Project Racin' Taco (ECORS racer build-up)

[gregers05]

that cross member is really nice.

is that the 0" drop or 3"? looks like the 0" to me but wanted to make sure

[Boomtacoma01]

Very nice!

[Tacoma747]

Originally Posted by gregers05

that cross member is really nice.

is that the 0" drop or 3"? looks like the 0" to me but wanted to make sure

I think it was 1.5" drop, which means the link bolt holes are 1.5" below framerail.

[Tacoma747]

Updated pics of the front bumper, had gotten this far awhile back, just hadn't taken a picture.






Front axle is tacked in place at full bump, not going to be able to get it to 'stuff' as high as I wanted, so the ride height is going to have to be raised some. Probably going to end up around 23-24" frame height on 37's.

[lrgrnr]

Why can't you get it to stuff as high as you wanted?

[Tacoma747]

Originally Posted by lrgrnr

Why can't you get it to stuff as high as you wanted?

The axle housing hits the oilpan, if I smash in the oilpan some, and get really creative with the upper link mount on the axle, as well as the trac bar, I might can get a little more. The axle hitting the oilpan is the main reason, there is not much I can do about that, and putting a dent in it isn't going to gain me much uptravel.

[gregers05]

Originally Posted by Tacoma747

I think it was 1.5" drop, which means the link bolt holes are 1.5" below framerail.

hmmm okay. they only have 0" and 3" on their site. they said the top of the 0" sits 1/4" above the frame rail. so the 0" is probably what you have

[John Doe]

Looks really good. I cant wait to see this finished. Do you plan on running/ attending KOH next year?

[Tacoma747]

Originally Posted by John Doe

Looks really good. I cant wait to see this finished. Do you plan on running/ attending KOH next year?

I really want to run the Tacoma in the 'main' race (not stock-mod). If I can find some sponsor $$ to help make it happen then it will be ready for the race

I have plenty of sponsored 'parts' (discount), but to race @ KOH it's gonna take alot more than that. I've got a few I am talking with, hopefully that will get me some fuel/entry fee $$. If I didn't have to drive from NC it wouldn't be that bad, but adding $2,000 in fuel costs is what really kills it!

I went to KOH this year as a spectator, didn't see but a couple 'trucks' in the main race, they were trail-rig Yota's that had definetly seen a hard life. I want to have a street-legal and trail proven, full bodied (well, minus the bed) truck racing the big boys.

Who wants to pitch in to pay entry fees? haha.

[lrgrnr]

I'll pay a little on gas if I can tag along next year

[Tacoma747]

Originally Posted by lrgrnr

I'll pay a little on gas if I can tag along next year

Thats fine, as long as you are not a moron like one of the guys that went out with us last year! (One of those that knows something about EVERYTHING and NEVER shuts up). I actually kicked him out of the trailer Thursday night because he decided he didn't want to pay anything to sleep in the trailer and use the shower (he flew out and back).

I'll PM you.

[lrgrnr]

You're not one of those crazy assholes from the foothills are you???

[Tacoma747]

Originally Posted by lrgrnr

You're not one of those crazy assholes from the foothills are you???

Is Winston-Salem considered the foothills? If so, maybe so!

I will kick you out of the trailer though if you are a drunken idiot and decide you don't want to pay anything on the 4th night of sleeping in my trailer and using my water, LOL.

(it was funny to see him walking away pissed off, carrying his generator at 11:00 at night, he had about a 1/4 mile walk just to get to hammertown) I was smart enough to kick him out AFTER the hot water heater got hot though! (and to be clear, I have a gen, we just took his because it was smaller/better on fuel).

Does that count as crazy? He claimed the next morning he slept in an RV, but we heard from another source he slept in a pit tent, and froze his butt off, hehe.

[lrgrnr]

Lol.....that's pretty funny.

[NCFJ]

Is just outside Spartanburg in Chesnee the "foothills"?

[lrgrnr]

Originally Posted by NCFJ

Is just outside Spartanburg in Chesnee the "foothills"?

lol

Runs from Forsythe county down to around Randolph county in NC....

[Tacoma747]

No big updates, I worked on the truck a little today, mounted the BFG Baja's on the aluminum wheels I got from Galloways awhile back. These are 37's off a Hummer, so they are 16.5" wheels. I doubt I will use the for any racing or hard offroading, as the 16.5's are bad about losing a bead. Probably going to get some 17" wheels and Krawlers or something for racing. The 37" krawler spare I have is about 1" taller than these Baja's.

[Tacoma747]

Here's a front picture, wish it were actually sitting on the tires and not the jackstands...


Looks like I will need to shorten the suspension links some to bring the axle back. This is probably going to cause some really close clearances with the oilpan, maybe require some fender tubbing as well. I just don't like the 'look' of the tires being nowhere close to centered in the fenderwell.

I put two spares in the back, and bounced on the back some to help settle the springs a little. Right now it is 20" frame height at the rear leaf spring hanger, I will be moving the shackle hangers some to raise the rear up some probably. I really like the low frame height, but I think the front is going to end up a few inches higher than the rear if I don't move the shackle.

[nswsparky]

Cool build, I am about to start my Tacoma SAS and planing on doing the frame cut method just wondering what size tube did you use looks like 2x4. I also got the Infamous metal works 3 link cross-member now I am just waiting on a Atlas 4 speed and some free time to start the build. And may I suggest FOA very well built all of them are custom built and very reasonable in price.

[Micah@ORW]

really cool build! i love your axles and am glad to see infamous parts on your truck, he is a good guy and a great builder!.

let me know what you are looking for as far as shocks and i will see what i can do you help you out, and try to help you save some loot so you can make it to KOH!

[Tacoma747]

Originally Posted by Micah@ORW

really cool build! i love your axles and am glad to see infamous parts on your truck, he is a good guy and a great builder!.

let me know what you are looking for as far as shocks and i will see what i can do you help you out, and try to help you save some loot so you can make it to KOH!

Wish i would have seen this sooner! I ordered some 14" travel ORI STX struts with the remote resevoir. I figured my chances of actually making it to KOH and racing might not be too great, so figured I'd be OK with the ORI's. I have heard they are great up until you get to 4-5 hours of hard running, which i am fine with. Just makes my life easier to not have to fool with a swaybar or airbumps.

I got the steering knuckles from Hellfire Fabworks, the front axle is partially assembled, the ORI struts should ship out next week.

[Tacoma747]

Well, shortened the links and the axle was bigtime hitting the oilpan, pretty much at ride height (or what I hope will be ride height).

Came to a solution that will hopefully allow me to run more uptravel and a lower ride height. I moved the motor back about 2" and up about 1", I had to remove the exhaust manifolds to allow room to move the motor back, the crossover pipe would be hitting the firewall otherwise. I had wanted to put headers on it anyways, guess that will just happen sooner, will just be a full custom set of headers...

Before:


After:

[Tacoma747]

The front driveshaft is going to be interesting, getting it to clear the crossmember may prove to be a challenge.


Panhard bar, I will have to notch the frame for clearance. I will also have to bend it to clear the front axle, and the oilpan...


Flex pic:


Flex pic:


I removed the oil cooler because it will interfere with the upper link mount, so I will be doing a front mount oil cooler and put an adapter plate on the block that will hopefully stick out less. Turns out it's a good thing I took it off, I don't imagine any coolant was getting through there...

[Tacoma747]

Pretty tight quarters! This is as high as the axle can currently go and would allow for about 3-4" of uptravel, with about a 20" frame height on 37's. I plan to notch the frame slightly to allow more uptravel (panhard bracket hits frame), and I will also have to put a bend or two in the panhard. Getting more uptravel is going to require some oilpan modification, I will probably only be able to get another 1", MAYBE 2". In the below picture there is less than a finger width between the pan and axle...

[Tacoma747]

Started working on the header today, I bought a brand new set of OBX headers for dirt cheap off NC4x4, basically cheap enough I didn't mind cutting them up. The passenger side header fit without modification, but the driver side had to be cut into alot of little pieces. Here is what I have started, the rear cylinder tube will be modified a bit more to fit better into the collector, and the middle will go up and over the rear then back down to the collector.



The exhaust will run back on both sides of the transmission, and join together behind the transfer case crossmember probably.

[reformed]

Looks bad ass! Are you going to race in ECORS this year? Hope to see you there.