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You're staring at your vintage 4WD in the garage, and that original engine is giving you grief again. Hard starting, overheating on trails, carburetor issues that have you second-guessing every adventure. The thought crosses your mind: "What if I just swapped in an LS?" We get it. The LS swap has become the holy grail of engine swaps for good reason. But before you start browsing Craigslist for that "perfect" donor engine, let's talk about what you're really signing up for. B

If you've ever wondered why overlanding rigs and custom camper builds look so clean and modular, there's a good chance they're using 80/20 aluminum extrusion. This stuff is like adult Lego for builders: infinitely configurable, stupid strong, and perfect for creating everything from roof racks to full camper interiors. But here's the thing: 80/20 Inc. makes dozens of different profiles, and their stuff isn't cheap. For most rack and camper structures, 40 Series metric is a st

You roll up to your local shop with your prized '68 Toyota FJ40, ready to tackle that transmission issue that's been bugging you for weeks. The mechanic takes one look under the hood, shakes his head, and gives you that familiar line: "Sorry, we don't work on these old 4x4s." Sound familiar? We've heard this story countless times from frustrated vintage 4WD owners who can't find anyone willing to work on their rigs. The truth is, there are real reasons why most local shops ru

We get this question a lot in our shop: "Should I build my vintage 4WD for serious adventure use, or keep it pristine for shows and weekend cruising?" It's honestly one of the toughest decisions you'll face during your classic 4x4 restoration journey. There's no wrong answer, but there's definitely a right answer for YOU. After years of working on everything from bone-stock Scout 800s to heavily modified expedition rigs, we've learned that this choice shapes every decision yo

When we sit down with a customer who's ready to dive into a vintage 4wd restoration, one of the first questions we ask isn't about engines or paint colors. It's simpler than that: "Where do you see yourself driving this thing?" That question cuts right to the heart of every classic 4x4 restoration project. Are you building an adventure machine that'll conquer mountain passes and muddy trails? Or are you crafting a head-turning cruiser that looks perfect parked next to the sur