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Aquasprite
April 7th, 2009, 06:28 AM
:), Hi Everybody, my user name is Aquasprite.
I'm a 4WDriver from Christchurch, New Zealand, down in the South Pacific, just a bit east of Australia.
I've been 4WDriving since about 1982 or 3, startting with a leaf sprung Land Rover 109 Flat Deck truck, which I smartly converted to a Hard Top. Next I had a 1986 110 coil sprung L/Rover, which got rolled over in the Arrow River, near a place called Macetown, the ruins of an old gold mining town, deep in the mountains of Central Otago. Next I bought a brand new 110 Station Wagon when I was offered early retirement from NCR when they merged with AT & T. This truck I used as a tour vehicle, running Peninsula & Alpine 4x4 Tours for 9 years and putting 420,000 kilometres through the old girl. When I turned 65, I said "I've been paying the Governmemt for long enough, they can pay me now!" and I retired. I spent some time restoring the 1986 110 and used it for a couple of years more until it got rolled again and written off this time.
Now I bought my 1994 Toyota Prado, stripped all the "pretty bits" off, gave it 4 inches suspension lift, fitted a "ring of steel" round it, with bull bars, sill rails and channel iron wrap-around back bumper with a socket for either an ex Army NATO hitch, or a tow ball for a trailer. Then I took it off road.
I have had it for about 3 years now and like it a lot. The suspension lift gives it excellent axle articulation, which equates to traction in places where even trucks with locking diffs get stuck.
I've joined this forum to pick your brains about winch motors, but more of that later. It's now 29 minutes after midnight, our time, so I'm off to bed.

Chris
April 7th, 2009, 07:12 AM
Welcome Aquasprite! Nice to hear from New Zealand, you know we're going to ask for pics because you get a lot of cool stuff we rarely see.

:welcome:

1freaky1
April 7th, 2009, 07:20 AM
Welcome and its nice to hear from someone down your way! Sounds like you have done a lot of interesting things in your time wheeling.

ShutUpHippie
April 7th, 2009, 08:25 AM
I'm not sure I've heard of a Toyota Prado, can't wait to see a picture.

Funrover
April 7th, 2009, 09:36 AM
Welcome!

Roostercruiser
April 7th, 2009, 09:52 AM
hi my dad lived in new zealand for awhile and sent some beautiful pics of there. welcome

Chris
April 7th, 2009, 10:11 AM
I'm not sure I've heard of a Toyota Prado, can't wait to see a picture.

It's a pretty cool truck, I followed on on Steel Bender in Moab. Quite a truck! Looking forward to a pic!

WINKY
April 7th, 2009, 04:59 PM
Welcome!!!

Pathrat
April 7th, 2009, 09:01 PM
Hello and Welcome! Yes, really looking forward to pictures. I for one would like to hear some of the great stories you must have about wheeling down there.

Jimmy
April 9th, 2009, 08:37 AM
I'd love to see New Zealand one day - looks like a beautiful place.

Welcome to the site!

1freaky1
April 9th, 2009, 09:10 AM
I'd love to see New Zealand one day - looks like a beautiful place.

Welcome to the site!

Ditto on seeing New Zealand, just from I have seen in movies and shows like Xena it looks amazing!

H3_Mafia
April 9th, 2009, 11:40 AM
Welcome to Front Range!

Aquasprite
April 9th, 2009, 02:24 PM
Ditto on seeing New Zealand, just from I have seen in movies and shows like Xena it looks amazing!

Many thanks for your welcome. I've been to the US of A a few times, Ohio, West Virgina, California, and it's beautiful too.
Cheers,
Aquasprite,:)

Brody
April 9th, 2009, 03:35 PM
Jeez, Sean....you watched Zena????? That's a helluva admission....



You'll never get me to admit to watching some of the lame stuff I have seen......

Chris
April 9th, 2009, 03:56 PM
We all watched Zena, even those of us that don't watch tv. :erm:

Brody
April 9th, 2009, 04:07 PM
Well, I kinda know who she is and that she has black hair, but I never watched the show...never watched South Park, ER, Friends, General Hospital, Miami Mice, Dukes of Hazzard, Wheel of Fortune either, but I know what they are. I also avoid anything that thinks I too stupid to know when to laugh and has a laugh track that is supposed to remind me that something funny was just said...

TVs make extremely good targets....just remember to pick up all the bits and pieces when you are done...

4Runninfun
April 9th, 2009, 07:43 PM
welcome!

Pathrat
April 9th, 2009, 09:27 PM
We all watched Zena, even those of us that don't watch tv. :erm:

I did not watch Zena :p

Chris
April 9th, 2009, 09:39 PM
Oops, guess I was caught in a lie since I just discovered it's spelled Xena. :lol: