[LA Trail Teams 10]

Meet Scarlet...

Well here goes my build thread and how my journey started,

I totaled my 2003 GMC Sierra on the west bound side on the Atchafalaya Basin bridge early september of 2011. A car in front of me hit the brakes and i hit mine...it was raining... i scream "HOLY beep... beep...beep-ba-beep" next thing i know i pun 2 times hit the rail backwards and the fun part starts here.... rear drivers side wheel sheers off the axle, rolls me to the side and i hit the rail. I'm looking at the road facing the wrong way in traffic.
me=needing new pants.:boohoo:

after i cleaned myself up and everything was in motion, it was time for a new vehicle... i called a good friend of mine who worked a few hours away from me at Atkinson Toyota in Bryan, Tx, and explain what i was looking for.

i wanted:
4X4
good styling
fun to drive
nice power
safe...

he said i should look at a Trail Teams FJ. he sent me pics of the 2011 they had and said they just got a 2010 tt traded in that morning with 21,171 miles on it (poor guy had twins and wife said fj-minivan :mecry i got him to send me some pics.

i loved the truck from the first second i saw it... and i knew it was the coolest thing i had ever seen!
the next morning i drove to my local dealer and said i needed to test drive an fj. they had the 2011 tt and i drove that one. i was deep in love at this point!!!

i called tony back on my way home and told him i had to have it. he said he checked it out and i sent my uncle just to double check it out. everything was CLEAN! car fax and all...

so the deposit went down, insurance sent the check, bank said here you go and i drove to texas to pick up my new truck!!
little did i know how deep i was actually about to be...

"i freaking love this thing!!!!!!!!!!"

all papers signed and drove my 2010 Trail Teams FJ right off the lot, heading to "sexuv bliss" as my girlfriend put it... this is where her name came about.

i didn't have my seatbelt on pulling out of the car lot and she proceeded to scream at me with the loud beeping. my response was "GOOD LORD SCARLET CAN I HELP YOU?!!?!? ohhh.... seatbelt..." the name stuck.

the very next day it was time to test it out!

i did hours of research....and found this forum! i joined up and started my wish list.

first mod, spacers for the time being.

i met up with some of the guys here on a trip to Sicily Island, La... it was UHHHMAZING for my first real wheeling trip in "Scarlet"

such a blast! heres some more pics
Sicily Island oct 1 pictures by hodges8085 - Photobucket


Current mods as of 12.04.11:

Engine & Performance:
throttle body bypass
K&N high flow lifetime air filter
removed the emissions pad stuff from inside the air box.
BORLA XR-1 muffler (22")
Snorkel

Suspension:
custom 3" lift:
Toytec/Blistein ajustable front coil overs
Icon VS rear shocks
Toytec "Superflex" rear springs
Light Racing UCA's


Protection:
Ricochet front bash plate
Ricochet engine skid
stock rock sliders
stock Trail Teams skids
Rocktek shock guards

Tires & Rims:
BFG KO 265 75r 16's
black TRD "beadlock" style 16" rims.

Other:
Trash-a-roo
All-Pro high clearance exhaust tip
Cobra cb w/Firefly II antenna and Bandi mount
rubber marine shorty antenna for the am/fm
6k hid headlight kit hi/low
Sirius/xm radio
Icon billet shift knob/ and 4x4 knob
Areoflow headlight covers
custom roof rack clamps
Demello high lift clamps

Recovery:
Hi-Lift 48"
15' tow strap
Iornman small recovery set(15' strap, shackles, gloves)
Gerber ax and machete

To come:
Warn 9,000lb winch
remaining skids for full protection
Toy-Outfitters rear lower and upper links
Demello Offroad single hoop/ or evil eye bumper
All Pro rear bumper
light bar for stock roof rack
URD Y-pipe
Unichip tuner
33's- probably Nitto Trail Grapplers

dream on buddy:
supercharger
4.28 gears
ARB front locker
Dana 60!!
:rocker:

thanks for reading!!!:cheers:

 

[LA Trail Teams 10]

heres how she sits as of 03.20.12...

used the forum and built some roof rack clamps out of 1" split ring hangars and quick fist clamps

enjoying a good group photo of the Louisiana Landkrewesers!

Hot Springs, Ar :Feb 2012
Gorilla Run

http://s1134.photobucket.com/albums/m604/ebuvens/Hot Springs feb 2012/

video of Washboard going down....

http://s1134.photobucket.com/albums/m604/ebuvens/?action=view&current=file-40.mp4

 

[LA Trail Teams 10]

i put the snorkel on today as well as some cosmetic stuff....

 

[LA Trail Teams 10]

reserved!!!!!

 

[Hodges]

veddddy veddddy naaaace!!! cant wait to help u build her into the BEAST she is going to be...

 

[LA Trail Teams 10]

the skids should be in by friday so get ready to set it up! they need to come out with a snorkel for the 2010.. i would gladly volunteer to be the gueni-fj. haha

 

[Hodges]

the skids should be in by friday so get ready to set it up! they need to come out with a snorkel for the 2010.. i would gladly volunteer to be the gueni-fj. haha

we can put them on at the meet/mod. it wont take long at all with 2 people. i put all mine on by myself (well, my tire jack helped a lot) but it was a *****. which skids do you have coming?

 

[LA Trail Teams 10]

haha I bet that was fun...mainly the reason ima wait, i will drop it on my head...atleast 3 times with help holding it lol.

i have the ricochet front bash(ima paint and mod a little with 2 or 3 small holes like the rasta skid for an air passage) and engine skid. the tranny skid will be my christmas present to myself. then a diff skid beginning of the year followed by a unichip, snorkel, and OME 3" in whatever order they say hey in lol. I'm trying to get it built up for the jamboree in april.

 

[Hodges]

the Richochet skids are anodized so they will not hold paint well at all. engine skid and bash plate will take us a whole 20 minutes to put on..

 

[LA Trail Teams 10]

i wonder if i sanded a bit then put a nice coat of primer if it would make a difference... I'm hoping to get tin can to do part of the dash led swap for me soon.

 

[Wink_82]

Sweet ride & build.. I have a '10 TT myself & love it! Didnt expect to want to mod it as much as I want to but its in full force now, no looking back. Wish I had some fellow FJ lovers around me to help out with some of them like you do. I have a snorkel, all pro UCAs, and an Icon stage 1 waiting to go on just cant find good help to lend a hand!

 

[LA Trail Teams 10]

Sweet ride & build.. I have a '10 TT myself & love it! Didnt expect to want to mod it as much as I want to but its in full force now, no looking back. Wish I had some fellow FJ lovers around me to help out with some of them like you do. I have a snorkel, all pro UCAs, and an Icon stage 1 waiting to go on just cant find good help to lend a hand!

if ever you find yourself down here where the gator crows and we don't ask whats in the gumbo let us know! there is some awesome guys here who know their stuff! that being said put out on the forum a mod day thread around you and see what you can get done! what snorkel did you use?

 

[WILSON]

:rocker:

Look forward to wheeling with you at Jambo in April!

:wave:

P.S. We have OME at 10% off right now. :bigthumb:

 

[LA Trail Teams 10]

:rocker:

Look forward to wheeling with you at Jambo in April!

:wave:

P.S. We have OME at 10% off right now. :bigthumb:

can't wait!!!

oh i wish it could come any sooner than the end of january or so... 3 week old son takes most the cake my "fj fund" is my only saving grace for parts right now!! haha it will be SOON though!

you know... you can always throw a "test" set out there for me! haha

 

[Wink_82]

I appreciate the offer! Ive search for mod days but the closest members near me are a couple hours away.. only other FJs I see are soccer moms & the like.. Im lucky to see one with an oem brush guard let alone any real modifications. I went with one of the ebay snorkels like this one:
07-10 Toyota FJ Cruiser Snorkel Intake Shipped from USA | eBay
I know people knock these "cheap chinese made" knock offs but I liked it for a couple reasons. Its less than half the cost, and it doesnt say "SAFARI SNORKEL" on the side. I personally like to keep my rig clean or stuff like that. I havent installed it yet & I know the 2010 stock inlet is slightly different & may require a different band clamp, but thats really the only difference as far as fitment goes. If you do some searching you will find lots of debate on the quality of these snorkels but honestly, its of great build quality if you ask me. No formal instructions but theres youtube videos & plenty of info needed to figure it out. Its not rocket science by any means. Hopefully that will be going on soon, I am comfortable with tackling the install itself, but am looking to enlist some help in cutting my bushwacker fender flare with the use of a dremel & a few helpful minds for encouragement at the least! Im shocked I havent gotten more offers for help from my friends, seriously whats more fun than cutting holes in your buddies $30k vehicle? :rocker:

 

[LA Trail Teams 10]

I appreciate the offer! ...

haha your welcome! gotta watch those soccer moms, they get crazy!

... . Im shocked I havent gotten more offers for help from my friends, seriously whats more fun than cutting holes in your buddies $30k vehicle? :rocker:

well me personally, i couldn't bring myself to mess up! now if its mine I'm kinda like....ehh blow it up if you feel like it, insurance right? lol but i know the feeling!!

I've learned 1 important thing in this whole wheeling experience... beer/makers mark and a few tipsy buddies makes for one interesting explanation to "WTF?" lol

 

[98765]

You and Hodges have two of the coolest avitar pics on the forum. Glad you made it through that nasty mishap in one piece, and congrats on the little one and the new FJ!

 

[LA Trail Teams 10]

THANKS!! I'm really enjoying both of them! the fj a bit more because it wasn't crying just to cry all day today haha.

my pic was his idea haha. if i remember correctly my exact words were, "holy freaking....(insert choice beep here)" haha they just told me to sit still and don't do anything they wanted a picture!

 

[98765]

THANKS!! I'm really enjoying both of them! the fj a bit more because it wasn't crying just to cry all day today haha.

my pic was his idea haha. if i remember correctly my exact words were, "holy freaking....(insert choice beep here)" haha they just told me to sit still and don't do anything they wanted a picture!

You really have to look at it to see the left front's still on the ground. At first glance (and beyond) it looks like you're going for the rocket launch. :clap:

Hodge's just looks tough. All that armor coming at you... It looks like he's just arrived with reinforcements. Like the fricken' Calvary's here.

 

[MotioncontrolMike]

Can you tell me where you got the shift knobs for your FJ? Love them!

Mike