CRUISING THE BLACK HILLS

A Triple-locked 80 Series Land Cruiser

- JOSHUA WALKER

Wes grew up in small town northeast Nebraska where the only off-road trails were two tracks through random corn fields. After college, he ended up moving to the Black Hills of South Dakota where he fell in love with the forest. With his outdoor hobbies, it only made sense for Wes to get a reliable 4x4 truck, so he picked himself up a Tacoma. Through his friends and exploration of the Black Hills trail system, Wes quickly got the off-road itch.

A lift and 33s soon turned into a fully built, armored, and geared Tacoma on 35s after two short years. Wes’s passion for adventure and the great outdoors collided with his love of vehicles, and he soon realized you’re never “done” building your truck.

A New Career Brings a New Vehicle 

Wes decided he wanted to turn his passion into his career and transitioned into a sales and marketing role for C4 Fabrication, a company based out of Sturgis, South Dakota, that manufactures off-road armor for Toyota vehicles. With three young kids, Wes saw an opportunity to get out of the medical field and do something he loved. That would hopefully allow him to enjoy more time at home or adventuring with his family.

With his career move, Wes decided it was time to part ways with his Tacoma and pick a rig up for cash. He knew he wanted another Toyota. He also knew he wanted more capability. His choice? A 1996 triple-locked 80 series Land Cruiser. “I’ve always loved Land Cruisers. From the moment I got my Tacoma, I couldn’t help but feel pulled toward building out a classic Toyota. When the Tacoma sold, I knew that was my chance to find one”.

Searching For A Unicorn