Who are we?(what's the demographic of this group?)

[mtrdud]

Well I might as well chime in too.
49, (damn I'm getting old), career Law Enforcement in GA
BS-Criminal Justice
Masters in Public Admin.
I've always been a Toyota guy and owned MANY.
First LC was. 74 40.
I've owned 40's, 60's, 55's, 4runners, and P/U's.
CURRENTLY OWN
1-80
2-Tacomas
1-83 4x4 P/U (Trailblazer conversion)
Why do I love Toyotas? Because if you give them some love, they will last forever.

 

[itbrokeagain]

30
4 kids
Master plumber in ohio
Used to be married
Started with jeeps. Had a wrangler that was very built.
The wiring on my swapped in 302 melted so I started looking. Picked up a beautiful 62 but I couldn't bring myself to wheel it
Ended up with my 80 partly because it fit my family and partly because my mom had one and I loved it.
It surprises me and all the jeep guys every time I wheel it.

 

[etarasoff]

40, married with one kid in the Bay Area. Application engineer for a Fortune 50 software company. Have owned numerous Toyota 4x4s including the two LXs I have now.

 

[82much]

40 yrs
Single, 3 Girls- 18,14,6
Live in Orange County, California

I always wanted a Jeep Cherokee. I liked the Boxy body style. I also needed something to haul the kids around in, go camping, hunting, shooting and trail riding. I went to go purchase one and I couldn't believe how small it was inside. Man was I bummed! I always liked the 60 series TLC so I went on the hunt but all the ones I found needed A LOT of work or they were asking to much. So one day I was driving home from work and a 80 series drove next to me...it was lifted, had 35's, roof rack, custom bumpers front and back and I was in love. Two weeks later I had myself a 1991 3FE Land Cruiser. I got it for $3600.00 and have never regretted it!

 

[TDavidson]

39 yrs
Married four kids
Fernie, BC.
Metallurgist/process engineer

Needed a reliable truck to carry the family camping and hiking. Didn't really know what I was getting into and am now totally addicted. It has become our winter vehicle since they don't clear the snow around here.

Cool tread.

 

[tlin]

43
Married + 2 girls + female dog + two female fish = surrounded by estrogen so bought the 80/3FE as a hormonal balance (and damn it it worked!)
Software product development - management/strategy/architecture/others

The 80 has gotten me to parts of the state I would not have visited otherwise....I've "infected" two of my best friends from college who've also joined the club - learning to live a little again one drive at a time.

 

[KingDan]

41 three weeks ago, Fireman/Paramedic. Got mine for the beach, camping, and family truckster. Had an 89 starlet in Germany, wife dives a 11 4runner, she said I couldn't take it to the beach anymore so I got my own rig! She is a slow, hot, thirsty pig, but I love her. Most solid vehicle I have driven.....feels like an eng co. mixed with a tank.

 

[Grimmjow]

34
Married, 2 kids, 2 dogs
Live on the coast of NC
Entrepreneur | IT Guru | Bodybuilder

Always wanted an 80 from the first time I saw one when I was 12. Picked up my 91' 3FE with 230k miles on craigslist for $3k a couple years ago. Hoping to one day add a lift and a few under the hood mods to make it into the beast it has the potential to be, but now just enjoying not having a car payment. It gets me around the beach dunes with ease, never once been stuck.

 

[NLXTACY]

Well, ok guess I'll play too.

1. how old are you? Family?
I will be 42 in December. Married for 17 years but together for 23. We met when she was 14. One son who is 16.5 and damn lucky to have them both.

2. what do you do for a living?
Well today I am unemployed. I am a proud college drop out (proud now, wasn't so proud then). I originally use to rebuild engines but moved into a desk job in the automotive industry. Switched to the Telecom industry as a Marketing Director for a fiber optics public company. After ten years switched careers again and started a film industry manufacturing company with partners. After 4 years we were bought out (woo-hooo!) and a year after that was bought out again (woo-hoo!) and then as soon as the contract was over my entire division was laid off. That was in May. So now I sit and collect dust and contemplate my next move.

3. where do you live?
I live in West Hills, CA. I'm originally from NY but soooo happy I live in CA now. This state has everything I could ever want and more.

4. why do you drive an 80?
I never considered an 80 series, or an LX for that matter. My family was a Chevy household so thats all my family ever had. When I was 15, Marv Spector came to the machine shop I was working at with my uncle. Marv showed up in the most incredible 40 I'd ever seen. We talked a bit and he waxed poetic about LandCruisers. I knew I wanted one but could never afford one. When I turned 18 I had the opportunity to buy a low mileage, lifted 79 Toyota 4WD Pick up with an interior roll cage. Well it wasn't long before I mated it with a 5-spd and mated a 22R block with a 20R head, bored the hell out of it and added a Camden Supercharger. All MSD ignition, headers, exhaust, etc etc. It only had 32" tires but the truck was perfect in every single way. I was Toyota forever at this point.

I got my 40 series when I was 24 and spent way too much money fixing her up. But had to sell it once my son was born because we needed the money. Bought a used 91 4WD 4Runner. It was our DD. In early 97 went thru my first IPO. Bought my house, my mom a house and decided to buy my wife an LC. So we went for a test drive. She hated the seats and the road feel of the LC. I was crushed because I really liked the design and I liked that it was solid axle. Plus it was a LandCruiser!! I took her on vacation instead. On the way home from the airport we stopped off at the Lexus stealership because I figured I would at least get her something in the Lexus lineup. Lo and behold, the LX. Had no idea this thing even existed. it had a touch over 100 miles on it because it was supposed to be a lease but the woman who leased it on a Sunday didn't qualify for it by the Monday. So she had to return it. We saw them taking it back in and I said I wanted to test drive it. The LX my wife loved. Seats were more comfortable, leather was nicer. Interior looked better and the ride was softer. It was our daily driver for ten years before I unscrewed the very first bolt for a mod. Now...its all fxxxed up

 

[doc W]

69

Mostly retired.
Looking for a Toyota 4WD truck, finding nothing, found LC listed with trucks. One look and it immediately brought up a movie I saw when I was 12 (figure about 1957) while living in LA watching a 1939 movie serial "Tim Tyler's Luck" (12 thrilling chapters). In the movie Tim looking for his father in Africa finds Dad's Jungle Cruiser. The memory lay buried until I saw what was to be my Cruiser. Bought it with almost zero knowledge of the LC. This forum got me up to speed and been enjoying what is the very best vehicle I have ever owned!

Grandkids got me a T shirt that says "This Land Cruiser is all I'm driving until I die" - Yes to that!

 

[ChiTown]

Turning 39 in November (still 13 @ heart)
Living in the land of fruits and nuts (Orange Co. CA) since 11' / Chicago native
Not married (but might as well be! lol)
No kids / 2 year old Dachshund (Harvey)

Lately I work a desk job for a large aftermarket parts distributor/manufacturer
Previously I was an automotive technician for 20 years including a bit at Toyota Technical center doing Powertrain Evaluation.

Why an 80? I've had/built pretty much every 4x4 under the sun from jeeps and hummers to range rovers. I love the old way of Toyota's way of doing things and the 80 encompasses the best of that.

 

[OGBeno]

I love the old way of Toyota's way of doing things and the 80 encompasses the best of that.

x a billion.

 

[retrofive]

Just turned 36

Single dad with 50% custody of my 5yr old girl. <3

Live basically in my home town. Worked for the same company for almost 16yrs doing IT administrating/design/consulting/etc.

Growing up had friends with 60 and 80 series to get us to the mountain for skiing. Finally got myself financially secure enough to pick up an 80 for myself to head to the mountain. Soon after I bought it a local club started and became pretty involved with them. Built the truck over the years and now most of the club folks I consider to be close friends and my social group as well.

 

[noecia]

Half-century

Retired from military service (24 years), working as an IT consultant now

WA state

Always loved Toyotas. My first 4x4 and still have it is a lifted '88 pick-up. I happened to venture on this site and fell in love with the 80 series after perusing the beautiful rigs posted. A friend that owned a 97 Pink Panty passed away recently and his wife asked me if I was interested in buying his rig...the rest is history

 

[noecia]

Half-century

Retired from military service (24 years), working as an IT consultant now

WA state

Always loved Toyotas. My first 4x4 and still have it is a lifted '88 pick-up. I happened to venture on this site and fell in love with the 80 series after perusing the beautiful rigs posted. A friend that owned a 97 Pink Panty passed away recently and his wife asked me if I was interested in buying his rig...the rest is history

 

[Twinair]

A

 

[Twinair]

38 married 16 years with a 10year old daughter and 18month old son, 3 year old lab and 5 year old shih tzu.

College drop out (wanted to get married). After college I began a career in plumbing, heating and air conditioning. I now own and operate a company with my twin brother (hence the name Twin Air) and father.
My love for things mechanical began at 16 when I bought my first car (69 Beetle). I've had quite a few vehicles since then including VW's, BMW's, Honda, Toyota. It was when I bought an FJ Cruiser 6MT in 07 that got me into Toyota 4x4's. I sold it after just a year (longer story). Last year I saw an acquaintance at a friends birthday party and he arrived in his white 94 80. I asked him to tell about the truck and I was intrigued. So my search began. I found a 97 unlocked 50 miles from my house advertised on Craig's List for $3,000. The truck had 194k miles in it. I bought it for $2,200! This was in November. Since then it's seen a complete interior renovation ( much needed) and a few gaskets and seals. Ready for a lift and tires, bumpers, and expedition gear. This is my hunting, fishing, camping, and backpacking rig. I love this truck!!
Since purchasing the 80 I traded in the wife's BMW for a GX 470. I am officially addicted.


...via IH8MUD app

 

[Expedition94]

21 Single, No kids thankfully.
Not currently working but I am a professional medical mess if that counts.
College Graduate in Management and Auto/Diesel technologies, Ever since I've been small I've been into 4WD anything. Hell when I was four and five years old I was reading 4wheeler and JP Magazine. I've owned 6 Jeeps but always had a passion for old school toyota's. I'm not a fan of IFS and I love the boxy look of really about any vehicle so instantly I fell in love with the FJ60 when I saw one in person, always wanted one but never found one that isnt rotted out (NY sucks). I never thought I'd be able to find one. Three and a half years later I found my FZJ80 on craigslist for a price I couldn't resist. Now that I have it its not only been a learning experience/patience tester its been a project thats been keeping my mind busy and encouraging me to get back into the off road world after a long break. I'm hoping some day when its done it'll be my expedition vehicle (hence the user name).

On a side note RadioBaobab's expedition thread has been my inspiration to get into overlanding. It's one of the best stories I've ever read and I really recommend it to anyone here the forum thats looking for a great read, action shots of a troopy and two great people.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...atic-Republic-of-Congo-Lubumbashi-to-Kinshasa

It's been my inspiration for the past 4 years to get into overlanding and I'm really hoping to someday soon, even if its a small trip.

 

[Toyote]

1. how old are you? Family?
I am 48, father to threee of the most amazing girls on the planet, 14, 12, and 11 yrs old. Was married; been divorced for 7 years; still hold out hope the Right lady and I will meet one day and it will last forever.

2. what do you do for a living?
I am owner and Creative Director of an advertising agency here in Portland. I've been "creative" all my life and was lucky enough to go to a university that had an advertising sequence where all that energy got channelled into something more/less productive. At least its always an adventure. Have worked in NY, LA, Chicago on major brands and major campaigns, but chose to unplug from all that nonsense and move to a smaller market where the focus was more on the quality of the work vs the volume.

3. where do you live?
Moved around my whole life: St. Louis, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, Chicago, Tucson, New York, Los Angeles. Moved to Portland about 14 years ago and its the longest I've lived any single place ever. Now you won't dynamite me out of here.

4. why do you drive an 80?
I was raised on Jeeps and aircooled VWs, all of which I still have a crazy soft spot for. I bought my first 60-series about 15 years ago "to see if I liked it," which I did, but then continued the experiment with a couple of 80-series. Sure enough, I've found the only rig I need to feel comfortable in: visibility, clean lines, durability, perfect blend of utility and creature comfort. Perfect for crazy weather you run into in the NW when you're away from the city. If I need to go fast, I get on my motorcycle or borrow one of my friends' many Porsches (Nice friends.) I've been in my current 80 for about 10 years; don't see any need for another #crossesfingers

 

[OGBeno]

Very cool that this thread got bumped back up.

How lots of people have disappeared, how folks have grown, married, had kids and unfortunately, in a couple of instances, passed away, etc.

Nice time capsule to a rather simpler time.

Oh, and I am no longer writing my dissertation.