[Vegas_Nick]

Well a year and a half later, I thought I'd finally start my own build page!

2010 FJ with the TRD braking system and Toyota Offroad package, purchased Jan 2, 2011 from Centennial Toyota.

As she looks today:

I purchased this truck with a purpose. My second "job" is photography. I truly enjoy the desert Southwest, and love photographing the various landscapes and ghost towns. I needed something that would get me to very remote locations in comfort and safety. Little did I know that owning an FJ would become as an obsession as my photography itself.

Mods to date:
Hylift jack
Dynamat Extreme in the overhead
Blue Sea aux fuse box
BC980 CB Radio with Bandi Mount
Yaesu 2M radio
Custom fitted Baja Rack light bar with 4 HID's.
Rear door storage rack
Recovery kit with all the goodies
ScanGauge OBD
Garmin GPS hard wired
Fire Extinguisher
285/75/16 Goodyear MT/R Kevlar on MB72 16x8.5's.
External mounted 12 gallon gas tank with electric pump
Pre Runner bumper
iPad mount and 1st gen iPad
Dual GPS Module
Safari Snorkel
Body Mount Chop
Fox 2.5 non resi up front
Fox 2.0 with All Pro Springs in the rear
All Pro UCA's
All Pro APEX armor
On-board air.

 

[Hodges]

looking good bro

 

[Vegas_Nick]

My external fuel tankseems to get the most questions when I am out and about:



The tank is a 12 gallon Moeller "topside" marine tank. I added a marine grade Holley "Red Label" pump. I bought a 12 amp hour sealed lead acid battery and use 6 ft "coiled cord" to complete the switch/power supply. I simply plug it in, turn on the switch and watch it go. It moves the 12 gallons in less than ten minutes.

I just completed adding wiring so I can just plug the pump into the truck when I have it mounted.

 

[Vegas_Nick]

Communications was the very first order of business:

Comm Equipment:


I loved this setup but discovered a few issues. First and foremost, it made the radios fair game for the kids. The two year old love to screw with the knobs. Then, it made them fair game for feet. The biggest issue is that it made it very difficult to tune the radios on the trail. Any adjustment requires you to look away from where you are headed.

I ended up going to this:

This set up is mounted to the roof of the truck using two magnets attached to a 2X4. As opposed to just relying on the magnets, I applied a small amount of expoxy to the magnet faces before attaching them to the roof.

I mounted the CB Antenna using the popular Bandi Mount. I drilled the door, installed a grommet and then ran the coax inside using the factory conduit. This was a PITA to fish but worth it for the appearance and protection.


The 2M antenna was mounted using a "deck lid mount" from Amateur Electronics Supply

 

[Vegas_Nick]

Then I wanted to add some extra storage. (Nothing at all against the great guys at Springtail. I am just more of a do it yourself kind of person.)

Storage:

A few dollars at Home Dept and a few dollars over at Hahn's Surplus World and now I have tactical storage:

First aid kit, tools, flashlights, spare parts, all sorts of stuff and still have some room on the bottom row.

2 pieces of 4' x 1.5 inch X 1/8" thick aluminum bar from Home Depot. They actually need to be cut to right around 3' so you have a little waste or you could make a side rack. It can be cut with a hacksaw. I just polished the edges down with a dremel tool. I used 1/4 by 1" bolts, and nylon spacers that were 3/8" long X .375 ID X 1" OD. All of this is on the same exact ilse in Home Depot. I set the bolts 1" from the end and one dead center. I used think "fender washers" to back up the nuts behind the door.

The packs are "Butt Packs" from an Alice Pack

 

[Vegas_Nick]

Cleaned up some posts

 

[silver08FJ]

Where did you get that front tube bumper?


Nevermind, thread just updated with answer.


Sent from my MB860 using AutoGuide.com App

 

[fj6high]

Your Fj is looking great and you have it well equipped and nicely set up! Roof top tank is perfect and I bet that gives you piece of mind on them long runs into the desert. :rocker:

 

[Vegas_Nick]

Edited post: Space saved for shots of stickers!

 

[Vegas_Nick]

Just a few weeks ago I had a friend at work that upgraded to an iPad3. He literally handed me his first gen iPad and said "here ya go, have fun"! So with that, I joined the world of Apple:

I used a Ram Mount:

The Sock Monkey is a permenant instal as well. A gift from my grand daughters.

I am using a Dual GPS sensor and have downloaded Gaia, Motion X HD, and Google Earth. I am still experimenting to see what I really like and don't like. My biggest complaint is that I have to use the 4G connection of my phone or download maps for offline usage. I can't complain too much though for the price of the iPad!

 

[Vegas_Nick]

As of May 2012, the most recent modification was the addition of rear facing lights.

$19.99 from Vatozone. I already know that I'll want something brighter in the future. Looking at the LED ones that everybody else on the board has discovered.

 

[Vegas_Nick]

I often get questions about how I ran my wiring to the tank and lights. I used a Blue Sea product called a Cable Clam:

Yes, you do have to drill a hole. No, it has never leaked or given me a moments worth of trouble.

 

[Vegas_Nick]

And this is my little camping wagon:

When going on long trail rides, we carry the tent, sleeping bags, provisions, lighting, firewood, stove, etc in it. I've drug it along for at least 1,000 miles of trails thus far with no issues at all.

This is being replaced with what will be my version of the Shuttlepod.

 

[Vegas_Nick]

Added the Safari Snorkel. (more install pics coming soon)

 

[Vegas_Nick]

Reserved for the suspension lift/upgrades

 

[Vegas_Nick]

Reserved

 

[FJess]

Looks great!

 

[Vegas_Nick]

cleaned up the post

 

[Archy Chris]

Nice FJ Cruiser build!

 

[Mermagen]

Nice set up.


Sent from my crappy iPhone app