For the last four years or so I have been driving around in a 2007 FJ Crusier. I have loved every minute of it. I actually bought it during my first week of returning to school. Some people buy red Corvettes for a midlife crisis. I bought a yellow Toyota and returned to college.

Both cost about as much as that red Corvette but the pay off was much better. At least to me. I graduated in May with a Bachelors in Outdoor Leadership and paid off my truck a few months later.

I knew as soon as it was paid off it was time to modify the truck. I saw no reason doing a lot to a truck that I didn’t rightfully own, right?

For the cost of my car payment, which I was paying almost $500 a month I knew I could do a lot. Over the next six months I turned a truck fully capable of going just about anywhere–we drove it to the Top of the World a few years ago–and made it much more of a beast.

I added a three inch lift, an aggressive front bumper and winch, a snorkel and much beefier tires and wheels.

What do you think?

I still have a couple other projects to do like a rear bumper, the lower control arms and maybe some Bushwacker fender flairs and I will be ready to compete in the Alaska 4×4 Meet and Greet this May. That was my deadline for this project all along.

And see those decals with our business name? It has already paid for itself a couple times over. Just a few weeks ago I was at a stop light and I guy pulled up beside me and I could see him typing on his phone. Before the light turned green he flashed me his phone with our Facebook page pulled up and a thumbs up!