Hey everyone, I've been creeping a while here and figure it's about time I introduce myself and the rig. I'll try and keep the first picture in the thread current, and do an overdue sequence of mods that I've done since I bought it.

Most Current:



Current Mod List:

Suspension:
-Sonoran Steel System 1.2 lift with relocated sway bar mounts and adjustable panhard bar (Tundra TRD springs w/ 5100 Bilstein's front, Land Cruiser springs with Bilstein 5100's rear)
-4Crawler 1" body lift

Drivetrain:
-35x12.5x17 Goodyear Duratracs
-Konig Countersteer rims
-1+" wheel spacers (can't remember thickness)
-ARB air lockers front and rear
-Yukon 4.88 gears
-Yukon Chromoly rear axle shafts

Electronics:
-Lightforce 240 Blitz retrofitted HID's, 55W 4300K
-Retrofitted headlights, also 55W 4300K
-Uniden Bearcat 680 CB radio
-ARB Compressor w/ OBA attachment
-Superwinch 10,000lbs
-ScanGauge 2
-Hilux Field monitor
-Double DIN Pioneer w/ backup camera

Engine:
-Safari Snorkel
-CAT's removed, 2.5" SS piping w/ resonator and magnaflow muffler

Exterior:
-Addicted Offroad tube winch bumper
-Allpro rock sliders
-Whitson Metalworks Roof Rack
-CBI Rear Hybrid Bumper w/ Swingout

After being a passenger in a few friends' rigs I knew that I wanted to be off the beaten path as much as possible. Being able to be away from everything and just enjoy the outdoors with no interruptions really appealed to me, and reminded me of a simpler time when I lived in Africa (Orapa, Botswana to be exact). Being in Canada now the outdoors is a little different but the overall experience is the same. So I started the hunt for a 4x4 that was reliable, looked good, and had huge aftermarket support. The nominations were Pathfinders, the odd (older) Land Rover, Xterra's, and the well known 4Runner. I looked at everything for about 6 months before finding this guy, and after checking it out I decided it was what I wanted. So I bought the rig a few years ago used obviously, at 133,000 kms. It is a 2002 "Badlands" edition, which is Canadian only from what I've read, and comes with nothing significantly different. Cloth seats, silver dash accents, no heated mirrors, no rear diff lock, no sunroof, power windows/locks, center diff which allows for 2wd, 4wd, or awd (super useful having all 3), and probably other things you all already know about. It also came with the decals on the side, that I have opted not to remove since there is a bit of paint fade so removing them will leave a "shadow". Currently it has just over 200,000 kms, and it is my daily driver though I do have 3 spare vehicles for when maintenance or mods take a little longer, or if it strands me while off-road (never so far, knock on wood). Here are a couple of pictures when I took it out for it's first off-road trip with me driving. They're from afterwards (obviously) and it was sitting in a friends heated underground parking spot downtown.

So after reading on this forum a bit, and after struggling to see in the dark, I ordered a new Koyo rad, some IPF lights, and a ski/snowboard rack (Yakima FatCat 6), and some small Duratrac tires to get rid of the terrible all seasons that it came with.

SICK! Bumper. Winch. Slid plates. Lift and more lights will make you an extreme adventure vehicle up there that will be hard to get stuck


Ps. I love that color

I suppose the current picture doesn't clearly show what I have already. I'm currently updating the first post with current mods. I'll continue the story to where it is in time though.

I've said this plenty before, but I have to say it again. I'm not the biggest fan of that color stock, but man does it look SICK when it's built!

niiiice

After wheeling stock for a while I decided that a lift/tires/bumper would be needed, and slowly parts came in and I got them ready.

Addicted Offroad bumper being sanded:



Installed (I re-wired my signal lights into the side marker lights):



Wheels/Tires/Lift installed:

After that, not too much changed exterior wise. I found a Safari Snorkel BNIB on a local forum for $180, so I picked that up and installed it:



One of my first major 4x4 trips was out in a OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) Park about 3-4 hours out of town. It is mostly used in summer by quads, dirt bikes and side by sides. And in winter pretty much exclusively used for sleds (snowmobiles). With all of us being new to the area, we ended up on a quad trail, which proved to be very challenging to get through as all trucks except the FJ were open diffs. The FJ had terrible General Grabbers on it (horrendous for winter, the rubber freezes into basically a plastic puck, doesn't "grab" on anything) as well so he didn't make out any better. The trail was tight, so pinstriping was required. I'm not partial to my paint, and neither was the Tacoma, so we were in lead. The 4th gen 4Runner cared a little, and the FJ was brand new so he really cared. For those two we'd get out and push back as many of the heavy damage branches as possible out of the way while they drove through to try and minimize the striping. The snow was deep, and the trail had little berm switchbacks all along it, that trucks where just too big for. Almost after every turn we'd have to stop, and spot/dig/shovel snow and dirt to help the other rigs make it through. All in all, we traveled 7.8 kms completing the trail - in 4.5 hrs. Ouch!

Flexing out (swaybars still installed and hooked up):

love the color!

Thanks everyone. I must admit, the color was not my first choice. However, this was the first low mileage one to pop up on the classifieds that didn't have the oak/brown interior which was a real deal breaker for me. After time passed though, I've come to really love the odd color, and think the only other color I'd get instead is green.

Love what you have going on here! Did Addison do your lights? You Canadians and your well photographed, scenic wheeling trips make me jealous, but then I remember that snow is cold and sweating ain't so bad lol.

Love that Silver RX7, also your T4R. I just sold my 240 XGTs to somebody in Canada last week. Damn

I tackled the lights myself as I enjoy learning new things. If Addison had done them they sure would have looked a lot better, but at least I can know where to pay more attention next time. Snow isn't bad! The heaters in these trucks pump out some really good heat even in -30 deg C, though getting stuck and digging yourself out at that temp sure sucks.

I'll upload an updated pic of the rx7 as well, it's also gone through some major changes.

And then there's an RX7 all nonchalantly in the background. Love the FD, one of the best looking cars ever.