Catfish Charlie: a DD/tow rig story (1 Viewer)

[Land Speeder]

Last year, I traded my previous TowRig, a '05 Scion tC, in to get this tow rig. A low-mileage old-man owned '08 5.7 2wd.

Took this on the way home with it:

Immediately recognized it looked like a Catfish:

OHSHUNT

But since it won't get you home, I started removing the chrome. hubcaps and grille painted:

Went ahead and uPol'd (eBay bedliner kit) the front and rear bumpers, the grille and the side steps

What kinda catfish doesn't have whiskers?!

Had to install the 3" leveling pucks up front to give it a level stance... beside another Tundra for reference.

Found a killer deal on CL for some alloy 18's with 33" BFG AT's:

May rolls by and time for a new tag:

Now I'm a real poser, I got TRD Rock Warrior stickers on it... but I do Rock Crawl, so it's kinda for the cruiser and not this...

Notice I also removed the flares, gotta buff the line out.

 

[Land Speeder]

Next project will be painting the alloy wheels black since now everyone says it looks weird. Semi-gloss it will be.

 

[ERG80]

lol Awesome! Looks even more like a catfish with the chrome painted. You just need to add some fins.

 

[Bomar]

Sweetnessss.....

 

[Jacket]

Nice truck! I'm usually not that fond of naming rigs, but I like Catfish Charlie - it has a good ring to it.

 

[Land Speeder]

Nice truck! I'm usually not that fond of naming rigs, but I like Catfish Charlie - it has a good ring to it.

Thanks!
Yeah, a rig has give it's self a name, i can't name it... My first '91 truck never sat straight and it's mods were not normal so it got 'Cattywampus'. The 94 always gave problems even though it looked good so it was 'Scallywag'. The current 91 already had a name from the PO, 'Bob'. Suiting, since I was going to bob it. Lorena Bobit. Afterall, it's quite ghetto.
rigs don't need chinsy normal names that mean nothing but owners think are cute... gotta give character. Be about the junk.

 

[Bomar]

Got them wheels painted yet?

 

[Land Speeder]

New year, new tag....

but still towing junk....

 

[bjowett]

Nice!

Don't forget to check the tranny fluid....

 

[Sam Stewart]

I need to do my bumpers like that. Looks good.

 

[Land Speeder]

getting ready to bedliner on the fenders!
not spraying until tomorrow..

 

[Land Speeder]

 

[jediwebdude]

Hmmm...never thought about bedline spray on the fenders. Would help protect against tree limbs when off-roading.

 

[Land Speeder]

New toy for Catfish! Leer color matched Topper! Ready to camp in the truck!

 

[Brake Weight]

I've never thought about pulling the stock fender flares off of the Tundra. It looks 100% more better. Those are a pet peeve of mine. I like the idea of the bedliner along the bottom of the truck, the length of the truck, too. I run a Century color matched camper on my Tacoma. It has its bonuses, and it's drawbacks. Mine is just small enough I can barely manhandle it off the back of my bed. I'm thinking of measuring the top and seeing what I can pull from a van or SUV at the junk yard as far as a roof rack. That way I could tie onto the four corners of it and pull it off under a tree. Catfish Charlie is looking good.

 

[robustbambi]

Awesome tundra!! I'm surprised I've never noticed how much these trucks do really look like catfish lol!!

 

[Sam Stewart]

I've never thought about pulling the stock fender flares off of the Tundra. It looks 100% more better. Those are a pet peeve of mine. I like the idea of the bedliner along the bottom of the truck, the length of the truck, too. I run a Century color matched camper on my Tacoma. It has its bonuses, and it's drawbacks. Mine is just small enough I can barely manhandle it off the back of my bed. I'm thinking of measuring the top and seeing what I can pull from a van or SUV at the junk yard as far as a roof rack. That way I could tie onto the four corners of it and pull it off under a tree. Catfish Charlie is looking good.

For the record, there are no such thing as a "stock" fender flare on the new body style Tundra. They are all port installed accessories. (And look 100000000000000x better without them in my opinion)

Edit: Notice there are no holes under the flares? Factory flares are always held on by clips so there are a bunch of holes in the fenders/quarters/bedside. Look at how the 80s and 100s are when deflared. Holes everywhere.