OEM+: An Exercise in Restraint
OEM+: the philosophy for this build. To me, OEM+ has always meant understanding why Toyota engineered these trucks the way they did and making thoughtful improvements that enhance the original vision rather than overwrite it. After two decades of owning Toyota 4x4s—and a stint as a Toyota parts manager—I've come to appreciate restraint just as much as modification. My hope is that this truck becomes the cumulative result of those lessons: a slightly more capable, slightly more refined interpretation of what Toyota might have built if the 80 Series were designed today.
Every modification will have a purpose, and every mile will add another chapter to the story.
Now, with that out of the way, I'm excited to finally start this thread.
Many years ago, I owned and built another 80 Series—Tom Cruiser—which some of you may remember from back in the day. It feels like a lifetime ago now. Since then, I've owned and built more vehicles than I can count, but I've always appreciated the owners who take the time to document not only their builds, but the stories behind them. Even if the forums aren't quite as active as they once were, there's still an incredible amount of knowledge, inspiration, and history preserved here—particularly on MUD.
Over the years, I've benefited enormously from this community, and I'm excited to give back again, in whatever small way I can.
Living in western Canada, I knew from the beginning that rust simply wasn't an option. If I was going to buy another 80 Series and commit to building it for the long haul, I wanted to start with the best foundation possible. That meant over a year of scouring listings throughout the southern United States—Arizona, Nevada, California—searching for a truck that had been spared decades of road salt and harsh winters. Over the years, I've learned that seals, bushings, and suspension are easy to change, but rust isn't.
Below, you will see my 1997 Land Cruiser: Desert Dune over Moon Mist, gold package, with 215,000 miles and hopefully the start of a long-term project. It was purchased new in Phoenix and spent its entire life in Arizona, primarily in the Phoenix and Prescott areas. By the time I found it, it was already wearing an OME 3-inch lift and 33-inch BFGs—a subtle hint that the truck had spent its life in the hands of people who understood what an 80 Series was meant to do.
The truck spent nearly twenty years with its original owner before being purchased in 2015 by a university professor and fellow enthusiast. From everything I've been able to piece together, the Cruiser was his pride and joy. I inherited binders full of receipts showing an unwavering commitment to OEM Toyota parts, meticulous maintenance, and thoughtful upgrades. I also received a handwritten maintenance logbook that documented years of ownership—something I hope to continue myself. Judging by some of the subtle modifications, the way repairs were approached, and the sheer amount of documentation, I have a suspicion that he may even have been an IH8MUD member, although I've yet to uncover the username.
Sadly, he passed away unexpectedly in late 2025, and the truck was sold by his family to another Toyota enthusiast. One detail that has stuck with me was hearing that the previous owner's family was in tears when the truck left their driveway. To them, it wasn't just transportation—it was something their dad genuinely loved and a tangible connection to countless memories they had shared together. I imagine that, if you asked my own kids someday, they'd say much the same thing. Not because of the truck itself, but because of the adventures, road trips, and moments that happen along the way.
**If any of this story, the truck, or its history sounds familiar to anyone here, I'd love to dig up an old build thread or learn more about the life this Cruiser lived before it found its way to me.**
The gentleman I bought it from had originally hoped the Cruiser would become a daily driver for his wife and young kids, but after owning it for only about six months they realized that a twenty-eight-year-old Land Cruiser wasn't the ideal replacement for modern family life. Before selling it, he tackled several major maintenance items, including the upper and lower oil pan seals, water pump, coolant hoses, and a handful of other baseline repairs.
Buying a nearly thirty-year-old truck sight unseen from another country is always a gamble, even with an incredibly honest and helpful seller. Add the uncertainty surrounding tariffs and imports, and things got interesting in a hurry. My wife and I battled what was genuinely the scariest winter drive of my life on our way to Great Falls, Montana, only to have our flights cancelled and spend the night in the airport. We eventually made it to Denver, where the same storm followed us and stranded us for another night before we finally made it to Prescott. Three days after white-knuckle driving in -20°C conditions, we stepped off the plane into a 35°C Arizona heat wave.
The morning after the storm in Great Falls, MT
Denver at sunrise.
The moment I saw the truck in person, all of the stress disappeared. It immediately presented as a vehicle that had spent most of its life protected from the elements and in the hands of people who genuinely cared about it. The paint, the interior, and the overall condition told that story before the keys even changed hands.
An evening out in Phoenix
The trip home only reinforced that feeling and was an amazing way to build trust in the new truck. After spending a few days in Phoenix we wound our way north through Sedona, Monument Valley, Moab, and Bozeman before finally crossing back into Canada. Somewhere along those thousands of miles, the truck stopped feeling like a recent purchase and started feeling like mine.
Phoenix sunset
Sedona - very cool place... we will be back.
Hard to beat a Cruiser in Monument Valley
Or in Moab for that matter
Back in the snow, heading towards Bozeman.
I'm looking forward to documenting the journey here and, hopefully, adding another chapter to this truck's story.
OEM+: the philosophy for this build. To me, OEM+ has always meant understanding why Toyota engineered these trucks the way they did and making thoughtful improvements that enhance the original vision rather than overwrite it. After two decades of owning Toyota 4x4s—and a stint as a Toyota parts manager—I've come to appreciate restraint just as much as modification. My hope is that this truck becomes the cumulative result of those lessons: a slightly more capable, slightly more refined interpretation of what Toyota might have built if the 80 Series were designed today.
Every modification will have a purpose, and every mile will add another chapter to the story.
Now, with that out of the way, I'm excited to finally start this thread.
Many years ago, I owned and built another 80 Series—Tom Cruiser—which some of you may remember from back in the day. It feels like a lifetime ago now. Since then, I've owned and built more vehicles than I can count, but I've always appreciated the owners who take the time to document not only their builds, but the stories behind them. Even if the forums aren't quite as active as they once were, there's still an incredible amount of knowledge, inspiration, and history preserved here—particularly on MUD.
Over the years, I've benefited enormously from this community, and I'm excited to give back again, in whatever small way I can.
Living in western Canada, I knew from the beginning that rust simply wasn't an option. If I was going to buy another 80 Series and commit to building it for the long haul, I wanted to start with the best foundation possible. That meant over a year of scouring listings throughout the southern United States—Arizona, Nevada, California—searching for a truck that had been spared decades of road salt and harsh winters. Over the years, I've learned that seals, bushings, and suspension are easy to change, but rust isn't.
Below, you will see my 1997 Land Cruiser: Desert Dune over Moon Mist, gold package, with 215,000 miles and hopefully the start of a long-term project. It was purchased new in Phoenix and spent its entire life in Arizona, primarily in the Phoenix and Prescott areas. By the time I found it, it was already wearing an OME 3-inch lift and 33-inch BFGs—a subtle hint that the truck had spent its life in the hands of people who understood what an 80 Series was meant to do.
The truck spent nearly twenty years with its original owner before being purchased in 2015 by a university professor and fellow enthusiast. From everything I've been able to piece together, the Cruiser was his pride and joy. I inherited binders full of receipts showing an unwavering commitment to OEM Toyota parts, meticulous maintenance, and thoughtful upgrades. I also received a handwritten maintenance logbook that documented years of ownership—something I hope to continue myself. Judging by some of the subtle modifications, the way repairs were approached, and the sheer amount of documentation, I have a suspicion that he may even have been an IH8MUD member, although I've yet to uncover the username.
Sadly, he passed away unexpectedly in late 2025, and the truck was sold by his family to another Toyota enthusiast. One detail that has stuck with me was hearing that the previous owner's family was in tears when the truck left their driveway. To them, it wasn't just transportation—it was something their dad genuinely loved and a tangible connection to countless memories they had shared together. I imagine that, if you asked my own kids someday, they'd say much the same thing. Not because of the truck itself, but because of the adventures, road trips, and moments that happen along the way.
**If any of this story, the truck, or its history sounds familiar to anyone here, I'd love to dig up an old build thread or learn more about the life this Cruiser lived before it found its way to me.**
The gentleman I bought it from had originally hoped the Cruiser would become a daily driver for his wife and young kids, but after owning it for only about six months they realized that a twenty-eight-year-old Land Cruiser wasn't the ideal replacement for modern family life. Before selling it, he tackled several major maintenance items, including the upper and lower oil pan seals, water pump, coolant hoses, and a handful of other baseline repairs.
Buying a nearly thirty-year-old truck sight unseen from another country is always a gamble, even with an incredibly honest and helpful seller. Add the uncertainty surrounding tariffs and imports, and things got interesting in a hurry. My wife and I battled what was genuinely the scariest winter drive of my life on our way to Great Falls, Montana, only to have our flights cancelled and spend the night in the airport. We eventually made it to Denver, where the same storm followed us and stranded us for another night before we finally made it to Prescott. Three days after white-knuckle driving in -20°C conditions, we stepped off the plane into a 35°C Arizona heat wave.
The morning after the storm in Great Falls, MT
Denver at sunrise.
The moment I saw the truck in person, all of the stress disappeared. It immediately presented as a vehicle that had spent most of its life protected from the elements and in the hands of people who genuinely cared about it. The paint, the interior, and the overall condition told that story before the keys even changed hands.
An evening out in Phoenix
The trip home only reinforced that feeling and was an amazing way to build trust in the new truck. After spending a few days in Phoenix we wound our way north through Sedona, Monument Valley, Moab, and Bozeman before finally crossing back into Canada. Somewhere along those thousands of miles, the truck stopped feeling like a recent purchase and started feeling like mine.
Phoenix sunset
Sedona - very cool place... we will be back.
Hard to beat a Cruiser in Monument Valley
Or in Moab for that matter
Back in the snow, heading towards Bozeman.
I'm looking forward to documenting the journey here and, hopefully, adding another chapter to this truck's story.
