Earl Warden revisited

[devo]

Earl Warden Cruiser Parts

For all who knew Earl or knew of him. For those who don’t know Earl he was a pioneer for us LandCruiser owners. He was a heck of a mechanic and a heck of a nice guy. The thread above from 2009 is about all I could find.
I guess I’m reminiscing!
My wife and I met him in 1995. We were on a 4 month journey to the Artic Ocean and round trip back through Alaska to return to Colorado.
I was younger and didn’t know as much about LandCruisers. We were driving our 1984 FJ60. Back then your Overland vehicle looked like a plain LandCruiser and not how overlanders outfit there LandCruisers today.
Long story short, we spent the day with Earl prepping and doing PM on my 60 so it would handle the riggers of the road. We didn’t do much, it was a LandCruiser. We spent all day in Earls shop in Corvallis Montana and its just something I’ll never forget.

I don’t know if anyone wants to chip in. I don’t know if this thread belongs in the FJ40 forum . But after finding and reading the thread from 2009 I thought I would put this out there.


devo

 

[cruiserkev]

I had one of Earls T shirts back in the 90s. Thanks for the memories. Cruiser parts were hard to find in the early days of the Internet and I ended up calling everywhere for the best deals. He was always very helpful even if I just had questions.

 

[John McVicker]

Warden's was great. Never met him or went to his place, but I bought my 60 in 2002 from someone that lived close to Placerville, Ca., and he had all his maintance done by Warden.

Sometime prior to my purchase (don't know exactly how long) Warden rebuilt the 2f carb. Don't know how many miles the PO put on the carb rebuild, but I put 16 years and over 100k on it before it needed attention. Pretty good results.

The rest of the maintance they did was also first class. I recently rebuilt the carb and original 2f, 360+K. They certainly had a well deserved reputation. Not many like them...then or now.

 

[pjohnson]

That vehicle on the t-shirt actually exists. I saw it when I visited the shop in Placerville many years ago. Pretty cool.

 

[devo]

Yes double trouble does exist I got to sit in it. It wasn’t running at the time .

 

[65swb45]

I nominated Earl for TLCAs first Hall of Fame. I used to stop by his place every year after Rubithon and bring parts...and stories back home.
TLCA Hall Of Fame

On the first visit I noticed he had a LANDCRUISER bezel chained to the rafters in his workshop. I knew they were rare, but still asked him why it was chained to the rafters. He said “ If you had three sons that owned Landcruisers, you’d chain your bezel to the rafters as well.”

 

[White Stripe]

Is he still alive?

 

[3_puppies]

I got to see his purple swb45, junk yard dawg? many years ago when it was for sale somewhat locally. sadly I never did get to meet him.
I worked on a rig a few years ago and in place of the shift pattern on the glove box door, Earl had a custom plaque made with the customers name and modified by Earl Warden.

 

[shelfboy1]

he did an article in 4 wheeler or 1 of those mags in how to do an soa correctly

 

[OGBeno]

Earl is a legend. His son Danny was really into cruisers as well.

I heard at Rubithon this year that Earl had retired to Montana (?)

His son Danny still runs some thing in the Placerville area.

Mark A. would probably know a bit more of the current situation.

My 2F head gasket job was done at Wardens.

 

[pbgbottle]

Still have that magazine. It was that article that I read over and over and over ,that led to me doing my SOA. Back in the day. One thing not mentioned in the article was a secret castor angle hat they used. I had to phone wardens when doing my SOA to ask them what it was. Also always wanted one of his billet transfer cases.

he did an article in 4 wheeler or 1 of those mags in how to do an soa correctly

 

[cruiserjunktion]

I was told this was Earls own 45. It was out of Placerville and had made its way to Reno. Earl had done a Chevy conversion on it long ago.

It’s now getting a Toyota re power, but is not being repainted.

@bdyer12

 

[Marilyn]

Earl Warden Cruiser Parts

For all who knew Earl or knew of him. For those who don’t know Earl he was a pioneer for us LandCruiser owners. He was a heck of a mechanic and a heck of a nice guy. The thread above from 2009 is about all I could find.
I guess I’m reminiscing!
My wife and I met him in 1995. We were on a 4 month journey to the Artic Ocean and round trip back through Alaska to return to Colorado.
I was younger and didn’t know as much about LandCruisers. We were driving our 1984 FJ60. Back then your Overland vehicle looked like a plain LandCruiser and not how overlanders outfit there LandCruisers today.
Long story short, we spent the day with Earl prepping and doing PM on my 60 so it would handle the riggers of the road. We didn’t do much, it was a LandCruiser. We spent all day in Earls shop in Corvallis Montana and its just something I’ll never forget.

I don’t know if anyone wants to chip in. I don’t know if this thread belongs in the FJ40 forum . But after finding and reading the thread from 2009 I thought I would put this out there.


devo

View attachment 1805566

View attachment 1805567

This is my grandpa! He actually came to california to visit & flew back home yesterday. I went to Montana to visit him last November & got to look at all of his old four wheeling albums he had. I'm so proud to call him my grandpa. Love seeing all of these posts!

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

This is my grandpa! He actually came to california to visit & flew back home yesterday. I went to Montana to visit him last November & got to look at all of his old four wheeling albums he had. I'm so proud to call him my grandpa. Love seeing all of these posts!

Is he still living in the Bitterroot?

 

[3_puppies]

Is he still living in the Bitterroot?

AFAIK in or around Hamilton

 

[devo]

Marilyn,
Please tell your Granda hello from Bob and Sally, circa 1995. Let him know that our 4 month trip to get as close as you can get to the Arctic Ocean went without a hitch. ( I doubt he will remember)
I’m also glad you piped up on this thread.

devo

 

[Marilyn]

Is he still living in the Bitterroot?

Yes, he is in corvallis, MT

 

[Marilyn]

Marilyn,
Please tell your Granda hello from Bob and Sally, circa 1995. Let him know that our 4 month trip to get as close as you can get to the Arctic Ocean went without a hitch. ( I doubt he will remember)
I’m also glad you piped up on this thread.

devo

View attachment 2094916

I will absolutely tell him! I'm so glad my husband told me about all these posts about him. Currently, my cousin who is in Montana owns Junkyard Dawg (JYD), And my twin 13 year old nieces own double trouble (my brother Jason Warden's daughters). I'll have to scroll through some older four wheeling pics I snapped that were in his album.

 

[JohnnyC]

More posts here with good pics of “double trouble”:

Earl Warden Cruiser Parts

forum.ih8mud.com

More info here as well:

Stancils garage!

Attention John Pardion, maybe you can tell us the history of the sticker, picked up a real nice untouched 65 out of sacramento a while back and this sticker was still in its place!! I do recollect stancils doing alot of cruiser business. Didnt Earl Warden work there?

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Yes, he is in corvallis, MT

Heck of a deal, I’m right up the road.