BigMike's Big Journey: A 2016 Tacoma Build Thread

[BigMike]

Sept 13-16, 2019: 18th Annual Marlin Crawler Round-Up (MCR18)

I should be posting these to my Trip Thread, but that thread is so far behind and I can't be bothered updating it, so I'm just going to fire these off here with minimal comments. Let me know if you have any questions!

[BigMike]

Sept 13-16, 2019: 18th Annual Marlin Crawler Round-Up (MCR18) (continued)

Forgot to install the K&N filter sock





This is my 2nd prototype RCLT HD. There were over 100 improvements since V1, and speaking from the future, V3 has around 40 improvements over this V2 shown, and the final production version has about a dozen final improvements over V3.

 

[BigMike]

Sept 13-16, 2019: 18th Annual Marlin Crawler Round-Up (MCR18) (continued)

First time seeing this much up-travel since upgrading to linked suspension!



Final made it through Soup Bowl!







New prototype bumper doing it's job!



Cakewalk through the Little Sluice

[BigMike]

Sept 13-16, 2019: 18th Annual Marlin Crawler Round-Up (MCR18) (continued)





New muffler modification

[BigMike]

Sept 13-16, 2019: 18th Annual Marlin Crawler Round-Up (MCR18) (continued)





Couple pics from CABOOSE





Buck Island Lake

[BigMike]

Sept 13-16, 2019: 18th Annual Marlin Crawler Round-Up (MCR18) (continued)

Completed another pass through the Big Sluice. Such a pain in the ass with this huge monstrosity that is the 3rd gen Tacoma...



One of my favorite corners on the trail





These are from after the event, loaded up and ready to head back through the trail to Loon





Looks like I got the rear axle well centered

[BigMike]

Sept 13-16, 2019: 18th Annual Marlin Crawler Round-Up (MCR18) (continued)

I've now slithered this annoyingly oversized "minitruck" through the Big Sluice 8 times without any body damage





Awesome shot from Jamie coming back around to Buck Island!



Regrouping near the top of the Slabs

[BigMike]

Sept 13-16, 2019: 18th Annual Marlin Crawler Round-Up (MCR18) (continued)

Made it safely back to Loon Lake



Regrouping before merging back onto Hwy50



Grabbing dinner in Pollock Pines



Refueling at Grantline & 99



During the final 100ish miles home it had climbed to 20.3 MPG



Back home successfully still without any body damage wooooohoooooo



And that's mostly it for Tacoma pictures from MCR18! We recently posted our MCR18 Review Video which shows some footage of the Tacoma from the event

We didn't write this in the video description, but due to a corrupt memory card we lost the first two days of trail footage including additional interviews and slow motion footage of various rigs including SlowestTacoma. :cry: Nevertheless, our video guy did a hell of a great job turning the little remaining footage into nearly an 8 min video!

[Wainiha]

I like the pic of your truck on the tire of other truck..  I don't like California much, But if I was to move there it would close to Marlin Crawler.

[BigMike]

Oct 17, 2019: Another nail in my tires

Holy cow I picked up another nail In all the years daily driving my 1981 Rock Crawler to college, work, and countless wheeling events in and out of state, I don't think I ever got a nail in my tires. This is now my second nail in the Tacoma in less than a year

Fortunately this one doesn't seem to be leaking, at least, not yet...

[BigMike]

I don't like California much, But if I was to move there it would close to Marlin Crawler.

I don't blame you.... but the wheeling is incredible!!

[BigMike]

Oct 25, 2019: On display at a Fresno Unified School District Fair

The Crawler Truck and SlowestTacoma were invited to deliver cheer hopes and dreams to Fresno city school children at a small fair.

It was pretty cool as we were between PG&E (local gas utility Co.) and our Fresno City Police Department!

"So kids what do you want to be when you grow up: A fire fighter, police man, utility engineer, or ROCK CRAWLER?"

[BigMike]

Oct 26, 2019: RC4WD West Coast Scale Challenge

The very next day Marlin and I were special guests at the RC4WD West Coast Scale Challenge event at Lake Kaweah near Visalia, CA and it was awesome!

The Crawler Truck was obviously the Rig of the Show because this is the company who came to us a few yrs ago for permission to create a 1/10th scale version of the world-famous Crawler Truck which you can find on our site here:

--> MarlinCrawler.com/rc-cars/110th-scale-rc-crawler-truck <--

Here are a few pics from the Product Page:

[BigMike]

Oct 26, 2019: RC4WD West Coast Scale Challenge (continued)

So with that in mind, RC4WD definitely wanted the real 1:1 Crawler Truck to be on display and because my Tacoma is a built Rock Crawler yet fully comfortable and capable as a Daily Driver just like The Crawler Truck, why not invite bring it as well!

I used to be big into R/Cs in my 20s and remember machining and making custom scale rock crawling components that now are readily available. The hobby has come a very long ways indeed!

Here we are meeting at a Visalia diner with long time close family friends AlohaDave and his wife



And the moment we arrived to the Lake campground people began swarming The Crawler Truck! Just check this out!









Always a good time seeing customers and fans taking a seat in the famous rig!

[BigMike]

Oct 26, 2019: RC4WD West Coast Scale Challenge (continued)

Check out who was also in attendance! Anyone recognize this gentleman?



They had us line up our trucks next to the main booth...



...and setup an interview and autographing table where Marlin spent some quality time meeting a ton of Scaler R/C fans and signed a crap ton of 1:10th Crawler Trucks! They also had Marlin and myself do a few interviews on the PA system which was a lot of fun

[BigMike]

Oct 26, 2019: RC4WD West Coast Scale Challenge (continued)

And CHECK THIS OUT!!! Just before the day was over, they brought out a 1:10th scale TACOMA for SlowestTacoma! Hahaha I was NOT expecting this and it was REALLY AWESOME of them to do this! This is one of their existing Tacoma scale models which is a 1st gen Tacoma double cab long wheel base version with four corner leaf springs and solid axles front & rear. So now I guess I have to 3D print a 1:10th scale RCLT HD and find a 3rd gen AC body!







Drove back to Fresno late that day and over the final 80 mile stretch I made another 20 MPG on the open road LOVE the 2GR-FKS + manual trans!

[BigMike]

I just realized I forgot about a "Wrap Up" video RC4WD did of the event, so here it is!

There are a few shots of Marlin and The Crawler Truck from the 1:11 mark, and a shot of me on the microphone at the very end

If you haven't been paying attention to scale radio controlled vehicles then prepared to be amazed!

YouTube direct link: RC4WD West Coast Scale Challenge 2019 Wrap Up (2:58min)
Note: Lower your volume before hitting play

[BigMike]

Dec 13, 2019: Thoroughly washed Tacoma for the first time

I had been thinking of getting a pressure washer but our home has surprisingly high water pressure so I figured I'd try a car foaming gun first and went with this one on Amazon, and let me tell you, this thing kicks butt! It provides serious kick, even the recoil of the hose back into my hand is very noticeable. It destroys 'Jet' mode of our adjustable spray garden hose nozzle.

I do regularly get car washes but this was my first time ever doing a thorough cleaning of SlowestTacoma

[BigMike]

Dec 15, 2019: Central Coast Land Cruisers Christmas Party

For the past few years our very good friend Bob has been inviting us to attend the Toyota Land Cruiser Association's Central Coast Land Cruiser Christmas Party and this year I finally made it out!

I took many more pics of some really, really nice Land Cruisers including an imported Diesel-powered 70-series, but here come the ones containing SlowestTacoma

Passing through the beautiful Central California Coastal Range Mountains



Potty break in El Paso de Robles



And SlowestTacoma has returned to one of it's favorite home away from home!



Check out Bob's new project!!





Heading back home! I love nighttime driving



113 miles @ 18.6 MPG, which included going up and over the Mountain Range and the annoying traffic signals of Hwy 41 south of Fresno

[BigMike]

2019 Wrap Up

And to round the year out, here come misc. 2019 pics from daily driving SlowestTacoma! Sorry if I've already posted some of these

[BigMike]

2019 Wrap Up (continued)

[BigMike]

2019 Wrap Up (continued)

SlowestTacoma with local service member Bryan's 2nd gen! Thank you for your service Bryan!







Silly Mall Crawlers

[BigMike]

2019 Wrap Up (continued)

I'm a simple man. I see another 3rd gen, I park next to it.

[BigMike]

2019 Wrap Up (continued)

[BigMike]

2019 Wrap Up (continued)









Hey TLCA! What kind of cheap sticker material are you using??



My pair of ~275-hosepower 6-speed manual Toyotas

[BigMike]

2019 Wrap Up (continued)

[BigMike]

2019 Wrap Up (concluded)

[BigMike]

Dec 31, 2019: Prototype v2's End Of Life

On New Year's Eve I removed RCLT HD Prototype v2. Thank you very much v2! You served our RCLT HD development extremely well, you won't be forgotten!



Nevertheless, so glad to be done with v2 because prototype v3 will be a hell of a lot better!



And that's it for 2019!

[redneckcustoms13]

Looks like its final stage turned out great. I'm glad that despite falling through your ceiling you were still able to get out and enjoy some wheeling. Now stop rubbing it in our face and sell us the darn things!!!!

[Wainiha]

You're just making people envious by parking next to their Tacomas.    

What kind of battery is that?