New and kind of from Round Rock

[MCTacodriver]

Hey all,
My name is Brian, been on tacomaworld for a while, and I'm also on yotatech. Don't post much, more just try to soak up the wealth of information that's out there.

I have a 2009 Tacoma 4x4, access cab, 6 speed. Not to much done to it at the moment, but when I get back stateside some stuff will go on. It's my daily driver, and I had been using it for off roading as well. Now (reason below), it's going to be mostly just my driver, and will be a mild expo rig, and my tow rig.

I also have an 1985 Toyota Pickup 4x4, 22R with a 4 speed manual. She's in rough shape, but that's okay as she was purchased with the intent of taking some damage. Currently not running, needed a new carburetor, but I deployed before I had the chance to get that switched out. I've been lurking these forums for a while watching BearsFan07 build 'Clyde' (was sad to see it go!), and a few ideas have come from his build. I have some armor, a new weber carburetor, 5.29 Nitro gears, spool for the rear, and will be getting an automatic locker for the front, and Marlins brake upgrade kit.

As far as the kind of from Round Rock? That's where I grew up, but I joined the Marines out of high school and am stationed in Cherry Point, NC, though at the moment I've been deployed for the better part of a year in Djibouti, Pakistan, Kuwait, Afghaniland, and now a cake spot in Sicily for the current operations in Libya. I'm a loadmaster on the KC-130J if you're wondering about the multitude of locations

Any questions, feel free to ask, and I look forward to learning, and sharing what comes from the knowledge gained!

 

[Anathollo]

Nice! Welcome to TOR! post up some pics when you get a chance.
Thank you for your service!

 

[SecretSquirrel]

Welcome to TOR. Ex-EC130E (ABCCC) aircrew here...

 

[MCTacodriver]

The good old legacy! We all have a love/hate relationship with the J, it is incredible the difference between them performance wise, but since everything is electronic, we're often down for something that would have never happened on the old planes. Those EC-130's are crazy though, I've only ever seen one, and their aircrew had come over to take a look at our refueler. Asked if we could come and take a look at theirs and was rejected. To much classified stuff they said. Don't know if it's true or not, but I have heard the same thing happening to other guys from my squadron.

 

[SecretSquirrel]

The good old legacy! We all have a love/hate relationship with the J, it is incredible the difference between them performance wise, but since everything is electronic, we're often down for something that would have never happened on the old planes. Those EC-130's are crazy though, I've only ever seen one, and their aircrew had come over to take a look at our refueler. Asked if we could come and take a look at theirs and was rejected. To much classified stuff they said. Don't know if it's true or not, but I have heard the same thing happening to other guys from my squadron.

Probably true... Lots of secretsquirrel stuff on the ECs... We could show you our stuff when it was powered down, but it took 15 mins to boot everything up, so there was no dog&ponies after preflights...

Guessing you saw one of the jammers or possibly a Commando Solo, which acts as a mobile tv/radio propaganda platform...

 

[MCTacodriver]

I think it may be the Commando Solo, someone had been mentioning that name around here...Don't know what is inside, but the extra stuff hanging on the outside is weird enough.

Here's the Tacoma, on a trip to the Outer Banks of NC:

Pulling out a friends stuck F150:

And parking at work back home gets tight at times, fortunately, I did the train mod:

Here's the 85, still looks the same, just been moved to a storage yard and is currently sitting on cinder blocks:

 

[Silverback]

Welcome man! I did 13 years in the AF, 6 years as F-15 avionics and then 7 as software developer. Good times. Next time you are back in town let me know, I'm actually in P'Ville so I'm just a short drive from Round Rock, we'll grab a beer.

 

[SamSter0077]

Welcome!

 

[TacoXpo]

Welcome! Nice rigs - I currently have a new love affair with the old Toyotas.

Never was in the service* but was responsible for Structural and Electrical development of the C-17 - at the time we thought of ourselves as building the next military 'off-roader!'

Thanks for your efforts!

My GF teases me all the time that I was a member of the Merchant Marines and being that the ship I was working on was never seized by the US military, I have yet to serve!!

 

[HoseB]

Welcome man! I did 13 years in the AF, 6 years as F-15 avionics and then 7 as software developer. Good times. Next time you are back in town let me know, I'm actually in P'Ville so I'm just a short drive from Round Rock, we'll grab a beer.

Another guy from Round Rock, sweet! I'll join u guys for that beer

 

[thekidcatcher]

Beer? Where?

 

[drew02a]

Beer? Where?

At my house?

 

[thekidcatcher]

when?

 

[drew02a]

now... Oh yeah

 

[thekidcatcher]

damn you... jk

 

[AlienXtx]

Welcome to TOR.

 

[MCTacodriver]

Welcome man! I did 13 years in the AF, 6 years as F-15 avionics and then 7 as software developer. Good times. Next time you are back in town let me know, I'm actually in P'Ville so I'm just a short drive from Round Rock, we'll grab a beer.

The F-15's are amazing pieces of work, I'm always a little jealous when we're cruising along at a blazing 250 knots, and they (or any fighter) just come screaming past. Then I get up, stretch my legs, take a leak in our toilet, go get a cup of coffee and cook up some food in the microwave. Usually cures that itch! A beer sounds amazing, I should be getting back into Tx the 1st week of June if all goes according to plan.

Welcome! Nice rigs - I currently have a new love affair with the old Toyotas.

Never was in the service* but was responsible for Structural and Electrical development of the C-17 - at the time we thought of ourselves as building the next military 'off-roader!'

Thanks for your efforts!

My GF teases me all the time that I was a member of the Merchant Marines and being that the ship I was working on was never seized by the US military, I have yet to serve!!

Don't we all? It's just to bad it would be cheaper to do drugs, though I believe I'll stick with the yotas.

C-17s are immense, and there cargo compartment is great. Was designed by a loadmaster so it's actually set up damn near perfect. Funny story, an USAF loadie I met while in Djibouti had flown down to Kenya, landed at this small base to drop off some supplies. While they're offloading, a C-17 lands, and turns off onto to the taxiway, had to hit the throttles a little bit to make the turn. What was directly behind them? The living quarters of the Kenyan military, which was all tents. He has a video of this, and all the tents just go flying, and you see people chasing after them! Apparently it happens at least once a month there, you think they'd learn their lesson the first time they start chasing down their homes...

 

[TacoXpo]

Don't we all? It's just to bad it would be cheaper to do drugs, though I believe I'll stick with the yotas.

Isn't that the truth!!! I jokingly say I could have started a cocaine habit for a couple of years, paid for rehab and back to reality and spent less money than the 2 trucks I own!

C-17s are immense, and there cargo compartment is great. Was designed by a loadmaster so it's actually set up damn near perfect. Funny story, an USAF loadie I met while in Djibouti had flown down to Kenya, landed at this small base to drop off some supplies. While they're offloading, a C-17 lands, and turns off onto to the taxiway, had to hit the throttles a little bit to make the turn. What was directly behind them? The living quarters of the Kenyan military, which was all tents. He has a video of this, and all the tents just go flying, and you see people chasing after them! Apparently it happens at least once a month there, you think they'd learn their lesson the first time they start chasing down their homes...

Yeah baby!!! Maybe the next gen will have hydraulically powered wheels so you only hear the APU while on the ground and have far more maneuverability!

 

[Mauzer]

Welcome, your parents must really love you b/c they gave you the coolest name a person can possibly have (and they spelled it correctly) Thanks for your service, my bro-in-law is @ Ft. Bragg right now but is moving back to San Antonio in June. He got back from Afghanisuck not too long ago, he's an Army medic in the 83rd. Both my parents are retired AF.

 

[MCTacodriver]

Isn't that the truth!!! I jokingly say I could have started a cocaine habit for a couple of years, paid for rehab and back to reality and spent less money than the 2 trucks I own!



Yeah baby!!! Maybe the next gen will have hydraulically powered wheels so you only hear the APU while on the ground and have far more maneuverability!

It kind of depresses me that I have roughly $2.5k in parts sitting at different peoples houses throughout NC. From the east coast all the way to Charlotte! Worst part is, I could easily spend another $3.5k on stuff right now, if their garages weren't full already

That'd be something, would take one hell of a strong APU though, especially if it was fully loaded and bagged out with gas...I think they should just stick with the jet engines, so we can continue to enjoy hilarity at the expense of poor African nations. I emailed that guy with the video to see if he could send it to me, can't really post it up online since it is a flightline after all.

Welcome, your parents must really love you b/c they gave you the coolest name a person can possibly have (and they spelled it correctly) Thanks for your service, my bro-in-law is @ Ft. Bragg right now but is moving back to San Antonio in June. He got back from Afghanisuck not too long ago, he's an Army medic in the 83rd. Both my parents are retired AF.

They were actually going to name me Michael, but at the last moment, when it was time to put it on the birth certificate, they decided to go with Brian. Funny how things work out sometimes! I have a couple friends that were at Ft. Bragg, in the 4th Infantry Division. Both are out of the military now though. For some reason, they didn't enjoy 16 month deployments in the desert, with promises of more to come?