I have a very good friend that shares many of my interests, like mountain biking and dirt bike riding, but when it comes to driving the family around, his idea of a proper family hauler is something like a Mercedes Benz bi Turbo Wagon. Some people like the mini vans, some simply don't care as long as it has 4 wheels and takes the family from point A to point B. I OTOH, need a 4x4, a reliable, off road worthy, cargo carrying truck, that is as confortable on a long pavement haul as it is on moderately (and some times more gnarly) trail. My family enjoys the outdoors, camping, hiking, the beach... long trips, short trips, it does not matter, we don't like to stay home on the weekends and when we get in our truck, we don't want to worry if it will break down somewhere along the road or leave us stranded on a trail. So we love our Land Cruisers. Plural, because we've had the opportunity to own several. 40, 60, 70, 78, 80 Series (twice) have been in our stable and they've never let us down. So after I sold my last 80 in Feb 2015, it was just fitting I had to own a 100 Series, after all, I could not go around jumping series straight into a 200!
I know there are plenty of 100 Series Build Threads on Mud already, but after reading all of them (twice or three times!) in order to complement ideas for my own build, I figured I should post up a thread just so that maybe another new guy to the 100 Series, has more ideas to follow. Hopefully my thread will help somebody the way the other threads helped me.
I'll be building the truck for Overland Travel, as opposed to heavy wheeling. It is my DD and even though she will surely hit gnarlier trails, it will not be her main use, so the build will need to be balanced. Besides, I already have some things I like in all my previous trucks that will probably like to keep the same on this one (like no tire carriers on the rear bumper... I know they are useful and the tire in the stock location is not great, but I hate tire carriers and if I can avoid one in my build, I will). I also have leftover gear from my last truck, like the RTT, Winch, Fridge and others.
Enough introduction.
I'm starting with a blank slate.
Bone Stock 2003 Land Cruiser 100 Series.
I actually prefer white or silver trucks and waited a long time until I found the right color on the right truck. I also wanted the 2003+ for the new transmission and front diff.
It had 88.000 miles when I bought it 5 months ago, one owner and all service records where up to date (and I mean ALL)... Even the TB had been changed at around 68.000 miles not because of mileage but because the truck was 9 years old at the time. Texas truck, so zero rust.
I've since put 10.000 miles in 5 months of driving her and all I've done are two oil changes. She has needed absolutely nothing else.
I know there are plenty of 100 Series Build Threads on Mud already, but after reading all of them (twice or three times!) in order to complement ideas for my own build, I figured I should post up a thread just so that maybe another new guy to the 100 Series, has more ideas to follow. Hopefully my thread will help somebody the way the other threads helped me.
I'll be building the truck for Overland Travel, as opposed to heavy wheeling. It is my DD and even though she will surely hit gnarlier trails, it will not be her main use, so the build will need to be balanced. Besides, I already have some things I like in all my previous trucks that will probably like to keep the same on this one (like no tire carriers on the rear bumper... I know they are useful and the tire in the stock location is not great, but I hate tire carriers and if I can avoid one in my build, I will). I also have leftover gear from my last truck, like the RTT, Winch, Fridge and others.
Enough introduction.
I'm starting with a blank slate.
Bone Stock 2003 Land Cruiser 100 Series.
I actually prefer white or silver trucks and waited a long time until I found the right color on the right truck. I also wanted the 2003+ for the new transmission and front diff.
It had 88.000 miles when I bought it 5 months ago, one owner and all service records where up to date (and I mean ALL)... Even the TB had been changed at around 68.000 miles not because of mileage but because the truck was 9 years old at the time. Texas truck, so zero rust.
I've since put 10.000 miles in 5 months of driving her and all I've done are two oil changes. She has needed absolutely nothing else.
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) I had it installed by the same tech that recommended the unit so no pics of the installation.... BTW, it is not sold at Best Buy, the tech said the brand they sell there was crap and he did not like to install them as he's had a lot of people complaining..
