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DoctorDuke
May 4th, 2015, 09:29 PM
Howdy guys

Long time wheeler here that is somewhat coming around full circle.

I've been through a few rigs over the years but am a pretty hardcore Toyota guy with almost a dozen various 4runners and pickups over the last two decades. I cut my teeth wheeling in 4 corners area while going to college in Durango and wheeling all over moab, farmington, and all over Colorado.

I got away from wheeling about 8 years ago after getting married, starting my own practice, starting a family, etc etc etc...

Long story slightly longer here.... Finally settled down in Loveland here and with the kid getting older and a happy wife with a nice big house and garage and I'm back to wheeling again.

Finally found a good 1st generation 4runner to tear into for a nice family wheeler.

I'm mid way through the tear down and just got the motor out this afternoon. I'm planning on rebuilding the 22re, as much as a swap for something modern would be fun - I'm to eager to take my girls out on the trails to build this forever. I've done a handful of these motors and with some careful machining on the block & head with oversize valves, mild cam, cam timing, exhaust these little motors can almost get 150hp if you squint at the dnyo graph.

Considering keeping the automatic - might have to get creative with crawlers/duals/etc I've heard there may be options to swap a A340F in and take out the chain drive A340H - but I've also heard you can find a A340H from a supra/lexus thing and use an atlas 2 - but all that sort makes me think manual w57 is just easier. Then again for a family wheeler the auto might be really nice.

Naturally have to go solid axle - I'd rather go toyota, but neighbor gave me a decently built set of dana 44s. Maybe someone will trade, maybe I'll keep. Lockers & Gears done.

Then the usual bumpers, sliders, winch, and stuff I'll fab and weld up.

Nothing too special, but taking another crusher/mexico bound 1st gen 4runner and getting her back on the road and trails makes my heart warm and fuzzy.

Looking forward to meeting and hopefully wheeling with you all sometime this year.

Anyone in the Loveland/Fort Collins area feel free to hit me up.

ILuvtheMountains
May 4th, 2015, 09:58 PM
Good to have ya! I live in Fort Collins with my young family. Wife and two kids (3 and almost 2)I teach in Loveland and drive a Toyota too (although mine isn't as cool as yours). I'm sure we will meet before too long.

The StRanger
May 4th, 2015, 09:58 PM
Welcome to the dark side...
We have cookies !!!

Rick
May 4th, 2015, 09:59 PM
welcome!!!

Chris
May 5th, 2015, 07:57 AM
Welcome to Front Range Duke!

Hypoid
May 5th, 2015, 11:08 AM
Welcome aboard!

carpenle
May 5th, 2015, 11:35 AM
Hello and welcome!

dscowell
May 5th, 2015, 11:53 AM
howdy

Jim
May 5th, 2015, 01:12 PM
:steer:

Welcome to the group!

xaza
May 5th, 2015, 03:45 PM
Medical, only profession you can spend forever practicing and still have a career. Welcome to the group

javaman34
May 5th, 2015, 03:53 PM
Welcome to our little slice of Heaven.

Brad
May 5th, 2015, 08:52 PM
Welcome!

Shane
May 6th, 2015, 06:58 AM
Welcome

DoctorDuke
May 6th, 2015, 02:37 PM
Friendly bunch here. I think I'm going to like it.

After more than a decade on Pirate4x4 It'll be hard to remember my manors but nice not to flamed either.

Jim
May 6th, 2015, 04:02 PM
That sums up the bunch here!

I think the major item is that we're local and we get together, meet face to face, and enjoy our company and scenery. That perspective then follows into the electronic forum.

I'm not familiar with Pirate4x4 - is that a typical forum where folks only (primarily) meet via the forum?

Hypoid
May 6th, 2015, 04:02 PM
It'll be hard to remember my manors but nice not to flamed either.Nope, no flaming here, we eat our dead. :D

DoctorDuke
May 6th, 2015, 05:54 PM
I'm not familiar with Pirate4x4 - is that a typical forum where folks only (primarily) meet via the forum?

Pirate4x4 is an appropriately named forum that caters to the hardcore-est of the hardcore end of the off roading community. They have some amazing rigs and tech there but very little patience for newbie type questions - and if you are not a master mechanic/welder/fabricator with an engine swapped/4 linked/1ton/44s/exo-cage/crawling rig you are definitely a newbie. Besides everything has been discussed and done over there a hundred times over so it is more of an archive of 4wheel tech and how to.

Basically they are a-holes to everyone in a loving, sort of joking but not really, brotherly kind of way.

Brucker
May 7th, 2015, 05:39 PM
Welcome. Pirate really isn't that bad, but you will find that this place is MUCH different ;)