Zraver

Don't be surprised when cab electrical gremlins start showing up. Hot summers plus wet carpet means high humidity up under the dash where corrosion can be hard to spot and harder to fix.

Got a buddy that owns a shop? Have them drive the route. If they get caught, they are fixing a client vehicle so it can pass emissions.

Tiny on her first trail run

Bigger MAF, bigger injectors and beefed up fuel pump on a remapped motor will get you some decent gains. Don't know if your model pathy has an e-fan or not, but if it doesn't going to an e-fan and a light weight torque converter will free up a small amount of rotational energy. Lighter weight wheels and tires to reduce your unsprung weight and weight reduction in general would help acceleration as well.

Not just lockers, but a way to recover and an emergency kit. If you head off road being prepared is just common sense.

Spring seats and strut mounts, shocks and struts. If you're lifting, I assume you've already added the 3 basics. 1. an emergency kit- food, water, blanket, rain poncho, aid kit, flashlight , gloves and a hi-vis vest at a minimum. 2. some method to unstick yourself or others even if its only a recovery strap, shackle and a farm jack. 3. Rear locker. Lift without those 3 is just a mall crawler looking to get in trouble. Also, if the vehicle is new to you or you didn't know. You have a VG33 and it is an interference engine. If you don't have proof it was changed in the last 3-5 years change the timing belt before you do anything else. If it breaks you're done unless you got deep pockets.

Just a noob question, I assume you have the VG30 engine, why not get a turbo manifold off of a zx? Add bigger injectors off of a 1975 Mercedes, inter-cooler and a few other mods and you can make 400hp at the wheels. I know I did it in a 1988 300zx SS. The VG30 is bullet proof as long as you do required maintenance.