First Trip in “Hoss" (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jun 6, 2016
Threads
19
Messages
248
Location
Northern Michigan
Website
www.thesurrealmccoys.com
After finding an 85 FJ60 a month or so back that had basically spent it’s entire life in the Colorado area, I towed it to my hometown in Northern Michigan and had Dave’s Garage in TVC help with a few things to get him ready for an inaugural road trip - transfer case, parking brake, head gasket, and lower gasket on the after-market carb to correct a rough idle, and front brakes. The name “Hoss” came from the CarFax which showed he had been abducted [stolen] when he was about 30K miles old out in Denver and held hostage for a bit before the original owner tracked him down. Stolen car - hostage - Hoss.

We did a quick trip up and down the peninsula and a spin through a local vineyard to make sure he was running right.
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A few days later we packed him up with tents, fly rods, coolers etc and headed north over the bridge.

We headed west to Manistique to grab Cudighi Sandwiches before heading farther west to a small lake/trout stream.

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We ended up catching a mess of brook and rainbow trout and camped on the side of a small lake in the middle of no-where.

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Headed back home we stopped in Ishpeming which was a mining town way back in the day.

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No issues what-so-ever. We put about 500 miles on the truck. He seems to run at about 64 mph when the speedometer reads 55mph on the 33 inch tires he came with.

Brook trout are definitely the prettiest fish on the whole planet.....

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Thats a great first outing. It's good that you accepted the faults, fixed them out front and all at once.

I'm doing them all one at a time and that's preventing me from having had my real weekend of relaxation yet...
 
Nice first trip and welcome to world of 60's
 
Sweet first trip and Hoss is looking good! Are those tires 33x10.50 or 33x12.50?
33x10.50 tires on Hoss. I took a fishing road trip this am to the Upper Manistee and knocked the rear bracket on the tailpipe loose. I’ve grabbed some stainless steel hose clamps to see if I can Macgyver it and secure once I get home tonite......

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Nice first trip and welcome to world of 60's

This FJ60 is my second venture. I had an 85 FJ60 back in grad school. My wife and I took our honeymoon in it. We left Lansing Michigan and drove all the way to Glacier National Park. We camped for the next three weeks through Glacier, Olympic, Pacific Coast Highway, Three Sisters Wildness Area, Uncompahgre Nat Forest, and San Isbell National Forest. It was a great time pre-kids and a great vehicle. Sold it after the first kid was born. First born just graduated college and life comes full circle so I began my search for a new 1985 FJ60 and ended up finding one w/ 138K miles just south of me in GR. Super nice guy, engineer, all-around-handy dude found it in Colorado and brought it here last year. It sat in a barn till he had the opportunity to pick up a sweet Tacoma and he is retro-fitting that into the ultimate family camping truck. So he went to sell the FJ. I’m the lucky recipient. Hoss will be parked late fall. Inside a pole barn at my deer camp. Hopefully after deer season, but before the road salt trucks fire up. Driving him around brings back great memories from 1992-1995. He even smells the same... weird.

After my trip to the river this am, I realized the bracket mount on the tailpipe broke. I’m headed home now to fix that little issue.

Any tips re: winter storage are appreciated.
 
The smell you speak of... gas, rubber, dust, dirt, gear oil, exhaust, plastic... I think I know what you mean. When I get in mine I smell the 1980s, being covered in dirt all the time and learning to drive in an '84 pickup. You slam the door and even that sound takes you back.
 
Nice! Looks like Hoss is going to be a great addition to the family. Once you get some confidence in the rig, you'll be off to parts unknown!

By the way, lake that are really in the middle of nowhere don't have picnic tables ;)
 
Us lower peninsula folk refer to everything in the Upper Peninsula as “in the middle of no-where”. We were surprised by the picnic table too. We’ve gone there for 3 years to to this little clearing on the lake. It was just a dirt spot on the shore that folks have used as an area to pitch a tent. This year we show up, and there’s a wood picnic bench. Odd... because it’s not like it’s a state or federal campground, you don’t register to stay there with anyone really. You just drive down this dirt road for a while and there it is. Welcome addition though...
 
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Hoss will be parked late fall. Inside a pole barn at my deer camp....Any tips re: winter storage are appreciated.

Be sure it's truly secure, so you don't find that punk kids broke out the truck windows in the winter. Put 8 mil. poly (2 layers) on the barn floor (perhaps buried 8" down to prevent punctures) to prevent condensation from forming on the bottom of the truck during temperature swings. Buy a car cover to prevent pigeon poop from destroying the paint - secure the cover well. Put a bunch of mouse poison inside the truck - front and back areas. Seal off the air cleaner hole with screen/hardware cloth. Be sure the barn has ventilation and that rain from the roof doesn't run in under the walls and create an even-more-humid environment. I grew up in Michigan (Midland) and fought vehicle rust the entire time I was there. If the vehicle is clean and dry for the winter, that's a huge help. There's only so much you can do about the humidity of the region. I'm taking it for granted that you have already sprayed oil/grease into the doors and fender seams to prevent rust-out there. You might apply a coat of car wax to the chrome rims and bumpers and don't wipe it off - for winter protection.
 
After finding an 85 FJ60 a month or so back that had basically spent it’s entire life in the Colorado area, I towed it to my hometown in Northern Michigan and had Dave’s Garage in TVC help with a few things to get him ready for an inaugural road trip - transfer case, parking brake, head gasket, and lower gasket on the after-market carb to correct a rough idle, and front brakes. The name “Hoss” came from the CarFax which showed he had been abducted [stolen] when he was about 30K miles old out in Denver and held hostage for a bit before the original owner tracked him down. Stolen car - hostage - Hoss.

We did a quick trip up and down the peninsula and a spin through a local vineyard to make sure he was running right.
TBPX7843_zps7p0cghff.jpg


A few days later we packed him up with tents, fly rods, coolers etc and headed north over the bridge.

We headed west to Manistique to grab Cudighi Sandwiches before heading farther west to a small lake/trout stream.

IMG_5708_zpsyi8vclqw.jpg


We ended up catching a mess of brook and rainbow trout and camped on the side of a small lake in the middle of no-where.

IMG_5724_zpsixbnou64.jpg


Headed back home we stopped in Ishpeming which was a mining town way back in the day.

IMG_5727_zpstzbcdtkg.jpg


No issues what-so-ever. We put about 500 miles on the truck. He seems to run at about 64 mph when the speedometer reads 55mph on the 33 inch tires he came with.

Brook trout are definitely the prettiest fish on the whole planet.....

IMG_5571_zpsqk22hkec.jpg
I love your ride, same color as mine. I've been debating on 31s or 33s. Your pics settled the debate for me. 33s are the winners.
 

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