Frivolous stuff from 1975 (1 Viewer)

[knuckle47]

So not really a tech thing…but my 1974 FJ40 was my very first new vehicle and I just couldn’t believe at 21, I had this cool truck. I had read catalogs and magazines to learn everything I possibly could. Once all that information was digested, I still had all of these catalogs and magazines in the middle of some very long and cold Vermont winters. So I cut them up, and they have been sitting under 3-4 coats of varnish for 47 years.

in cleaning out my garage, I found them again…now a premier wall hanging in the new garage. Not sure many of the manufacturers are still around

 

[ojaij40]

So not really a tech thing…but my 1974 FJ40 was my very first new vehicle and I just couldn’t believe at 21, I had this cool truck. I had read catalogs and magazines to learn everything I possibly could. Once all that information was digested, I still had all of these catalogs and magazines in the middle of some very long and cold Vermont winters. So I cut them up, and they have been sitting under 3-4 coats of varnish for 47 years.

in cleaning out my garage, I found them again…now a premier wall hanging in the new garage. Not sure many of the manufacturers are still around

View attachment 3179424View attachment 3179428

Very cool my friend,…….

 

[Downey]

Neat to see Downey was so well represented

 

[knuckle47]

@Downey
You were 80% of my truck…Jim, i may have mentioned when I first joined ih8mud …that a letter you had written to me about my ‘75 FJ40 was just under the yellow legal pad you had used to write down the stuff needed for the 4 wheeler magazine build . The impressions made on the second sheet of paper by the ball point pen were easily visible… I saved that paper for decades…

NOW THATS AN ENTHUSIAST !

my most favorite was my 1/2 cab…. That was unique back in the 70’s

 

[pb4ugo]

 

[Greek Cruiserhead]

Great stuff, thanks for sharing!
Any pics from your first days with her?

 

[Greek Cruiserhead]

Neat to see Downey was so well represented

Jim, I can tell you that Downey was a legend as well as SOR, fourty years ago!
Even in Greece, through the pages of the specialized press e.g. "Fourwheeler", or "Pickup, Van & 4WD" Mags (that enjoyed as a student back in the day)...
Cheers!
Demetrios

 

[knuckle47]

47 years for me !!

that Downey catalog was more stimulating than the Sears Christmas Wish Book.

maybe stimulating is the wrong word but you get the idea….

 

[knuckle47]

I have loads of 1975 pictures. Here’s a few. The girl slugging back that gallon of wine 47 years ago became my wife. Yep….still together

 

[DaveNotHere]

Cool.

I did a half cab to my 76 back in 78 or 79.

We must have been on the cutting edge of modifications back then. lol

 

[Greek Cruiserhead]

I have loads of 1975 pictures. Here’s a few. The girl slugging back that gallon of wine 47 years ago became my wife. Yep….still together

View attachment 3182676View attachment 3182677View attachment 3182681

Nice family pics and memories! Some action scenes look like taken from a Hollywood film of the Seventies...
I gather the Cruiser is a family member too, like a 47 year old pet.
Wish you to celebrate your 50th Anniversary and share with us some more pics!

PS. In the first pic the Cruiser is still with stock rims and tyres (7.60X15?)!

 

[knuckle47]

@Greek Cruiserhead. Thanks for the well wishes….. yes. Those are the stock wheels and tires. These guys in Vermont were very anti-toyota,,,,Jeeps we’re all they knew and accepted so I was anxious to head out there with them and prove otherwise. Great bunch of folks though but thoroughly headstrong. When we moved away a few years later, there were 4 other FJ40’s in a very very very small town. That’s gotta mean something

 

[Downey]

Knuckle47, ok going back to your varnished decal boards, and you wondering how many of those companies might still be in business, here's what I know:
Custom Gas Tanks- - -not in business, at least not under that name.
Score International- - -still in business, but now owners in Ensenada,Mexico, with some USA employees/advisers ??.
Downey Off Road Mfg.- - -closed in 2009, now I run a retirement ebay store, tojoproducts@aol.com.
Diest- - -Jim Diest died in 2009, but company still going strong.
Four-Way Equalizers- - -gone ???.
Man-A-Fre- - -now owned by BTB.
Hickey- - -long gone since 1970's.
Armstrong Tru Tracs- - -seen any lately ???.
Advance Adapters- - -still going strong, but new owners.
Jackman Wheels- - -way long gone.
Thor Winches- --tax board expired in 1973, so gone.
Rough Country- - -still in business, but now in Tennessee.
KC Hilites- - -still in Williams, Ariz., but now evidently controlled by Mr. Wang.
Warn- - -still gigantic, moved from Seattle to Clackamas, Ore. in 1970.
Gabriel Shocks- - -in Canada, makes private label shocks for many USA suspension companies.

 

[numby]

Knuckle47, ok going back to your varnished decal boards, and you wondering how many of those companies might still be in business, here's what I know:
Custom Gas Tanks- - -not in business, at least not under that name.
Score International- - -still in business, but now owners in Ensenada,Mexico, with some USA employees/advisers ??.
Downey Off Road Mfg.- - -closed in 2009, now I run a retirement ebay store, tojoproducts@aol.com.
Diest- - -Jim Diest died in 2009, but company still going strong.
Four-Way Equalizers- - -gone ???.
Man-A-Fre- - -now owned by BTB.
Hickey- - -long gone since 1970's.
Armstrong Tru Tracs- - -seen any lately ???.
Advance Adapters- - -still going strong, but new owners.
Jackman Wheels- - -way long gone.
Thor Winches- --tax board expired in 1973, so gone.
Rough Country- - -still in business, but now in Tennessee.
KC Hilites- - -still in Williams, Ariz., but now evidently controlled by Mr. Wang.
Warn- - -still gigantic, moved from Seattle to Clackamas, Ore. in 1970.
Gabriel Shocks- - -in Canada, makes private label shocks for many USA suspension companies.

Dave Deal aka Big Deal?

 

[Downey]

Big Deal made our first catalog ever, cartoon at top of varnished decal boards was on the front cover, and that "big bearded guy" behind the steering wheel was big deal himself. He made our first catalog in trade for us rebuilding his Landcruiser 6 cylinder engine. Dave made all of our art work for 20-30 years, but unfortunately for us he made "almost identical" cartoons to sell to others. Dave passed away several years ago.

 

[knuckle47]

@Downey thanks for the update Jim…I think I may still have the Four Wheeler magazine showcasing their FJ40 build…the beginnings of a 50 year history of aftermarket accessories . interesting to see the current list of survivors. I know I really enjoyed those days. So sorry to have ever sold my FJ40. It was loaded with goodies but the years spent on those heavily salted roads in the northern Vermont winters literally ate the steel.

 

[65swb45]

Still, we are all lucky that Jim stopped in to share so much history with us. He is a great storyteller, and I got to hear a lot of great ones from him in person back in the’90s when they were a lot fresher in his memory. I just had my son and his GF in heavy laughter last weekend retelling one of his stories about being the parts manager at Downey Toyota.

 

[65swb45]

Jim can correct me if I’m wrong, but I remember the story like this:

Toyota had an inventory class system of fast moving parts, somewhat fast moving parts, not-so-fast moving parts etc. They required the dealerships in the distribution network to carry inventory equal to their 30 day sales history for fast moving parts, 60 days for the somewhats, and 90 for the not-so-fast. Despite this, Jim’s boss told him to keep the inventory as low as possible. Presumably, this increased the dealership’s margins elsewhere.

Well Toyota sent a representative over who decided to check on how well Downey was towing the line. Not surprisingly , they found Downey lacking. The general manager feigned ignorance of the situation and called Jim in, intending to make him the scapegoat.

With Jim standing there, the manager went over the accusations and then said to Jim “What do you have to say to this?”In what I consider to be one of Jim’s best played moves, Jim turns away from the Toyota rep (but with him still in obvious hearing distance) and says: He’s not my boss, you are. But he has just independently confirmed that I’m doing a really good job of doing exactly what you asked me…and I want a raise!

Well-played sir, well played.

 

[brian]

did he/you get the raise???

 

[Downey]

Don't believe I got the raise. A little clarification on the story; the Toyota Parts Rep told the owner of the dealership (my boss) that Toyota parts departments were expected to carry a 90 day parts supply (or turn their inventory every 90 days). He then told my boss that (a) I was running the 4th largest parts department in the country, and (b) I was only carrying a 30 day supply of parts (turning the inventory over every 30 days), soooooo the rep claimed I had to be missing a lot of sales with only a 30 day supply. I then told my boss that if I was running the 4th largest parts department in the country I couldn't be missing too many sales, and that the Toyota rep just confirmed that I was doing exactly what my boss would want me to do- - -turn the inventory rapidly, and keep his money off the parts department shelfs. At that time I was selling NGK spark plugs because they lasted about 3 time longer in Toyota engines than the factory spark plugs. So as I think the story went- - -the rep then had my boss give him an order for 1,000 Toyota spark plugs, or receive all "white" cars during the time know body wanted a white car ???