Brandon Wightman Shows His First Project Vehicle, a 2008 Toyota Tundra , at SEMA 2012
- 10 Dec 2012
Starting off with a 2008 Toyota Tundra, Wightman was eager to get the project underway. At the build's end, his goal was to show a vehicle that not only would perform mechanically, but would prove very pleasing to the eye. He opted to do very few modifications to the 5.7 liter engine resting under the hood but he did bolt a K&N performance ait intake atop the engine block.
"I use K&N because I have heard the quality of their products is one of the best in the business, and gives out great results,"explained Wightman. "This is the first K&N product that I have ever used, and I plan to continue using K&N for all of my next builds. I love the performance gains and the extra power it gives to my truck.” Aware of the importance of a proper exhaust outflow, Wightman chose to outfit his truck with a Gibson performance exhaust system. While under the rig, it was only fitting to install a six-to-seven inch lift kit by CTS Suspension. With the bulk of mechanical issues behind him, Wightman eagerly proceeded to glamorize the exterior of the Tundra. From the front of the vehicle, folks would instantly be impressed upon seeing a T-Rex X-Metal mesh grill bordered with HID and LED lights that he received from houseofhid.com.
The paint job on the vehicle was flawless and white as a driven snow. Wightman was confident that contrasting colors would make the eyes of those looking on dance with excitement. Wightman bolted on a set of Fuel Offroad Revolvers, and what better color than black. Falling back on Toyo's reliability and good looks, the owner chose Open Country M/T tires as the final modification to the vehicle's exterior. Granted, the rig was looking good and would perform to its expectations, but there was still work to be done on the vehicle's interior. Starting out with a Bedrug carpet kit, Wightman had laid down the perfect foundation for a classy set of seats. That in mind, he went with leather seats provided by Katzkin.
At the project's end, Kenwood Excelon, Stinger and Scosche audio had all been used to create a perfectly tuned sound system. With the build behind him, Brandon Wightman had completed a project that not only was pleasing to the eye, but was a testimony of his perseverance and skills. "I am quite new to the whole project car building, and find it to be a new hobby and passion," explained Wightman. "It takes a lot of time and dedication to make sure that the vehicle is clean and ready to roll." When asked his inspiration, Wightman continued, "To be able to say that I have built a SEMA vehicle has been a dream of mine. There is no theme. I just wanted to build something that I can show off and enjoy driving, as well as take it off-road sometimes and get it dirty."
Although the 2008 Toyota Tundra was Brandon Wightman's first SEMA build, he is already looking forward to future projects, as he has not been bitten, but has been consumed by the bug. "I am very appreciative for all of the people I have run into over the past couple of years," explained Wightman. "My friend got me into this, as they all have lifted trucks. Without the support of my friends and family, I wouldn't have been able to build a vehicle that I can say has been on the SEMA Show 2012,"he continued. "Thank you for everything, and I look forward to the future." Other similar SEMA show vehciles can be found in these related articles: SNUGTOP Toyota Tundra 2008 Toyota Sequoia 2008 Toyota Tundra 2011 Arctic-Camo Tundra Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
