Alright, let's try to break this down.
I recently purchased a 1999 LX470 Gold with 179'000 Miles. Interior is mint. The exterior is not great. The vehicle will be a daily driver, however, I would like it to be fully capable off-road. I am looking for advice as to where to begin. Also, where to get the most bang for my buck on off-road upgrades.
Currently, the vehicle is bone stock. Everything works perfectly, including the AHC.
First off, what kind of off-roading are you interested in? Mild trail rides, technical trails with obstacles and water/mud crossings, rock crawling? Determining this [how you'll be utilizing your truck] will help you in what steps to take and how to prepare. You say it's also going to bee a daily driver; that means you're going to have to take into account how far you want to go with mods. If fuel economy matters (I'm gonna assume it doesn't, look what you bought), you may want to rethink daily driving the truck. Have a family? How comfortable would they be if you were to lift it. All of these are things you need to consider first, jot down, and come up with before going further down the rabbit hole.
Secondly, you're gonna need to prioritize and figure out your budget. Is all maintenance up to par? Your 'rig' won't do you much good if you blow a diff or lose power. Make sure all of the baselining (see: FAQ) and major repairs that may be necessary, are out of the way. Make sure you look at your options in this scenario too, to make the best decision (both logical and financial) for you. Do you want to spend the extra money on good synthetic oil, OEM parts, etc.? Or are you okay with skimping on some things in terms of going aftermarket; or are there aging parts that could be improved via aftermarket (like bushings, or worn out suspension parts)? You say that everything works perfectly, but these trucks have their weak points, items like heater tees and brake boosters could fail any minute. Just make sure you won't be stranded on a trail.
You should also make it a point to determine whether you'll be doing the work yourslef, or if you'll be taking it to a specialized shop, mechanic, etc. Shop rates, especially today, add up FAST. You can absolutely save money DIY, but that comes with a cost too; do you have the time? The proper tools and space? The want? You can certainly go a long way with basic hand tools and a FSM, but there's some things that require more expensive tools.
I'll cover this as brief as I can. My answers are in
pale yellow.
I am currently considering the following:
- New Paint or Body Wrap
I personally wouldn't recommend either. A whole (well done) paint job will set you back anywhere from $5k-$7.5k, possibly more depending on if you need body work. You mentioned that the body isn't in great shape, either, thus making a wrap somewhat pointless as it'll cost maybe up to $2k based on the size of the truck, and the fact that due to bad panels, it'll make wrapping more difficult unless you go to someone who's a master at what they do. Also, you're gonna be throwing away money if you decide to take this truck off-road.
- New Wheels & Tires | Like the look of matte black
There's plenty of wheel threads here. If you're looking to go aftermarket, SCS F5s (<-- that's a link) are a very popular choice here, come in a variety of colors, and are perfect spec wise. If you want to spend less, pick up a set of used OEM 16"/18" LC wheels or 18" Tundra/Sequoia wheels, or 17" TRD wheels. There's plenty others, these are the most common. I'd determine which tire and what size you intend to use, and base wheel choice off that. Tire choice is up to you; I personally love my Falken Wildpeaks -- many here prefer BFG KO2s. It's all up to you. Since you'll be daily driving, I'd get All-Terrains, just make sure they're at least 3-Ply sidewall to handle abuse off-road. Alternatively, you can plasti-dip/rattle can/powder coat your OEM wheels.
- Looking for advice on suspension upgrades w'out having to sell a kidney
You have a lot of options. With AHC, you'll need to remove all the components if you want a conventional shock/torsion bar/coil spring setup. Or you could do like @PADDO does and run AHC all the time. It requires a bit of love and understanding, but from what I can see, it's quite unbeatable in certain applications. If you want a standard kit like I mentioned, we have several vendors who support the community (@cruiseroutfit and @TRAIL TAILOR) and would be, I'm sure, more than happy to help out. Old Man Emu (former vendor) and Tough Dog (latter vendor) seem to be the most popular here, along with Iron Man suspension sold by MetalTech. You could, for now, to save money, replace the AHC with OEM shocks and (cranked) torsion bars, and a rear spring (OME 865) to achieve more clearance; or not touch it and maintain it. Again, you'll need to understand how you'll be using the truck, how much you'll be carrying, etc. It can seem complicated, but that's why this forum exists.
- In-dash receiver and full speaker upgrade
All up to you. Not sure if you have the integrated climate control in your unit, and if so, I believe it's more complicated to add a 'traditional' single/double din unit. There's a few threads, I'm not an audio guy so I don't have any real advice.
Any other recommendations are greatly appreciated.
If I were you, I'd start with making sure the truck is in tip top shape, and make a plan. Drive it stock, and base your purchases on what you NEED, not what other people have (rigs are by and large built for it's user). After that, I'd say ave up for a good set of All-terrains (and the spare), and add a set of rock sliders (if you have a family, maybe opt for step-sliders as opposed to tube-sliders, so they have something to support getting in the truck -- also great for the significant other when they complain about you lifting it and taking off the running boards). Familiarize yourself with the truck (and the forum, use the search function!) and plan things out.
Best of luck, and welcome to the endless money pit!
Edit: to say, also prioritize RELIABLE recovery gear. That's one thing that seems overlooked. It's expensive, yes, but it's better than being stuck somewhere or relying on another member of your 'expedition party' to have what you need to get out of a jam.
