The accidental enthusiast

[Azrael]

Well, I don't know where to start really, but here goes.
My friend John has a Toyota Surf and has chopped another one in half to make a trailer. He asked me to fit it out with storage for him, which I was happy to do as he is a really nice guy.
He was away on other Landcruiser business last Saturday whilst I worked on his trailer, so I called round to see him on the Sunday "Just for ten minuets" to make sure he was happy with what I had done. He was, so that was good.

His Son Scott took me outside to show me his Colorado and in all honesty I was very impressed with it. I may have said something like, "I can see myself in one of these"

Well, no sooner than I said I liked it, we were inside his house, on ebay, looking for a vehicle - found one - in his Monster Surf with the car trailer hitched up and on our way to Grays in Essex. John and Scott were all over it like a rash, knocked the bloke down 750 squids and we are on the way home with my 97 Land cruiser.

I only popped out for ten minuets, spent £3.1k and now have to explain to her indoors why we now own a 4 x 4

She wasn't a happy bunny We haven't spoken since I brought "The Monstrosity" sitting on the drive (Poppets words)

Oh well, not the first time I've been in the poop, and now I own a Landcruiser probably not the last

 

[BobMurphy]

That looks really good .

What's it like underneath . . . . ?

Bob.
(with a very rusty 'R-reg' 90).

 

[Azrael]

There are a couple of rust issues with the sills, but my friend John has agreed to do the welding for me. I have got it booked in for a full Valet tomorrow and the wheels are all coming off to be refinished. John has advised me to get a 38mm lift kit to make it easier to jet-wash off the underside which is on order with a few other little goodies. He has some big 4 x 4 thing to go to in June so I have told him my truck goes on the back burner until his trailer is done ready for his rally. Oh, and I couldnt put fresh wheels on with those rusty old wheel nuts so there is a new set of those on the way too lol.

 

[goodoldboy]

Welcome to the club Azrael That looks tidy .I remember when mine looked as good ! is it an auto ? mileage ? Service history ?

 

[nick_the_fish]

Welcome to the club Azrael

Nice looking truck. What are you plans for it?

When you have a minute i'd love to see some photos of this Surf thats been cut in half to make a trailer.

N

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

Welcome Azrael. That Collie looks good and stands well. When choosing a lift kit be aware that the ride quality will suffer. On standard suspension they ride well and give a plush ride. I fitted a 2" pedders lift kit to one I had and ruined the ride quality. It might have been better if I'd have loaded it with a winch and bumper, roof rack and roof tent, some fancy drawer system a fridge and a long range fuel tank. In the end I sold it ( because of the ride quality) and bought a 120.
Also with a lift, larger tyres are needed to fill the arches.
Something to consider.
I had 2 Collies, a V6 petrol and a D4D diesel and was very impressed with them both.

 

[Azrael]

Welcome to the club Azrael That looks tidy .I remember when mine looked as good ! is it an auto ? mileage ? Service history ?

Thank you Sir.
Its a manual gear box, with some service history and its done 169k miles, Which I'm assured by my friend is nothing.
Now I own it, its life is about to get better. It will get looked after like a child lol. I have a Vauxhall combo van that is as good as the day I brought it 5 years ago. serviced every 6 months, valeted once a fortnight. its a little minter, and so will my new toy be within 6 months.

 

[Bob]

Nice looking example there Azreal. Welcome to landcruiser ownership. My Mrs thought that the truck eas a bit excessive and unnecessary, and will cost a bomb to run etc etc... then I let her drive it across a peat bog, and we brought it to France on a camping holiday. 12 years later and its part of the family and she loves it.

I should say, she took to it a long time ago, it didn't take 12 years

Search through the forum for common issues and ask away about stuff you want to know.

 

[Azrael]

Welcome Azrael. That Collie looks good and stands well. When choosing a lift kit be aware that the ride quality will suffer. On standard suspension they ride well and give a plush ride. I fitted a 2" pedders lift kit to one I had and ruined the ride quality. It might have been better if I'd have loaded it with a winch and bumper, roof rack and roof tent, some fancy drawer system a fridge and a long range fuel tank. In the end I sold it ( because of the ride quality) and bought a 120.
Also with a lift, larger tyres are needed to fill the arches.
Something to consider.
I had 2 Collies, a V6 petrol and a D4D diesel and was very impressed with them both.

Thank you Sir,

To be fair I've only driven it from the trailer to my drive, so I cant comment or would know anything about drive quality. I'm a complete stranger to these vehicles, but they don't arf look cool lol. I am somewhat in the hands of my friend John with advice, but not to the extent of bull bars and air horns lol. The lift kit made sense for the maintenance side of things. I'm also doing a few other minor mods, but nothing to radicle.

I'm having the wheels refurbished first as it a fairly inexpensive fix, but if the don't look good then ill change them and have a nice set of wheels to sell on.

Looking forward to seeing what other folk have done to theirs on here.

 

[Shayne]

Welcome Azrael .

Do you want a lift because it looks better or because you expect to be taking the truck off road ?

 

[Shayne]

Everyone changes the wheels so they will prove hard to sell even refurbished so i wouldn't waste money on them

 

[Azrael]

Nice looking example there Azreal. Welcome to landcruiser ownership. My Mrs thought that the truck eas a bit excessive and unnecessary, and will cost a bomb to run etc etc... then I let her drive it across a peat bog, and we brought it to France on a camping holiday. 12 years later and its part of the family and she loves it.

I should say, she took to it a long time ago, it didn't take 12 years

Search through the forum for common issues and ask away about stuff you want to know.

Thank you Sir,

I will be having a bit of a bounce around the site. Today I had a little win by fixing the lid on the rear cup holder lol, but a win is a win. Tomorrow the old lady is having a spar day so when I get home she should be looking 20 years younger. The next job I want to tackle is removing the third row of seats. I dont know if there is much of an aftermarket for them, or if they will end up in the bin. Perhaps someone with a campervan might want them, who knows.

Ill post more photos tomorrow when i get home.

 

[Azrael]

Welcome Azrael .

Do you want a lift because it looks better or because you expect to be taking the truck off road ?

My friend advises me to do the mod to get some sort of separation so the mud can be pressure washed out from the underside easier.

 

[Shayne]

A 2" lift and 80 series wheels and it will look as it should have before Toyota ever let one leave the factory .

 

[Azrael]

Everyone changes the wheels so they will prove hard to sell even refurbished so i wouldn't waste money on them

A valid point worth considering, thank you Sir.

 

[Azrael]

Welcome to the club Azrael

Nice looking truck. What are you plans for it?

When you have a minute i'd love to see some photos of this Surf thats been cut in half to make a trailer.

N

I'm back up there on the weekend Sir, to do some more work on it. I will ask John if its OK to publish a couple of photos. There is nothing the guy doesn't know about Landcruisers, he really is an amazing guy. As you can imagine, he has quite a cult following, and he is such a nice guy with it.

 

[Azrael]

A 2" lift and 80 series wheels and it will look as it should have before Toyota ever let one leave the factory .

I'll check out the series 80 wheels, thank you

 

[AdventureWagon]

Nice one mate what engine? Here we never got the 1KD in the 90 series but there are some 1KZs with 500,000+km on them, plus a butt ton of 5VZ petrols with 350,000+km on them so either way I think she'll last you a long time.

Use this time whilst the wife isn't taking wisely by buying was much else as you can. Hey she hasn't said you can't spend any more.

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

There we are Azrael, thats what a 2" lift and 80 series wheels with 275/70/16's looks like.

 

[Azrael]

Its a 3ltr diesel with a manual gearbox. I'm positive it will last me a long time as it will get what ever it needs to stay fit and healthy, Plus I have a "John Jackob's" that knows Toyota Landcruiser's inside out and backwards. Its going to have a fair few quid spent on it, and she will just have to get over herself as the only person she is upsetting is "Herself" lol