Year in Review: What was Your Best Land Cruiser-Related Accomplishment in 2023?

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Happy Holidays everyone. As 2023 draws to a close, it is a good time to reflect. Share what your biggest accomplishment/improvement to your Land Cruiser over the past 12 months and/or what you have in store for it during 2024.



thanks mark mark for thinking to create this thread .... :)

my 87240-10010 was a long term pipe dream 💭 from long ago , after restoring several for folks here on mud , that always included creating a new T-handle twist at the top and replacing the wearable guts , I had a small clue how to recreate on on paper 📝 that would be a modern modern materials parts Supers-cession of sorts …

The long-term fundamental use and normal seasonal turn-on and shut-off weighed heavy on my mind so a 💯 % all marine grade internals were my spec. In the final plans …

I had this reproduction parts idea in my head before I ever realized that in-fact the earliest FJ40 Siamese F ,s 1962- unknown …. Had the female threaded port in the first gen. Water pump and that these shut off valves were directly installed into them and also the cast-iron lower RaD. hose by-pass tube / pipe as it was part of a FRONT HEATER P.I.O. ( port installed option ) and the also possible rear heater option too …


Note : you will need to : click the speaker 🔊 volume icon. On the Igram. Reel below , and turn your device volume up to its max level …fyi

Thanks


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Having the head rebuilt which cured my low rpm vacuum issue, along with the 3-speed T-case install that gave me a little but much needed crawl increase.

And then there’s that silver star renewal that helps support this great forum.

Happy Holidays everyone!
 
I think the only thing I really accomplished was pinning down a design for a mounting speakers in the back.

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Other than that, had lots of adventures. Snow wheeling in Wisconsin. Solid Axle Summit. Wheeling in Missouri. Playing in the woods at my brother's. And a trip to Northern Minnesota
 
Towing my 73 home after buying it this past July. making a new wiring harness, getting the fuel injection to work again and being able to drive it after it sat dormant for many years. All of that is just the tip of the iceberg and I still have a long way to go! For 2024 finish the body work, reupholster the seats, new exhaust system and buy narrower profile tires more suited to my terrain. Then it's just the small details that never end on a project like this.

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Buying into this amazing community with my (new to me) '75 40. Best part of the year was the smug satisfied look on my face as I drove her for the first time in 7 years. The PO is a friend and the look on his face when he saw her was great. We talked about the project while she purred in his front yard and about every 3 minutes he'd say. "Damn, she sounds great!".
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"Best accomplishment" was passing the vehicle safety inspection. :) (Aside from the obvious...getting it running...)

I still have a laundry list of items to complete, but it's a lot shorter than when I started thanks to the assistance from this community.
  • Refinish the roof
  • Steering Arm Joints
  • Replace clutch master/slave
  • Flush and (probably replace all the hoses)
  • New Tailgate
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
 
Nothing spectacular this year; no wheeling trips between father-in-law's illness and death, and saving time and money for our house build. I did get new tires, and resolved (for the time being) a bearing whine in the Orion transfer case, and made it drivable again. Been putting on plenty of miles driving it to town and back.

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I finished up a 2 year frame-off restomod. Last thing I did was build a speaker enclosure and got it installed a week ago. I did a subtle 6" stretch of the wheel base.

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Finally getting it fit for the road and finding some views in the mountains. It felt really really good to finally find some dirt in the old rig.
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Another was learning to rebuild my first transmission and getting a project I have long dreamed about going: the 4 on the column swap.
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Excited for 2024 adventures with it.
 
2023 in chronological order:
4* caster shims;
New front brake calipers & pads;
5 Yokohama Geolandar M/T (LT255/85R16);
Oil Line Conversion Kit and Oil Pressure Regulator Gasket Kit;
SMG Stainless Steel Hinge Pins for Doors, Window and Hood;
Breather Caps for Front and Rear Axles (Part Number 9093003019);
Delete rear fender flares and replace with Real Steel patch panels;
New OEM Rear Marker Side Lights;
4Plus Fold Down Legs for Jumps Seats;
OEM Studs for Rear Differential (PN 90116-10103 x & 90116-A0025 x 2);
OEM Dash light sockets with plastic retaining rings;
Vader light & switch.

2024 projects:
ARB rear locker; and
4 speed conversion and transfer case rebuild
Marriage counseling ;)
 
Highlight for 2023 was definitely getting her legal. I’d been driving her with plates that had a tag that expired in ‘92. Now that I’m legit, I’m driving her everywhere I can. The other was shims. Just did those last night and the difference is amazing, so much safer.

Since there is a few days left of ‘23 I may try to knock out the dreaded knuckle job, we’ll see.

For ‘24 I want to finish my hardtop repairs asap and go on a nice long road trip before it gets too hot.
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