1999 Toyota Tacoma - Rock Taco'
The stock Tacoma 3.4L V6, auto tranny, and transfer case were left in place and serve as a solid powerplant for the hardcore drivetrain Mike has added.
The Tacoma sits on a longish wheelbase of 128 inches, so good belly clearance and tall tires help keep it from dragging over boulders. Down below, a modified Front Range Off-Road T-case mount and skidplate get the job done. Michelin XZL tires on Cragar wheels stand tall at about 38 inches.
Clearance is king in the rocks, and a bodied truck does best when some of the sheetmetal has been removed. Mike started by bobbing 13 inches off the tail of the bed. Then, each of the fenderwells met the saw and was opened up to accommodate larger tires and more articulation. For added protection of the remaining sheetmetal, custom tube bumpers and sliders were added.
We spent a couple of days on the trail wheeling with Mike and his Taco' and the combo he's assembled works well. It has great stability and flexes more than adequately. With most of the work being done with his friends (especially Eric Mollencopf), Mike's driving a rig to be proud of.
Mike has already started working on the next round of mods for his truck. A beefier Dana 60 and 14-bolt set of axles will go under it, and he's planning to move up to larger tires. Other planned upgrades include the hydro-assist steering, a larger fuel tank, and the addition of lower transfer case gears.
This rig's a daily driver and weekend warrior, and you'll certainly spot some dents here and there on it. Street-legal it is, but Mike built the Taco' to tackle the rocks as well.
...
>>next page