Maybe you all have an opinion. Besides my034runner, I also have my874runner. I bought it for $1k and have had plans to swap out the front IFS for a SAS (solid axle swap) and all of the other thing's that it takes to make a pure trail rig. It only has 138k on the original 22re with a 5 speed manual. It's not pretty, but I bought it for a beater, won't care if it rolls, smashes into rocks etc...
We just took in a '96 Crusher (Land Cruiser) here at work. It only has 145k on the original 4.5l straight 6 cyl. Need a new front bumper (ARB) and a major tune up, new belts, hoses, plug, wires, etc... But it already has dual lockers, and of course, a solid front axle. Obviously, my874runner, being much smaller, would be a more- size wise-capable trail/rock rig, while the Crusher is a bigger- albeit capable trail rig as well. The cost of doing everything that I would want to do, would probably be about the cost of buying the '96 Crusher. The Crusher will need a lift, ARB with a winch and maybe recharge the AC.
So, my question is: which should I do, keep my874runner and gut it and build it, OR buy my96crusher and use that for some of the more hard core trails, and preserve my034runner from the abuse that I already inflict on it.
Thanks for your opinions.
Robert


P.S. I'll post this on some of the other forums also, it will be interesting to see what others say as well.

 

I vote build up the 4Runner. For all the expedition style runs that you'd do with the Land Cruiser, you could do all that with your 03 Runner. The 87 with a SFA will be more of a wheeling machine, especially if you lock both ends.. and at least 2500 pounds lighter than the 80 series once built, and that makes a big difference. Also Plan on at least $4k-6K to build up the 80 after you buy it before you can really wheel it (both bumpers, lift, sliders, tires...) even more if you regear.

 

Spend the money on making the runner stronger. It will take the beating for a long time and ask for more. The cruiser will be cool, but it will also be big and expensive to run. I love them, but I opted to build up my 96 4R instead of buying a 80 series cruiser, and I don't regret it one bit. Good luck!