front bumper with Rigid Industries Dually foglights and a Rigid SR series 20" lightbar:
After my Pelfreybilt front, the next logical step was a Pelfreybilt rear with gate! Here it is installed with fold down table, dual NATO can mounts and Rigid SR-q back up lights!
I then upgraded to Icon EXT travel coil overs with 700# king coils, Camburg upper control arms, and some upgraded Billy rear shocks. And you might notice some sweet retrofit headlights as well!
During this time, headed to a camp out I lost my steering rack and burned through the 255's s I stepped back to my 285's while I found something new:
From here I decided to go to a single hoop, after selling my full hoop bumper to a buddy! I went full steel Pelfreybilt skids and a single hoop color matched front!
You also may have noticed I found that new new and went with 315/75R16 Goodyear MTR's with Kevlar, SCS SR8's in gloss black, 16" , WARN Zeon Platinum 12-S winch, and added another shell as well that I picked up for 200$!! Then I added a mesh grille to keep the new new going!
Also feature is my ARB/AirFlow hybrid snorkel Baja Designs Squadron Sport fog lights, and Baja Designs Squadron Pro amber ditch lights on Cali Raised Brackets:
At this time I am also rocking King RR EXT travel coilovers with CDCV valves and TC upper control arms! This was not the last time the build changed! I am now currently set up as a 2012+ Tacoma! (from the front)
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