This is going to be a shortened initial version of my ROTW, as im on vacation in NYC right now. When i get home in a couple days ill add some of my other pics and such.
My truck has been in my family for 18 years, so I have a lot of history with it. My dad bought it in 1990 with 16k on it. He had been looking for an SUV for a while and hadn’t liked the wagoneers or broncos of the time, when his cousin in Tennessee who worked at a dealership called him and said he had found the truck for him. He flew out and got it, and it has been a part of our family since then. Considering I was 2 years old when we got the truck, ive grown up driving in it. My dad and I used to go out in it whenever it snowed or flooded, so ive always been aware of the offroad prowess of the truck.
After i started school at VT, i finally got enough money together to throw a lift and some tires on it. This is pretty much how it sat after i finally worked the bugs out of the incomplete and partially junk JTO suspension kit (bluecruiser84 in pic).
I wheeled it a fair amount around tech before making my first trip to Paragon, where i learned how addictive the rocks can be. It became quickly apparent that i needed a lot of things to be able to keep up with the guys i wheel with (36s make you a small truck in my group). Im working with a college kids budget so i pick up good deals when i find them. Ive picked up a couple grand in parts for a fraction of that. So far ive taken the truck to paragon, rausch, crozet, tellico, and GWNF and its done great everywhere ive taken it.
Plans for additions in the immediate future are hydro steer with stock arms and a sleeved tie rod, bumpers and a belly pan made from the 60' of 1.75 DOM that i have waiting at my buddies, and lots of cutting to fit at least 36" swampers. I may SOA it as i can gather most of the parts from friends hand me downs, but if i can get away with my current ride height and bigger tires ill put the money towards something else.
Specs:
1988 FJ-62
- 240+ thousand miles
- rebuilt motor, trans, t-case
- fully desmogged
- All fresh OEM tune up parts
- K&N filter
- 4 core CCOT radiator
- Custom 2 ½ inch exhaust (2" downpipes, stamped 2 into 1 collector with 2.5" outlet, magnaflow cat, thrush muffler, pics in a couple days)
- JTO 3” springs
- 4+ 6” center shackles F/R, TG greasable bolts, OME greasable pins
- Rough country hydro shocks
- MAF 4” extended stainless brake lines
-1” MAF body lift
-Sierra 4.88 gears from Kurt, all new bearings/seals
- Poly performance axles (inners and outers)
- Torsen geared limited slip front, lockright rear
- Custom 1.75” DOM tube sliders
- ARP hub studs
- 4runner calipers
- knuckles and hubs rebuilt with new bearings, seals
- 34” Trxus MTs on black 15x10 rockcrawlers
Here are a couple of my favorite pics for the time being.
My truck has been in my family for 18 years, so I have a lot of history with it. My dad bought it in 1990 with 16k on it. He had been looking for an SUV for a while and hadn’t liked the wagoneers or broncos of the time, when his cousin in Tennessee who worked at a dealership called him and said he had found the truck for him. He flew out and got it, and it has been a part of our family since then. Considering I was 2 years old when we got the truck, ive grown up driving in it. My dad and I used to go out in it whenever it snowed or flooded, so ive always been aware of the offroad prowess of the truck.
After i started school at VT, i finally got enough money together to throw a lift and some tires on it. This is pretty much how it sat after i finally worked the bugs out of the incomplete and partially junk JTO suspension kit (bluecruiser84 in pic).
I wheeled it a fair amount around tech before making my first trip to Paragon, where i learned how addictive the rocks can be. It became quickly apparent that i needed a lot of things to be able to keep up with the guys i wheel with (36s make you a small truck in my group). Im working with a college kids budget so i pick up good deals when i find them. Ive picked up a couple grand in parts for a fraction of that. So far ive taken the truck to paragon, rausch, crozet, tellico, and GWNF and its done great everywhere ive taken it.
Plans for additions in the immediate future are hydro steer with stock arms and a sleeved tie rod, bumpers and a belly pan made from the 60' of 1.75 DOM that i have waiting at my buddies, and lots of cutting to fit at least 36" swampers. I may SOA it as i can gather most of the parts from friends hand me downs, but if i can get away with my current ride height and bigger tires ill put the money towards something else.
Specs:
1988 FJ-62
- 240+ thousand miles
- rebuilt motor, trans, t-case
- fully desmogged
- All fresh OEM tune up parts
- K&N filter
- 4 core CCOT radiator
- Custom 2 ½ inch exhaust (2" downpipes, stamped 2 into 1 collector with 2.5" outlet, magnaflow cat, thrush muffler, pics in a couple days)
- JTO 3” springs
- 4+ 6” center shackles F/R, TG greasable bolts, OME greasable pins
- Rough country hydro shocks
- MAF 4” extended stainless brake lines
-1” MAF body lift
-Sierra 4.88 gears from Kurt, all new bearings/seals
- Poly performance axles (inners and outers)
- Torsen geared limited slip front, lockright rear
- Custom 1.75” DOM tube sliders
- ARP hub studs
- 4runner calipers
- knuckles and hubs rebuilt with new bearings, seals
- 34” Trxus MTs on black 15x10 rockcrawlers
Here are a couple of my favorite pics for the time being.
