My first LandCruiser (FJ40) came courtesy of a 50-50 JV with my father back in 1985. I was one year out of college and still young enough to know it all when my dad and I passed a 40 on the side of the road in El Paso, Texas with a For Sale sign in the window. We’d always talked about getting a good four wheel drive to hunt out of, so we turned around to take a look. $2,800 later we drove it home, little did I know the joy this truck would bring me over the course of my adult life nor could I have imagined the incredible people that this truck would sew into my life through the years.
About a year ago my Mom started to talking about needing a new car. They had 3 vehicles at the time, all Toyotas or TYOTOTA's as pronounced in her southern drawl; a fairly new Prius, a Hylander and a 97 FZJ80 with the factory lockers. With Dad's health in decline and now no longer driving, Mom started talking about getting the 80 out of the driveway. She had thought about gifting it to a grandchild but she thought it needed a lot of maintenance. She told me that something bad was wrong with it, so on a trip out they 6 months or so ago I took it for a spin. The 80 started right up and purred, pulling away I could tell that there seemed to be plenty of life left in the power plant but the truck did exhibit heavy steering and I could really feel all 4 tires grabbing at the pavement as it turned. Brakes seemed ok but the suspension and tires were shot, and the font axles clicked pretty loudly with a slight vibration through the steering rack in turns at slow speeds.
My Dad's degree was in engineering but he'd gone to law school as soon as he graduated. Good move Jim, he may be the most mechanically un-inclined person I know so law school was a good move. Later in his career he'd represented Toyota which gave him the ability to buy vehicles at employee pricing, so he took advantage when they bought the 80. The truck has served them well through the years. Dad had driven the 80 for the last 15 years or so on his almost daily trips to Mexico to carry food, meds and clothes to those less fortunate and the 80 shows the wear of his driving skills in Mexico. Several months ago Mom told me that a mechanic that worked on it last had offered to buy it, it was then that I told her not to sell because I would take it. What was I thinking, I have the original 40 plus a 100 that we use at our cabin in Idaho, not to mention our two daily drivers. Memories are hard to let go of and I felt attached to the 80, besides how much fun would it be bring this baby back to life, real life? And so a new journey begins.
About a year ago my Mom started to talking about needing a new car. They had 3 vehicles at the time, all Toyotas or TYOTOTA's as pronounced in her southern drawl; a fairly new Prius, a Hylander and a 97 FZJ80 with the factory lockers. With Dad's health in decline and now no longer driving, Mom started talking about getting the 80 out of the driveway. She had thought about gifting it to a grandchild but she thought it needed a lot of maintenance. She told me that something bad was wrong with it, so on a trip out they 6 months or so ago I took it for a spin. The 80 started right up and purred, pulling away I could tell that there seemed to be plenty of life left in the power plant but the truck did exhibit heavy steering and I could really feel all 4 tires grabbing at the pavement as it turned. Brakes seemed ok but the suspension and tires were shot, and the font axles clicked pretty loudly with a slight vibration through the steering rack in turns at slow speeds.
My Dad's degree was in engineering but he'd gone to law school as soon as he graduated. Good move Jim, he may be the most mechanically un-inclined person I know so law school was a good move. Later in his career he'd represented Toyota which gave him the ability to buy vehicles at employee pricing, so he took advantage when they bought the 80. The truck has served them well through the years. Dad had driven the 80 for the last 15 years or so on his almost daily trips to Mexico to carry food, meds and clothes to those less fortunate and the 80 shows the wear of his driving skills in Mexico. Several months ago Mom told me that a mechanic that worked on it last had offered to buy it, it was then that I told her not to sell because I would take it. What was I thinking, I have the original 40 plus a 100 that we use at our cabin in Idaho, not to mention our two daily drivers. Memories are hard to let go of and I felt attached to the 80, besides how much fun would it be bring this baby back to life, real life? And so a new journey begins.
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