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Story and Photos by Nico Jarrett
When it comes to the inspiration that motivates each of us when building our project trucks, it could be something we saw in a movie, derived through other truck enthusiasts and builders we know, or seeing something new at a truck show or off-road event that helps keep us motivated. What ever it is that drives us to keep moving forward on a build, regardless of how much time it takes or working late into the night, some don’t stop until the rig is just the way they want. Cesar Navarro got bit by the bug and embodies that ambition.
Cesar Navarro moved to Henderson, Nevada, and being so close to Las Vegas attended the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association Show, known to most as SEMA. Filling the gigantic parking lot in front of the automotive-industry-exclusive trade show, there is always a huge truck and car show populated with a hundred or more customized vehicles open to the general public. This is where Navarro got his inspiration upon encountering the truck club, “Las Vegas Tundras.” A little more than six months later, his build was complete.
Ever since Navarro was a kid, he always wanted a truck that would be a head-turner. His Toyota Tundra Crew Max, which he named “702 Orange Tundra,” does just that. Navarro’s first modification was the custom paint job because he knew that something bright was needed to grab the crowd’s attention at any event and his first choice was orange.
It’s not just any orange though, it’s the same orange you find on a late model Lamborghini. He turned to World Wide Auto Body to have a color custom mixed to the same specs as Lamborghini but with some metallic flake for that added pop when the sun hits it just right.
Custom painted Moto Metal wheels with Nitto tires provide traction, 2.0 King shocks are fitted to all four corners, a Rigid Industries light bar helps blast through the darkness, and Bestop NX running boards ease entry and egress to the cab.
After the paint was done it was time for suspension mods. Navarro decided on a six-inch suspension lift from Pro Comp augmented by a full set of 2.0 King shocks. Now while most of us would be okay with the six-inch hike, Navarro had a “go big or go home” attitude with this build, and decided an extra three-inches of body lift would give him just the right height. A set of 20×10-inch Moto Metal wheels wrapped with 35-inch Nitto Mud Grapplers fit nicely underneath the rig, and to coordinate with the body color, the wheels were custom painted black and orange.
Inside the 2010 Toyota Tundra, Navarro went full throttle with custom diamond-stitched upholstery in orange and black throughout to match the exterior. The craftsmanship performed by Murillos Upholstery, from the piping to the stitching, is top-notch and helps set the truck off with distinction. The dash pieces were also color-matched with orange and black, along with some diamond stitching on the door panels.
Color-matched panels and a custom upholstered interior echo the 2010 Toyota Tundra's exterior scheme.
The body of the Tundra also has a few goodies that make it stand out in a crowd. The studded soldier black ops grille from T-REX Grilles gives the truck a much more aggressive look, especially when viewed from your rear view mirror. The spikes on the Bushwacker flares also add a bad-ass attitude to the truck’s overall look. Worldwide Auto Body of Boulder City, Nevada, did much of the work, including all the custom painting.
LED lighting has become the prime choice lately, and with a Rigid Industries LED light bar set on the brow of the roof using N-Fab mounts and flush mount LED pods from Rigid Industries in the rear bumper, the Tundra can provide brilliant lighting in any situation. For extra storage security, an A.R.E. Accessories LSX Tonneau cover was installed and painted to match the custom orange color. The rear tow hitch features a pair of guns locked in with a Bolt lock.
A T-Rex front grille and spiked studs on the Bushwacker fender flares add to the aggressive styling, dual pistol decor is trapped with a Bolt hitch lock, and Bestop NX running boards allow for easier entry and exit.
Engine performance mods are modest, with just an exhaust system from Flowmaster to give the orange Tundra a little extra juice and a great sound. However, since this is like most builds, a work constantly in progress, Navarro plans on more engine alterations in the near future.
As it sits, “702 Orange Tundra,” a name that is a tip of the hat to the area code of his favorite city and now his home, the brightly hued 2010 Toyota pickup truck has helped quench Cesar Navarro’s custom-truck building thirst.
