THE STORY
Hello everyone, I'm new here. This is just my 2nd post. Although I haven't been actively engaging in the hobby for a decade now I have always had a passion for 4 wheeling. When I was 17 I got my first car and it was a 1987 Toyota pickup, what the rest of the world would call a Hilux with a 22R 4 cylinder petrol engine. I lived near the Hollister Hills 4x4 park in Central California and my friends had jeeps and broncos and chevy stepsides, and other toyota 4x4's. Trucks that back then were relatively cheap that now are considered premium 4x4's. We would go camping out there, party at night, and then wake up and wheel all day on the trails. This is when my passion for 4 wheeling started. The hobby sadly did not last too long for me. The Toyota got water in the engine somehow, and died one day on the freeway, seemingly randomly as I had not wheeled it recently. It was heartbreaking. That little truck could do anything and go anywhere, it could out wheel on 31 inch BFG all terrains (now K02's) most full size V8s and even keep up with the legendary solid axle hilux's and jeeps. Every since was enamored with capabilities of a modest but solidly built 4x4 vehicle and where it could take you.
However I was never able to afford a 4x4 again and the hobby faded in obscurity for me for more than a decade, but the passion never died. A couple of years ago I decided I wanted a 4Runner, turns out so did the rest of the USA. Those things are expensive! $11000 for one with 120k on the motor and 15 years old is a reasonably good price from what I've seen. Not willing to pay that kind of premium on a used vehicle I wanted to take over rocks, I passed. I ended up getting a Nissan Pathfinder and it was garbage. It did not inspire the same confidence that the Toyota did whatsoever. In particular I thought I would break the front suspension assembly in one of a thousand weak points.(the motor was actually great.) I wrote it off as a loss after driving it a couple of years but I never felt like I could actually wheel it.
From time to time I would look on Craig's List at just to see what there was. One of the cars I had on my list was 2003-2006 Montero if it was in good condition and the right price. Then a 2003 Montero Limited popped up with 82,000 miles on the car and $5500 asking price, less than half of a comparable 4runner, landcruiser, GX470. I ran the carfax and the numbers looked legit, not rolled back odometer, one owner, no crashes reported. The car was an hour away and I work 9-5, I expected it to be gone by the time Saturday came. I waited until Friday night and called the guy. Appointment first thing Saturday morning. Went and bought the car and took it home. Completely opposite experience of the Pathfinder, the more I drove it the more capable it felt and the happier I was with my purchase. That day I took it to the summit and wheeled it on some mild dirt roads and it was nothing but confidence inspiring.
The Plan
This car will be built for mild wheeling and overlanding. Since I plan to drive it long distances on the highway and do not plan on regearing it I will be putting 265/75/R16 tires on it. Costco is having a sale on Bridgestones so I will go with the Dueller Revo 3 tires, they also go along with the idea of driving 3 to 5 hours on the highway to get to the offroad destination. With good aggressive tread and channels for water, these tires look they will perform well on and off the road. For 720$ installed I can't beat that price.
I will be installing Bilstein 4600 shocks and Dobinson Coils for a 2 inch lift. With medium spring rate. I figure if I need it I can get the hard springs in the future, they seem relatively easy to change and the rear springs are only 300$ for a pair.
1.25 wheel spacers to fill out the truck and make it look more proportional.
Roof rack, lights, maybe a refrigerator...who knows, these things and last priority at the moment.
Oh and I ended up talking the guy down, I bought the truck for $5200. I was completely willing to pay $5500
Here is the Truck, I dub thee "Rally Wagon"
The first picture is with 30 inch tires, The the other 3 are with the 32 inch revo 3's. Stay Tuned, more to come.
Hello everyone, I'm new here. This is just my 2nd post. Although I haven't been actively engaging in the hobby for a decade now I have always had a passion for 4 wheeling. When I was 17 I got my first car and it was a 1987 Toyota pickup, what the rest of the world would call a Hilux with a 22R 4 cylinder petrol engine. I lived near the Hollister Hills 4x4 park in Central California and my friends had jeeps and broncos and chevy stepsides, and other toyota 4x4's. Trucks that back then were relatively cheap that now are considered premium 4x4's. We would go camping out there, party at night, and then wake up and wheel all day on the trails. This is when my passion for 4 wheeling started. The hobby sadly did not last too long for me. The Toyota got water in the engine somehow, and died one day on the freeway, seemingly randomly as I had not wheeled it recently. It was heartbreaking. That little truck could do anything and go anywhere, it could out wheel on 31 inch BFG all terrains (now K02's) most full size V8s and even keep up with the legendary solid axle hilux's and jeeps. Every since was enamored with capabilities of a modest but solidly built 4x4 vehicle and where it could take you.
However I was never able to afford a 4x4 again and the hobby faded in obscurity for me for more than a decade, but the passion never died. A couple of years ago I decided I wanted a 4Runner, turns out so did the rest of the USA. Those things are expensive! $11000 for one with 120k on the motor and 15 years old is a reasonably good price from what I've seen. Not willing to pay that kind of premium on a used vehicle I wanted to take over rocks, I passed. I ended up getting a Nissan Pathfinder and it was garbage. It did not inspire the same confidence that the Toyota did whatsoever. In particular I thought I would break the front suspension assembly in one of a thousand weak points.(the motor was actually great.) I wrote it off as a loss after driving it a couple of years but I never felt like I could actually wheel it.
From time to time I would look on Craig's List at just to see what there was. One of the cars I had on my list was 2003-2006 Montero if it was in good condition and the right price. Then a 2003 Montero Limited popped up with 82,000 miles on the car and $5500 asking price, less than half of a comparable 4runner, landcruiser, GX470. I ran the carfax and the numbers looked legit, not rolled back odometer, one owner, no crashes reported. The car was an hour away and I work 9-5, I expected it to be gone by the time Saturday came. I waited until Friday night and called the guy. Appointment first thing Saturday morning. Went and bought the car and took it home. Completely opposite experience of the Pathfinder, the more I drove it the more capable it felt and the happier I was with my purchase. That day I took it to the summit and wheeled it on some mild dirt roads and it was nothing but confidence inspiring.
The Plan
This car will be built for mild wheeling and overlanding. Since I plan to drive it long distances on the highway and do not plan on regearing it I will be putting 265/75/R16 tires on it. Costco is having a sale on Bridgestones so I will go with the Dueller Revo 3 tires, they also go along with the idea of driving 3 to 5 hours on the highway to get to the offroad destination. With good aggressive tread and channels for water, these tires look they will perform well on and off the road. For 720$ installed I can't beat that price.
I will be installing Bilstein 4600 shocks and Dobinson Coils for a 2 inch lift. With medium spring rate. I figure if I need it I can get the hard springs in the future, they seem relatively easy to change and the rear springs are only 300$ for a pair.
1.25 wheel spacers to fill out the truck and make it look more proportional.
Roof rack, lights, maybe a refrigerator...who knows, these things and last priority at the moment.
Oh and I ended up talking the guy down, I bought the truck for $5200. I was completely willing to pay $5500
Here is the Truck, I dub thee "Rally Wagon"
The first picture is with 30 inch tires, The the other 3 are with the 32 inch revo 3's. Stay Tuned, more to come.
