slceso
... pronounced "Jason"
I've done a few things now since I've had this thing for a year so I thought I'd start putting a thread together.
I used to have a pretty nice (except for the frame and body rust) locked '95 FZJ80 with 96k miles. I was going to build it for family camping with an emphasis on overlanding, but once the krylon touch started wearing off and the rust showed through I just never could commit the funds or resources. So I ended up letting it go to a body shop guy for $3k when we were moving here. Should've kept it. Anyhow I decided it was time to grow up and just drive my Subaru Legacy and forget about playing with trucks.
Well it didn't take me long to decide I needed a pickup truck and I started looking at low mileage used Tundras. It's hard to find a deal on Toyota trucks around here. They either have high miles or people want way over book, "it's got the Xsp package so I'm gonna need a kidney from ya!"
Everyone has probably drooled over @SteveJackson 's site landcruisersdirect.com at some point and seen the many fine examples of non-US market unicorns that have come through his shop. I looked one day and noticed that he was starting to list JDM 80s for the first time. I got excited because of the lore of the Toyota diesel and how so many people were breaking their necks and wallets to shoehorn diesels into their 80s here in the US (and how few seemed truly happy once the conversion was done).
Man, this thing had almost all of the stuff I wanted or had considered adding to my old truck. It already had a lift, factory winch, factory swingout, heated seats, fridge console, altimeter, luggage rack delete, hatch wing delete, e-lockers, the turbo diesel, and only 46k miles. Condition was the most important part to me, and it looked like this thing was about as good as it gets for original paint and interior, not to mention clean and rust free. US 80s sub 100k miles practically don't exist anymore or are not accessible to mere mortals like us.
I discussed the acquisition with my better and sometimes more reasonable half and surprisingly she was not wholeheartedly against it, which I took to mean we are definitely doing this. I called Steve and we chatted. At this point I was really, really interested (not just mud classified interested), but I just didn't know if I could justify the purchase.
Well I did it anyway. I bought it sight unseen and had it shipped out. The only time I miss my Legacy is on the highway, and really just not that much. I've really enjoyed this thing over the last year and even had a few adventures. Hopefully there are many more to come.
I used to have a pretty nice (except for the frame and body rust) locked '95 FZJ80 with 96k miles. I was going to build it for family camping with an emphasis on overlanding, but once the krylon touch started wearing off and the rust showed through I just never could commit the funds or resources. So I ended up letting it go to a body shop guy for $3k when we were moving here. Should've kept it. Anyhow I decided it was time to grow up and just drive my Subaru Legacy and forget about playing with trucks.
Well it didn't take me long to decide I needed a pickup truck and I started looking at low mileage used Tundras. It's hard to find a deal on Toyota trucks around here. They either have high miles or people want way over book, "it's got the Xsp package so I'm gonna need a kidney from ya!"
Everyone has probably drooled over @SteveJackson 's site landcruisersdirect.com at some point and seen the many fine examples of non-US market unicorns that have come through his shop. I looked one day and noticed that he was starting to list JDM 80s for the first time. I got excited because of the lore of the Toyota diesel and how so many people were breaking their necks and wallets to shoehorn diesels into their 80s here in the US (and how few seemed truly happy once the conversion was done).
Man, this thing had almost all of the stuff I wanted or had considered adding to my old truck. It already had a lift, factory winch, factory swingout, heated seats, fridge console, altimeter, luggage rack delete, hatch wing delete, e-lockers, the turbo diesel, and only 46k miles. Condition was the most important part to me, and it looked like this thing was about as good as it gets for original paint and interior, not to mention clean and rust free. US 80s sub 100k miles practically don't exist anymore or are not accessible to mere mortals like us.
I discussed the acquisition with my better and sometimes more reasonable half and surprisingly she was not wholeheartedly against it, which I took to mean we are definitely doing this. I called Steve and we chatted. At this point I was really, really interested (not just mud classified interested), but I just didn't know if I could justify the purchase.
Well I did it anyway. I bought it sight unseen and had it shipped out. The only time I miss my Legacy is on the highway, and really just not that much. I've really enjoyed this thing over the last year and even had a few adventures. Hopefully there are many more to come.
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