Austin Sharpe’s Off-Road Evolution: Building the Ultimate Tacoma

A One-of-a-Kind Tundra Prerunner Built for Multiple Needs

Building your dream truck as a young gun has its challenges, especially when building it while supporting yourself in a society of ever-increasing living costs. But for Newbury Park, California, resident Ryan Vazquez, he took that challenge and met it head on, not only building himself the ultimate truck out of his 2000 Toyota Tundra, but also a residence he can call his own without sky-high housing costs.

“Ryan wasted no time in researching and planning for the perfect setup for his Tundra, spending extra time to learn everything from shock angles to full suspension geometry, and even how to MIG weld, so that he could do as much of the work on his truck as possible.”

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“It’s been my dream to have a prerunner ever since I got my license,” Ryan told us about the reason behind this build. “Rent is insane in California, so I live out of it, too. I needed something that fit both those bills.”

That’s right—Ryan built an epic Tundra prerunner that seconds as his accommodations on wheels. We bet you haven’t seen too many of those out running around!

From Stock Suspension to Prerunner Status

Building a prerunner requires a lot of attention paid to one’s suspension system, especially with the added weight of a pop-up camper in the bed. So Ryan wasted no time in researching and planning for the perfect setup for his Tundra, spending extra time to learn everything from shock angles to full suspension geometry, and even how to MIG weld, so that he could do as much of the work on his truck as possible. In doing so, Ryan was able to not only put together a killer suspension setup for his Toyota, but also learn a lot about fabrication and problem-solving that transitions into other aspects of his life.

“The first modification Ryan did to the truck was to equip it with Total Chaos Fabrication bypass hoops, as well as fabricate custom hydraulic bump mounts for the frame.”

The first modification Ryan did to the truck was to equip it with Total Chaos Fabrication bypass hoops, as well as fabricate custom hydraulic bump mounts for the frame. Then came a collection of long travel suspension components from BTF Fabrication, MCM Fab & Design, and BBM Offroad.

From BTF Fabrication, Ryan used a long travel front suspension kit modified by Rip Knowles, which was fitted into a custom spindle built by Rip. Added to this are King 3.0×16-inch 600-pound springs and King 2.5×8-inch coilover shocks with triple bypasses, significantly increasing the truck’s ride quality while also helping give it better handling characteristics at higher off-road speeds.

Out back, the MCM Fab & Design components come into play in the form of a Tundra rear cantilever suspension kit, tied to Deaver C27 spring under leaf rear leaves mounted with BBM Offroad leaf hangers and shackles. The rear of the truck is also outfitted with King 3.0×10-inch quadruple rear bypass shocks.

To help with the weight of the camper, Ryan added additional 2.5×10-inch King air shocks to the wheel wells of the truck with a modified Tacoma shock relocation kit. Talk about thinking outside the box!

Power and Push

While Ryan put a ton of work into the Tundra’s suspension, he opted to keep the engine almost completely stock, and for good reason. “The engine was left stock and reliable besides a K&N cold air intake,” he told us. “This truck has almost 250,000 miles and runs just as good as the day I got it.”

“That’s right boys and girls—Ryan puts his truck through the paces even with a camper on the back!”

In addition to the air intake, the truck’s exhaust also received a bit of an upgrade, including a custom Y-pipe, MagnaFlow muffler and a 4.5-inch DirtSkum side bezel for the exit just in front of the passenger side rear wheel.

The Tundra’s Aisin A340e automatic transmission also remains mostly stock, aside from some fun secondary additions, including an electronic shift override controlled with a switch mounted in the center console, a Winters gated shifter with RAD Designs Winters shifter electronic kit for manual gear selection, and a torque converter lockup control.

Behind the transmission you’ll find a shortened driveshaft with slip and 1350 U joints supported with an Inland Empire Driveshaft Ford Ranger polyurethane center support bearing. The modified driveshaft leads to a Camburg 3.50-inch rear axle housing, which was fitted with a Quick Performance 35-spline Ford 9-inch third member and 4.56 gears. The rearend also features a Detroit TrueTrac limited-slip differential.

Brakes on the Toyota are a mix of 2005 Tundra calipers up front, as well as Wilwood Superlite discs and calipers in the rear. The disc brake system is fed by a Toyota T100 master cylinder and power brake booster. Ryan also fitted his truck with a cutting brake handle for added fun.

“One of the best feelings in the world is a good drift, or some good ole ‘hooning’,” Ryan explained. “So I installed a nameless handle to lock up those rear brakes.”

That’s right boys and girls—Ryan puts his truck through the paces even with a camper on the back!

Planting the Tundra to the ground are 16×8.5-inch Method 305 NV wheels wrapped in 315/75R16 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires with 4.5 inches of backspacing on all four corners.

Looking the Part

While Ryan admits that his truck often confuses people—again, how many prerunners do you see running around with a camper shell on the back? The truck certainly looks the part of a race-esque truck ready to take on the desert. This is thanks in large part to the body modifications Ryan did to the truck, especially outfitting it with a full Hannemann Fiberglass Inc. body kit, complete with hood, front fenders, and bedsides.

Other additions to the truck include a GrillCraft mesh grille, custom tube bumpers with a custom front skid plate, headlights outfitted with an ACME projector kit from The Retrofit Source, KC HiLiTES FLEX secondary lights, and a 52-inch light bar mounted above the windshield with BBM Offroad mounts. Ryan also painted his truck along the way, laying Eastwood Cosmic Gray Metallic single-stage paint across the fiberglass-encased truck before topping it off with a urethane clear coat.

Out back, Ryan chose a Four Wheel pop-up camper for his digs with endless opportunities for changing views.

Inside the cab of the truck, Ryan replaced the factory Toyota seats with black cloth and vinyl Corbeau USA Baja RS suspension seats. He also upgraded the stereo to a Pioneer MVH-1400NEX system with 6.2-inch touchscreen. The most unique feature in the interior of the truck, however, is a custom steel tube-frame center console with bead-rolled aluminum plating built by DirtSkum, which houses the truck’s shifter, switches and hand brake, while concealing all of the wiring.

Ryan’s 2000 Tundra prerunner is certainly unique, and we’re willing to bet you’d be hard-pressed to find another one just like it. But that’s part of the fun! After all, who wants to build their ultimate prerunner just to end up having something like everyone else?

 UPGRADES

2000 Toyota Tundra “Hawk”

Owner: Ryan Vazquez
Newbury Park, California

Chassis & Suspension: Total Chaos Fabrication bypass hoops with custom hydraulic bump mounts; BTF Fabrication long travel front suspension kit modified by Rip Knowles, fit into a custom spindle; MCM Fab & Design Tundra rear cantilever suspension kit; BBM Offroad suspension components including rear leaf hangers and shackles; King 3.0×16-inch 600-lb front springs; King 2.5×8-inch front coilover shocks with triple bypasses, strapped at 15 inches; Deaver C27 spring under leaf rear; King 3.0×10-inch quadruple rear bypass shocks strapped at 18 inches; Additional 2.5×10-inch King air shocks used in wheel wells with a modified Tacoma shock relocation kit to help hold the weight of the camper

Wheels & Tires: 16×8.5-inch Method 305 NV wheels; 315/75R16 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires with 4.5 inches of backspacing front and rear

Engine & Drivetrain: 2000 Toyota 4.7L V8; K&N cold air intake; Custom Y pipe to a MagnaFlow muffler; 2.5-inch exhaust to to 4-inch tip; 4.5-inch DirtSkum side bezel; Aisin A340e transmission; Electronic shift override via switch in center console; Winters gated shifter with RAD Designs Winters shifter electronic kit for manual gear selection; Torque converter lockup control; Shortened driveshaft with slip; Camburg 3.50-inch rear axle housing; 1350 U joints; Quick Performance 35-spline Ford 9-inch third member with 4.56 gears; Detroit TrueTrac limited-slip differential; Inland Empire Driveshaft Ford Ranger polyurethane center support bearing; 2005 Tundra calipers up front, Wilwood Superlite discs and calipers in rear; Toyota T100 master cylinder and power brake booster; Cutting brake handle

Body & Paint: Full Hannemann Fiberglass Inc. body kit, complete with hood, front fenders and bedsides; GrillCraft mesh grille; Custom tube bumpers with front skid plate; Stock headlights with The Retrofit Source ACME projector kit; KC HiLiTES FLEX secondary lights; 52-inch light bar with BBM Offroad mounts; Eastwood Cosmic Gray Metallic single-stage paint with urethane clear coat; Four Wheel pop-up camper

Interior & Stereo: Black cloth and vinyl Corbeau USA Baja RS suspension seats; Custom steel tube frame center console with bead rolled aluminum plating built by DirtSkum; Pioneer MVH-1400NEX stereo system with 6.2-inch touchscreen