I recently purchased this 464 Beige '82 FJ40. The seller had an ad on the local Craigslist for a different truck (a mustard '75 that was listed incorrectly as a '77 but that is a different story). Craigslist gives the seller the option of adding a map of the general location of the item to be sold. I recognized the area on the map as being near the North and South Carolina line in the Dudley area outside of Pageland, SC. It is a rural area that is extensively farmed by a local farming family, the Cox's. The Cox family farms roughly 15,000 acres of crops. They also raise chickens and hogs on a large scale. They are the biggest farm producers in Noth Carolina and are well known in our area. I had been told years ago that the Cox brothers had several old Land Cruisers stashed away in barns. I had never seen them or had the opportunity to ask about them.
I inquired via text about the mustard "77" Land Cruiser on Craigslist . I asked a few questions and it was apparent that the seller did not know much about the truck. He thought it was a '77 (turns out that it was really a '75). He wasn't sure. He told me that the truck belonged to his 81 year old grandfather and that he was just listing it for him. "Your name wouldn't happen to be Cox, would it?," I asked. He replied, "Well, my grandfather's name is Cox. It's his truck." "I have been told that y'all have several Land Cruisers, right?" "Yes sir." "Are they for sale?", I asked. "Maybe. We have an FJ60 and another FJ40 in the shed." I told him I'd be there Saturday morning to look at them.
On Saturday I arrived at the Cox farm and was greeted by grandpa Cox. He showed me all the trucks but this '82 40 was definitely the cream of the crop. The mustard '75 was really rough. There was an '84 FJ60 is great shape as well, but this 40 was special. Mr. Cox knew it was. I asked him if he would sell it to me and he said he would consider it, but that there was someone in Connecticut who had made on offer on the truck and wanted to do a total restoration on it. Apparently, the person in CT was in the business of restoring and selling Land Cruisers. I knew this truck held good memories for Mr. Cox and I knew that he didn't want to see it go. "You don't want to sell this truck away to CT, do you?", I asked. "Not really. I'd rather be able to see it from time to time.", he replied. "Then sell it to me. I'll match CT's offer. I'll keep it local and I'll bring it by from time to time so that you can keep tabs on it.", I responded. "Well, we will see.", he said. He and I talked 'cruisers for an hour or more and I left the farm with the '82 40 on my mind. A few days later we talked again and he told me to come get the truck.
I inquired via text about the mustard "77" Land Cruiser on Craigslist . I asked a few questions and it was apparent that the seller did not know much about the truck. He thought it was a '77 (turns out that it was really a '75). He wasn't sure. He told me that the truck belonged to his 81 year old grandfather and that he was just listing it for him. "Your name wouldn't happen to be Cox, would it?," I asked. He replied, "Well, my grandfather's name is Cox. It's his truck." "I have been told that y'all have several Land Cruisers, right?" "Yes sir." "Are they for sale?", I asked. "Maybe. We have an FJ60 and another FJ40 in the shed." I told him I'd be there Saturday morning to look at them.
On Saturday I arrived at the Cox farm and was greeted by grandpa Cox. He showed me all the trucks but this '82 40 was definitely the cream of the crop. The mustard '75 was really rough. There was an '84 FJ60 is great shape as well, but this 40 was special. Mr. Cox knew it was. I asked him if he would sell it to me and he said he would consider it, but that there was someone in Connecticut who had made on offer on the truck and wanted to do a total restoration on it. Apparently, the person in CT was in the business of restoring and selling Land Cruisers. I knew this truck held good memories for Mr. Cox and I knew that he didn't want to see it go. "You don't want to sell this truck away to CT, do you?", I asked. "Not really. I'd rather be able to see it from time to time.", he replied. "Then sell it to me. I'll match CT's offer. I'll keep it local and I'll bring it by from time to time so that you can keep tabs on it.", I responded. "Well, we will see.", he said. He and I talked 'cruisers for an hour or more and I left the farm with the '82 40 on my mind. A few days later we talked again and he told me to come get the truck.
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