not really sure where to start with this one?

[hrkr80]

well, my fiance just informed me that she wants to get her own truck, learn how to work on it/build it, and learn how to wheel.  but i dont know where to start...im really excited that she just told me that, seein as these past few years she has always told me my fascination for buildin my trucks and wheelin is "stupid."  But, what should i do?  get an old stock, beater truck and make her do it(even though i alrready know im going to be doing most the work to "show" her how) or just get an already decently built truck with a few minor things that could be changed for her?  just curious as to what yall would do or have done, because i can almost guarantee there is other people out there that has had a similar situation like this pop up, right?

[H8PVMNT]

You are at a critical junction! Do it now while she is still interested and she will get hooked for life!

I once got my wife a '95 4Runner and we did a mild build on it together.  It was in decent shape, which women typically appreciate.  We put Emu suspension and a detroit locker in the rear. I made her some sliders and we got some 33x10.50 bfg muds on the stock rims. It allready had 4.88s stock.

She could spank most of my buddies in it on the trail.

It got t-boned and parted out, but my wife still wheels my 1st gen and my  '89 4Runner and does great and really enjoys it. She has gotten really handy at body work/hammer and dolly work and helped alot with my latest 4Runner build. She is quite handy with recoveries and safer at riggin lines and winching than most of my other wheeling buddies. We put on a rock crawl once a year that honestly wouldn't happen if it wasn't for her enthusiasm. The nice thing is now most of my wheeling buddies either quit from old age/resposibility or live to far away and I can still have a good trail ride with just my wife and our 2 rigs if I want.

If I were you I would not discount your fiance wanting to wheel.  I would help her build and wheel as much as you can afford. Let her do as much as she can and help her with the rest. Most chicks I've wheeled with end up being way better drivers than most of the guys, mostly I think because they don't drive to show off and they generally take directions well. If you get a wife who appreciates your hobby you will probably not get in big fights about the $$ you spend on it over the years because she will get it. We have kids and they love to go camping/wheeling. It makes a great family sport as long as your wife doesn't hate going along.


A beater truck would probably be fine but make danged sure she has power steering... .  I think a rear locker or at least a welded rear is a must for a beginner not to get instantly discouraged too.

As further evidence I will attach a few pics.  The first three are of my wife driving our buddies '85 4runner that we borrowed just for a wheeling trip. The fourth pic is one of my other buddies wheeling just ahead of her, on a rather easy part of the trail flopped for no apparent reason. My wife had a chatty friend and three screamin' kids with her and she still drove better than those other clowns...

[H8PVMNT]

So you see my wife wheeling happily along, no drama.  Then there's my buddy blocking the trail with his yard sale going "duorh, what happened?!" Over the years which of these do you suppose is a better investment of time and energy.

On a side note:  The guy with the flopped cherokee now has only a full sized half ton and a mini-van. His wife really never got into wheeling. Way to go.

[hrkr80]

yea i get what your saying.  shes hooked on it without even having many experiences.  i dont have to worry about her loosing interest.  and she understands the money thing.  we have been together since high school, which is also when i built a 72 fj40.  she used to hate it, but once i got it driveable, she started comin around.  right before i got hit head on in it she asked me if she could have it.  and then the past few years i have been busy and away from home(im in the marine corps) and she just asked me why i havent got another truck yet and also said she wants one of her own.  so i am just trying to find a reasonable starting point for her.  i appreciate your tips and advice

[H8PVMNT]

I guess back on topic I would recommend for her a solid axle 4runner or mini truck.  Mild build, nothing to huge but good relaible stuff. Lower center of gravity. Keep the coin in the drivetrain, gears lockers etc. Women like something dependable and drivable. EFI really is nice. No trailor queen stuff.

[Snowtoy]

Since you are without a rig as well, I would start with 2 basic models, either IFS or SA, and build them from there.  This way you aren't taking her on trails that are beyond her capability, and it should keep her from getting too frustrated when situations start to get tougher.

I would start off with just outfitting them in body protection and recovery points then go hit the trails.  Also with them in stock form, if she decides it isn't as fun as she thought it would be, you aren't into the rig to deep to recover your costs.

[hrkr80]

i told her she needs to start looking at trucks and find something she likes.  i recommended all 80 model pickups and 4runners because of the fact that they are fairly simple to work on.  well maybe not for her, but for me, so i could teach her ya know.  another reason, its pretty easy to get parts and whatnot for them.  just all in all its a better, easier base for her to start with in my opinion.  plus i just bought a 1980 pickup, im just waiting to get home from this deployment to start workin on it.  so far ive got her to say she likes 80 and 81 pickups and 1st gen 4runners.  i guess thats a start right?

[rubiconrunnerneville]

I say get a 84-89 4runner or early 90s 4runner with the 22re motor that way if you have kids down the road you dont have to get her a 4runner to take the kids with and you can do mid to wild builds with both thats my 

[hrkr80]

i was actually already thinking about a 4runner because we already have one kid.

[krkr80]

go with the 4runner!  since there is a kid involved.

[Snowtoy]

If your kid is still in a car seat, you will want to go with a 4dr, the 2 drs are a PITA to get a kid in and out of.  If you keep an eye out, you can get the 3rd gen Runners rather cheap.  My buddy picked up this '98(IIRC) auto for $2k.  After a coil spring spacer lift and cutting to clear 35's, ARB locker in the front, and a spool in the rear, he ran it through the Rubicon, and it held up just fine. The pic below is after we modified a Grand Cherokee ARB bumper to fit the Runner.

Then when her skills have evolved far enough you can turn it into a nice "Family Truckster".

[Ferg]

Once they got their own rigs they left.  Lost two relationships that way.  I felt used!