Great looking runner you have. The 2nd gen runners really hold up well for their age. The interiors seem to hold up better then most other models made. Seems like for every ten 2nd gen runners I see, only one interior is really ratty, and the others look nice and 2 or 3 of those will be in excellent condition.

ARB, Marlin Crawler, Trail Gear, http://www.addictedoffroad.com/index...roducts_id=525 are some that I can think of right off the top of my head. There are others, I am just drawing a blank right now. https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f37/

 

I got it for a steal too Terrys87... Living in humboldt county has its benefits, them squeezing the weed growers around here, means some of them are selling their runners cheap, got it for $2200, it has 285k for miles but everything works... went to an auto shop and it passed with flying colors, it had some small things wrong with it, but nothing big enough to need fixin or it will break down. couple tiny leaks here and there, but all old vehicles leak, I have a 1966 ford mustang and that thing leaks even though I put 12 grand into the engine, totally rebuilt my engine and it still leaks a little here and there... But nothing serious, I have put 550 miles on it since I bought it and still running great, even took her down to the river bar the other day to shoot my AR-15, and the four-wheel drive worked perfectly... So I got one hell of a great deal! I was due for a good deal, blown up in ira, cancer shortly after returning home from iraq, ex-fiance left me cause I wasn't recovering fast enough from cancer... I was due for a break lol. Thanks again for the links Terrys87, I will check them out shortly

 

I did a tour in Iraq in 04-05. Alqaida welcomed us on the 3rd day we got there and a few times during our stay there. Then just a few hours before we were to get on the plane to go home, after we had to turned our ammuntion over to the unit that was relieving us, Alqaida threw us a going away party. I didnt like that party but otherwise I was really fortunate in Iraq.

I did a tour in Afghanistan in 9-10 and we lost 6 guys in our group. I knew one really well and 7/10/10 was the anniversary of his passing. We were a haul asset for Route Clearance and I was fortunate enough not to hit any IEDs, but we did have several others that did.

We had one explosion that put a Freightliners hub, wheel, tire, and it was a 6x6 out into the field. It took its first bounce at 100 yards and stopped at 300 yards. The passenger door weighed about 300 pounds and was 75 yards away from the truck when landed. The guys in that truck was 27 days from going home. One survived and the other they had to take off of life support after 30 days as he would never recover. They didnt have a Route Clearance so they asked if they could follow ours. We put them between our Route Clearance and us and they paid the price for it. If it hadnt been them, it would of been one of us. Those IEDs are powerful.

I got my fair share of dodging mortars and RPGs. The RPGs was the ones I did not like. Bullet holes were bragging rights, I hated changing the windshields and tires afterwards though. Those Buzzards!!! Those really got me to appreciate what I have back home. I am really fortuante that I believe my wife would of stay with me if something would of went wrong but some didnt when we got back. I was just glad to make it home alive. There are some of us out here.

I had a 68 Mustang and still have a soft spot for a 289 small block. One of these days I want to find a 64-66 but their prices are going up. I should of gotten one when they were reasonably priced. First motor I had ever reuilt and it was one of the smoothest running motors I have ever had. I didnt know much about mechanics but learned the most on that motor. For the first motor I had ever done, it turned out better than I had ever expected.

 

The ones who make it back are lucky... Glad you made it back alive man, the time over there changes you forever, I was part of the second wave into Iraq 04-05... Our company did everything from convoy security, to prisoner exchange, village raids, to combat patrols around our base (LSA Anaconda). We lost our Lt and my Sgt. in an ambush two days after my 20th birthday, the guys who were in the ambush was a couple of the guys from the Iraqi Military force (I.C.D.C. then turned into I.N.G.)... I was blown up bfrom the I.E.D. which was a grape shot, a 188mm art. round filled with nuts, bolts, broken glass, rocks, etc. it was big enough to push my Hmmvv six feet across the road, when I came too we were heading for the ditch. I saved my gunners life that night, but one of our Iraqi soldiers we were training took shrapnel between the head and his helmet... Some of the iraqi soldiers we trained just wanted to learn how we work so they can kill us, but some truly want better Iraq... The 16yr old kid I held in my arms as he died, he was one that truly wanted a better Iraq... It was a bad night, and six day after my Hmmvv got hit with that I.E.D. our company lost another to an I.E.D. Our company only lost 3 people, and the Sgt. we lost two days after my Bday was very close to me. 22-Jun-2004 is the date we lost Lt. Tyson and Sgt. McCaffrey and 10-Nov-2004 we lost a Sfc. Ottolini... It made me who I am today, and would never change one thing about my past no matter how hard it is, or diffcult it is... three years later we were getting deployed to the Stan for a year, and my back went out, then the cancer spread through out my body... Lost 70lbs in 3 weeks, I was in the hospital from 21-Dec-08 to 21-Jan-09, the 3rd of Jan was when they diagnosed me with type II non-hodgkins Lymphoma... They said if I would have waited another week to go to the hospital it would have been terminal, instead of beatable... The 27th of this month will be 4yrs in remission, I miss being in the Army, and going overseas... But the life I have made for myself outside of the military is still pretty good, I am medically retired, I am a tattoo artist... I spend my time between working on my 66 mustang (which has a 289 bored .30 over, aluminum heads, roller rockers, 4 barrel carb, etc.) and my 93 Runner to traveling the world, taking my friends on trips to cancun and throughout europe with my timeshare, tattooing as a hobby and charging people a cheap price... Add me on facebook if you want, my name is Jessie Schager and live in fortuna, that is in humboldt county... I am always down to make new friends, especially when it is somebody that we can talk about life overseas and they understand. none of my friends have ever served overseas so when I tell them some of my stories from over there (nothing to serious or real, just the few times we had days off or just had fun... nothing bout the real bad days and nights over there) they listen, but they just dont know what it is really like... But, Hooah for making it back from the Stan and sandbox... Hooah! Hit me up on facebook if you want...

 

Thank you so much for serving this country. I am a discharged Marine. I joined back in 2007 still in High School. Went is a PFC due to 2 years of MCJROTC program that's offered in my high school. Fresh out of Paris island I had a really bad accident while returning home. Spent a little over 3 weeks in ICU then 2 weeks in a regular room. Once discharged from hospital I returned back to base prepared to go on my first tour only to discover that I am now labeled as TBI and honorably Discharged.

I learnt a lot just from basic training. I however do not consider myself a vet because I never helped make a difference. The VA benefits are great for me and my family but I'd probably give anything to have a second chance at what I dreamed of doing. I come from a military family so I wanted to continue the family tradition.

Semper Fi

 

I know what you mean, I have P.T.S.D., a minor T.B.I., my body is totally ˟˟˟˟ed because of the I.E.D. Sure it is nice knowing I never have to work again, and I am taken care of for money, but I am not even 30yrs old yet and I am being taken care of like I am a 98yr old... I would give up everything, my VA benefits, the money I get from them, learning to tattoo to be able to still serve in the Army and be able to go overseas... But can't regret it too much or the future will pass you by, just have to make the best of what you have now and live to the fullest. Just because you never went overseas doesn't make you a vet, there are combat vets and just vets... You are still a vet even though you never saw combat, in my eyes everybody who wears the uniform who sees combat or not is a brother or sister in arms Hooah! I have been back for almost ten years now and the things I saw and did over there still are with me and always will be... it is because of those things that I cant be in a relationship, because of what happened over there and the cancer my ex-fiance left me after being together for six years... Dont dwell on not getting to go over there and see combat too much, be grateful for the family you have and spend everyday with them and make it the best time... make amazing memories, and never hold grudges because it only hurts you. I forgave my ex-fiance for cheating on me while I was in the hospital fighting cancer, I forgave her for leaving me when I needed her support the most, I forgave her for how wrong she did me, and we are friends... Not the best of friends, but we talk here and there, go to lunch here and there... All I wanted for her is to be happy, and if she is happier with someone else, that is good. Cause I am going to travel, going to enjoy the beauty of this world one trip at a time, with or without her I am going to have and live an amazing life, sure it is her loss... I was hurt and held a grudge against her for doing me wrong, and leaving me when i needed her the most, cause going through 6 chemo treatments and 4 spinal taps is no picnic... But when I was holding a grudge against her, it was only hurting myself cause while I was holding the grudge she was still out there living, partying and having a good time so it only hurt me... Once I realized that, and forgave her along with every other ex that did me wrong, and people I once called friend who ˟˟˟˟ed me over it made my life so much better and easier... So forgive all those who hurt you, did you wrong and move the ˟˟˟˟ on with your life and make it an amazing one...

 

There are many places to buy yota stuff from. And largely dependent on what you're wanting to accomplish...

For your 3.4 swap (agree that's the way to go), take a look at toyonlyswaps.com (they have a bunch of photos on facebook too). Add a couple hundred bucks to ship your vehicle to them on top of their pricing (starting at $3500 for 5 speed, more for auto). Relative to paying someone for a diesels conversion or even rebuilding your 3vze for performance, it's super cheap.

There are some shops in the pacific northwest too, and I'd imagine some in CA as well, but haven't seen them.

Search the site by item and you'll find more input than you'll want!

 

Toyota Boy.. I dont know if we made much of a difference, but maybe some good will come out of it. The Marines are taking care of the western part or the Kandahar area and they are having it a little rough over in that part. The Marines I met were glad to be leaving when we were coming in. You tried and that counts.

Hello Jessie... My name is Terry Parnell. I havent been on facebook in awhile and will need to find my password and such but I will add you when I get on it. It might be a few days. I still get together with some of the guys I went with over there and my wife found out that one of our plane rides got shot up when we were moving from one base to another. She was shocked that Taliban would do something like that. She just doesnt understand it.

In between tours, I was in Germany and wound up getting ill that I had to go to Landstul Hospital for surgery. That was a humbling experience for me and one I greatly appreciate. I was there for an illness but most were there from injuries from Iraq and Afghanistan. I met some amazing people while there and felt privileged to be in there with them. The staff at Landstuhl was having a hard time keeping up with all of the patients and were doing a great job with what they had. I always meant to send them a Thank You card. They had their work cut out for them.

I then was medivaced to Walter Reed and they had one group of surgeons just for one guy trying to keep him alive long enough for his family to see him. Dont know how it turned out once we got there for him. They had another medical staff for the rest of the patients on that plane ride and they had their handsful as well.

I wasnt impressed with Walter Reed, but they hit the news after I left there so I am sure it improved after the news bit. I will say that they did have the most advanced medicines and had me fixed up in a quicker amount of time. That did impress me.

 

Guys that's some really grateful talking you got going on. I understand 100%. I am grateful to still have a life to live along with my family. As of today 7-16-2013 I've been happily married to the love of my life and the mother of my four step children. I am so grateful for that. And you know like you guys said. I may not had fought nor did I do much but I least had enough guts and glory to try. You know guys....... God has a plan for every one. Just like you ole buddy. Cancer may have taken its tole along with combat, but your still alive so there's something else that The Lord wants you to do before you meet him at the pearly gates. Be grateful for everything you have and live life to the fullest. Oorah....