wow its been a long time since Ive updated, hasnt been much going on Ive just been driving and enjoying it.
I promised some better pics of the bumper, so heres a couple.



I have tinkered with a few thing the last couple days.
One thing I did was rigged up a couple cup holders, anybody thats been around early 3rd gens knows the cup holder are very poorly places a useless for anything but cups. the set up I made is temparary until I can find the newer still console but they will work for now and I have less than $10 into them.



Another thing, seems more and more often Im laying the back seats down, to gain a little extra room I wanted to be able to remove the seat bottoms a little quicker, so I knocked out the original pins and replaced them with removable ones.


I have a few other things in the works, just trying to get thru christmas and new years before I can devote much time to it.

 

a few pics of my last trip






and a few vids
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...E0jeu9ecp0#t=7

 

Wow! That's a GREAT idea for the seats. I've seen people use wingnuts, but never replace the pin like that. Excellent!

I like your cup holders too, may have to try something along that line. I don't want to ditch the 96's center console, it has more room for switches, but I would like better cup holders. Hmmmm.....

Of course the wheeling stuff is awesome. Home run update.

 

thanks Hab, the pins worked out really well, I had to drill out the outer part of the hinge a little to get them to fit but they are the same size as the original pins so I was able to retain the little plastic bushings.
the cup holders turned out ok but my advice would be to move them closer together, as mine are I cant slide the seats ahead, I planed on setting mine closer together but some how I overlooked it when I was making the base, I may take time to redo them but it means basicly starting over.

 

man that trip in July looked great and good to see progress on the ride!

 

Thanks man, anytime wheelin is a good time Lol.

 

I was finally able to pick a set of 80 series LC wheels. The po painted them black which probably would have looked okay but I'm getting tired of everything I add to my runner being black so I painted them graphite and left the center caps black.

Won't know for sure how they're going to look till I get them mounted up but I'm happy with how they look rite now.
I also took time to start running 8 gauge cable for my inverter, I'm going to just throw in my 400 watt inverter for now but I plan to upgrade to something bigger down the road, at least this way I should have big enough cable either way.
I also took time to seal up the motor on my winch, after doing some reading it just good preventative maintenance to do it and it only took a few min.

 

Dude, that looks GREAT! Very nice job!

 

sometimes I dont know what Im thinking, when I bought my D window wheels last April I didnt need my wheel spacers so when a buddy hit me up for them I said sure, long story short no 80 series wheels without a new set of spacers.
the land cruiser club Im in has an annual new years ride, this year it was at ROYAL BLUE WMA, in east TN. Its an expadition style ride and always a lot of fun. I didnt get a lot of pics but here are a few.












and some of the scenery and wildlife







the weather was bitter cold fri, but turned out beutiful the rest of the weekend had a great time camping and wheeling, love this winter time stuff.

 

Some great pics you have. It does look cold and looks like a great time. Some great looking FJs there.

 

Your adventures look like good fun! That thing that looks like a creek crossing looks a little crazy. Doesn't that figure about the spacers? Do you have the Tundra brakes and that's why the LC wheels don't fit?

 

thanks terry, fri night was 10 degrees so yea it was cold!!!! LOL. warmed up to around 40 sat and mid 30s sat night. I love all the 40s I wheel with but was greatful to be in a rig that the doors seel tight and the heater will burn you out. the yellow 45 (pickup) was on its madden voyage that was an awesome truck.

thanks hab, there were many creek crossings and DEEP mud on this ride I really hate deep water but can you do rite.
no tundra brakes but 305/70s that want to rub everywhere on the upper control arms.

 

Ah, yeah, that makes sense. Will you get/make shaved a-arms like Sonoran Steel has or spacers? If you ever do the tundra set up you'll have to have spacers either way. Like the wheels lots, not that I can be called impartial.

 

Just spacers for now hab, I already have the D windows sold to a buddy although he's not completely ready for them. I really liked the way the 80 wheels looked on mine so I'm anxious to get them mounted up as well.

 

Love the runner man! I have a 97 in the same color as well with a 3 inch lift and 32" at. Just waiting to graduate college and get a job so I can build it to my likings. Your build has been a big inspiration! cant wait to see what comes next.

 

Love this color, thanks for the kind words, and welcome to the madness.

 

man, that bumper is awseome, sure makes going through the snow much easier with a winch when you get stuck!

 

Thanks, I like the idea of have the winch just not the idea of actually using it Lol.

 

Haven't been doing much with the runner lately, I noticed a whine in the rear end awhile back so I pulled the 3rd member to have the guy that set up my gears take a look, he found a bad pinion bearing, not exactly sure how it failed but it did and its fixed now. I decided while I was working on the rear end I would put on a new set of brake shoes, the have not felt rite on this thing for a long time but they felt great on the little test drive I took it on, I will have to see how long that lasts as I've thought I had them fixed and working better several times before. Not much of an update but that's all there is folks thanks for checking in.

 

Don't blame you, it's been too cold and snowy to do much this winter. Hope your shoes keep feeling good.