Up next Hubcaps Hotrods and Custom Published on September 06, 2023 Author Mike Self Tags bludemon, blue demon, bulletproof suspension tacoma, db customz, db customz grill, demon truck, spod tacoma, tacoma bulletproof lift, the blue demon, what is a blue demon, Share article Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Mail 0 BLUE DEMON La Lucha Libre Made Him Do It INSPIRATION CAN TAKE MANY FORMS, AND IT CAN SOMETIMES COME OUT OF NOWHERE. Take Cesar Navarro and his ’16 Toyota Tacoma. Cesar had already built a rad Tundra a couple of years ago after getting bitten by the lifted truck bug, and he wanted to follow it up with a smaller, yet slightly wilder version by using a new Tacoma as a base. He really wanted a theme for the truck but was drawing a blank. Then one day it hit him: Ever since he was a kid growing up in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Cesar loved watching Mexican wrestling, known as Lucha Libre. His favorite luchador was always the legendary Demonio Azul, or “Blue Demon.” Known for being a strong and capable fighter, the Blue Demon was the perfect representation of what Cesar wanted his truck to be. And so, the Blue Demon truck was born.Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Cesar dove head-first into the build, bringing in some key players that lent their expertise. Roadwire Leather Interiors already had its seat upholstery patterns ready for the current generation Tacomas, but the company added some special touches for Cesar’s truck, including ostrich leather, diamond stitching and Blue Demon embroidery in the headrests. The rest of the interior got hooked up with plenty of painted accents, as well as an sPOD switch panel to control the Winjet LED lighting. The exterior of the Tacoma was originally blue, so you’ll notice many of the Bulletproof and Atlas Spring suspension parts have been color-matched by Worldwide Auto Body to suit the original. A recent addition, however, is the 3M Chameleon vinyl wrap, which we honestly couldn’t tell from paint until Cesar mentioned it. As it so happens, the wrap flops to blue as you walk around it, so the blue is still a perfect complement to the new finish. With the truck sitting tall over its 24×14-inch Grid Off-Road wheels and 37-inch Markma tires, Cesar needed a way to get into it that wouldn’t detract from the clean lines. The perfect solution came in the form of AMP Research motorized running boards, which tuck up neatly into the rocker panels when the doors are closed. The front and rear factory bumpers have been replaced with Fab Fours fabricated metal bumpers, and a DB Customz grille resides where the original Toyota grille once sat. Topping off the truck, literally, is a slick A.R.E. Z Serious shell, which adds plenty of cargo space and security. The 3.5L Toyota V-6 didn’t need much help in the performance department, as 278-horsepower is plenty for a mid-sized truck. However, it was a bit too quiet, so Cesar scooped up a set of Doug Thorley mid-pipes and a Doug Thorley cat-back exhaust. And hey, bonus: they added a decent amount of power and torque to the already mighty six-banger. Cesar’s Tacoma was pretty much done with the major stuff, so he started focusing on some of the details that would help further distinguish his truck from the rest. Luckily for him, he knows some people, so he was able to get his hands on Husky Liners’ latest accessories, as well as a BedRug bed liner and a Pro Eagle off-road jack. And just in case someone, somehow, doesn’t notice Cesar’s Toyota rolling toward them, he has a potent Horn Blasters train horn kit tucked underneath the bed for the loudest wakeup call you’re likely to ever get. Blue Demon has been a rolling billboard for the companies that have helped Cesar with the build since its inception, and we have no doubt that they made a great choice considering how jaw-dropping the truck is. Just like its namesake, we’re sure that it will always be remembered as El Campion. ST NO, THAT’S NOT MYSTERION, IT’S THE BLUE DEMON. ROADWIRE LEATHER INTERIORS DID AN AMAZING JOB EMBROIDERING THE MEXICAN WRESTLER’S MASK INTO THE CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY KIT IT CREATED FOR CESAR’S TACOMA. BULLETPROOF SUSPENSION’S BIG COIL-OVER LIFT FOR TACOMAS GOT CESAR’S TRUCK WAY UP IN THE AIR, AND THE OPTIONAL ATLAS SPRING REAR LEAF SPRINGS OFFER PLENTY OF TRAVEL GRID OFF-ROAD’S GF1 WHEELS MEASURE 24X15, WHICH IS AN IMPRESSIVE FEAT FOR A TACOMA. THE 37X13.50R24LT MARKMA TIRES PROVIDE PLENTY OF GRIP ON THE HIGHWAY, AS WELL AS DURING THE OCCASIONAL OFF-ROAD ADVENTURE. TRUCK SPECES OWNER Cesar Navarro 2016 Toyota Tacoma West Covina, CA Team Billet ENGINE 3.5L Toyota V-6 Doug Thorley mid-pipes Doug Thorley exhaust K&N intake and filter CHASSIS & SUSPENSION Work performed by Worldwide Auto Body Bulletproof front suspension lift with coilovers Atlas Spring rear leaf springs Bulletproof reservoir shocks Color-matched suspension components WHEELS & TIRES 24×14 Grid Off-Road GF1 wheels 37×13.50R24LT Markma Dakar MT III tires Spike Lugz lug nuts BODY & PAINT Work performed by Worldwide Auto Body A.R.E. Z Serious cab-high shell AMP Research running boards 3M Chameleon wrap Fab Fours front and rear fabricated bumpers DB Customz grille BedRug bed liner Winjet taillights and headlights Winjet off-road LED light bar Ekstrom Designs roof light mount DUB IR tint §§ Pro Eagle off-road jack INTERIOR & STEREO Roadwire Leather Interiors ostrich upholstery kit Husky Liners floor liners Horn Blasters air horn PAPAGO dash cam sPOD power distribution setup/switches Odyssey battery
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