Fl.fisherman
New member
The bond between a man and his vehicle can be a very powerful thing sometimes. I got this truck the day i turned 16 on March 1st 2015. I had wanted a 1st generation 4runner since i was almost 8 years old and there i was, 16 and buying my very first vehicle, I find a 1986 4runner 4x4 in almost Pristine condition. Shes 29 years old and im 16 getting my 1st right of passage to manhood. The day i get her home and after doing a little exploring through her crowded glove box i come to find she was even sold from the local Toyota dealership 29 years ago. And after looking at the manufacturers plate inside the door i discover she even has the same birthday as me.
This truck gave me my true first taste of freedom. I took her to the beach at least once if not twice a week during the summer. I entered her in a car show and with pride stood infront of her to explain to anyone who would listen how perfect she was. I joined t4r and met all of you wonderful helpful people and showed my vehicle off with pride. This truck became a very big part of my life and with every compliment i got on her and every spontaneous day trip out to the ocean with all the windows rolled down it grew to become a bigger and bigger factor in my life.
Sure, driving a 30 year old vehicle has its drawbacks. No A/C in a vehicle in Florida seems like a crazy concept to those who drive modern vehicles. And thats probably well justified considering the fact you have to be just a little crazy about a car to deal with that every day. It didnt phase me any because it was my dream truck, and it was MINE. I wouldve gone to the ends of the earth to make that truck work for me. A new timing chain, followed by a blown head gasket, followed by the unwelcome noise of piston slap, and then countless hours of detailing and meticulous driving proved it.
I turned 17 on March 1st and the first thing i did was take the day off and drive to the DMV. Inside i proudly told the clerk id like to renew my registration and id like to register my truck as an antique. I drove out of that parking lot, head held higher than ever before and took the day to just drive what i affectionately called my child at that point.
Not any more than a few days afterwords i managed to land my first job interview. And it drove me to the next major milestone in my life without a hitch. And after i landed the job and woke up LATE for my orientation it took the abuse i gave it to get me there just in the niche of time. (Right after i got out of that orientation i drove her straight to the ocala forest and went camping. No issues of course).
This truck means more to me than anything ive ever owned before in my entire life. And tonight as it drove me to my job, which i already have been promoted in, she gothit hard in the front. A woman who had been in an argument with her boyfriend sped around a blind corner in the lot and slammed into my truck. This angry woman robbed me of all the countless effort i have sunk into keeping this truck nice and i cried. And it was as those tears rolled down my face as i took in the sight of my dream vehicle smashed and warped that i realized JUST how much i care for this vehicle.
Its not just the quarks and uniqueness of this vehicle that makes me love it so much as i originally thought, Like the hula girl i found wedged under the driver seat as i changed the carpet, or all the countless receipts and old documents that have collected in the glove box over 30 years, or even just the fact that most people who compliment me on my truck have no idea what it actually is, its actually how much me and this truck have been through together that makes me love it so much.
So as i sit here tonight writing this to you guys soggy eyed and broken hearted i await the news of whether or not my insurance company is going to total my baby. While it is technically an antique and a semi rare vehicle no one will ever understand just how valuable this vehicle is except for me, because no one will ever share the experiences me and her have.
As you browse the forum tonight consider just how much your vehicle means to you. I learned tonight it goes a lot deeper than I could have ever imagined. -Tanner, the current but possibly not future 1st gen 4runner owner
This truck gave me my true first taste of freedom. I took her to the beach at least once if not twice a week during the summer. I entered her in a car show and with pride stood infront of her to explain to anyone who would listen how perfect she was. I joined t4r and met all of you wonderful helpful people and showed my vehicle off with pride. This truck became a very big part of my life and with every compliment i got on her and every spontaneous day trip out to the ocean with all the windows rolled down it grew to become a bigger and bigger factor in my life.
Sure, driving a 30 year old vehicle has its drawbacks. No A/C in a vehicle in Florida seems like a crazy concept to those who drive modern vehicles. And thats probably well justified considering the fact you have to be just a little crazy about a car to deal with that every day. It didnt phase me any because it was my dream truck, and it was MINE. I wouldve gone to the ends of the earth to make that truck work for me. A new timing chain, followed by a blown head gasket, followed by the unwelcome noise of piston slap, and then countless hours of detailing and meticulous driving proved it.
I turned 17 on March 1st and the first thing i did was take the day off and drive to the DMV. Inside i proudly told the clerk id like to renew my registration and id like to register my truck as an antique. I drove out of that parking lot, head held higher than ever before and took the day to just drive what i affectionately called my child at that point.
Not any more than a few days afterwords i managed to land my first job interview. And it drove me to the next major milestone in my life without a hitch. And after i landed the job and woke up LATE for my orientation it took the abuse i gave it to get me there just in the niche of time. (Right after i got out of that orientation i drove her straight to the ocala forest and went camping. No issues of course).
This truck means more to me than anything ive ever owned before in my entire life. And tonight as it drove me to my job, which i already have been promoted in, she gothit hard in the front. A woman who had been in an argument with her boyfriend sped around a blind corner in the lot and slammed into my truck. This angry woman robbed me of all the countless effort i have sunk into keeping this truck nice and i cried. And it was as those tears rolled down my face as i took in the sight of my dream vehicle smashed and warped that i realized JUST how much i care for this vehicle.
Its not just the quarks and uniqueness of this vehicle that makes me love it so much as i originally thought, Like the hula girl i found wedged under the driver seat as i changed the carpet, or all the countless receipts and old documents that have collected in the glove box over 30 years, or even just the fact that most people who compliment me on my truck have no idea what it actually is, its actually how much me and this truck have been through together that makes me love it so much.
So as i sit here tonight writing this to you guys soggy eyed and broken hearted i await the news of whether or not my insurance company is going to total my baby. While it is technically an antique and a semi rare vehicle no one will ever understand just how valuable this vehicle is except for me, because no one will ever share the experiences me and her have.
As you browse the forum tonight consider just how much your vehicle means to you. I learned tonight it goes a lot deeper than I could have ever imagined. -Tanner, the current but possibly not future 1st gen 4runner owner
