25 years (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Oct 30, 2011
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7
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839
Location
Lakewood, WA
On this day, way back in 1995, my dream came true and I finally purchased an FJ40. I was 25 and had wanted one for years. I started saving money in '94 and searched car lots and the old auto trader magazine religiously hoping to find a good one. There was no internet back then so trying to find a rare vehicle was quite a challenge. A couple of great 40s slipped through my fingers during this time, either the owners backed out and wouldn't sell, the price was too high or it just wasn't meant to be.

After literally sleeping on a big pile of cash for months, I received a phone call from my dad that changed everything. He had spotted a cruiser for sale at the old Olympic Off Road garage in Tacoma Wa. I checked it out and it had everything I was looking for; 2f, disk brakes, little rust and decent paint.

I called the number listed and after a quick test drive, I put $5k in the owners hand and drove away very satisfied. I was now the 3rd owner of this May 1976 FJ40. It had sloppy steering, a crappy Rochester carburetor, wiring problems, missing parts and a ton of little issues but I didn't care, it was mine!

I wasn't rich so this would be a very slow process of fixing problems and making the 40 into a reliable vehicle that could handle road trips and still do well off road. The old Land Cruiser Mailing List was invaluable back in the day to help find parts, organize trail runs and make friends. That torch has been passed here to Mud and this same process continues to this day.

Over the years, many things have broken and been fixed, engine seized and swapped, lifts and tires have come and gone, parts have been upgraded and thousands of gallons of fuel have been burned while owning this cruiser. The blood, sweat, tears and empty wallet have been 100% worth it.

Well enough of my long winded story, I'm just hoping to get another 25 years out of this cruiser before I get too old to drive. I've had so many amazing adventures in this thing and theres lots of time for more. My kids are already fighting over it. 😁

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Awesome, were you part of the Seattle Cruiserheads back then? I'm guessing you were in the South Sound Cruisers as well. We need to take a trip down the peninsula and meet up.
 
Awesome, were you part of the Seattle Cruiserheads back then? I'm guessing you were in the South Sound Cruisers as well. We need to take a trip down the peninsula and meet up.

I started hanging around with Alan and the cruiserheads in 98 when we'd meet at Zeeks pizza near Woodland park zoo. Haven't been to a meeting in years as I work nights unfortunately. Wasn't part of South sounders but I did have some fun with the Cascade bushwackers and the Wilderness toys back in the day. Not many cruisers in the south sound these days, maybe 1 or 2 in my area.
 
Last hear I inherited my brothers ‘3/76 FJ40 when he suddenly passed away unexpectedly. We had done quite a few of the mechanicals together but he didn’t have the time or cash to finish it. I will never sell it. I plan to make him proud with the restoration I have planned for it. Yours is a great story, great pics and great rig! I plan a thread when things calm down in the next year. Thanks for sharing👍
 
Very cool - gives me hope! My story is (shorter) but similar - I’m approaching 10 years with mine and it too has been a slow process - no money, no time, and now that I have a kid - none of either!

Glad I got it driveable/fairly reliable - still puts a smile on my face every time I go somewhere in it.

It is truly a labor of love isn’t it? Here’s to 25 more! :beer:
 
Nice story. I have had my FJ40 for 46 years so another 25 years for you is doable.
Same here, ... although my son now has it, ... and I have another.
 
Nice story. I have had my FJ40 for 46 years so another 25 years for you is doable.

Interesting, I've had this one for forty six years as of last month.
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Made a lot of changes to the 40 over the years but never changed it from rust free. Figure that's one mod it didn't need. But for me 40s are like Lay's Potato chips. Can't have just one.
 

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