[Rigger]

I’m pretty sure this obsession grabbed me when I was a boy of about 14 or so. Growing up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, I had a newspaper route. Each morning, packing copies of the Washington Post around, I’d see this shiny FJ40 in the driveway of one of my customer’s homes over on Piney Branch Road. It was sharp-looking; an early 70’s model in that beautiful hunter green. I coveted that thing every morning!

Twenty years passed by, during which I completed high school & college, got married and started raising kids. Of course, I saw Land Cruisers numerous times here and there. As the models changed, I’d occasionally look at prices. I remember thinking that an 80-series would be nice, but they were always more than I could afford. I had a few Toyota pickup trucks, too. In about 1995, one of my wife’s friends came by the house in her mint-condition brown FJ60. Not sure what year it was. I once asked her about it. She apparently was not all that fond of it, but she said her husband called it “the ideal car”. Imagine that!

Ten more years passed and I began to think that I’d like to have a ’60-series of my own. I thought it’d be a great first car for my oldest daughter, who was approaching driving age. My daughter, of course, wanted something snazzier than a stodgy-looking 4x4 wagon!

I started looking for a ‘60 on ebay. I bid on a few, and got outbid. I looked pretty hard at one in particular, but in the end I backed out. Finally, I put in a bid on one and my bid turned out to be the high bid. I owned it – a 1984 FJ60, with plenty of miles, some lower body rust, faded out paint, and years of neglect showing through all around! (See Post #11) A deferred maintenance special that needed serious work! A friend of mine trailered it to Laramie, where I paid a mechanic to do some work on it. (This was where I learned that if you own a Cruiser, it is best to try and do your own wrenching – it’s less costly and more satisfying.) My nephew, who was going to school at UW, drove my purchase up to Sheridan, where I picked it up and drove it home.

The ’60 was pretty danged homely-looking. My wife described it as “underwhelming”. I spent some time tinkering with it, but this was before I knew about MUD, so I was really flying blind. I became discouraged with how much work it needed, and as a mechanic, I was a rookie. In the end, I had to admit that I was in over my head. I put it on ebay and sold it to a man that I later learned was a Mudder!

I kept thinking that maybe I’d get another wagon someday, but I was prepared to put the whole thing off for a while. I clearly needed to get some education. I learned about Mud, and I finally started to get some Cruiser smarts.

One day, my wife called me from the parking lot of the grocery store. There’s an FJ62 for sale, sitting right here, she said. I went over to see it. I looked it over for a few minutes, talked to the seller, drove it around a bit, and bought it. I really was happy to have such a nice, clean, rust-free Cruiser. This truck was originally sold by the local Toyota dealership right here in Billings. I even have the original window sticker! I believe I am the third owner.

With advice from Mudders, and help from my family, I rebuilt the front axle, changed the leaky tranny pan gasket, and installed a set of OME springs. I also changed the radiator, belts, hoses, plugs, and plug wires. A local shop converted the A/C to R134. A Mudder sold me a Rhino front brush guard which, to my eye, looks almost as nice as an ARB. Overall, the truck is still pretty stock-looking, but I recently added 15x8 aluminum rims and a set of 33’s. Then, Toyrod here on MUD built me a rear bumper with a swing-out tire carrier. I recently had the exhaust system replaced, too. Next up is to fix the wandering front end and maybe change the oil pan gasket. Mostly, it is a daily driver, but I’ve been doing some light ‘wheeling with it, too. My kids have helped me a lot with my projects. Thanks to all of them for their help, and to my wife, Rhonda, who always manages to bring me a cup of coffee or a sandwich or a cold Pepsi when I’m wrenching. My son Parker also deserves special mention, as he is always willing to help.

For now, I’ll keep on daily driving it, but maybe it’ll get a Vortec V8 someday!

A while after getting the ’62, I found an old 1970 model FJ40 and bought it, too. But that’s another story! And around the corner from where I live, there is a nice 80-series that I keep hoping will come up for sale someday. That is also another story!

I’ll post up some pics. Thanks, all, for your help and advice on my many projects.

[Rigger]

First pic is the day I bought it. Others are more recent.

[Rigger]

Toyrod set up a thread on his build of my back bumper. Here it is:

http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wa...per-build.html

I'll post up some other thread links, too.

[Jace]

I dig the stock front bumper with the brush guard! Nice looking rig.

[AKcruiserfreak]

Great looking rig with a cool story! It's amazing how addictive these rigs are.

TK

[mel lowe]

Sweet, I love the color.

[Rigger]

Thanks, gentlemen, for the compliments.

Cruiserfreak, I agree, it is amazing how addictive these things are. Any ordinary (normal? sane?) person would drive one of these and say, what's so special about that thing? I would then say, well, he just doesn't get it!

[Dave Jenkins]

Nice Rig Bro! I envy you for two things:
1.) Getting the heck out of the DC burbs.
2.) A rust free 60 series.

[sl33py]

I really like your story on how you got it. It's amazing how much a little bit of help makes - even just bringing you a soda while you are wrenching! And of course all the help from Mud.

Good luck and you've got a great looking truck!

[boots4]

That's a nice looking DD and it sounds like you'll be needing more garage space for more projects. Props for learning to work on it yourself.

[Rigger]

Thanks, all, for the compliments.

Here is the very first Cruiser I owned, the FJ60:

[alaska60]

Great story and great rig too. And yes...............it is crazy how addictive these rigs are!
Gotta love mud!

[Ducks]

Great story. Way to avoid the rust. You should put in a h55. That will make the 3FE more peppy.

[GLTHFJ60]

Awesome story! X2 on putting the H55 in. You'll never look back.

[Rigger]

Thanks, guys, for posting up.

I've read up on a few of the H55 swaps that some of you folks have done. It sure sounds like a nice way to go. I'm sticking with the automatic, though, for a number of reasons. If I were to do any running gear changeover, I'd like a GM Vortec V8 and the 4 speed GM auto. However, I have investigated costs on that, and it is pretty pricey. For now, I have to stick with stock.

I wish I had a bit more tech know-how. I often read what some of you guys are doing, and I realize that I have a long ways to go. I feel like like a rookie!

My next hurdle is getting my heater to work properly. Anyone that has read any of my writings on this board knows that I have had trouble with the heater in this wagon.

I also have an FJ40 that I am working on. I am about 1/4 of the way through a brake overhaul on that thing. The goal is to have it fully functional with 4 wheel disc brakes by spring 2010. Like most of my projects, it is happening a bit at a time, in between other things!

[Rigger]

Read posts #45 and #46 for how the heater was finally fixed!

http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wa...lp-needed.html

[Toyrod]

Originally Posted by Rigger

Thanks, all, for the compliments.

Here is the very first Cruiser I owned, the FJ60:

This 60 isn't the one that Pathfinder bought is it? That would be too weird.

[Rigger]

Same one! (That is quite a coincidence, isn't it!)

[kling-on]

nice rig

[Dirtgypsy]

that is a great looking truck! what wheels and backspace are you running?

clint

[Cruiserdrew]

Subscribing.

Nice looking FJ62.

How is the power with those 33s? (I'm asking because I just put an OME lift on my FJ62 today and the tires look too small)


And....you still need that 80.

[DC88FJ62]

Hey Rigger,
Where is the brush guard from? Is it stock or did you have to customize it?

And DC isn't that bad with a Cruiser ya'll, nobody messes with a TLC, they are afraid that you will knock the plastic off of their Escalades and they cant follow you or they will scratch up their low-pro rims!

Love the color Rigger.

Brian

[Rigger]

Originally Posted by kling-on

nice rig

Thanks!

[Rigger]

Originally Posted by Dirtgypsy

that is a great looking truck! what wheels and backspace are you running?

clint

Thanks! The Eagle Alloys are 3.25" backspace. No rubbing at all.

[Rigger]

Originally Posted by Cruiserdrew

Subscribing.

Nice looking FJ62.

How is the power with those 33s? (I'm asking because I just put an OME lift on my FJ62 today and the tires look too small)


And....you still need that 80.

Thanks!

I agree, if you lift a 60 series, the stockers look too small. I did not notice a big loss of power with the 33's. Some, but not too bad.

I'm still looking for a newer Cruiser to add to the barn - not sure now if it'll be an 80 or a 100.

[Rigger]

Originally Posted by DC88FJ62

Hey Rigger,
Where is the brush guard from? Is it stock or did you have to customize it?

And DC isn't that bad with a Cruiser ya'll, nobody messes with a TLC, they are afraid that you will knock the plastic off of their Escalades and they cant follow you or they will scratch up their low-pro rims!

Love the color Rigger.

Brian

The brush guard is a Rhino product, what some call a damage multiplier! I'd prefer an ARB, but I have to watch the budget! I got it new-used from a Mudder. It had never been installed, but it was removed from the box! I did not modify it. I just bolted it together and installed it.

I could never live in a big city any more. I like it more wide open.

[aus_matt7]

nice truck
good to see some are still straight and one colour

[Rigger]

Thanks, all, for the spotlight on my '62 and all of your compliments. My time as ROTM is fading away, but I hope to be running this rig for a long time.