That's a wrap: Project RAV4X4 gets a new look [Video]

Project RAV4X4 at least looks like a real off-roader.

With a lift kit installed and all-terrain tires mounted, Project RAV4X4 is finally starting to look like the vehicle I pictured in my head six months ago when I bought a clapped out 1997 Toyota RAV4 for just $1,500.

But the lift and off-road tires make up just part of the vision I had floating around my head half-a-year ago. To complete the picture, I needed to fit some kind of eye-catching wrap to really make Project RAV4X4 stand out from every other old RAV4 on the road. So I did.

I settled on a design inspired by the racing livery of Ivan "Ironman” Stewart, because why wouldn't you? In addition to being one of the greatest off-road racing drivers to ever live, Stewart drove a really rad looking Toyota truck.

Unfortunately, the act of applying the wrap was a magnitude of difficulty greater than picking a design. Between the cutting, the smoothing, the trimming, the heating, the reapplying and the swearing, it took me about 12 hours to complete the wrap. But boy was it worth it.

There's no other word for it -- with the lift kit, all-terrain tires and the Ironman wrap, Project RAV4X4 looks epic. And hopefully it'll look even more epic in the coming weeks. I'm planning on installing a set of KC driving lights, and I've also ordered a couple more Toyota decals to stick on the doors. Once those items are fitted, Phase Two of Project RAV4X4 will finally be complete.

Then it will be on to Phase Three -- seeing if Project RAV4X4 can actually go off road. But even if it can't, at least it'll still look good.