Just built up a truck but now I feel like I will be an idiot driving it....

[FrancisK]

That's not too obnoxious like the guys that put ridiculous lift kits on trucks. I also cannot stand giant pointless wheels. The more tire the better if you're actually using it as intended. Unless you're driving through rivers or mudding I think the snorkel is a bit much, as you already decided. I also personally HATE LED lights. Every LED light on every car is WAY too bright and color temperature too high. Are you putting road tires on or offroad tires?

For a daily (and not a mudding/offroad/northern climate snow vehicle) I would remove the rack, the light bar, the winch, bullbar, and any additional lighting.

I'll take her if you ever sell

That’s not my specific truck but it’s somewhat what I’m going for, maybe it’s a bad example to show because I’m not doing a crazy rack like that, nor the snorkel or putting any additional lights on it other than indicators in the bull bar.

When she’s done in a couple weeks I’ll get some pics, she’s coming out the paint shop any day now.

 

[KomnenAl]

The truck looks great. I agree with the others about the snorkel. I'd keep it in my garage until I need it.
What's the mpg?

 

[Ember]

I'm currently a restoring Disco 1 that has a snorkel. Maybe one day I'll take it for a bit of this...

 

[fortyfive]

In my part of the world, your car is a dream car for many, including me. Besides sensitive liberal metrosexuals, no one else is dreaming about driving tesla or prius.
Keep that beast at least as a bug-out car for hard times.

 

[Mountaineer]

Absolutely a keeper, in fact that would be the last vehicle I would let go. Forget what people think, it's rather menacing so they will stay away.

 

[FrancisK]

Thank you guys, like I said I’m not one for flash or showing myself and if a bunch of fellow men respect it then maybe I’m putting too much into the idea of that and it’s not as much as I think.

I should have her back from the paint shop tomorrow I’ll get you guys some pics.

This is her last month before I stripped her down for paint, I bought her like this all the other accessories are waiting to be slapped on. Love driving her in the snow, thing is a tank….

 

[FrancisK]

The truck looks great. I agree with the others about the snorkel. I'd keep it in my garage until I need it.
What's the mpg?

Full time 4x4 brother….I’ll be lucky to get 12-14mpg. But I also work 2 miles from home so it’s not so bad…

Thanks to the extortionist biden for the doubling of fuel prices

 

[aeroektar]

That things awesome, I would never sell it.

In my opinion, a practical utilitarian go anywhere 4x4 truck/SUV is the ultimate vehicle, especially when you're living out in rural and small town areas. I'm currently looking to buy an older 4runner, Xterra or XJ/WJ Cherokee to turn into an overlanding/offroading rig. The demand is crazy for these older trucks.

 

[FrancisK]

That things awesome, I would never sell it.

In my opinion, a practical utilitarian go anywhere 4x4 truck/SUV is the ultimate vehicle, especially when you're living out in rural and small town areas. I'm currently looking to buy an older 4runner, Xterra or XJ/WJ Cherokee to turn into an overlanding/offroading rig. The demand is crazy for these older trucks.

Old 4Runner for sure, it’s just a mini version of my landcruiser. It will go forever and it’s a real viable go anywhere overbuilt vehicle but still modern and comfortable not just a toy, actually a lot more practical than my LC with much cheaper parts and larger aftermarket and many more guys know how to work on them. An older 4Runner was actually my first choice for a daily driver trying to avoid the car market disaster but this LC popped up and I’m intimately familiar with them so it worked out. Also considered the 100 series LC and LX as they are more modern and also more practical, but still rugged and overbuilt, but again this 97 popped up and that was all she wrote. Now the prices have triple, not exaggerating I was looking only in last September and the prices have since tripled.

Problem is they hold their value so well it’s hard to find one at a decent price, especially right now. Don’t be afraid of high miles on them as long as the original owner half cared about it…..

 

[mountainaire]

Just went through something similar myself, although on a much more affordable platform.

Did all the work myself, including learning to weld and making the bumper and rock sliders out of raw tubing. Not as prestigious as LCs but they perform excellent off road. Its very rewarding taking it out and seeing what it can do after all the hours of work spent on it. I say go for it. I'm in my mid 30s and dont feel silly driving mine.

 

[Thomas More]

Just went through something similar myself, although on a much more affordable platform.

Did all the work myself, including learning to weld and making the bumper and rock sliders out of raw tubing. Not as prestigious as LCs but they perform excellent off road. Its very rewarding taking it out and seeing what it can do after all the hours of work spent on it. I say go for it. I'm in my mid 30s and dont feel silly driving mine.

That is beautiful! I'm impressed with the bumper and rock sliders. The rock sliders wouldn't be that hard with basic welding skills, but the bumper with the curved pieces is very good. Look like it does well off road too.

 

[ed pluribus unum]

Just went through something similar myself, although on a much more affordable platform.

Did all the work myself, including learning to weld and making the bumper and rock sliders out of raw tubing. Not as prestigious as LCs but they perform excellent off road. Its very rewarding taking it out and seeing what it can do after all the hours of work spent on it. I say go for it. I'm in my mid 30s and dont feel silly driving mine.

Always liked the Xterra, good job.

 

[FrancisK]

Just went through something similar myself, although on a much more affordable platform.

Did all the work myself, including learning to weld and making the bumper and rock sliders out of raw tubing. Not as prestigious as LCs but they perform excellent off road. Its very rewarding taking it out and seeing what it can do after all the hours of work spent on it. I say go for it. I'm in my mid 30s and dont feel silly driving mine.

Also in my mid 30's thank you for the encouragement! I love the Xterra's, they look great they're cheap/easy to fix and you never see them around anymore.....I saw a built up one on the road the other day and was gawking at it. Your looks awesome, that thing is beautiful and rugged at the same time!

Here is where I am on the 80, she's at the welder right now getting the sliders and rear bumper slapped on then she comes back to me for the roof rack, flares, some finishing touches like emblems and new interior and she's done, should have her back this weekend.....might also black out the wheels never been the biggest fan of that but it may go well with it. Considering doing some sound deadening while I have the interior out but not sure yet, that's a chore to say the least. I might start off with spraying the wheel wells and under the spare placement in the rear under the truck with rubber coating to see if that helps first and put some miles on her to see if that's enough of an improvement before I dive into the interior, I don't want to have to go back and do the interior twice for the sound deadening. Probably also going to do a height correction slight lift in the near future, but we shall see one thing at a time I'm just excited to finally get to be able to drive her regularly.....

 

[mountainaire]

Appreciate the comments. It's a fun hobby for sure. Being able to drive on anything that resembles a road and sleep there has a real sense of freedom to it.

Next step on mine is installing this in my front diff as well as shimming my rear LSD for a higher breakover torque rating. Front locker + shimmed rear LSD will make it a traction monster.

 

[Hypno]

I’ll make sure the guys down at the chop shop take real good care of her.

 

[aeroektar]

Just went through something similar myself, although on a much more affordable platform.

Did all the work myself, including learning to weld and making the bumper and rock sliders out of raw tubing. Not as prestigious as LCs but they perform excellent off road. Its very rewarding taking it out and seeing what it can do after all the hours of work spent on it. I say go for it. I'm in my mid 30s and dont feel silly driving mine.

That's awesome dude, well done, I love the look of that generation xterra, don't see many where I am because rust kills everything, but they do pop up from time to time. I'm really looking for a second gen xterra pro-4x, throw a set of 33s on it and it should be as capable as I'll ever need it to be.

 

[Kiwi]

My old man had an old Defender flat bed before he passed away. I was so naive I didn't recognise how rare it was back then. An absolute classic.

 

[FrancisK]

Appreciate the comments. It's a fun hobby for sure. Being able to drive on anything that resembles a road and sleep there has a real sense of freedom to it.

Next step on mine is installing this in my front diff as well as shimming my rear LSD for a higher breakover torque rating. Front locker + shimmed rear LSD will make it a traction monster.

I’m not nearly that mechanically inclined, I’ve learned a lot and i can do anything basic but definitely couldn’t add lockers, luckily my LC is triple locked stock. Good on you, I’m not sure if I’ll ever make it there one day maybe we’ll see.

Is the xterra full time 4x4? I gotta tell ya, I really like the idea of building up an xterra…

 

[Viktor Zeegelaar]

You'd be surprised at how little people care about you. Walk around in a clown costume or just start rolling over the street and people will barely notice, maybe give a quick disinterested glance and then walk by.

 

[mountainaire]

I’m not nearly that mechanically inclined, I’ve learned a lot and i can do anything basic but definitely couldn’t add lockers, luckily my LC is triple locked stock. Good on you, I’m not sure if I’ll ever make it there one day maybe we’ll see.

Is the xterra full time 4x4? I gotta tell ya, I really like the idea of building up an xterra…

It's part time with a manual lever transfer case. No buttons or dials or actuators, just a stick lever which I like. On the newer ones they moved to push button 4x4. If you want the old school Nissan 4x4 DNA the first gens are the way to go.

I didn't follow the trend of wheel spacers and wide tires sticking way out. Actually went in the other direction and put on narrower (and taller) 33s. You need every ounce of maneuverability on the narrow mountain switchbacks. The pizza cutters as I like to call em also kept my gas milage intact which I'll certainly take in 2022. I try to keep things functional and purpose built.

But as far as the wrenching goes, you should definitely do it. It's not hard to figure out. I just buy the tools as I need them, and now Ive amassed a nice arsenal of tools that cover a wide variety of tasks. I couldn't imagine paying for shop labor, but that was more out of necessity as I'm doing all this on a shoestring budget.