We are just a couple of old hippies still trying to find ourselves. The Lulie taught school for thirty years in Dallas, TX and Loveland, CO. Jack worked at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park for thirty one years as the museum director and corporate historian.
We purchased a 1978 FJ40 new and kept in for twenty years. After selling it to purchase a new work truck, we had immediate sellers remorse.
During the winter of 2017, the Lulie decided it was time for another FJ40. She started looking on eBay. Jack joined the search in the spring. When he asked her how she was going to pay for the truck, she said, "I'll save enough money on health insurance by going on Medicare to pay for it!
Jack found Miss Scarlet on Craig's List in Rogers, AR in late May 2017. She was originally purchased from Jim Barkley Toyota in Ashville, North Carolina, in the summer of 1982 by thirty six year old George Watson. The FJ40 was his daily driver. His daughter, Shelly, called it "the little red Jeep." She remembered that the Toyota authorized A/C was added after a scorching trip to Daytona. It was always garaged, never seeing ice or snow. As George told us, it rarely left the pavement. Four wheel drive was used just a few times.
It is an original survivor except for a 1997 repainting. At that time all glass was replaced as were window and door gaskets. The headliner was replaced, and vinyl from a rear jump seats was scavenged to repair the lower left driver seat. George added chrome wheels and street tires.
Shortly after the Cruiser received its make over, George was disabled in a bicycle accident. The FJ40 went into storage in his airplane hanger. Only driven 557 miles between 1997 and 2005, it was listed on eBay in March 2005. It sold for $18,100 to Amanda and Tom Cujak of Rogers, Arkansas, with 88,625 miles on the odometer.
For years, the Cruiser was their play toy and Tom's daily driver. They added period correct Toyota white spoke wheels with Goodrich T/A tires. They installed a Warn winch and replaced the clutch, rear brakes and shocks. Like the first owner, this Land Cruiser was always garaged and was never seriously driven off road. George lost the burn in the belly for owning the FJ40. It sat for a couple of years leaking fluids from almost every place possible.
Telephone calls were exchanged, additional photographs sent, and a down payment was made.
Cosmetically she was near perfect and 95% rust free with no bondo. Six months of work were required to make her roadworthy.
To date, Miss Scarlet has won three best off road awards. She is our daily driver during the warm dry months. Because of her exceptional condition she rarely goes off road.
