Literally the first thing I thought when I rolled up to your house 15 yrs or so ago.
That’s said, the course conversation is funny. CDan and I have discussed this many times.
1972 ‘Mongrel’ FJ40 build retrospective - A quarter century of ownership
- Thread starter cruiseroutfit
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Literally the first thing I thought when I rolled up to your house 15 yrs or so ago.
That’s said, the course conversation is funny. CDan and I have discussed this many times.
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thanks for sharing the history and cool old pics Kurt. This is fun!
- Thread starter
- #44
I get a photo of your place every so often. "...you recognize this house... they have a bunch of Cruisers... ".
I used to get Hoffman's house pics too but they are a bit more hidden these days.
Hahaha yep! Went uncover!I get a photo of your place every so often. "...you recognize this house... they have a bunch of Cruisers... ".
I used to get Hoffman's house pics too but they are a bit more hidden these days.
If had the 40 for 33yrs. Jesus, I'm an old bastard.I get a photo of your place every so often. "...you recognize this house... they have a bunch of Cruisers... ".
I used to get Hoffman's house pics too but they are a bit more hidden these days.
Funny story, way back when, went to cruiser outfitters by the ball park there. Heading into the maze and Darrel bolted a couple metal straps to the back of my rig to hold the tub down! Hahaha. Im still that same guy. Ghetto hahaI get a photo of your place every so often. "...you recognize this house... they have a bunch of Cruisers... ".
I used to get Hoffman's house pics too but they are a bit more hidden these days.
- Thread starter
- #49
Love reading these stories, looking forward to the next update!
- Thread starter
- #51
With the critical build parts acquired (tub, frame and axles), I brought the tub to Cruiser Outfitters (in SLC proper at the time) and got to work.
(my prized tub on a random rolling frame/chassis so I could move it around to work on it)
I had two parallel tasks right off the bat, frame modifications and tub sheet metal work. The donor frame was propped up on jack stands in corner of the shop and I got to work cleaning off any unnecessary brackets and mounts, i.e. the factory steering gear pedestal, leaf spring mounts as I was going to SOA/SR, etc. I started setting up the suspension and wheelbase with a very loose plan in mind. I knew I wanted to setup it for spring-over axles and I planned to use FJ60 axles for the added width. My first rendition of suspension was modified stock spring packs, 40 Series leaf packs in the front and 60 Series leaf packs in the rear. They were basically stock springs with an additional stock leaf or two added to help control axle wrap and reduce inverting at static ride height. They were hung using Old Man Emu shackles and pins in the rear (still rocking those exact same ones 25 years later) and some custom stuff in the front to accommodate the shackle reversal and slightly out-boarded mounts.
The longer rear springs helped with the notoriously limited rear flex on a 40 Series and as I was moving the axle backwards several inches to increase wheel base. It was a relatively project to also relocation the spring mounts to accommodate the longer 60 springs. I used stock 40 spring pin mounts at the fixed hanger on the rear springs, and bolted them for the mockup. After everything checked out and measurements all worked, they were burned on.
(My corner of the shop for that summer/fall)
(I wanted to run wider axles and 60 axles were the natural choice as we had a good stock of used ones to choose from. The build started with a stock take-out semi-float 60 axle, that wouldn't last super long (future discussion) before it needed upgrading)
The shop had been doing cut and turns for many years at that point and I was able to assist Darrell and Andy in some of those projects, enough so that Eric (Spunky) and I mocked up an axle on a workbench and got to cutting & turning.
(The worst part of axle work, cutting off the old stuff and grinding it down to base)
(The cut. We still do the cut the same way today using a modified 4-blade Rigid pipe cutter)
To be continued...
(my prized tub on a random rolling frame/chassis so I could move it around to work on it)
I had two parallel tasks right off the bat, frame modifications and tub sheet metal work. The donor frame was propped up on jack stands in corner of the shop and I got to work cleaning off any unnecessary brackets and mounts, i.e. the factory steering gear pedestal, leaf spring mounts as I was going to SOA/SR, etc. I started setting up the suspension and wheelbase with a very loose plan in mind. I knew I wanted to setup it for spring-over axles and I planned to use FJ60 axles for the added width. My first rendition of suspension was modified stock spring packs, 40 Series leaf packs in the front and 60 Series leaf packs in the rear. They were basically stock springs with an additional stock leaf or two added to help control axle wrap and reduce inverting at static ride height. They were hung using Old Man Emu shackles and pins in the rear (still rocking those exact same ones 25 years later) and some custom stuff in the front to accommodate the shackle reversal and slightly out-boarded mounts.
The longer rear springs helped with the notoriously limited rear flex on a 40 Series and as I was moving the axle backwards several inches to increase wheel base. It was a relatively project to also relocation the spring mounts to accommodate the longer 60 springs. I used stock 40 spring pin mounts at the fixed hanger on the rear springs, and bolted them for the mockup. After everything checked out and measurements all worked, they were burned on.
(My corner of the shop for that summer/fall)
(I wanted to run wider axles and 60 axles were the natural choice as we had a good stock of used ones to choose from. The build started with a stock take-out semi-float 60 axle, that wouldn't last super long (future discussion) before it needed upgrading)
The shop had been doing cut and turns for many years at that point and I was able to assist Darrell and Andy in some of those projects, enough so that Eric (Spunky) and I mocked up an axle on a workbench and got to cutting & turning.
(The worst part of axle work, cutting off the old stuff and grinding it down to base)
(The cut. We still do the cut the same way today using a modified 4-blade Rigid pipe cutter)
To be continued...
- Thread starter
- #52
You’ll have to visit the new place when you’re in SLC next. It’s got a bit more room for Cruisers and projects.
Best part is, the backyard neighbor has even more cars, trucks, cranes, etc in his backyard so even once completely moved over, I’ll still be looking tidy. In a crazy twist, as I surveyed all the random vehicles he has, I spotted three!! FJ40’s and an 80 among a few mini-trucks, all hidden amongst the random Ford’s and Chevy’s. I’m working on a bulk buy
- Thread starter
- #53
How the Karen house-moms of Utah haven’t had you offed is a mystery. I can hear them now: “Our children’s eyes!!! What about the children”
re: corner canyon, I'm always telling my wife that if I grew up in the 60s-80s in Utah I'd be so grumpy about all the "progress" now. I guess I'm part of the problem cause I live up there now (though not in a McMansion and I'm not from CA haha.) But I did find a rolled F-250 while out hiking the other day up there. I don't think anyone knows about it. Registration sticker on the license plate was '96 if I remember right. I would have loved to be able to do some wheeling and camping up on these trails back in the day
- Thread starter
- #55
Wild. I suspect there are still a few old vehicle carcasses up there in random ravines. I knew where a few much older cars were between the upper and lower CC road. I’ve looked for them in a few decades so they may have been cleaned off.
How far from a driveable (with special permission) road is that truck? Draper City has been great to work with on recovering vehicles in Corner Canyon, South Mountain and Traverse area. We (the Utah Off Road Recovery Team) have done a handful up there over the years including gaining access to previously closed roads.
For example, here is a rolled Jeep we recovered with permission (and gate access) of Draper City Police
It was fun to go drive some roads I hadn’t been on in a 15-20 years
Nice, I'll send you a pin if you promise to invite me!Wild. I suspect there are still a few old vehicle carcasses up there in random ravines. I knew where a few much older cars were between the upper and lower CC road. I’ve looked for them in a few decades so they may have been cleaned off.
How far from a driveable (with special permission) road is that truck? Draper City has been great to work with on recovering vehicles in Corner Canyon, South Mountain and Traverse area. We (the Utah Off Road Recovery Team) have done a handful up there over the years including gaining access to previously closed roads.
For example, here is a rolled Jeep we recovered with permission (and gate access) of Draper City Police
View attachment 4119998
View attachment 4119999
It was fun to go drive some roads I hadn’t been on in a 15-20 years
I'll PM you
- Thread starter
- #57
Deal!
Have you spent much time on West Mountain at the southern tip of Utah Lake? We did a gnarly late night/early AM recovery there an earlier this week. There are some roads that continue south of the radio towers, eventually turning to user-created single track stuff. There are some pretty steep climbs up and down the ridgebacks with legit exposure, like roll a thousand feet exposure. A young gent in a 4Runner tried to claw up an off-camber steep loose climb, and the dirt gave way and he slide off the road. Meanwhile a gent in a new to him Gladiator (still rocking paper tags) saw his lights and decided to go and help. He started up the same climb and in fear of sliding off, punched it around the stuck 4Runner through some trees and made it to a safe flat spot. However he did some damage to the Jeep’s bed and blew out a topper window in the meantime. Worse yet, he ripped the valve stem off his wheel and found that the lock-key wasn’t with the Jeep. So he’s stuck passed the 4Runner, with a de-beaded tire and what I’m assuming is a very upset girlfriend or wife.
We got there around 11:30pm and went to work. We had to carefully sneak a team members Gladiator around the stuck 4Runner (he winched to prevent him from hitting the 4Runner and diving into the same body damage trees as the other Jeep). We made quick work of field swapping a valve-stem, reseating that bead and re-inflating. We got him cleared out of the way temporarily so we could position for winching. We did 3-4 winch setups to get the 4Runner back on the trail and up the remainder of the climb so he could carefully turn around. With everyone now turned around we did a traction board leap frog party to slowly bring each of the 3 vehicles past the off-camber loose spot. Made it home covered in mud just after 4AM
Pictures don’t do it justice. They don’t show just how steep it was and how off-camber he already was (look at the snow capped mountains in the background for true horizon). Add the dark night and it fell like we were on cliff edges
Wow that's wild! Sketchy situation, that off camber is nuts.Deal!
Have you spent much time on West Mountain at the southern tip of Utah Lake? We did a gnarly late night/early AM recovery there an earlier this week. There are some roads that continue south of the radio towers, eventually turning to user-created single track stuff. There are some pretty steep climbs up and down the ridgebacks with legit exposure, like roll a thousand feet exposure. A young gent in a 4Runner tried to claw up an off-camber steep loose climb, and the dirt gave way and he slide off the road. Meanwhile a gent in a new to him Gladiator (still rocking paper tags) saw his lights and decided to go and help. He started up the same climb and in fear of sliding off, punched it around the stuck 4Runner through some trees and made it to a safe flat spot. However he did some damage to the Jeep’s bed and blew out a topper window in the meantime. Worse yet, he ripped the valve stem off his wheel and found that the lock-key wasn’t with the Jeep. So he’s stuck passed the 4Runner, with a de-beaded tire and what I’m assuming is a very upset girlfriend or wife.
We got there around 11:30pm and went to work. We had to carefully sneak a team members Gladiator around the stuck 4Runner (he winched to prevent him from hitting the 4Runner and diving into the same body damage trees as the other Jeep). We made quick work of field swapping a valve-stem, reseating that bead and re-inflating. We got him cleared out of the way temporarily so we could position for winching. We did 3-4 winch setups to get the 4Runner back on the trail and up the remainder of the climb so he could carefully turn around. With everyone now turned around we did a traction board leap frog party to slowly bring each of the 3 vehicles past the off-camber loose spot. Made it home covered in mud just after 4AM
View attachment 4120003
Pictures don’t do it justice. They don’t show just how steep it was and how off-camber he already was (look at the snow capped mountains in the background for true horizon). Add the dark night and it fell like we were on cliff edges
Yeah I don't know what it is about that mountain. I guess it's close and easy to access so it attracts people that don't know too much about offroading, but enough to get in trouble. I used to spend time there in my 20s but haven't been back in a long time. I remember down on the western side one time I found a survivalist/prepper camp hidden in a forest. Pretty well established and it looked like he'd been living there for a while. That guy wasn't happy to see me. And I had to recover another 20 something guy and his girlfriend that had got stuck in a swamp down by the lake in their Kia sedan.