Transforming the Hilux Surf: Wheels, Lights, and A Little Chaos
When I sold the Nissan Gloria to pick up this Toyota Hilux, I had one lingering thought in my head: "Alex, you absolute moron, you don’t know anything about SUVs." And almost immediately, the 4Runner community made sure I knew that calling it an SUV was borderline offensive. Because, apparently, the 4Runner (and the Hilux Surf by extension) isn’t just a vehicle—it’s a lifestyle.
Cool. So, what do I do with that information? Not much, because all I really wanted was to build something rad for winter. And what better way to start than with some new wheels, some solid rubber, and enough lighting to make the Hilux visible from space? Let’s break it down.
Need lighting? Gotta go Morimoto - https://bit.ly/3QEWtXF Want to buy a JDM Budget Build? Go drool here - https://bit.ly/3glo2Gy Need Car Parts? - https://bit.ly/3wXOgaO
Green Wheels? Hell Yeah.
First up—wheels. And before you say it, yes, I went with green wheels. Steven and Jackson hate it, but I think they look absolutely sick. The Gram Lights 57DR-X were the only JDM wheels under $2,300 on MartiniWorks, so the choice was obvious. If I had a few viral videos in the bank, maybe we’d be talking about some Volks, but here we are.
Then we got the BFGoodrich T/A K03s—aka, the cat’s ass of off-road tires. Whatever you think you know about all-terrain rubber, throw it out. These things have serrated shoulders for snow and mud, mud-phobic bars for self-cleaning, and a 50,000-mile warranty. And let’s not forget that Coregard sidewall tech that makes them split and bruise resistant—which is good, because the harshest terrain I’ll probably face is a curb at my local grocery store.
Bottom line: These tires are badass, and you can fact-check me on that. Shoutout to TireWheelExperts.com for hooking it up.
A Crash Course in Lighting (Because I Had No Idea What I Was Doing)
Have you ever gotten obsessed with something so niche that it takes over your life? Like, you buy one flashlight, and suddenly you’re watching 45-minute YouTube videos about lumens and beam patterns? Yeah. That was me with lighting.
Normally, I don’t touch lighting unless my project car is something old and crusty from the '90s—which, surprise, the Hilux Surf is. So I went full send with Morimoto everything:
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Headlights
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Taillights
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Rock lights
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Wiring
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Interior lights
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Rear bumper lights
If it could be upgraded, it was getting upgraded. And with 30 individual LED bulbs installed, this truck now has more lights than a downtown skyline. It was all going well until we realized that some bulbs didn’t fit—but, as with most things in life, a little brute force and some Dustin magic got us through it.
Now, a quick budget check. The goal was to keep this build under $20,000. So where are we at?
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Hilux: $14,000
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Wheels: $2,061.60
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Tires: $1,834.60
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Morimoto Lights: $4,232.40
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Depo Headlights: $112
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Side Markers: $65
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Signal Lights: $36
...Yeah, we definitely went over. But look, the truck needed all these lights. I don’t make the rules.
Making the Fitment Work—One Fender at a Time
There are two ways you can buy wheels for an off-road build:
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Listen to some random fitment guide that tells you they won’t fit.
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Make them fit.
We chose option two. A little bit of trimming, some trial and error, and a lot of trust in Dustin, and we got the setup looking chef’s kiss.
Now, the Hilux was looking mean, but let’s be real—the paint is rough. Either it needs divine intervention or a solid wrap. What do you think? Wrap it, or embrace the beater life?
Final Thoughts (And Maybe an Apology?)
So, what did we learn? Well, for one, the Hilux Surf is already shaping up to be a killer build. We’ve got the wheels and tires sorted, the lighting dialed in, and some unexpected budget overruns. But hey, that’s just part of the game.
And for those of you still mad at me for selling my drift car for an off-road truck—I hear you. But I promise, no little ladders are going on this thing.
I’m AlexMartini, share this with a car friend, and stay tuned for what’s next.
