As good as today's pickups are, some feel they just don't come with all the right pieces, so when we decided to build our own compact pickup tool, we had a lot to consider. We started our quest by being honest about our expectations: We were looking to put together a truck that would see heavy ranch duty in the Northeast, with intermittent adventures to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for much-needed rest and relaxation. We weren't looking to overmodify our blank canvas, a 2002 Toyota Double Cab Tacoma, but we planned to increase its style factor, while vastly improving its rugged capability--all the while making sure we took every precaution to limit the corrosive effects of mud, salt, and rust. In a nutshell, we wanted to increase curb appeal, overall performance, and protection from the unexpected.
Our first stop was to "Project Double Take" headquarters at Performance Products, where we increased a rugged roof rack, headlight protection, and chrome stainless sidesteps--all in the name of installing function and protection. Inside, we followed the same theme by adding waterproof seat covers and heavy-duty deep-groove floormats.
In the bed, we placed a quick-disconnect Bed Xtender and hinged Sport Masters tonneau cover. For safety issues, we added extra lighting on the roof rack, with two forward-facing Hella pencil beams and one rear-facing work light. Also, when including the front bumper grille guard, we repositioned the front tow hook for easier access during potential off-road emergencies. We used some underbody coating to keep certain parts and pieces protected from flying debris, and we put a Warn accessory kit and tow straps behind the rear seats for emergencies. Underhood, we kept it simple for improved in-and-out breathing by installing a K&N Filtercharger kit and TRD cat-back exhaust--more air on the intake side and better noise out the tailpipe. Our final step was to improve our wheel and tire combination with a more aggressively treaded (Bridgestone Dueler A/T) tire and lighter (ASA) wheel to help with unsprung weight.
A word of warning: Don't just order parts and randomly start putting pieces on your vehicle. Considering each installation beforehand will save backtracking and possibly having to take off parts to install others. Planning prevents a lot of unnecessary work.
The entire project took two full days, once we decided on exactly the right parts for our needs and what installation order made the most sense. The overall result is a more capable vehicle with about 20 additional horsepower and increased attention-getting style. Now when we drive around town, we get more people doing the double take. Look for further put-to-work information in future issues on this Project as we road-trip across the country.