87 in Mojave desert, CA

Howdy!
I’m puttin’ around the high desert in my firstgen. My grandpa gave her to me as a daily driver in 2017 when I started my undergrad degree. He’s not around anymore, and I’m super sentimental about keeping my ‘Old Crow’ well maintained. I’m not a knowledgeable mechanic and I’ve lurked around this forum for a few years, reckoned I’d make it official and sign up.

 

Welcome, you’ve got a real gem

 

sweet......great ride..welcome to the forum

 

Welcome to the forum, er, umm chainsaw.

 

Most welcome indeed!

I lived in Yuma for nearly 30 years. Starting when the Marines decided I needed to be there, starting Jan 01, 1980. Had my 87 4Runner since 95 or so. I got it for when there was weather in Yuma, yeah right, and to cart my 5 kids here and there. Still have it, but it needs a little work. Now I cruise in southern Oregon in my 99 4Runner.

Your 'Runner's paint is in MUCH better shape than mine. Mine suffered badly. The engine looks the same, though

Enjoy your time here, and if anyone can help you, feel free to ask.
Pat☺

 

@PhantomTweak oh nice! I’m doing research around Yuma this Spring.
That photo’s just a good angle. I keep thinking I’m gonna sand ‘er down and re-do it m’self, but haven’t found the time yet. Priorities.

 

My condolences. I lived there for very nearly 30 years, and it's one of the most miserable places I ever saw. That includes some of the nasty places the Corps sent me. Like crawling through a field that had been fertilized with human feces and urine. Fresh stuff, too. Still better than Yuma. If it wasn't Yuma, I was happy as a pig in mud.
It's dry, dessicated, hotter-n-Hades, dusty, and everything, literally everything, that's alive has poison, spines, teeth or all of the above.
It has a minimum of 360 flying days a year, which is why the Corps chose it. But if you touch the top of a plane any time after noon, immediate second degree burns. Until an hour or so after sunset.

I'm originally from the SF Bay Area, and Yuma is the exact opposite of everything I loved growing up. Including 100 miles of beach in every direction, just no ocean. We used to joke, sort of, that Satan came to Yuma for vacation once, but it was too hot, so he went home.

When it got to where I couldn't walk out my front door without a sidearm, and my kids were grown and gone, I left. Be aware, Yuma isn't just miserable, it's gotten deadly with the influx of border jumpers. Be aware!

And enjoy doing your research
Pat☺

 

Welcome from Wisconsin! How cool is a '87 4Runner!

 

OP nice rig. Take care of it and it will take care of you for a long time to come. Those are the vehicles to hold onto.

I have never lived in Yuma, AZ but I have been there several times. I had “customers” who lived in Yuma and I would talk with them everyday as that was my assigned area with my employer. I lived in Phoenix at the time and I don’t recall anything that would want to make me move or consider moving to Yuma. I went to Yuma a few times for work and I also drove through Yuma on my way to San Diego a few times after I left my job. If I had a choice I wouldn’t move there. I wouldn’t equate it to rolling in fecal matter as I would pick Yuma over that literal crap. On a positive note if you have to flea the U.S. you wouldn’t be far from the Mexico border that is for sure. However, it is the other way around and as a result there are a lot of crimes in the area.

Good luck to the OP in your quest for future roots. I hope you find what you are seeking.

 

Speaking of close to the border, I lived on, and owned, 2.5 acres, 1/4 mile from both California and Mexico. North to get to Mexico, East to Cali. You figure it out. The surveyors many moons ago made some funny mistakes, coming from east and west. They kinda missed, and just made some lines to make the two meet.

Anywho, they had the biggest chop shop in Arizona on the property next to mine. Also, a huge dog fighting set up, not to mention drug dealing organizations. They did find a car with 4 bodies in it burned up, down at the end of the access road, right at the kids, both mine and theirs, bus stop one morning. I drove the kids to school that day. About once a year, Animal Control and Border Patrol would make a joint raid. They'd take a hundred or so dogs out, and about twice that of illegal aliens.

We had a LOT of people take breaks on my property after crossing the river. I would hold them for Border Patrol, the Sheriff, whoever.

NOW you know why I had to carry a sidearm, at a minimum. I'd usually carry a rifle, as well. All that's why I left in 2006. Packed up a UHaul truck, with a friend driving, piled into the two 87s, and drove out, just about midnight. Told noone we were leaving, or where we were going.
Seeing what's going on now, I'm really glad we left when we did. All my hatred of all things Yuma aside, it's getting REALLY bad, now. I wonder, sometimes, what the new owners charge the "travellers" to stay on my old property on their way through...

Have fun, All!
Pat☺