[CreeperSleeper]

My Land Cruiser currently is not the most modded thing in the world, but it is a slow process for me and I appriciate all the information and advice this forum has given.


I bought my 80 last June with 118k miles on it. It's a 1997 40th Anniv. in Emerald Pearl Met.



My first mod was an Alpine CD player and a Cobra CB. I wanted to put my CB in the dash and I really needed to install something to run my Phenoix Gold amp and 10" MB Quart Referance sub.



My next mod was swapping the turn signal and parking light in the front. I did this with the expectation that I would have an ARB winch bumper someday, but I will talk more about that in a bit.

The next mod was removing the running boards, reciever hitch, factory roof rack and rear air deflector. This is the hardware I decided to use:


Next, after much deliberation, I bought a set of 33x12.50R16 Super Swamper Trxus MT's and put them on a set of 16x10 Rock Crawler wheels I had in the garage with 4.5" backspacing. Everything fits perfect, but I will def be swapping the wheels out to an 8" wide wheel. I love these tires, but they do take a lot of weight to balance, just like any Swamper:



My next big modification was my J springs and L shocks. I am running no castor correction and I am quite impressed with the suspension on and off the road.



The latest modification that my Cruiser got was a custom drawer/sub box:

[CreeperSleeper]

Other misc mods include Rock lights, fender flare removal, Huskey floor liners, a TLCA membership and finding out why ih8mud and snow!

[CreeperSleeper]

Future mods include MetalTechCage rock sliders and bumpers. (As soon as Mark gets them done!) And I am going to build myself a J-Moose roof rack.

After that it will be 5.29:1 gears, Longfields, 3" body lift and 37" Super Swamper SSR's.

[TiredIronGRB]

What I like most about it is that you wheel it.

[Ted44]

Dude,

Sweet writeup. I guess I need to go ahead and get in line. Stockers on a budget unite!!

That rear floor mat is awesome! Tuffy? where to buy?

[Kazmanff]

Sweet rig LR! How do you like your Alpine HU? Getting ready to replace my stocker and that is the one i've been eyeballin'.

[concretejungle]

Nice truck. I have the same tires, and you are right, it took about all the weight the tire shop had in stock to balance them. But man do they dig!!

[CreeperSleeper]

TiredIron- Thanks man, I enjoy it too much to keep it pretty!

Ted44- They are Husky liners. I have them for the front and 2nd row and I think that they are a great investment. I got them for Christmas from my dad and he bought them thru Cabela's, but you can find them in quite a few places.

Kazmanff- I love my Alpine. I have ran quite a few HU and Alpine is my fav with Pioneer being second.

Concretejungle- Actually it was your write up on the tires that helped me make my decision!

[PabloVTA]

sweet rig. Did you keep the stock wheels?
Have you done anything like breathers or battery mods?
What did you do to the roof rack holes? socket head bolts as well? Did you paint them green with touch up? were they anodized that way?

I'd like to score that rear seat foot tray as well.

What have you had replaced, or know of anythng that was replaced? Birf's, etc.
Do you run a stock Air Cleaner?

I'll look for it in July when I'm at the Oregon Beer Festival.

[CreeperSleeper]

Originally Posted by PabloVTA

sweet rig. Did you keep the stock wheels?
Have you done anything like breathers or battery mods?
What did you do to the roof rack holes? socket head bolts as well? Did you paint them green with touch up? were they anodized that way?

I'd like to score that rear seat foot tray as well.

What have you had replaced, or know of anythng that was replaced? Birf's, etc.
Do you run a stock Air Cleaner?

I'll look for it in July when I'm at the Oregon Beer Festival.

Thanks! The stock wheels and tires are currently on my buddies 94 Trooper and they look awesome.

Breathers will be done soon as well as rewiring the rock lights.

Battery mods will be done when the rack gets built, until then I don't need it.

The roof rack is using the same hardware and they are stainless with touch up overspray on them. People say I use the rattle can touch-up paint too much...

I have replaced the starter and the fan clutch. For the starter I have a heavy-dute Boshe unit and the fan clutch is Toyota. For the clutch, don't mess with anything other than Toyota, nothing else works.

I run a stock air cleaner which does need to be replaced.

Look forward to seeing you! Let me know if you want to go wheeling sometime.

[slick621]

Very nice rig! 6M1 is the best LC color Are you planning to do Line-X or something similar for your fenders or just plug the holes and leave them be?

[apcoleman]

Nice rig. I love that last snow picture you have.

Do the second row seats match the hieght of the drawers when folded down?:

cheers:

[cabron]

Nice rig man.

I need to find a set of liners like that for my 60 series.

Looks like you wheel that thing like it should be, good man.

[C6H12O6]

Already putting your rig in the running for the 2006 Ghetto-Fab Award? Nice tow strap holding the bumper on!

I truly do admire your rig. Just the perfect balance of form, function, sensible solutions to interesting problems and duct tape. I particularly like the amp install. Nice creative use of zip ties. I spent hours fabbing a new bracket for my amp that would look and fit perfectly, while you spent $.30 in zip ties and were out wheeling the @&@&@&@& out of it in 5 minutes. I'm not being sarcastic at all (for once). I am impressed. It reminds me of the desert runner guys I used to hang out with that had $100K into a truck that was held together with duct tape and bailing wire and could drive to the sun and back.

We need to head out again as soon as I'm sure I won't be leaving pieces of my HG in the Tillamook National Forest. ICRAVEMUD.

Steve

[C6H12O6]

Any pics of how you rigged up your subs in that box? I'm interested. I was planning on building a very similar box, but I think I may end up doing a narrower box offset to the PS with a pull-out panel on the DS so I can still run the Slee interior tire carrier bracket when I'm offroad.

[CreeperSleeper]

slick621- I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the holes yet. I was planning Line-X, but I may just fill em and paint em. (What can I say, I love my rattle can touch up paint...)

apcoleman- The box is exactly 11" tall, which puts it pretty damn close to level with the second row. I've took a nap back there and it was good enough for me.

Steve- I learned that strap holding on the bumper trick from you! Actually I needed the strap so much I just left it attached... I was wheeling with Jeeps! I do appriciate the complement, I like being resourceful. I feel like the mods that are done out of neccesity in the middle of nowhere with nothing just to get you to work the next day are a badge of honor. (Unfortunately, the best excuse for the amp was I couldn't think of anything else that would work that night and it worked so well I haven't changed it!) As for your headgasket, I will be there spinning wrenches anytime you need me, just give me a call.

[CreeperSleeper]

Oh, if anybody happens to make a trip to Portland and wants to wheel or just hang out, grab a beer and talk about wheeling I'm always ready. You guys have become great friends and that is what all this is about.

[CreeperSleeper]

Steve- the box is made of 2x10 and 3/4" MDF. The sub box is the 14" closest to the 2nd row. If your interested I'll build one for you. I'm actually thinking about making them and selling them on here if enough people are interested. (Hmmm... Maybe I can give one to Mark so he will make my sliders quicker. )

[Kazmanff]

Chad, I would be very intersted in a box drawer system like yours, I was planning on building one for myself, but have just started building a house and have nowhere to do it at the moment. What kind of price we looking at, i've got a couple of friends in Portland so I can come down to pick it up, and do a little wheelin sometime.

[CreeperSleeper]

Kazmanff- PM sent.

[helocat]

Originally Posted by LR_RESQ

Future mods include MetalTechCage rock sliders and bumpers. (As soon as Mark gets them done!)

CAD, CAD, CAD….Weld weld weld, test. Weld weld, bend tube, bend tube, CAD, laser cut, weld weld weld test. They are coming. Yours are right after Master Woodys.

Dig the photos Chad!

Mark

[C6H12O6]

Then me! Then me!

[CreeperSleeper]

I know Mark, your doing great. I just like to keep you on your toes!

[CodyRx7]

Nice lookin rig.

Where did you find that floor mat for the 2nd row seats? That'd be real nice since my floor back there is going to die a slow death with all the gravel rocks coming off people's shoes or the spilled drinks from the kids back there.

[CreeperSleeper]

Cody- see post #8

[CodyRx7]

LR,

Do you know if they are only a call in type product? I didn't see any on their website listed for the Land Cruiser of any year.

[alkaline747trio]

I'd also be interested in a drawer system. Depending on the time you would have them done, I'd jump on it like a fat kid on a cupcake.

[speyrod]

Looks great I love the creative photograph clear bypassing the rockers clearly indicting that the sliders are way over due. Looks great!

[CreeperSleeper]

Cody- Thru Cabela's it is a call in thing. You may be able to find a different place to buy them off of Huskey's website.

[CreeperSleeper]

Originally Posted by speyrod

Looks great I love the creative photograph clear bypassing the rockers clearly indicting that the sliders are way over due. Looks great!

I have a great pic of the crushed driver side, but I figured it would make people cringe!