I have been visiting IH8MUD for several months now. I wanted to introduce myself, tell my story, outline my project and show a few pictures. This is a long story that I will attempt to make as short as possible. In the 70’s I owned a 72 fj40, I loved that rig but marriage, apartment living and soon to follow a son forced me to sell the fj, bummer! FF to 2000 and my wife is bowling in a league (she was on the Amazing Race Season 5, in 2004, another story!) and happens to meet a friend of mine from college. His name is Billy and we played football together. Several years after college Billy’s in a horrific crash, spends several weeks in a coma and wakes up with a seizure disorder. During the league season the wife finds out he is building a project fj40 and tells Billy that I used to own one and really miss it. She tells him that if he ever wants to get rid of it to let me know. FF to late 2006 and I accompany my wife to Laughlin, NV for her end of season sweepers. I drive to the Bullhead side of the river to go golfing while she bowls and as I’m driving I see an fj40 in a dirt lot, for sale. Prior to the trip I had been contemplating buying a light project heep or fj, but as I research the fj route looks to be more expensive..but the fj in the lot looks rough and I think maybe it won’t be too expensive, but then think, how the h*ll will I get it home. I come to my senses and after golf (120 degrees, maybe not too smart after all) I drive back to the bowling alley to pick up the wife. Lo and behold my friend Billy is sitting there and tells me he has moved to Bullhead City and is selling his cruiser. I say, “is it parked on the other side of the river?” He says, “yep, let’s go look at it.” Well it’s definitely a worker and he wants more than I’m willing to part with so I write it off and drive home. Next day Billy calls and tells me that the cruiser was his and his son’s, his son drowned when he was young, (I swear I’m not making this up) project and of all the people on earth he would want me to own the cruiser because he knows I will appreciate it and he really needs the money. Well I would have given him the money and he feels better about selling the cruiser, I have a project and here we are today. OK really long story. Guess I’ll save the plan for another post. Here are some pictures the only thing I've done so far is remove a trunk like thing he installed. Thanks for reading.
