We've been feeling pretty good about the progress we've made on our project Tacoma. The Total Chaos long travel kit made a world of front-end difference, and the other mods we've made have helped to transform the truck into a capable desert runner. Still, the thing didn't look right. Some folks like sleepers, and they hide their vehicle's capabilities under stock-looking body panels. Not us-we wanted the Tacoma to look like a desert truck, and we also wanted more room in our fenderwells. And we wanted some trick bumpers, a skid plate, and a bed-mounted tire carrier. Yeah, we want a lot of things, but this time, we lucked out. Hannemann Fiberglass needed a quad-cab Tacoma in order to make some new molds, and Baja Bumpers had some new designs that they were eager to show the world. Here at OFF-ROAD headquarters, it's not often a plan comes together this easily, so we jumped on it immediately.
Before the 'glass went on, our Tacoma had serious tire-clearance issues. We knew we wanted to run nothing smaller than a 33-inch tire, and we didn't really want to hack into the stock fenderwells, so the fiberglass fenders and bedsides were the way to go. We also bolted on a fiberglass hood, and it wasn't until these new body parts were on that we realized we'd been able to drop a few pounds. These fiberglass goods are tough, but you can easily pick them up with one hand. We didn't take the time to weigh all of the stock metal body panels that were torn off the truck, but when we moved them out of the shop, there was no denying that they were heavier than the new fiberglass. We plan on jumping this Tacoma whenever we get the chance, and the less weight that the suspension needs to support, the better.
Unlike certain other vehicles that depend on the stock fenders for a substantial amount of rigidity and structural support, our Tacoma is well-suited to fiberglass front fenders, even though we don't yet have an engine cage. The bedsides, as well, integrate into the retained inner truck bed, so most of the structural integrity of the bed isn't compromised. The bedsides are made of thick, sturdy fiberglass-we stood on the top of them once they were on the truck (this probably isn't recommended, but it's good to know the bedsides aren't going to crack if the truck gets used like a truck).
The Tacoma looked half-mutated with full fiberglass and stock bumpers. Being that many of the prerunner-style bumpers we see are fabricated, we expected that we'd have to have them made. However, we came across BajaBumpers.com, a company that makes, sells, and ships ready-made, bolt-on prerunner-style bumpers for '95 to '04 Tacomas. They offer a few different options, one of which was a bed-mounted, removable slant tire carrier that integrates into the rear bumper. The bumpers look great, include mounting points for lights and other accessories, and come ready to be painted or powdercoated.
It took us more time to get the stock bumpers off than it did for us to get the Baja Bumpers on. When they were mounted and ready, we marveled at the transformation our Tacoma had undergone. Our truck now looked ready to take on Baja. Seriously, the Tacoma looks legit, and our tire clearance problems are a thing of the past. We now have a lighter truck, a place for the spare, and we'll be bolting on some lights soon. Our Taco's looks finally match its performance.
 |  Now, that's enough room to...  Now, that's enough room to clear the tires! With a long-travel suspension system like the Total Chaos one we have on our Tacoma, fiberglass fenders are required to accommodate the increased compression travel provided by the suspension. We especially like how these Hannemann units match the Taco's original body lines. |  We hadn't thought of it beforehand,...  We hadn't thought of it beforehand, but when we tore off the stock front bumper, we lost our turn signal housings. However, we were able to wire the blinker wires into the driving light housings, effectively converting them to turn signals. We aim to keep this Tacoma as near to street-legal as possible. |
 Hannemann produces a few different...  Hannemann produces a few different front end options for Tacomas (as well as for a variety of other vehicles). We chose fenders that had a 4-inch bulge, in order to accommodate the increased track width that resulted from the long-travel suspension system. Also visible in this photo are the Autofab pins that we now use to secure the front of the hood. |  These are the very first bedsides...  These are the very first bedsides Hannemann has ever produced for the Tacoma Quad-Cab shortbed! Harold Hannemann has been making some of the automotive industry's finest body panels for almost 50 years, and he personally shaped and molded these bedsides to match both the truck's original lines and the front fenders he produces for Tacomas. Together with his son Hal, Harold installed the fiberglass parts in a fraction of the time it would have taken us (that is, assuming we'd be able to get 'em on ourselves). Harold and Hal know all the tricks and secrets to installing fiberglass panels, ensuring the spaces between them are even and uniform. |  The styling of our new Hannemann...  The styling of our new Hannemann fiberglass hood matches that of the fenders and bedsides, and includes a scoop that we especially like. Installation of the hood was simple-we secured it with bolts but left them somewhat loose at first, so we could fine tune the fitment, ensuring it was perfectly straight. This took some trial and error, but soon we had it right and tightened the bolts. |
 We spent about an hour tearing...  We spent about an hour tearing off all of the plastic parts that were integrated into the Tacoma's stock bumper, but the Baja Bumper went on in a matter of minutes-it is secured by four bolts. This is a true off-road bumper, designed to withstand the rigors of whatever we get into during our misadventures. The tubing is MIG welded, 1.625-inch, 0.120-wall steel and provides excellent protection for the Tacoma. |  It was pretty much the same...  It was pretty much the same story for the rear bumper install. It bolted right on without any problems. We opted for a hitch-mount, although these bumpers are available without them as well. These bumpers come unpainted, so we took ours to be powdercoated at Crest Coating Incorporated, where an even, smooth black coating was applied. |  When Baja Bumpers told us...  When Baja Bumpers told us no cutting or welding was required, they meant it! The bumper slides right onto the stock mounts and sits flush with them. A few turns of the ratchet, and the thing was on, utilizing the bolts provided by Baja Bumpers. |
 The optional tire carrier...  The optional tire carrier is great-it provides a slant mount that matches the bumper, but it's removable in case we want to use the truck bed and tailgate. We measured three times, and were able to mock up the carrier before drilling. Baja Bumpers even provided us with spacers that sit under the truck's bed, which provide support for the weight of the carrier and spare. |  Baja Bumpers even provides...  Baja Bumpers even provides a light for the license plate. We were able to run the wiring through the tubing of the bumper, protecting it from the elements. Being that we're going to be daily-driving this vehicle, we appreciated the fact that this light comes with the rear bumper at no extra cost. |  Here's the final product!...  Here's the final product! Our 33-inch tire is safely secured, and the carrier includes a mount that will accept a padlock, so we won't have to worry about someone walking away with our spare. This photo also illustrates how the inner bedwells tuck snugly into the Hannemann bedsides, creating a near-factory look. Not a bad looking tail-end, if we do say so ourselves. |
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