PROJECT FJ35 Is Over - LV Gets "T" Boned At 60mph

[Land Cruiser Junky]

Well guys, although I'm still in shock that the vehicle I loved more than any other is gone and that my favorite project is over, I'm very thankful to still be here on this earth with all of you tonight. On the way home from work today, while driving my PROJECT FJ35LV on a down hill freeway offramp, I blew out a wheel cylinder and lost my brakes. Headed towards an intersection with a light that had just changed to green for crossing traffic, I was only able to down shift and try to steer clear of driving through another vehicle. Although still moving about 60mph, I was able to slice between two vehicles but was struck between the driver side doors by a vehicle traveling about 15mph. The impact spun me 360 degrees and threw me on my driver side while I slid about 60' roof first into a 10" thick pole. No body in the other vehicle was injured and I made it out with only a very stiff neck and body, abrasions to my left arm, cuts to my face and and lower eyelid, and bleeding in my right eye. Again, I'm just thankful to be alive and that the accident didn't kill or even injure anyone else. The LV on the other hand is completely toast.

[coolcruiserfj40]

dam dude sorry to hear

[Butt Ugly Chuck]

I know these words won't mean much after a loss like that, but... that could have been way worse. Sorry about your truck. Glad everyone's OK.

Butt

[cruiserbrett]

Holy Crap!!!! Very Glad you are okay! Sad that the LV is going to be a loss. Most important is that you are okay, I am sure you can find another LV, and make it even better. that certainly could have been much worse!

[Bear]

Whoa.
Sorry.
Glad you made it out.

[madams557]

It is a sad day in the TLC community, but I am glad to hear you walked away from it.

[cruiser_guy]

That's a real bummer. One of my worries too when driving an older vehicle. Were they the original drums or had you upgraded? I'm hoping my upgrades will prevent some of those things from happening.


Let us know when the vultures can decend!!

[Bikerso]

Sorry for the loss. This just shows how well the old Toyotas were built--if something like that were to happen in a new vehicle all you would have is plastic everywhere and a lot more injuries. Who knows maybe you will be able to take parts from your LV and build an even better one for yourself! Glad you are all right.

[1tontoy]

Holy F***!!!!!!

Glad to hear you are OK!!!!!!!

[Kief]

Bummer but thank God you are alive...
I rolled my 40 and the first cause was my inattentiveness but I think another problem was a rear cylinder blew out- I think it was way out of adjustment or the impact may have knocked stuff out of wack.
As a side note to those of us with single system old school brakes, Emtee did a real nice system where he separated the front and rear brakes... Leave to an engineer to think about safety first. This also makes me think more about an ebrake system at the axle vs. on the t-case.
Take some time off to recoupe, you probably will find more aches and pain in the next few days. Sorry for your loss. Kief.

[1tontoy]

E-BRAKE!!!!!!??????????

[orangefj45]

holy crap gene!!!!!!!!

dude, that sucks sooooo bad. your LV was always one of my favorites, especially having gone to the "fj45 run" in it with you. fawk. i'm just glad you made it thru this ordeal ok. i was really hopeful you'd make it to the run this year. maybe you can bring the 25 this time?!

it's really too bad that one of your first threads in a long time had to be because of this. i know you've had other things on your plate. please let me know if there's anything i can do.

and to all my fellow mudders, if you have'nt met gene, you've definetly missed out. he's one top-notch dude!

[My wife said no FJ!]

Holy smokes Gene...glad your OK!!!

This was one of my favorite rigs as well, and knowing that your plate is quite full, and you having just gotten back into it...well, I can truely say that my thoughs are with you

Ironically I sent you a PM earlier...never mind, we'll talk when you have time.

Seeing as how you loved this rig...can anything be saved? Did they drop it off at your place?

[65-fj45]

Gene, glad your ok, and no one was hurt bad.

[mel lowe]

Whoa!

Glad you are ok.


Build a buggy with 4wdb, from the wreckage.

[Land Cruiser Junky]

Yesterday I was working at a very nice hotel in Santa Monica, CA and I came to the back where my LV was parked to get some tools and found about 15 guys around my wagon and underneath just checking it out. I talked with them about Cruisers for 10 minutes. Driving it home I got a honk and a thumbs up twice from other drivers. I loved driving that wagon as much as I loved working on it and am bumming hard that it's gone. More than that though I am so thankful to God for sparing my life and not leaving my 3 boys fatherless and my wife a widow. If you guys could have seen the impact and what that LV went though you'd really know what I mean. After the accident a CHP officer was standing with me and looking at the wagon said,"I can't believe how protected you were and how well this thing stayed together. This old Land Cruiser is a beast and you are lucky to be alive. If this were a new vehicle it would have been all over the road". I probably hit the pole at 40mph.

The vulture tow truck driver with the police scanner in the cab pulled his flatbed up and told my wife (who came to the site in her vehicle) that there was going to be an undisclosed hourly rate to tow the vehicle to his yard. She told him to get the hell away from the vehicle and called AAA and had it towed to our house. A damn good woman that isn't intimidated by a aggressive 250lb towtruck driver.

There are some parts that can be salvaged, but most of it is toast. I'll strip it for anything still left in good shape. I'd love to hang onto parts for another LV project, but I'm just holding down the fort with my wife being sick and all, so I'll probably sell them off.

[My wife said no FJ!]

I'd try to hold to as much as you can, for as long as you can, but if you decide some stuff has got to go, drop me a PM, and I'd love to help out...I hope that doesn't sound bad, as I would prefer to see you start on a new project...just a honest wish to help if I could.

I've looking at your rig so much, that I thought of doing something similar, but aways worried about the family's safety, so I never did, (the '64 is meant to be a Sunday driver) now I may revisit this idea in the future...but with newer drive train.

Did it have a newer dual master cylinder, or was is a one line original set-up? If it was a one line master, do you think a dual would have helped? The reason I ask is because I have been seriously going back and forth with my restoration, and swaping for a dual master.

Again...really glad no one got seriously hurt.

[cruiser_guy]

Originally Posted by Land Cruiser Junky

Yesterday I was working at a very nice hotel in Santa Monica, CA and I came to the back where my LV was parked to get some tools and found about 15 guys around my wagon and underneath just checking it out. I talked with them about Cruisers for 10 minutes. Driving it home I got a honk and a thumbs up twice from other drivers.

I hear you on that. I get looks when I'm driving the '55 as well and that's much more common than an 'LV. There's always someone who's willing to buy the '55 from us even here in Central America.

Still curious on the brake system, single circuit or dual? Disc conversion or drums?

I think I'll start trying to find a post '80 FJ40 rear axle or two and put the e-brake back there. The driveline brake is OK but I think in this instance you'd be 5 miles down the road before the driveline brake helped.

And I AM glad you're all OK even though a bit sore. Give it a few days before talking with the insurance co.

[bull]

Gene,

I felt like I just got punched in the stomach when I read the title of this thread. First off I'm glad you are ok and will heal from the injuires. I'm also glad nobody else was seriously hurt.

I really enjoyed your FJ35, from the story of getting it, adding the 25 front end, and the paint scheme. It was and is still really appealing. I look at it as it gave up it's life to protect you. This is also a wake up call to all other owners to double check everything out and make upgrades as needed. We can't plan for freak accidents like this, but we can try.

Gene I'm truly sorry about all this, let me know if there is anything we can do to help out.

[Land Cruiser Junky]

Originally Posted by cruiser_guy

Still curious on the brake system, single circuit or dual? Disc conversion or drums?

Single circuit. All original. Just checked it all out last Saturday since I just got it back on the road again. Everything looked and functioned great.

[tahoe40/45]

Sorry for the loss,glad your ok.Looks like some of the 25 parts are ok??you can build another.

[My wife said no FJ!]

Originally Posted by Land Cruiser Junky

Single circuit. All original. Just checked it all out last Saturday since I just got it back on the road again. Everything looked and functioned great.

Logic says it would have, but after what you just went through, do you think a dual circuit would have helped?

[Land Cruiser Junky]

The two cars that I fit my LV between were the first two cars to cross on the green. Anything that would have slowed me down without stopping me short of the intersection would have probably had me crossing an intersection full of crossing vehicles. Since nobody was hurt, I don't think it could have turned out any better.

[Land Cruiser Junky]

Here's some pics of the damage.

[Land Cruiser Junky]

And some more.

[Land Cruiser Junky]

And More.

[KT40]

WOW!!!!
I am shocked as I am reading this!
Thank god everybody is OK!
This is the only pic I have-FJ45 Run 2005

[madams557]

Originally Posted by Land Cruiser Junky

Here's some pics of the damage.

Awh, come on now, that'll buff right out. I've ridden in rigs that looked worse than that...

The front clip doesn't look too bad. Looks the perfect start to a new project.