Spenny's Build

[Spenny]

I figured it's time - not super exciting, I think we've seen a lot of what can and will be done save for a few mods here and there. BUT - here I am anyway!

I come from a very Toyota family, dad bought our 80 Series Land Cruiser new in 95 and all I would ever want is a 40 Series - and his LC too!

Stole it when I moved to Montana for school and had a ton of fun in it. In the end OME stock height suspension (1.25 lift everywhere afterwards), Cooper Discovery 255/85 r 16 - Loved the pizza cutter wheels, ARB non winch bumper - easier to scare mothers at the mall.

Sold the Green Bean for the 4Runner.

In between though, found my pride and joy and like everyone - I never should have sold it. But I was moving back to Hawaii for a *****en job as Lifeguard and a 1980 HJ-47 doesn't belong where the primary color of vehicle in Hawaii is Rust.

See that smile! thats the smile you get when you can't drive faster than 55mph but you know you're having more fun than anyone else on the road!

So fast forward - fell in love with the Gen 5 4runner as soon as it came out, would be as close to a Prado I'll ever get. 80 series had turned 20 and turned into an expensive car payment for maintenance.

Posted on CL, had a guy drive down in a rental car from LA to have a look and realized I had to find a new car or I was walking to work. Could't find a Silver Trail or Trail Premium without KDSS anywhere in Southern California. But Las Vegas had one for a lot cheaper than I had seen any other in So Cal. Made a call, worked a deal, Booked a one way to Vegas, got picked up at the airport and drove it home!!!!

Poser picture somewhere off the 15!

Plans:
Suspension
All Terrain Tires
Roof Rack
Lights
Maybe a bumper
Drive the hell out of it!

 

[Spenny]

On the ride home from Vegas, the sun was hitting the hood scoop just right, so some vinyl was in the future right away.

Liked the look of earlier Trails with the black fender wells, so Plastidip to the rescue, also the silver bumper valences front and back AND the emblems.

Chatted with Brad at Anti-Dark. He lives around the corner from me and we did a quick install of his kit under the hood. Stuffed the wires under the hood insulation, real clean. Plus Brad is funny as hell so, everyone should do this!

Working on a rear drawer/storage stay tuned!

 

[Spenny]

So this is where I would love some input from peeps.

I did a double drawer in the old 80 Series and it was perfect for storing all my crappola - and of course sleeping inside.

This one will obviously be a lot smaller, but a little more thought out. Basically it can be about 10" tall (these are overall dimensions btw) 44" Wide and 35" Deep.

But at 35" deep it will get in the way of the rear seats reclining. So my thought as I type this, I'll angle the 16" behind the seat on drivers side so if I have a 3rd person they could potentially recline - but fill the space for the other 28" behind the center and passenger seat, no reclining.

Reclining Corner?

I'm going to rest the frame and drawer's on the plastic molding on the left and right of the cargo area, and go to the height/ flush with the wheel wells. There is just about 1/2 underneath that I'll have additional lengths of plywood to create a table/ sleeping platform extension.

More cutting and measuring tomorrow, need to find some 34 or 32" drawer slides.

I'd like to hear what you all think of reclining the seats vs not being able to!

 

[teerock]

Looking good! Post pics when you're done.

 

[Spenny]

I'm really bad a uploading pictures and have never wanted to update this thread. But so much has happened and seeing as today is Daylight savings, I have an extra hour!

I've been spending a lot of time just going on trips and trying to adjust the systems to suit me as best as possible.

Left off with my attempt at doing a drawer/ cargo system for the rear of the runner. Everything failed, re-designed, re-engineered, over engineered, ran out of time - all the excuses. As a result lots of frustration, but Goose Gear to the rescue.

Being right around the corner from my house helped too. Normally I'd be very stubborn and make something myself before buying, but time was sparse and I was over trying. This plate is great though. So many tie down points and opportunities for future additions (maybe a drawer system when I finally lean out my garage and dust off the tools).

Purchased a Gobi Stealth during one of the group buys. The rack has been great, added a lot of lights everywhere - we seem to always roll into camp at dark and it looks really cool when I'm at the shopping mall.

With the lights, I needed a way to power everything without loosing my mind. Enter the Switch Pro. Many will say its a lot of money for something so simple and you're not wrong. I'm not an electrician and don't have the patience for wiring.

Action shot!

So this was on our way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Stock suspension, stock tires, everything stock actually except for the rack and lights. What I learned from 300 miles off road? I want suspension, i don't need it. The only necessary addition had to be better tires. The 4Runner is so capable but extra traction is the only real necessity.

Buuuut who doesn't like spending money. Most of the guys I off road with have LT Tundras, I can't keep up and don't try. However I started trying to figure out a system for me without breaking the bank and not having to replace everything. OME BP-51 to the rescue.

Used my friends good graces and his shop to get the lift on. Took us a long time but everything buttoned up nicely - except for the rock shields for the rear shocks :meh:

Did some trips to Big Bear and then a run in Arizona. Lake Pleasant to Crown King, Happy Rock Trail, Mengel Mountain and some other off shoots. Here is the result of having a lot of fun!

 

[Spenny]

After a long weekend in Arizona I learned that I never wanted to buy ice again or have anything get soggy from water. So fridge time.

Used, CL, good price. But then I learn that our factory wiring is weak sauce.

6 gauge marine grade duplex wire from the battery, power to an ANL fuse block, then run to the cargo hold. Into a Blue Sea panel then off to some accessories - 12 volt for the fridge, usb chargers for funsies and a volt meter because science and gadgetry.

Now, I realize that this will be constant on, right now I'll unplug the fridge at night, and power it back up again in the morning. Not the best plan - dual battery in the works - but not in time for a 6 day trip in a week.

Got a fridge slide and mounted it to a sheet of plywood and then through bolted it to the Goose gear platform.

I'm not about drilling into panels when I don't have to. Copied the access door to the bottle jack to get the wiring done.

And since plain black is boring and I like showing off the beauty of wood when I can, pulled a sticker I got from a forum member a decided it needed to be the pattern to spice up the panel. Base of clear wood sealer, sticker, then black, then peel sticker and get wet paint everywhere.

Finished panel

Starting to turn into a wire nest - I'm not proud, but everything works.

As she sits now! helped a buddy pull this off his trundra and swap his new James Baroud horizon whatever tent. I'll use this for our upcoming trip, but I travel a lone normally and this is a big tent - and a real SOB to mount. Shockingly not a lot of wind noise from it, nor a hit to MPG's!

Things to come? On board air and water. Want to look into armor up front and rear, but I think sliders first. And I need to work on a drawer for the cargo too.

 

[Racehoss]

no pics

only pic thats coming thru is the fridge ????

 

[WallyT4R]

:worthless

 

[Spenny]

:worthless

You're telling me, this is why we can't have nice things. Need to do a different host, was using Picasa, but now that's Google Pictures and doesn't seem to work except for me. :frusty:

 

[krelnydelnky]

wanna see the drawer setup!

 

[krelnydelnky]

I figured it's time - not super exciting, I think we've seen a lot of what can and will be done save for a few mods here and there. BUT - here I am anyway!

I come from a very Toyota family, dad bought our 80 Series Land Cruiser new in 95 and all I would ever want is a 40 Series - and his LC too!

Stole it when I moved to Montana for school and had a ton of fun in it. In the end OME stock height suspension (1.25 lift everywhere afterwards), Cooper Discovery 255/85 r 16 - Loved the pizza cutter wheels, ARB non winch bumper - easier to scare mothers at the mall.

Sold the Green Bean for the 4Runner.

In between though, found my pride and joy and like everyone - I never should have sold it. But I was moving back to Hawaii for a *****en job as Lifeguard and a 1980 HJ-47 doesn't belong where the primary color of vehicle in Hawaii is Rust.

See that smile! thats the smile you get when you can't drive faster than 55mph but you know you're having more fun than anyone else on the road!

So fast forward - fell in love with the Gen 5 4runner as soon as it came out, would be as close to a Prado I'll ever get. 80 series had turned 20 and turned into an expensive car payment for maintenance.

Posted on CL, had a guy drive down in a rental car from LA to have a look and realized I had to find a new car or I was walking to work. Could't find a Silver Trail or Trail Premium without KDSS anywhere in Southern California. But Las Vegas had one for a lot cheaper than I had seen any other in So Cal. Made a call, worked a deal, Booked a one way to Vegas, got picked up at the airport and drove it home!!!!

Poser picture somewhere off the 15!

Plans:
Suspension
All Terrain Tires
Roof Rack
Lights
Maybe a bumper
Drive the hell out of it!

super clean!!!

 

[Dometic]

Toyota for life!!