No garage/covered space - irresponsible to buy a 40? (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Threads
10
Messages
80
Location
Charleston, SC
I've lurked the classifieds for a year plus and test drove a 40 locally about 6 months ago. However, I don't know how serious I can get to buy without a proper place to store her.

Is it irresponsible to buy a 40 without shelter? Assume a cover won't properly protect for extended (indefinite) periods?

I live downtown and don't have a garage. There are storage units around but that's both expensive and inconvenient (too far for anything but a weekend spin).

Thoughts?
 
Trail rigs are all about patina.

Love me some patina... but not looking for a trail rig (should have mentioned that). She wouldn't be a daily driver either but something reliable to enjoy. I have some Lowcountry woods that I'd introduce her to but nothing too crazy.

My biggest fear is taking ownership and letting her deteriorate.
 
Mine has been outside for 23 of the 26 years I've owned it... and it's in better shape than when I bought it.:D

Go for it
 
I kept my first one in a storage unit for a year until I got a garage. I kinda liked it but it was inconvenient also an hour from where I lived. I was surprised lots of guys have man caves in storage units. Some even could have power.

In the storage area I was in
One guy ran a small wood shop business out of his, another guy had a place to listen to vinyl records, playboy posters on the wall setup like a 70s den.... he probably smoked some grass in there to get away from his kids. Another one full of Harley’s.

Sometimes I see people post up about renting a garage space/shop space together but I would really have to trust someone to do that
 
Last edited:
I think that if you kept it clean and waxed with a high quality wax you should be O.K. I kept my first two 40's outside without any issues. Just kept them waxed and clean. BTW, I also kept my 7 airplanes out side as well without any issues. When I could afford it I built a hangar and kept everything inside from then on. Good Luck!
 
Whatever Cruiser you but is probably sitting outside right now, it will be fine. As PL said tho, I would take several security measures.
Steering wheel lock, hidden kill switch, hood chain and lock, mabe have it double as a kennel for a German Shepard!
Best of luck.
 
I agree, keeping a 40 (super easy to hot-wire or roll-start) downtown, my biggest concern would be theft.

My favorite anti-theft device I've seen so far is welding brackets to the clutch and brake pedal, and pad-locking them together when the truck is parked. Can't remember where I saw this but it was pretty ingenious!

Then again, just having a manual transmission vehicle is becoming a theft deterrent in itself...
 
I bought 350,-$ tent carport from tractor supply and it works just fine for me for few years...I do have a geotec (tarp moisture barrier)floor on the ground....But...pretty soon I will put mine in the wooden garage shed....I feel FJ 40 needs some protection,but don"t let it stop you from buying one....You can always get some carport or garage for her later...Enjoy her -life is too short not to!!
 
Of course, you could follow George Carlin's line of thought, and realize that in the grand scheme of determining whether you own your possessions, or your possessions own you, that you end up bootstrapping yourself into better circumstances, not to take better care of yourself, but to take better care of your possessions!

I will also say this: buying a Landcruiser literally changed my life!
 
My favorite anti-theft device I've seen so far is welding brackets to the clutch and brake pedal, and pad-locking them together when the truck is parked. Can't remember where I saw this but it was pretty ingenious!

...

I'm doing this to the 55 and 62... Thank You!
 
I wish...even after 4 or 5 years, I still try to shift to 5 at 70... I did the poor mans 5 speed. 4 forward, one reverse...
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom