Post by speedy on Jun 19, 2006 1:46:44 GMT -5
I took the 04 Durango 4x4 to Gilmore a couple of months ago for the Toyota Jamboree(I towed a friend's ARB equipped Taco on a flatbed). Shortly after the embarassment of trying to get my factory oversized, underflexed, rig around on class 1 trails without wrecking it went away( yes that was me holding you up, I made it with no scratches) and I was able to clean most of the red dirt from the leather, I figured I could have had more fun in a Toyota. Coming from a lowered sport truck history I took the plunge and I bought a 83 4x4 with a flat bed(when it was rolled end over end the truck bed was pancaked, the cab is an 84 4x2). I am the second owner! I've rebuilt the blown 300,000 miles plus engine(I drove it home the night I bought it 43 degrees and snowing in the Austin hill country!) thanks to 3 months of elbow grease, my friends, LC engineering, K & N, Ebay(order it and wait impaitently for it to show up), and Weber. Probably putting out over 130HP without most of the emission nonsense gone or bypassed(lol, the Durango's a hemi with 345hp and can't do a quarter of the trails on a good day) I've grinded away 70% of the rust replacing the floor pans, repainting the frame(rusto), 4 or 5 square feet of rusted cab, and grinding off 3 layers of paint, bondo and spray paint are my friends. I taught myself how to weld on this project. It now has a 4 inch suspension lift, a 2 inch body lift, rebuilt knuckles(All Pro), extended shackles(Marlin), 33 12.50 BFG All Terrains, rebuilt flaming hot red painted factory calipers and drums, replaced rotors, steel braided extended brake lines and the FJ80 Master(showing up tomorrow from Marlin), new door panels, new door hardware, ebay shifter boot(to plug the huge hole in the cab), lengthened and rebent transfer case shifter(I am going to top it with a snap-on socket), bedlined interior and flatbed. I have the IFS steering box in the garage for the cross-over steering setup. Better offset rims, crossover steering, 5.29's, 35 Swampers, lockers, and a wish list big enough to scare Santa as my prime misson in life. If I was smarter I would post a pic. See ya on the trails soon, you bring your tools and I will bring mine! 
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