Some of my favorite trucks (Shockingly NOT all Toyotas ;) )

[4Rescue]

So I was looking through all my photo's of neat trucks I've collected over the years and I thought I'd make a thread on what I consider to be the coolest 4wd's on the planet: Sorry if I stole anyone's pics, I don't use them for anything but my own enjoyment to drool over and dream about. Adn I know there are some of our members rigs in here. Well it;s only fitting that the greatest bunch of guys and gals in the world be included in a thread about the best tyrucks in the world too eh If anyone would like me to remove the pics for any reason just let me know and I will do so.

First off: The mighty 70 Series landcruiser. To me (and to most people who know about 4wd trucks) these are flat out the GREATEST Expo rigs ever made. They're small enough to go nearly everywhere and they're more then tough enough for nearly anything outside of hard-core rock-crawling. I was lucky enough to get to use these trucks in Australia and I can say from experience that they are all they're talked up to be and more. Personaly, to me, the 70 Series is my favorite 4x4 in the world. I know that there are others that are better at certain things, but the 70series does more then any other rig that I can think of. Factory Lockers, extremely stout drivetrain and the Troupy body is PERFECT for expeditions.

I love this one espescially becasue of the pop top and Kayack rack. I could own this rig and never want for another rig I think. (Well maybe my 4Runner turned HC-Trail rig... ) But still, this is flat out awesome in my book:

This one is in the same boat IMO:

And a few others that I just like for various reasons:

I love this ute: I had one similar in Oz and it was just an amazing truck.

Then we have some fine Examples of Rovers: Yes I know SHOCKING that I would say that I really love some Rovers, but I feel they like 70's are just plain born Expo rigs.
I Love this one:

Here are some Series Rigs that I just plain drool over every time I see them:

I love this one:

For some reason I cannot find any of the pics of our veryown KellyMoe's 130, but rest assured brother I LOVE your truck to death. Such a smartly built and purposfull rig. Maybe it has something to do with being a Firefighter, but I feel like you and I have alot of the sme thoughts when it comes to building our rigs. Even if they're Diferent makes eh mate

 

[Desert Dan]

Great trucks!
I wish we would see more of them in the USA

 

[4Rescue]

ANd this one too, I really love this Series truck:

here's another AWESOME ROver:

Back to my favortires: Toyotas... OR Landcruisers to be exact, 40, 55's and a few 80's. If you don't like Toyotas, fine, you're not smart in my book, but fine. IF you deny that they are pretty much the most all around perfect Expo rig in their given category of vehicles, you justdon't have your head screwed on straight.
This is just one FINE 40Series, I love this thing and would be so happy to blast around in this all summer long.

I belive this is our very own Andre's very AWESOME 55. I love to look at these pics I have of this truck and just imagine it hauling it's big self through all kinds of gnarly trails that many probably thought a full bodied FS Cruiser couldn't make it through. Andre this is one beautiful 4BT powered rig you built.

I fear this might have some form of TERRIBLE GM powerplant under the hood but it is one fine looking 55. This I can bet is just a monster out on the trail. IF it had an old Toyota Straight six or a Diesel I'd be all over it... Chevy Motor and I think slightly less of it, but still, WOW what work they did to this beauty:

Ok, THese rare FJ/BJ/HJ 43's are flat out my favorite of the 40 series Cruisers. I actually think I'd like to have one of these as my DD/Expo rig if the 4Runner ever gives up the Ghost. They're alot alike actually, 2Dr, and the PERFECT Mid-Wheel-base length that makes them about the best overal trail rigs. Still small enough to turn on tight trails but long enough that they can out-climb any CJ5/SWB Swragler when it get's steep. plus you can load them up and still put someone in the back. I LOVE thse trucks and I wish i could find a 3BJ43 like this. I might just let the Super Turtle (my 4Runner) go for one... Sorry old girl but I really want one of these:

Another Nice FJ45. We had an old FJ45 Ute out on the Station I lived on in Australia and it was jsut as good a truck as the day it rolled off the assembly line some 30 years before. And that truck (not this one...) lived a hard life. Just a testament to the Cruisers legacy. Again I fear this might have some Chevy garbage under the hood but it sure LOOKS gorgeous:

Another GORGEOUS 40 Series with an awesome Eshan Soft-top: I really think these rims would look sweet on my 4Runner.

And I belive this is one of our very-own members 80Series: I get Brian894x4's truck mixed up with another on our board, but either way, this is one nice 80 Series and might just be one fo the most capable Expo-rig bases ever offered in the N.American market (Damn N.American market) while a little uinderpowered, it's one hell of a trail rig that can get you there with all your gear and in more then adaquate comfort. 80 Series Cruisers are Awesome IMO. I just wish I could find some pics O "tiredIrons" 80 On Volvo Portals... Talk about a rig that just plain embarasses buggysa on the trail. Man that thing is awesome but anyway...

I belive these are actually Brian's truck.. Such a nice 80 mate. well done eh.

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[4Rescue]

... Stupid me, how could I forget this amazing 100Series:

OR this amazing 1st Gen 4wd Toyota PU... This is NEAT!!!!!!Sorry it's kind of disjointed and out of order.

So now for some Nissan LOVE: YEs I even love the odd Nissan here and there: While personaly I don't think they're quite the rigs that their Toyota counterparts are, there's no denying that they make a very fine 4wd:

This one is great, I wish we saw these Navaras here in the US. This one is also typical of an ASussie Bush Rig that I think we all could learn a thing or two about.

OK, this Patrol just makes me stare in AWE every time I come across the picture. I love this and think alot of people here int eh US could learn something about working with less and still having more then enough TRUCK (hint: poser job-site Sups, you don't need F350's and you can't legaly write them off... Are you compensating for something???)
Anyway, I LOVE THIS PATROL!!!!: I love it I Love it I Love IT!!!!!!!!

Here is I belive our own RMP&O's Patrol Pre-monster build. These are my favorite patrol body styles and are built Hell-for -stout. Honestly I liked it before he built it out. It's just so simple looking and yet you know that it will go nearly anywhere with a set of lockers in the pumpkins. plus I belive this is one fo the trucks Nissan put that monster rear-end in. Anyway, RMP&O: Nice rig mate, and she's really turned into something else, you've done quite a job building her eh.

ANother of that body style: (GQ??? GU???) I belive they were also re-badged to be Ford Mavericks too. Too bad we never got them here in the styates. HAHAHAHA I wonder how many times I'll say that in this thread

 

[4Rescue]

Some more Toyotas: honestly when it comes to big thisgs in small packages, nothing beats the venerable Toyota Hillux: I own one and can attest to how "overbuilt" they are for the size and power of the truck. The frames alone should make some 1-tons embarassed. They will run forever and while the IFS may not flex too bad it is about as tough an IFS system as you can find under a N.American truck. Plus some of the were blessed with SFA's and of sourse the rest of the world got SFA's for a LONG time after we got our last. Lame N.American market:

Anyway, I LOVE this camper. I can bet this is about as capable as you can get for a large living quarters "mini-truck" The XJ-JP comes to mind but I still think this is afar more robust vehicle. Plus it just looks so well built and SO neat: I Love it and I'd love to have it:

here's another AMAZING Hillux Camper that would make for one amazing Baja Surf Rig IMO; I really like this thing and have been drooling over it since I first laid eyes on it.

Then there are the awesome quad-cab's and diesels we never got here (stupid N.America...)

This one even has a great cattel dog to go with it (I REALLY love Border Collies)

Not truly a Quad-cab, but it is a homemade "trecker" of sorts and it's a damn fine Toyota. I belive this guy's a member here adn I just wanted to say: top notch work mate,this truck must go like stink off-road eh mate. nicely done, I love your truck:

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[4Rescue]

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I obviously have a soft-spot for 1St Gen 4Runners. Here's mine:

I love these trucks. To me they really are sort of collectible classic vehicle. I think that for 2 people they can be EXCELENT Expo rigs and I know mine can be taken out comfortably for weeks on end. The removable top really gives them some neat options I hope to explore like using a second top to make a removable/replacable Camper top with a built-in pass-through. They have GREAT wheel-bases for trail rigs, they're FAR more comfortable on climbs then a Wrangler or any other SWB rig and the added WB makes them more stable in every situation. the rear end hangs back there, but a nice set of OME Dakers and a Marlin Rear-Bumper can give them a pretty good break away angle. Anyway enough about my truck, I love them and I advise anyone who even thinks they might like one to go get one and save it from bob-ing hacking and RUST. They really are great little trucks to putter around in and they feel like a REAL TRUCK. SOmething I personaly like for various reasons.

This is a neat one who's External D110-sih rack idea I may very well steal (sorry, but imitation IS the highest form of flattery right??? )

Here's a little doodle I made of what I'd like to do to mine some day. be nice I'm no Chip Foose but i think it's a cool drawing:

And here is, I think, my FAVORITE 1st Gen I've ever seen. To me this just looks perfect. Not too tall, but EXTREMELY capable out in the dirt. Time after time some little sneaker rig shows up and embarasses the buggy's and more often then not it's an old Toyota truck or 4Runner... God how I love this truck. I wish mine looked like this.

:drool: :drool: :drool:

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[RocKrawler]

How come I cant see any of the pictures?

 

[1speed]

Does anyone know anything about this air cleaner/snorkel assembly?

 

[4Rescue]

So where were we? Oh yeah how about some G-wagens. Now these are some amazing trucks. While they may have issues with suspension travel, they're built like tanks and frankly they pretty much are HAHAHAHA. Anyway, thanks to the new forum section were getting to see more of these great trucks. I really like what I'vve gotten to see and play with of them. They, like the 80 Series Cruiser are one fo the best Expo platforms made in the US albeit with QUITE a price tag.

Here's a military version that looks amazing and more then capable for what we'd here on the board need it for eh

This one's even more capable of hauling loads but still looks like it's in the samer family as above.

Here's an awesome Paris-Dakar Race version. This is SWEET. Something I like about G's is that like Cruisers and Rovers, they come in Short, Mid and Long wheel base versions giving us the perfect option of the Mid-Wb rig for trail supremecy!!!! HAHAHAHA. I really like 2 Dr Mid WB rigs for some reason.

THese trucks are awesome.

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[4Rescue]

SO now what... Ok how about Old Power Wagons: I love these things, I grew-up with them on my family's Logging propertys and they proved both there and in WWII that they were the stuff ledgendary 4x4's are made of. I love an old P-Wagen and the new ones are pretty awesome as well eh.

I love this one:

OOH, how about nsome sweet 4wd Vans??? Not Sportsmobiles (although those are great) no I'mn talking things like Mitsu's and Toyota Mini-4wd Vans. These things are flat out awesome in my book and having seen a 4wd Toyota make it up and down some of the gnarlier trails out at Browns camp here in Oregon (no small feat) I can attest to their capability... plus they're just so different and cool. Gotta love'm eh.

Here's a neat Syncro Vanagon. I LOVE this one: SOOOOOOO COOL!!!!

Not sure what make this is, but it looks AWESOME:

This pic just takes me back to Australia... The trees, the wildness, everything... This is a Lancia Delta BYW: Great rigs.

I misss Australia and I litteraly have dreams about being back on the station nightly. I think someday, if China hasn't ruined the country and build sky scrapers all over, I will move back there. I truly feel most comfortable out there in teh bush. What a country. Not to say the US isn't spectacular, but there's something about living on a cattle station in Australia that just made me feel like I was complete adn at home. I can't describe exactly what it was, but... Well I miss it SO much...

Speaking of OZ, Kym Bolton OF OZ made himself one FINE rig out of an FG. not a van per-say, but kind of simillar... Such an amazing truck, I'd love one of these to do the GF adn I's planned tour of the NW next year and to drive to Alaska (since I can't have a 70Series Cruiser)

Our very own "wahtcharterboat" makes these and I can bet they are flat out awesome. Also based on the FG:

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[ryguy]

This thread is getting me excited!:wings:

 

[4Rescue]

Since we're on the subject of large'r SRW off-road trucks, I guess now would be a great time to point out that I LOVE UNIMOGS!!!! I was fortunate enough to get to run some 416's as Brush Engines in my Wildland Firefighter days and boy o boy what those things could do off-road loaded to the golls with water. We could get water to places normaly reserved for air-drops. And we could put men on the ground with high-preassure lines to effectively stop the spread of the fire. truly are amazing vehicles.

I think I like this particualr Mog the best of any series. I don't know I just LOVE these series mogs.

here's a neat one that'd make a sweet rig and is quite compact:

Here are a few awesome examples of the type of camper you can make for one that will still allow you to go places that no 4wheel vehicle should go with those awesome Portal Axles and that "torque-tube" suspension:

And I think I could make something neat out of this MMMMMMM DOKA....

Maybe they're a little big for most of our trails, but boy it'd be nice (like the previously mentioned FG based Bolton rig) to have the size and capacity when we take off for the SE corner of Oregon adn it;s wide open terrain. plus like I said, despite their size they truly are AMAZING off-road vehicles.

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Another truck I litteraly hear NOTHING about but that I've always been intreagued by are these Bremachs: they look to be awesome and I prefer the "van body" to the detached flexible cab/camper set-up:

and another

I'd love to learn more abbout these if anyone has more info or a good set of links for em to read up about them.

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[4Rescue]

How about some not-so-common trucks (as if alot of these are real common)

Not sure what this is, but it looks like it'd make an awesome desert explorer.

I like trucks like this ecasue it reminds me of a spaceship or a submarine where you're completely self contained and can walk around the cabin... I guess it just calls to my fantasies of those Sci-fi movies and the Millenium Falcon HAHAHAHAHA I used to always build Lego Vehicles that were like mini-cities that had everything adn big interior spaces so you could move around adn have all sorts of neat stuff and equipment here and there. Although I notice there's no pass through on this truck. Still I like the Forward control set-up and the big flat windows for visability.

here's an Iveco. I LOVE seeing these things during the Paris-Daker as they charge around like they were low to the ground rally cars... Talk about a white-knuckle-flight!!!!

Something like this would make a treck up to Alaska almost EASY seeing as you have everything with you and would never have to leave the truck except to re-fuel...

So onto the next trucks on my list of favs (really I don't know if there's a 4x4 that I don't like HAHAHAHA)

Oh how about Rover Discoverys. Certainly they deserve alot of respect as a cpapble exploration rig. While they may not be as tough as Toyotas or Nissans they have amazing aftermarket support and can be beefed up plenty. Here are a few that I just really liked the looks of (in no particualr order).
I really like this color-

This topless Disco is just TOO COOL!!!!!-

A cool 2Dr that untill recently I never knew existed-

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I don't know if I have any of Scotts White 5spd but rest assured it's on of my favorites as well. I love the tall skinny tires and knowing that our own Mr. Brady is building it makes me KNOW that it;s going to be done right the first time.

 

[Funrover]

Some really great rigs in there. It's fun seeing a buddies rig in this. That topless DII is an awesome rig, I really wish he still lived in CO. Is there a link to more info on the pop top 100? I want to see more of how that one is set up

 

[4Rescue]

Oddly enough I think I've put up more pics of Disco's then I did of Cruisers... I'll have to fix that...

here is one AMAZING 100 Series, PLUS, it's a Turbo Diesel and a 5SPD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh god how I'd love to have this rig: Such a sweet set-up.

Ah yes I almost forgot: Pinz's and Volvo C303's... These are some neat trucks and like I said before I always wanted one so you could get up and walk around int he truck and do tother things while you're bombing down the road (obviously while someone else is driving ) Here are a few sweet ones I have found over the years: Although I'm having trouble locating the ones I was thinking of... Odd. O well. AND yeah I know they're completely different trucks but to me they're simillar enough to be grouped together so bear with me.

Oh and the LR FC101 can't forget that one...

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