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Something ground-breaking is about to happen to me. I swore for years that it would never happen, that I'd resist and outlast the threat.

I'm wrong. I'm dead wrong.

I'm buying a pickup truck. The scourge of the roads up here. The defining moment when you admit "I care less about fuel efficiency than I do about off-road capability". It's only a matter of time until I grow my hair out, with a mustache, take up drinking beer again and fall in love with NASCAR.

Well, f**k that last one. WRC for life!

I'm thankfully not straying away from my own dilemma of swearing that I'd never own a new vehicle (unless it's boosted from the factory) ever again. So, I'm buying my buddy's (who happens to be my mechanic) 1995 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 - long box, ext cab, 360CID.

Reasons for doing so:

1 - f**k car/truck/SUV payments. My Escape's been good to me but I'm tired of paying for it and almost never driving it. So, it's leaving in the near future.

2 - off-roading. I MISS IT SO MUCH. Most of you don't know this, but I was fairly "into" off-roading for the first few years that I lived up here. I'll have a big bastard to drive, but that's ok... it already has a purpose with my circle of friends.

3 - 5th wheeling. My 22' Golden Falcon is only 4,000lbs but it's a 5th wheel. My campground is getting kind of silly with their rules and after this summer, I might just sell the trailer/add-a-room there and get something else or pull everything out... literally. Might also buy some property up here to suit that need as well. The truck was used sparingly beforehand to 5th wheel, and it's wired appropriately, so I'm good. Just need a new 5th wheel hitch when the time comes.

4 - winter beater. I drove the Focus basically all winter because I've lost all love for driving the Escape. It gets moved around some (even went for a rip last night with Oscar) but as competent as it is... I'm bored with it. It tows well, handles snow/ice/dirt well, hauls the dog well... but it doesn't stand out anywhere. So, it's not for me. I've driven it and maintained it faithfully but I just want something that will do EXACTLY what I want. Can't do that with the Escape.

So... I'll get a truck that I know the entire history on (in my buddy's family since brand new, no wrecks, bud's been doing all mechanical on it in recent years, full engine and trans rebuild already, mechanically sound), have a competent mechanic to work on it when I can't and much less monthly overhead. Win-win.

Personally, I blame Oscar for that Carhartt winter coat I got off him. I've been itching to do "more" with a truck ever since. Thanks bud, I needed that.

Also, getting a custom push bar made for it with a winch mount. I'll be the new recovery vehicle for our buds with Jeeps - including Oscar, lol.

Welcome to the under 15mpg club... lol

Have Fun boys. I'll be there soon. Next thing I buy will be a truck aswell but only in a Super Duty Form. I love the F-450 Crew Cab Dualy.

Anyway here is a pic of my buddies Fathers Beast. This is what it looked like when he picked it up from a guy. Currently it has custom quarter inch steel plate front and rear bumpers. Under body gaurds, a huge ass winch and a custome exhuast with SCT Box tune. BTW those are 20's its sitting on and it spend most of it's time in the mud!

Welcome to my world...minus the RAM thing.

John - I'll post pics in a bit. I think it's on 16s right now. I'm not going to lift it much, if at all cause I do need it to tow with (5th wheel). It's a Power Ram so it sits higher than most factory Rams already. It will be getting "serious" tires that are good for most off-road trail runs tho. I might go to 35s, tops. I believe he told me that 33s will fit right now, and even that would be enough.

I'm more interested in armour - skid plates and the like.

Bryan - I'm actually really looking forward to this. I love the idea of having a truck that I can drive pretty much anywhere. I've missed having "real" 4WD and an actual low-range.

Nice!!

For Armor, take some cardboard and make a design for your own. Then take that to a metal shop and see how much they want instead of paying over priced tin.

Oh, my armour will likely be fully custom like you said. I have two buddies that are welders. One is my mechanic bud - he made his own custom gear for his YJ. He also made his own custom fibreglass fenders for the YJ, too... so might get him to help out with some glassing for the Focus.

Those fenders are welded metal.

*checks my DP*, oops, thats were I came from . Small truck=lots-o-fun

NM, I had his old fenders stuck in my head as the "new" fenders.

If I could 5th wheel with a smaller truck, I would. But I can't - not safely. So, half-ton it is.

i love my f250 diesel best truck ive owned so far

Depending on how this one holds out, in a couple of years I plan on moving into either a Cummins-powered 2500 quad cab long box or F250 PowerStroke-powered quad cab long box.

I've got a 52mm throttle body for sale if you're interested! It's off my old Durango.
Stock, the 360 has a 50mm tapered down to 48mm.

It's from Dan thefastman (google it)

oh and it has a 14inch x 2.5inch K&N on it too... also up for sale if interested. I say that, the air filter belongs to my step dad the TB is mine. Would have to trade for your stock equipment though!

This

(03-14-2012, 07:24 AM)Mystake Wrote: [ -> ]I've got a 52mm throttle body for sale if you're interested! It's off my old Durango.
Stock, the 360 has a 50mm tapered down to 48mm.

It's from Dan thefastman (google it)

oh and it has a 14inch x 2.5inch K&N on it too... also up for sale if interested. I say that, the air filter belongs to my step dad the TB is mine. Would have to trade for your stock equipment though!

If you guys aren't in a rush to move the parts, I'd be interested. PM me your phone number when you get time and we can talk about this week when you're available. I've got VoIP so I don't mind calling down whenever.

Monkey - I respect the work put in, but that's INSANE. I've never understood the appeal for a truck that big. All I want is a little more clearance and respectable all-purpose tires (which I already have to a point, they're just a little smaller than I want on there).