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Hi everyone! I've been lurking for awhile but didn't feel comfortable joining the group until I actually had a Cruiser. Today, I am very excited to join the group!
I just picked up a very clean 1983 FJ60 from El Paso. The story was that this was an all original one owner vehicle before it was traded into the dealership back in 2005. There, it sat on the showroom floor more or less as a show car for 10-years. The owner of the dealership just didn't want to sell it. Anyway, that's the story they told me.
After looking at the car, this seems like a pretty obvious, albeit, pretty faithful restore to me. The headliner looks way to fresh for an 83. There's a few other giveaways too haha. The motor bay is very clean and all the hoses and wires appear new. I'm not complaining because it sure saves me a lot of work.
So anyway, we decided to drive it back home to San Antonio and hit Big Bend National Park along the way. She sure did perform well for being on a 10-year hiatus. I lost the AC belt along the way. It slipped off and when I pulled over to inspect it, the Belt appeared twisted, dry and cracked. I just cut it off and figured I could do without AC for the trip home. It was 70 degrees in Big Bend yesterday.
At the same time, I noticed that the alternator was starting to howl at me. This was a more serious problem. The bearing were about to seize up and we are literally in the middle of no mans land! I limped it on into the lodge and made some calls. Nobody around here carries an alternator for an 83 FJ60! They told me if I had a Ford or a Chevy... It'd be no problem! haha. Well I decided to stay the evening in one of the most beautiful places in the USA (That I've seen anyway) and regroup in the morning. That brings us to today...
I called up AutoZone in Fort Stockton and they said they could have the Alternator for me by tomorrow morning. I placed the order and we decided to make a "do or die" run for Ft. Stockton, about 2 hours North of Big Bend. The alternator lasted about 78 miles before it completely seized up. Luckily, we were at a service station performing a NASCAR style fuel stop and go... but there was no go. Serendipitously, the service station we were at has a fulltime shop mechanic who happens to be the cousin of the lady I ordered the part from at the AutoZone up the road an hour.
Well, here we are again, but this time we are in Marathon, TX... And it has been a marathon for sure.
I just picked up a very clean 1983 FJ60 from El Paso. The story was that this was an all original one owner vehicle before it was traded into the dealership back in 2005. There, it sat on the showroom floor more or less as a show car for 10-years. The owner of the dealership just didn't want to sell it. Anyway, that's the story they told me.
After looking at the car, this seems like a pretty obvious, albeit, pretty faithful restore to me. The headliner looks way to fresh for an 83. There's a few other giveaways too haha. The motor bay is very clean and all the hoses and wires appear new. I'm not complaining because it sure saves me a lot of work.
So anyway, we decided to drive it back home to San Antonio and hit Big Bend National Park along the way. She sure did perform well for being on a 10-year hiatus. I lost the AC belt along the way. It slipped off and when I pulled over to inspect it, the Belt appeared twisted, dry and cracked. I just cut it off and figured I could do without AC for the trip home. It was 70 degrees in Big Bend yesterday.
At the same time, I noticed that the alternator was starting to howl at me. This was a more serious problem. The bearing were about to seize up and we are literally in the middle of no mans land! I limped it on into the lodge and made some calls. Nobody around here carries an alternator for an 83 FJ60! They told me if I had a Ford or a Chevy... It'd be no problem! haha. Well I decided to stay the evening in one of the most beautiful places in the USA (That I've seen anyway) and regroup in the morning. That brings us to today...
I called up AutoZone in Fort Stockton and they said they could have the Alternator for me by tomorrow morning. I placed the order and we decided to make a "do or die" run for Ft. Stockton, about 2 hours North of Big Bend. The alternator lasted about 78 miles before it completely seized up. Luckily, we were at a service station performing a NASCAR style fuel stop and go... but there was no go. Serendipitously, the service station we were at has a fulltime shop mechanic who happens to be the cousin of the lady I ordered the part from at the AutoZone up the road an hour.
Well, here we are again, but this time we are in Marathon, TX... And it has been a marathon for sure.
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