After a 32 year absence I finally got my stepdad back into a Cruiser. My mother met my stepdad in ‘85 and at the time he had a 40 that he would take us both wheeling in up in the mountains of WV where I grew up. At the time I was 5 or 6 and even then thought that 40 was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. Shortly after they were married in ‘86 he sold it. I always had fond memories of it and when I got older and could do it I bought a 40 of my own. I even spent a lot of time with him trying to track down his old one to try and buy it back with no luck.
A few months ago he had mentioned he was thinking about buying a side by side to leave in WV to go wheeling in where we still have a lot of family and a house we stay in when we go visit. I told him he could buy a Landcruiser a lot cheaper than a side by side. A couple weeks later at dinner he gave me the green light to find one for him. I put the word out and the next morning @jfz80 found a smoking deal on the National for sale forum and the 80 was already located in WV, a little over a hour away from where we’re from. I contacted the seller and then my dad to tell him to act fast. He then called my uncle who still lives in the area and the 80 was only 15 minutes away from where he was. A couple hours later my uncle had purchased it for him.
Now about the 80. It’s a black ‘97 with factory lockers, 220,000 miles. Has a new Baja Rack and a home brew front bumper that at first glance is hideous but after closer examination has really good fit work and build quality and oddly enough my dad likes it so with a little tweaking and paint I think it will stay.
I had him bring it back to NC so I could go over it and give it some TLC then it’s headed over to Jason’s house for baselining.
Here’s the way it is now. Filthy dirty and a little neglected from the 2 previous owners. 3 owners ago this 80 was well taken care of by a member of ONSC and resided less than 5 miles from my parents house in NC, and even made the 2012 Spring Tide Ride. Would have been nice to have bought it from him but the 80 made it back to where it belongs.
Here’s a pic from a couple weeks ago when he bought it in WV after some light wheeling. Oh wait a minute it’s not 2006 anymore, after some light overlanding LOL.
A few months ago he had mentioned he was thinking about buying a side by side to leave in WV to go wheeling in where we still have a lot of family and a house we stay in when we go visit. I told him he could buy a Landcruiser a lot cheaper than a side by side. A couple weeks later at dinner he gave me the green light to find one for him. I put the word out and the next morning @jfz80 found a smoking deal on the National for sale forum and the 80 was already located in WV, a little over a hour away from where we’re from. I contacted the seller and then my dad to tell him to act fast. He then called my uncle who still lives in the area and the 80 was only 15 minutes away from where he was. A couple hours later my uncle had purchased it for him.
Now about the 80. It’s a black ‘97 with factory lockers, 220,000 miles. Has a new Baja Rack and a home brew front bumper that at first glance is hideous but after closer examination has really good fit work and build quality and oddly enough my dad likes it so with a little tweaking and paint I think it will stay.
I had him bring it back to NC so I could go over it and give it some TLC then it’s headed over to Jason’s house for baselining.
Here’s the way it is now. Filthy dirty and a little neglected from the 2 previous owners. 3 owners ago this 80 was well taken care of by a member of ONSC and resided less than 5 miles from my parents house in NC, and even made the 2012 Spring Tide Ride. Would have been nice to have bought it from him but the 80 made it back to where it belongs.
Here’s a pic from a couple weeks ago when he bought it in WV after some light wheeling. Oh wait a minute it’s not 2006 anymore, after some light overlanding LOL.
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