Build 94 FZJ80 - Let the Adventure Ensue

[Riverrunner]

Now it was time for logistics. I gave a text and a call to @Riverrunner (Aaron). He hooked it up and within days my new cruiser was picked up from San Antonio and en route to my farm in TN. It took about 4 days to get there and there was some drama involved with the subcontractor BUT it arrived and arrived safely.

That's a really generous account of what went down. Feel free to tell the whole story if you like so everyone else can appreciate my daily strife with the eastern block boys.
I think I told you on the phone, but the best quote I've had from one of these drivers during a screaming match we were having was...
"I'M NOT AN a******, I'M JUST RUSSIAN!"

Thanks for the shoutout, Pell.

 

[MrMikeyG]

Good stuff Pell. You're an evil man for the beach pictures though.

 

[FMC80]

Good stuff Pell. You're an evil man for the beach pictures though.

This dude just walked into my beach cabin and was like, “yo, gimme some ****ing bread”.

 

[FMC80]

That's a really generous account of what went down. Feel free to tell the whole story if you like so everyone else can appreciate my daily strife with the eastern block boys.
I think I told you on the phone, but the best quote I've had from one of these drivers during a screaming match we were having was...
"I'M NOT AN a******, I'M JUST RUSSIAN!"

Thanks for the shoutout, Pell.

You sure? Fair enough, I don’t like putting drama out there but this is too funny to pass up.

The Russian mom and pop decided to drag my 80 across the states. NBD right? Well, they get to my farm and they can’t get up the driveway. NBD, we flex and my in-laws meet them at a church parking lot. Now here’s where it gets stupid so listen closely.

They are dragging 3 vehicles in total. My 80 is the first one loaded, then a wrecked car, and finally a third car.

My mother in law calls me and says you won’t believe this but they’re using the first white car to tow the middle car off the trailer but the strap keeps breaking.

They keep asking my MIL for help. Turns out the middle car was wrecked and had 4 flats and was loaded via forklift.

A FORKLIFT.

So my FIL leaves work and is flaming ****ing pissed. This dude never curses. My wife has NEVER heard him say the word F U C K. Ever. I heard it from him though. The Russians kept asking him for a forklift. To which he replied, “I don’t have a ****ING forklift!”

Hahahahah wtf right?

My dad’s colleague happens to have a rollback and comes to winch the broke-ass car off the trailer and takes my cruiser with him to my farm.

According to my FIL the Russians were there until late at night trying to figure out how to winch or place the vehicle back onto the trailer.

I hope that white car was theirs and not another customers.


Oh yeah, Aaron made at least 69 phone calls to the Russian mob and did his damndest to clear up the situation and made right by me by giving me a sizable chunk of my total cost back to me.

10/10 you gotta laugh at s*** like this and just roll with the flow. Sometimes s*** just happens and we make the best of it.

 

[FMC80]

Glamping at Bellows Air Force Station.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Glamping at Bellows Air Force Station. View attachment 2966453View attachment 2966454View attachment 2966455

The Air Force has fancy whiskey glasses.

 

[FMC80]

The Air Force has fancy whiskey glasses.

Negative. It had someone’s name engraved in the glass and they forgot it. I dremeled “Jason” off and now I use it. For freeeeeee

 

[White Sheep]

Pell,

You think you'll be in TN during the GSMTR timeframe?

Events/Trails - UC 2022 GSMTR Cabin and Ride Thread

***FULL*** With the cabin issue of 2021 turning into a score for next year, we are starting this a little early for those that are ready to commit. The scheme here is that UC, ONSC, and LCLC will take over the block. We currently have the Ponderosa cabin from 6/15-19/2022 and have beds...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[FMC80]

Pell,

You think you'll be in TN during the GSMTR timeframe?

Events/Trails - UC 2022 GSMTR Cabin and Ride Thread

***FULL*** With the cabin issue of 2021 turning into a score for next year, we are starting this a little early for those that are ready to commit. The scheme here is that UC, ONSC, and LCLC will take over the block. We currently have the Ponderosa cabin from 6/15-19/2022 and have beds...

forum.ih8mud.com

Darren, unfortunately not this year. I was passively prepping to go this year but the military has different plans for me. I’ll have to wait until next year. You going?

 

[White Sheep]

Darren, unfortunately not this year. I was passively prepping to go this year but the military has different plans for me. I’ll have to wait until next year. You going?

Yeah ill be there, but I think I deploy again around this time next year.

 

[Dusten]

Yeah ill be there, but I think I deploy again around this time next year.

I do not miss planning my life around deployments

 

[FMC80]

I do not miss planning my life around deployments

Time away is time lost. I hate deployments even though I usually made a lot of money and it was always great coming back home. If I had the choice, I’d rather stay. Missing key milestones is no bueno for your fam or you.

Anyway, glad that s***s over for me and Dusten. It’ll be over for Darren when he retires in the next couple of years.

 

[FMC80]

Here she is on my farm. 170k on the clock, unlocked, torn leather, and dirty as hell.

Yeah, you see what’s in the cargo compartment? The engine has some kind of issue that the PO couldn’t articulate well (he didn’t know). Once I get to the farm, I plan to troubleshoot with a good buddy of mine whom I have yet to meet in person. He’s a cruiser head of a different magnitude and I look forward to getting this 40th cleaned up and running.

 

[Dusten]

Derek from vgg always says the trunk tells the story.

 

[FMC80]

Pics of engine bay. Needs a lot of work:

Under her skirt:

 

[MrMikeyG]

I think we've all seen worse on these pages. underside doesn't look too bad. How many kids' chocolate malts have been spilled beside the center console? Geez!
The real question for the 'mud community: Has @FMC80 gone from 1 to 3 cruisers in record time?

 

[FMC80]

I think we've all seen worse on these pages. underside doesn't look too bad. How many kids' chocolate malts have been spilled beside the center console? Geez!
The real question for the 'mud community: Has @FMC80 gone from 1 to 3 cruisers in record time?

It’s a mess, Mike, but it’s a solid foundation to work with.

First cruiser: Jan 2021
Second cruiser: Oct 2021
Third cruiser: March 2022

I’m certain there are others who buy more than I did. I got into the cruiser game in 2015 when I first learned about them and got my first cruiser in 2021. So it’s fair to say I’ve accelerated filling my stable with more than I thought I would but I’m not done. I really want a 40, maybe a 60, and a 100. Time will tell what I decide to do with my current 80s to balance my desired end state.

 

[Bludozer]

It’s a mess, Mike, but it’s a solid foundation to work with.

First cruiser: Jan 2021
Second cruiser: Oct 2021
Third cruiser: March 2022

I’m certain there are others who buy more than I did. I got into the cruiser game in 2015 when I first learned about them and got my first cruiser in 2021. So it’s fair to say I’ve accelerated filling my stable with more than I thought I would but I’m not done. I really want a 40, maybe a 60, and a 100. Time will tell what I decide to do with my current 80s to balance my desired end state.

Underside looks very solid and that's half the battle these days.

If you want a 40 you can buy mine, I'm sick of that ******* thing

 

[Texas Navy]

Man, I just finished reading your whole thread. Awesome stuff you've done! I bought my first 80 series on Thursday after selling my 40 series a year and a half ago. Reason I sold - I retired from the Navy and the logistics were just too much with the move and little kids and all the rest. So glad to be back in Land Cruisers and so impressed with guys like you and the community that surrounds them. Good luck with your retirement!

 

[FMC80]

Man, I just finished reading your whole thread. Awesome stuff you've done! I bought my first 80 series on Thursday after selling my 40 series a year and a half ago. Reason I sold - I retired from the Navy and the logistics were just too much with the move and little kids and all the rest. So glad to be back in Land Cruisers and so impressed with guys like you and the community that surrounds them. Good luck with your retirement!

Hey brother! Thank you for the kudos but more importantly, thank you for your service and congrats on retirement and buying your 80! Did you start a thread on your recent purchase? I’ll follow along once you do.

Where did you end up post military that made logistics challenging? I assume you’re overseas?