Builds Tex's 2019 GX460 build

[r2m]

My last seven trucks have been loaded out crew cabs, I found myself asking why I need all of that space. 90% of the time it's just myself and the rest of the time it's just me and my wife, we don't have any kids either. I've always longed to build a single cab long bed so I took the opportunity to do it now. I have all OEM blacked out emblems on the way along with the Midnight Edition Black LED headlights and the other trim bits needed to completely de-chrome the truck. The bumpers and wheels are getting replaced with aftermarket units so they don't factor. I am looking forward to this build.

Having also had several trucks, such as others have mentioned on this thread, and please note, this for ME only, if possible I'll never have a single cab again. Minimum I'd have would be an "extra" or extended cab. And that is regardless of kids, pets, etc. Albeit, I do still have to accommodate my daughter and granddaughter at times (oh, and let's not forget the wife!), so I guess this would be a mooted point.
Reasons?

1. Being able to recline the seat, whether for the passenger or if I need to pull over for a quick snooze. My wife likes to take naps on long straight road trips sometimes or if I'm starting to nod off at the wheel and she needs to drive, I'll recline and catch a quick nap.
2. Having a place for "stuff" to go instead of the passenger seat or floor boards. Even a quick store run, just plop the bag or two behind my seat. I've always hated having my stuff roll/slide/bang around the front floor board or slide off the front seat onto the floor, especially any fast food! Something about french fries tossed with beach sand that just doesn't work.
3. Generally one can stow and situate things more securely behind the seat to avoid being tossed around than having them in the front seats.
4. The space behind the seat is great for hiding things like gun cases, camera equipment, laptops, tools, etc. without having it in the bed or passenger seat. Shells (or toppers, I guess some call them) are very easy to break into even with their locks. Also your vehicle alarm does not work on shells, just the glass windows of the cab so no one will notice the guy prying your rear hatch open.

Now, it's been quite a few years since I've had a truck (1990's?) and have not even been in a new/er truck, so maybe the single cabs are larger now???
Okay, that's all my 2 cents...

 

[Tex68w]

Getting a cap for the pups?

Haven't decided yet if we are going to keep the bed and get a cap or go aluminum flat bed. We have other vehicles for the pups so it's not a necessity.

 

[Tex68w]

Having also had several trucks, such as others have mentioned on this thread, and please note, this for ME only, if possible I'll never have a single cab again. Minimum I'd have would be an "extra" or extended cab. And that is regardless of kids, pets, etc. Albeit, I do still have to accommodate my daughter and granddaughter at times (oh, and let's not forget the wife!), so I guess this would be a mooted point.
Reasons?

1. Being able to recline the seat, whether for the passenger or if I need to pull over for a quick snooze. My wife likes to take naps on long straight road trips sometimes or if I'm starting to nod off at the wheel and she needs to drive, I'll recline and catch a quick nap.
2. Having a place for "stuff" to go instead of the passenger seat or floor boards. Even a quick store run, just plop the bag or two behind my seat. I've always hated having my stuff roll/slide/bang around the front floor board or slide off the front seat onto the floor, especially any fast food! Something about french fries tossed with beach sand that just doesn't work.
3. Generally one can stow and situate things more securely behind the seat to avoid being tossed around than having them in the front seats.
4. The space behind the seat is great for hiding things like gun cases, camera equipment, laptops, tools, etc. without having it in the bed or passenger seat. Shells (or toppers, I guess some call them) are very easy to break into even with their locks. Also your vehicle alarm does not work on shells, just the glass windows of the cab so no one will notice the guy prying your rear hatch open.

Now, it's been quite a few years since I've had a truck (1990's?) and have not even been in a new/er truck, so maybe the single cabs are larger now???
Okay, that's all my 2 cents...

Yea everyones needs are different, I've always had crew cabs and while they are more usable the size just isn't necessary for my needs at this moment in time. This truck has a solid 6-9 inches behind it with the seats all the way back so it can recline a touch and there's a tray on the floor with quite a bit of room back there as well. I could easily put an entire weeks worth of groceries back there. I have a bunch of tool bags back there as we speak and I've already put rifle bags and ammo cans back there for a range trip too, it's good to go in that department.

My wife is neurotic in the car (horrible car accident experience) so she will never nap in the vehicle and I am not a napper either. I wouldn't sleep inside the cab of a pickup so that's a moot point IMHO. I like the wheel base and bed size for this build, it'll be a much better fit for the trails than a crew cab and you lose the bed length with most of those as well. I wouldn't bother with a crew cab long bed off-road lol.

 

[r2m]

Yea everyones needs are different, I've always had crew cabs and while they are more usable the size just isn't necessary for my needs at this moment in time. This truck has a solid 6-9 inches behind it with the seats all the way back so it can recline a touch and there's a tray on the floor with quite a bit of room back there as well. I could easily put an entire weeks worth of groceries back there. I have a bunch of tool bags back there as we speak and I've already put rifle bags and ammo cans back there for a range trip too, it's good to go in that department.

My wife is neurotic in the car (horrible car accident experience) so she will never nap in the vehicle and I am not a napper either. I wouldn't sleep inside the cab of a pickup so that's a moot point IMHO. I like the wheel base and bed size for this build, it'll be a much better fit for the trails than a crew cab and you lose the bed length with most of those as well. I wouldn't bother with a crew cab long bed off-road lol.

I guess the single cabs have stretched a wee bit since I've been in one. Wow, didn't think all that would fit in a regular cab!
Yep, agreed, if you want to keep your wheel base as short as possible with an 8' bed you'll have to go with a regular cab!
Just to throw out a memory regarding long wheelbases, didn't Ford have a truck (maybe 1970's?), regular cab-8' bed that the rear wheels were pushed out toward the end? I think it also had tool/storage panels between the cab and in front of rear fender? If I remember correctly, they actually looked a little weird with how far back the rear axle was.

 

[Tex68w]

The model with the lower storage box in the 70's was the Ford F-250 Highboy, I love those. Like everything else, they've gotten retro-cool and are now commanding top dollar.

 

[L3TT3RS]

Carli pintop
37s
Call it a day.

 

[Tex68w]

It's just a hold over vehicle until the next gen GX (GX550) comes out later next year, but we are adding a 2022 GX460 back to the household. No plans to build this one, but we will be adding some 32" AT's on the factory wheels for now. It's nice to see some slight improvements in the platform even if they are only comfort conveniences, i.e. auto hi beams, auto wipers, Apple Car Play, better infotainment screen and color digital dash info screen. The better head lights and loss of the door side molding are nice changes as well, not keen on the trackpad for the infotainment control though.

The truck is currently at the port in Long Beach but it should be here in the next two to three weeks. It'll be nice to have a bone stock truck for a while lol.

 

[ATG]

2018 still going strong. Fully stock. Just put a set of new Michelins on; bigger improvement over the stock Yokohamas (or whatever they were) than I would have expected. Much quieter and smoother over very familiar sets of bumpy local roads. I looked at 2022 but could not find one with a trailer hitch, which we use for a Thule cargo box, bike racks etc. So that was that. The trailer light fuse burned out and the dealer charged me $600 to do a full diagnostic check on the whole car, which was a total rip off. But that is the only time it has been in the shop in 45k miles apart from when the dog ate the rear shoulder belts. Just a great ride.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

It's just a hold over vehicle until the next gen GX (GX550) comes out later next year, but we are adding a 2022 GX460 back to the household. No plans to build this one, but we will be adding some 32" AT's on the factory wheels for now. It's nice to see some slight improvements in the platform even if they are only comfort conveniences, i.e. auto hi beams, auto wipers, Apple Car Play, better infotainment screen and color digital dash info screen. The better head lights and loss of the door side molding are nice changes as well, not keen on the trackpad for the infotainment control though.

The truck is currently at the port in Long Beach but it should be here in the next two to three weeks. It'll be nice to have a bone stock truck for a while lol.

Welcome back!

 

[r2m]

Welcome back!

Agreed!
Albeit, will probably not hearing about many mods from you (yet??).

 

[Tex68w]

Agreed!
Albeit, will probably not hearing about many mods from you (yet??).

Not gonna lie, we did already discuss the possibility of keeping it around after acquiring the GX550. I think it would make for a great local daily for many years to come and it'd be nice to hang on to one of the last V8's alongside of the 200.

 

[r2m]

...nice to hang on to one of the last V8's alongside of the 200.

Agreed. Something about a V8 in full song that is just plain sexy!
Those V6 Raptors just sound silly when I hear one go by.

 

[Tex68w]

Agreed. Something about a V8 in full song that is just plain sexy!
Those V6 Raptors just sound silly when I here one go by.

My father and I both disliked the Ecoboosted Raptors.

 

[Tex68w]

Well there's officially a GX460 back in our garage. Earlier today we picked up a new 2022 GX460 Premium in Caviar (black interior) with a few options. I took it straight from the dealer to Discount Tire and had them throw on a set of BFG KO2's in the 275/65/18 size (32.1x10.8x18) on the way home. I am happy to report no rubbing after the swap.

This will be my wife's around town daily, grocery getter, week day ride. We are anxiously awaiting the GX550 and this one will hold us over nicely until those are readily available in another 18-24 months if not longer. Part of me hopes it gets to stick around for the long haul as a third vehicle as I really like the idea of having one of the last mid-size 4WD SUV's with a V8.

 

[r2m]

Well there's officially a GX460 back in our garage. Earlier today we picked up a new 2022 GX460 Premium in Caviar (black interior) with a few options. I took it straight from the dealer to Discount Tire and had them throw on a set of BFG KO2's in the 275/65/18 size (32.1x10.8x18) on the way home. I am happy to report no rubbing after the swap.

This will be my wife's around town daily, grocery getter, week day ride. We are anxiously awaiting the GX550 and this one will hold us over nicely until those are readily available in another 18-24 months if not longer. Part of me hopes it gets to stick around for the long haul as a third vehicle as I really like the idea of having one of the last mid-size 4WD SUV's with a V8.

Unfortunately when the new GX550's (or whatever they decide to call them) come out, it'll take the off road after market community a couple of years to catch up with mod's, especially the important ones like armor and lifts.
I saw this lag of mods when I purchased my 2013 GX in the 2018. The only reason I purchased a 2013 was that at the time there were no front bumpers for the 2014+ spindle grills. So I went after the very last year of the straight across bumper (2013) GX that was the cleanest and had the lowest mileage.
Personally, I've never really minded and still love my rig.

 

[Tex68w]

Unfortunately when the new GX550's (or whatever they decide to call them) come out, it'll take the off road after market community a couple of years to catch up with mod's, especially the important ones like armor and lifts.
I saw this lag of mods when I purchased my 2013 GX in the 2018. The only reason I purchased a 2013 was that at the time there were no front bumpers for the 2014+ spindle grills. So I went after the very last year of the straight across bumper (2013) GX that was the cleanest and had the lowest mileage.
Personally, I've never really minded and still love my rig.

Yea, I don't expect us to grab a year one GX550. Between the madness of those wanting the new hotness when they first come out and myself not wanting to adopt year one models/tech, I don't foresee one coming home until late 2024 as a 2025 MY at the earliest. Like I mentioned before, it's very possible that this 460 sticks around for the long haul to continue its role as a town car/daily driver. With the parts/accessories starting to roll in for the Land Cruiser it will soon become the dedicated weekend adventure rig and another vehicle will take it's place as the daily and highway hauler.

I've sworn off black vehicles for the last 3-4 years simply because the maintenance required to keep that paint color looking good, but I am very happy with this super high metallic Caviar paint, it sparkles like crazy in direct light. Momma is pleased and loves the sort of murdered out look and that's all that matters.

 

[r2m]

One thing I just can't get my head around is their color selections.
What the H-E-double L are they thinking for colors??

• 1 white
• 2 shades of gray
• 2 shades of black
• 1 blue

Really, Lexus??? This is the BEST a premium auto manufacturer can come up with a color scheme?
I have to truly think EVERYONE at Lexus is color blind to the point of only seeing shades of gray or wishing they were in an old black & white movie.
Many years ago, my cousin was going out with a Marine who had an awesome old Willy's panel 4x4 truck. It was just about perfect but had a primer gray paint job.
I asked him about that and he said, "It doesn't matter to me, I'm so color blind I only see shades of gray." Then I understood.
I think that's Lexus (and many other manufacturer's problem.
Although Toyota has some cool colors for their vehicles!

 

[Tex68w]

One thing I just can't get my head around is their color selections.
What the H-E-double L are they thinking for colors??

• 1 white
• 2 shades of gray
• 2 shades of black
• 1 blue

Really, Lexus??? This is the BEST a premium auto manufacturer can come up with a color scheme?
I have to truly think EVERYONE at Lexus is color blind to the point of only seeing shades of gray or wishing they were in an old black & white movie.
Many years ago, my cousin was going out with a Marine who had an awesome old Willy's panel 4x4 truck. It was just about perfect but had a primer gray paint job.
I asked him about that and he said, "It doesn't matter to me, I'm so color blind I only see shades of gray." Then I understood.
I think that's Lexus (and many other manufacturer's problem.
Although Toyota has some cool colors for their vehicles!

Yea, it is quite ridiculous. But I guess they covered their bases for the preferred colors of the older crowd (gold/maroon/blue) which is the bulk of their customer base overall. We really liked the Nightfall Mica (blue) but we weren't willing to wait another 3-4 months on a special order to get one. Had we done that we would have opted for the ML sound system as well. We like the true black out option of the Blackline Edition but again, we weren't willing to wait and we came into this one as it was a special order that someone had backed out on and we could get it now versus waiting until years end or possibly later. I hate to keep calling it a "hold-over" vehicle since it is a very nice SUV, but that's exactly what it is for us, at least it is for now.

 

[re_guderian]

Man, you change cars more than I change underwear... Glad to see you back in a GX!

 

[re_guderian]

As to the color selection, the market research is dialed in, and the accountants have weighed in and drawn the line. Sometimes WE are the outliers...