The Tundra is the type of truck that’s easy to let the imagination run a little wild on how one can personalize it to suite the avid off-road adventurer. But rather than just imagining, we are going to bring as much of that to life as possible during the next few months as “Project Deepwoods” takes shape in these pages. The palette for our transformation: an ’07 Tundra Double Cab 4x4 SR5 powered by Toyota’s awesome 381hp 5.7L V-8.
A MASTER PLAN
Our goal is to transform this rather plain Double Cab into the ultimate outdoorsman’s pickup — complete with all the trappings you’d expect in such a vehicle. We’ll be adding a lot of cool accessories and making a few modifications. On the master build wish list are items such as an on-board air system; a six-inch suspension lift; 35-inch tire/wheel package; locking differentials; dual batteries; a winch; custom bumpers; a bed cap; lots of off-road lights; communications and navigation equipment; high-performance brakes; headers and dualexhaust. And, just to make the truck a little more special — a TRD supercharger and a full-body Mossy Oak camo wrap.
We’ll show you how the items are installed, and give you the scoop on how they work in real-world use — including how they affect Project Deepwood’s overall performance.
SETTING THE STAGE
First, here’s a little about Project Deepwoods. Our Tundra Double Cab 4x4 is a Silver Sky Metallic base SR5 shortbed pack age, with the 5.7L; cloth seats; some chrome trim; tow package; and the barest of options: AM/FM with 6-disc CD changer; Deck rail tie-down system in the bed; mud flaps; and a rear underseat storage box that brought the total MSRP to $32,240.
Shortly after it arrived, we gathered our baseline numbers. A 100-mile jaunt along the Interstate gave us a good indication of the Tundra’s fuel economy: 17.8mpg at a steady 70mph over flat highway. Not great, but not bad either considering there’re 381 ponies under the hood. (City mileage averages around 14.4 according to the on-board computer.)
Then we stopped by Gulfport Dragway in Gulfport, Mississippi, to get baseline numbers with our Stalker ATS radar system. The 5.7L-powered Tundra is a truly awesome performer.
In fact, the biggest issue was keeping the rear tires from lighting up during acceleration runs. Despite being a bit gentle off the line, our 5,400-pound project truck still ripped off 6.9-second 0-60mph times and 15.1@92.7mph through the 1/4-mile traps. Mid-range power is exhibited by its ability to pull from 55mph-70mph in just 2.9 seconds.
Those are times nearly identical to muscle cars like the ’67 Dodge Coronet 426/440 Magnums — and faster than the new Cadillac Escalade with the 400hp GM 6.2L. It also makes the Tundra the fastest pickup on the road other than its Regular Cab stablemate and the Ford Lightening.
Braking performance is just as strong. It took our truck just 135 feet to stop from 60mph. Panic stops from 70mph took only 185 feet.
INITIAL UPGRADES
But we aim to make all those numbers more impressive as Project Deepwoods evolves. Toyota Racing Division (TRD) says their cold-air intake system and big brake kit will find their way on Project Deepwoods in short order.
Because the Tundra is all-new from the ground up, it’s going to take a few months for the aftermarket companies to provide accessories. As the products we want become available, we’ll do the installations.
In the interim, we have added a couple items that a lot of base model 4x4Tundra owners will find useful until they decide to go to the next level of customization as we plan to do over the next months.
Step-in height is high on the Tundra 4x4, which gets a little tedious after a while when drivers and passengers are not long-legged NBA players.
EARLY ADD-ONS
GST sent us a set of aluminum running boards, 20-inch chrome wheels mounted and balanced with Bridgestone H/L Alenza tires, and an aluminum bed extender.
The P275/55R20 Alenza Duelers replaced the stock Bridgestone Dueler H/T light truck tires mounted on the 18- inch stock steel wheels. The new tires provide a little better highway ride, greatly improved wet-pavement handling but are just interim replacements until our Pro Comp Xtreme Mud-Terrains and flat-black Pro Comp 18-inch PXA7028’s show up.
We made use of our new GearWrench hand tools to bolt the running boards into the existing threaded holes along the underbody of the Double Cab, making installation ultra simple. The aluminum tube bed-enclosure was just as easy to put together and install. Now we can haul our two-up Polaris 800 X2 ATVs around without fear of the Lund aluminum ATV loading ramps sliding out of the bed.
This is just the starting point. Now we’re ready to really get moving. What’s next?
You’ll have to check out our next issue. But here’s a hint: How do you find your way around the deepwoods, keep those tires aired up, and make it easier to get through mud and sand? ORA’s Project Deepwoods is underway!
