Toyota Tacoma: Under the Hood/Performance

Things started falling into place and I continued adding onto the Tacoma build. I began to add on accessories that would help improve the way my truck sounded and help its efficiency in performance. A lot of the time I spent on Craigslist.com in the classified auto parts section. Here, I'm able to find great deals on certain parts. Not all of the items in the used auto parts classifieds are always the best thing if they are overused or junk parts, but I sometimes get lucky enough to find some great components that are barely used at all.

This first picture is of a K&N cold air intake kit. What this kit claims to do is improve gas milage and add a small gain in vehicle horsepower. Whether or not these claims are valid is debatable. However, I feel as though I experienced a slight improvement in miles per gallon as well as a better throttle response when accelerating. Throttle response is the vehicles reaction time in comparison to when you put your foot down on the gas pedal to accelerate. I believe that the new cold air intake kit is less restrictive than the original manufacturer's intake system. Having a less restrictive system means more airflow to the engine and the truck can breathe better, so to speak. The cooler and more breathable airflow allows the engine to perform at its peak. Performance aside, this kit provides a great sound over the previous quiet intake system. It sounds like the perfect pitched hum that compliments the sounds of the engine along with the custom muffler which brings me to the next subject.

The second picture shows my Flowmaster muffler. It is the Super 40 model and sounds awesome overall. It gives my truck a throaty, deep growling sound. With this muffler I can drive around the city or off road sounding like a beast! Performance wise, the manufacturer claims that it provides more torque and air flow while maximizing horsepower. I decided to get it mainly for the sound. It makes my truck loud enough to be noticed, but not too loud to give off an obnoxious vibe. The resonance of this muffler is perfect and makes an impression without disturbing others in the vicinity. The K&N cold air intake in combination with the Flowmaster muffler provides the best sound possible for a mid-size pickup truck.

The last image appears to be a car battery, but I will add that it is not an ordinary one. This truck battery is what starts it all! What makes it special is that it is what is known as a "deep cycle" battery. Not like your average starting battery, this one provides ample amounts of energy for long periods of time. It powers the truck and all of the accessories that I have installed into it. Traditional car batteries provide quick, short bursts of energy to crank over an engine. This battery is dual-purpose and is not only able to start the engine, but it can be constantly used for hours even when the engine is not running. With a higher reserve capacity, a better than average sound system can feed off of it's power for more than 2 hours at a time! The auxiliary lights and interior accessories (sound system, etc.) that feed off of it will be discussed in a later post. Stay tuned!

Tacoma: History & First Modifications

As a proud owner of this new Toyota pickup, I was already eager to show it off. I created an account in a special community known as TacomaWorld.com. This website allowed me to interact with other Toyota Tacoma enthusiasts and discuss vehicle modifications and other topics. The community was welcoming and before I knew it, I had already built a small fan base. The pictures that you saw in my previous blog post are the same ones I posted in TacomaWorld to show off my new truck. If you recall, I had purchased this truck used from a dealership. Not long after I posted that picture, I received a private message from one of the members of the forum. Little did I know, the trucks original owner would end up finding my post in the community. What I also did not know is that he too was still a Tacoma enthusiast and we would soon become great friends.
The picture above is an original picture of my Tacoma when it was owned by a man named Austin. Austin was the original owner of the truck who sent me the message on TacomaWorld regarding my first post. He sent me this picture and we eventually exchanged phone numbers so we could meet up for lunch. We talked about our trucks and he told me stories of when he had my Tacoma. Austin now owns a newer truck of the same model and he later became the founder of what is now known as the local truck club, "Battle Born Tacomas". I'll talk more about the club in my future posts, but for now, it's back to the truck!

With the Tacoma in my possession, there were many ideas flowing through my head. Mainly, I wanted to modify my truck and make it my own. I wanted it to stand out from the rest. First thing that came to mind was cosmetics or things on the outside. This is what people see first, so I decided to black out the tail lights and install High Intensity Discharge headlights (HIDs). The black tail lights inspired me to take on the color scheme of black on white. The headlights were upgraded and brighter than standard headlights. They burn a very light, blue color called ice white. While my truck was in the shop, I also had them install a light tint on the windshield and LED bulbs into the tail lights for a different look.

The Tacoma was on its way to becoming the beast I have made it into today. Much of the later mods on the truck I installed myself. I also scout Craigslist for good deals on aftermarket parts to help me build it. The next post will discuss later modifications, how I acquired them, and ways they help enhance my Tacoma.

New Beginnings: Tacoma & Me

Welcome to the new Battle Born Tacoma blog page featuring my truck build and our adventures in the Battle Born Tacomas truck club in Las Vegas, NV. This is a picture of my daily driver Toyota Tacoma at Pipeline Trail off of Horizon Ridge in Henderson, NV.

Now that you've seen the Tacoma as she sits today, it is only proper to begin from the very start. This post will illustrate my truck from the day I first got it from Findlay Toyota in Henderson, NV.

The truck has come a long way since day one, but I was not always fortunate enough to be driving my dream vehicle. It all started when my first off-road machine, an Isuzu Trooper, began to fail. My first vehicle was given to me when I turned 16. It was a stick shift 4x4 that was highly capable in the dirt. Not the shiniest truck on the block, but it went places. One night I took the Trooper out to the desert and it was long after the sun had already set. Daylight was no more and I was the only truck in sight. Traveling at about 35 miles per hour, the dirt road suddenly turned into a paved pathway. Not knowing that the pavement lead to a different direction, I quickly tried to get back on the dirt and overcorrected. The tires caught grip to the pavement sending the vehicle into a half roll. My Isuzu soon ended up rolling over the driver's side and landing onto the roof; I was upside down and realized that I made a mistake.

Eventually, help arrived and the Trooper was put back on all four wheels successfully. Fortunately, I was not injured in the event. However, the Trooper was substantially damaged. After it was determined that it was salvageable, the Trooper was out of the shop and I drove it around for another two years. Living up to its name, the Trooper had been through everything. One day it gave up on me and the engine failed. It was time for a new vehicle and I was determined to not settle for something that would not make me happy. I was looking for something that had the capability to go off road and had a bed that I could haul things in as I ride a dirt bike on the weekends. I also wanted a vehicle that had a lot of aftermarket parts already manufactured for it so I could easily modify the truck. This next truck would be mine for years to come, so I patiently waited for the truck of my dreams.

After a month passed of searching everywhere for my dream truck, the day finally came. I received a call from the dealership saying that they had certified preowned Toyota Tacomas on the lot. I was excited, but I was also on a budget. I had nothing else to do on that day, so I had intended on just looking at what they had to offer. I arrived at the dealership, and sure enough, all of the trucks were out of my price range. They were nice and the test drives went well, but the circumstances were not in my favor. Feeling envious, I was about to leave the dealership without a vehicle. Then a moment happened. The salesman told me to hang out in the lobby just a bit longer. He said he might have a deal for me. There was a Toyota Tacoma in the back that they had not showed me yet. They pulled it around and it was perfect. I knew it was the one. It was a newer truck with a lot of miles on it. It had been taken care of properly and was still in immaculate condition. It stood out to me because it was white with black fenders. White and black are my two favorite colors because they compliment each other so well. It was also a two wheel drive truck which is what I was looking for. Two wheel drive trucks are better for suspension upgrades because you do not have to work around four wheel drive parts when upgrading. With proper negotiation, this truck could very well be mine. After hours of trying to make a deal, it was finally agreed upon that I could take her home. The best feeling came over me and I was lucky enough to finally be in my dream truck. It was much newer than my first vehicle, fast, had a smooth ride, and plenty of power. This was the start of the Battle Born Tacoma prerunner build!