My last build was pretty unique. If I had to do it all over again, I would have done pretty much everything the same. I loved the way it looked and operated. I enjoyed the challenge of making things work that didn't really want to. But the weird thing is I get asked all the time if I miss it, and I really don't. I thought I would, right up till the time I loaded it onto the shipping trailer, but once it was gone, I had a sense of relief that I didn't have to worry about it anymore. I made it much nicer than I originally intended, and for that reason, I didn't use it for what I originally wanted.
My #1 goal for UZJ40 was to make it a good highway/road trip vehicle. On our drive home from Cruise Moab last spring, I realized it would never be what I wanted out of an adventure rig. I had a blast in Moab, but on the drive home (I-15, speed limit 75), I knew the short wheel base, lifted, leaf sprung vehicle was on it's last road trip with me driving it. I had put 12,000 miles on it... taken it to CA, ID, UT, CO, AZ, and NM. All of the creature comforts I added to the 42 year old vehicle wouldn't change it's road handling characteristics. I do feel like it drove and rode better than most 40's out there, but at this point, I'd rather drive our 5th gen 4Runner on road trips and enjoy the trip for what it is, rather than having to focus so much on driving the vehicle.
One of the biggest factors that changed my mind was also the purchase of a $600 mini truck. I bought it from a co worker, not running. I rebuilt the engine within a week and drove the hell out of it. I immediately turned it into a fun desert truck. I threw 35's on it, took the bed off, and have had more fun with it in the last 6 months than I've ever had with any other vehicle. Why? Because it was $600, and with that number in the back of your mind while you're bouncing around through the desert, you can have as much fun as you want with zero worry about anything else.
Knowing I was retiring UZJ40 from road trip duty, I had to decide what to do with it. It was too expensive of a vehicle to only drive around town once in a while, and it was too nice to beat it up in the desert. It was time to sell it.
As much as I've enjoyed not having a project vehicle the past few months, I now have the opportunity to build something unique and more along the lines of what I will ultimately use the vehicle for this time. It won't be anything like the last one, but it will still be different and unique.
Here are two teaser pics take over the last 2 weeks.... I will update this thread throughout the build, unlike my last one when I waited till it was running and almost complete.
My #1 goal for UZJ40 was to make it a good highway/road trip vehicle. On our drive home from Cruise Moab last spring, I realized it would never be what I wanted out of an adventure rig. I had a blast in Moab, but on the drive home (I-15, speed limit 75), I knew the short wheel base, lifted, leaf sprung vehicle was on it's last road trip with me driving it. I had put 12,000 miles on it... taken it to CA, ID, UT, CO, AZ, and NM. All of the creature comforts I added to the 42 year old vehicle wouldn't change it's road handling characteristics. I do feel like it drove and rode better than most 40's out there, but at this point, I'd rather drive our 5th gen 4Runner on road trips and enjoy the trip for what it is, rather than having to focus so much on driving the vehicle.
One of the biggest factors that changed my mind was also the purchase of a $600 mini truck. I bought it from a co worker, not running. I rebuilt the engine within a week and drove the hell out of it. I immediately turned it into a fun desert truck. I threw 35's on it, took the bed off, and have had more fun with it in the last 6 months than I've ever had with any other vehicle. Why? Because it was $600, and with that number in the back of your mind while you're bouncing around through the desert, you can have as much fun as you want with zero worry about anything else.
Knowing I was retiring UZJ40 from road trip duty, I had to decide what to do with it. It was too expensive of a vehicle to only drive around town once in a while, and it was too nice to beat it up in the desert. It was time to sell it.
As much as I've enjoyed not having a project vehicle the past few months, I now have the opportunity to build something unique and more along the lines of what I will ultimately use the vehicle for this time. It won't be anything like the last one, but it will still be different and unique.
Here are two teaser pics take over the last 2 weeks.... I will update this thread throughout the build, unlike my last one when I waited till it was running and almost complete.
