This is my start of my build thread for my new to me 1997 LX450. This is my first personal 450/landcruiser but my family has owned a 96 lx450 as well as a 2003 GX470. I picked up my LX in Southern California with 272,000 miles on it. I drove it to my parents house outside of sacramento before i head back up to Reno,NV for school. I am a geology/geological engineering student hence the crappy pun for a name.
I have decided to name it the skunk ape, not quite sure why; i just knew that i wanted a name that was inspired by sasquatch. I sold my 2004 WRX to make room for my new endeavor, i plan to use it for wheeling all around the sierras as well as overland trips.
I actually have a 3 week overland trip planned for this summer through Nevada and Utah and as well as parts of Colorado and Arizona. I will probably be posting a lot more about the trip as it nears. Looking for suggestions for places to visit while on the trip as well as looking of people who would be looking to meet up. The trip will be centered around filming and taking photos for ARB and possibly other companies. It won't be all work though, we plan on hikes, rock climbing, and viewing all of the amazing geologic formations.
It came with an all new lift using OME coils with KYB shocks, giving roughly a 3" lift. It has the OME castor correction kit and has custom bumpers and sliders made by American Overland Expedition. It sits on 295/75r16 BFG AT KOs. It has the factory lockers which all work properly. So far my father and I have spent countless hours wet sanding the paint to try and give the clear coat some shine back to it. It is coming along slowly and it seems that most of the bird droppings have eaten through the clear. But it is looking better than when we started. I guess i can't be too worried about it at this point since it is going to be wheeled and will be covered in Nevada pin striping.
This is just the opening of the thread, i will post pictures tonight of some of the wet sanding and plan on going snow wheeling tomorrow as the storm hits so ill take some actual nice pictures of the LX to give you all a feel for how it looks in the natural sunlight, not the harsh lighting of my father's garage. Feel free to give any tips or ideas or comments, looking forward to becoming a part of the community!
Cheers!
I have decided to name it the skunk ape, not quite sure why; i just knew that i wanted a name that was inspired by sasquatch. I sold my 2004 WRX to make room for my new endeavor, i plan to use it for wheeling all around the sierras as well as overland trips.
I actually have a 3 week overland trip planned for this summer through Nevada and Utah and as well as parts of Colorado and Arizona. I will probably be posting a lot more about the trip as it nears. Looking for suggestions for places to visit while on the trip as well as looking of people who would be looking to meet up. The trip will be centered around filming and taking photos for ARB and possibly other companies. It won't be all work though, we plan on hikes, rock climbing, and viewing all of the amazing geologic formations.
It came with an all new lift using OME coils with KYB shocks, giving roughly a 3" lift. It has the OME castor correction kit and has custom bumpers and sliders made by American Overland Expedition. It sits on 295/75r16 BFG AT KOs. It has the factory lockers which all work properly. So far my father and I have spent countless hours wet sanding the paint to try and give the clear coat some shine back to it. It is coming along slowly and it seems that most of the bird droppings have eaten through the clear. But it is looking better than when we started. I guess i can't be too worried about it at this point since it is going to be wheeled and will be covered in Nevada pin striping.
This is just the opening of the thread, i will post pictures tonight of some of the wet sanding and plan on going snow wheeling tomorrow as the storm hits so ill take some actual nice pictures of the LX to give you all a feel for how it looks in the natural sunlight, not the harsh lighting of my father's garage. Feel free to give any tips or ideas or comments, looking forward to becoming a part of the community!
Cheers!
