After reading you comments in this thread, I understand where you are coming from. If you decide to sell or part you rig out, you will regret it.
If I wanted to build a buggy, all I would have to do is remove the bed and hardtop and hood from my FJ40.5 and it would strongly resemble a classic buggy.
Sometimes I just have to walk away from my rigs for a few months in order to appreciate them more. I just stop giving a damn about them. Heck, I removed a running 2F and installed a Cummins diesel in a weekend. Now I just can't seem to find the time to install a power steering cooler. LOL
I find myself doing a once or twice a year challenging (for me) wheeling trip instead of everyother weekend driving down the fireroads just waisting gas kinda trip.
I also find myself choosing or being more selective of who I want to wheel with. In the last few years I find that I travel further to wheel with people who have the same interests as me. I may show up in a 40, 60, or 80 series, a stock rig, or one of my purpose built trail rigs. At the end of the day, it does not matter what you drive, it does matter how comfortable you are around the campfire chatting with old and new friends.
Thinkin on this some more, I have been there and sold rigs that I really missed later, because I got bored and it just wasnt fun anylonger. .. i edited my original post a little, but it sounds like ya have a VERY capable rig and that is why you do so well with it just make it a little less capable, dont lock the ARB's or go to 37's but believe me you will regret selling such a nice rig. I also agree with alot of the above who ya wheel with makes a tremondous diffrence dont hang with folks with egos or wanna compete at everything. hell just go have fun again.... good luck !!
Quite the pickle...Ive watched it happen a hundred times in the past ten years since buggys became "the cool kid thing". A guy mods and mods, until he isnt having fun anymore, and figures a buggy will be the ultimate....only to find them selves bored, or scared s***less all by himself on a 30ft ledge, while his buddies wheel the normal trails. Then he finds him self in a modest rig back on 35's.
One of the unrewarding things about buggies is there is no success (around here) no matter what you climbed, its no big deal cause you did it in a buggy, and likely some douche in a $5,000 4runner on 42's or another douche in a $10,000 junkyard built 40 will follow you right up. So basically you can only fail in a buggy (around here).
After talking to you about it, I dont think keeping the buggy is the choice for you.
You either have to steal some parts from it and build a full body rig (those axles alone will run you every bit of $12k).
Or, sell it like you said and build something else.
