SO after five years of asking questions and occasionally heckling people here its high time I put together a build thread for the truck to showcase the culmination of knowledge that helped get my 1987 Freeborn Red sixty series to where it is today
So for those of you who know me already for those that don't my name is James and through a series of poor decisions five years ago I decided to purchase a Land Cruiser sight unseen from California and bring it all the way to the land of no return, New England.
So as it happens after a year of trolling New England Craigslist and Auto Trader ads I decided to check mud and saw this truck on the opposite side of the world. It was a 60 series, it was red, and it also happened to have a 5.3 shoehorned into it. with the swap nearly complete (or so I thought) it checked off all the boxes.....anddd it had a fresh H55 to boot.
Now came the joys of buying a vehicle from across the country, which I won't go into at large but Inevitably it arrived looking like the surface of the moon with fresh hail damage, broken parts, and stolen parts (Moral of the story here is even if you go through the right channels to get a licensed and insured carrier, you're still rolling the dice: Just fly out and drive the truck home)
Truck Replacements/Modifications as it sits now to serve as a list of things I need to remember to discuss
Here are a few pictures to show the truck in the early days, post-purchase - it was almost orange with oxidation, but the bones were there
So for those of you who know me already for those that don't my name is James and through a series of poor decisions five years ago I decided to purchase a Land Cruiser sight unseen from California and bring it all the way to the land of no return, New England.
So as it happens after a year of trolling New England Craigslist and Auto Trader ads I decided to check mud and saw this truck on the opposite side of the world. It was a 60 series, it was red, and it also happened to have a 5.3 shoehorned into it. with the swap nearly complete (or so I thought) it checked off all the boxes.....anddd it had a fresh H55 to boot.
Now came the joys of buying a vehicle from across the country, which I won't go into at large but Inevitably it arrived looking like the surface of the moon with fresh hail damage, broken parts, and stolen parts (Moral of the story here is even if you go through the right channels to get a licensed and insured carrier, you're still rolling the dice: Just fly out and drive the truck home)
Truck Replacements/Modifications as it sits now to serve as a list of things I need to remember to discuss
- 5.3 Vortec
- New Intake
- New Waterpump
- Denali HD Quadrasteer PS Pump
- HO Alternator
- A/C !!
- Plugs, Coils, Sensors (ALL)
- Be Cool LS Radiator and Mechanical Fan clutch
- Starter Booster Relay
- H55
- Marks V8 Adaptor
- Custom Driveshaft
- Rebuilt T-Case
- Rebuilt Linkage
- Front and Rear ARB Air Lockers w/ remote compressor
- 2020 Full Repaint - Mild Restoration
- Powder Coated Frame
- Powder Coated Axles
- Converted Valance to Pre-84 non-washers
- Re-Seamed Roof
- 40 Gallon Aluminum ExpeditionFuel Tank
- Blue Sea Dual Battery & wiring rack
- Rebuilt Power Steering Gearbox
- Tie Rods/Birfs/Bearings
- Toyota H4 Headlight and LED Interior and exterior upgrade
- Interior LED Upgrade
- Exterior LED Upgrade
- 4Runner Wiper Mod
- 70 Series Mirrors
- Speedhut Gauge Cluster
- Tuff Dog Foam Cell Suspension
- SOR 3" Springs
- 34" BFG Ko2's
- Bowfin Cruisers Roof Rack
- VR8000 Warn Winch
- Trail Gear Storage & CB Mount
- Tuffy Center Consol
- Pure Sine Inverter
- Boss Airbag Suspension Assist
Here are a few pictures to show the truck in the early days, post-purchase - it was almost orange with oxidation, but the bones were there
Last edited: