Guys, I learned to drive in a '69 FJ40 3 speed in the mid-90s and I've been interested in the 40 ever since. Dad bought a '69 FJ40 out of a guy's front yard for $800 in 1994 and sold it in 1998 for $2500. We've argued about that decision many times! I bought a '72 FJ40 last year with a Chevy 350 in it, 4-speed. It's my daily driver. I've got child seats in the back for the kids and they love it.
Almost every day someone gives me a thumbs up while I'm driving around town (Mountain Brook), or someone wants to talk to me about the 40 when I'm getting in or out of it. I've had a 60 year old lady stop me in the street and ask me about the "cool looking old Jeep" (I was slightly insulted but politely corrected her: It ain't no Jeep!!!). I had a hippy chick tell me it was her dream vehicle. An Alabama Power bucket truck followed me for a mile and finally caught up with me in the Home Depot parking lot and we talked for I don't know how long. A guy in a Bentley stopped to talk to me about the 40. I walked out of Publix one day and saw a guy doing a walk around on my 40. He was a retired engineer from Afghanistan. He told me the FJ40 saved his life in the desert back in the 70s. My 40 was parked in my driveway one Saturday morning, and a road cyclist (ie bicycle, spandex, weird looking helmet) stopped, pulled out his cell phone and took a picture of the 40 and we talked for a while. Stuff like that happens all the time. My wife just rolls her eyes. But, I sincerely enjoy talking about the 40 and its been really cool that the 40 has jump-started conversations with so many complete strangers.
Just to be clear, I don't have a $100k ICON rig or an FJ Company rig. I bought my 40 for $12k and I've got another $6k in it. Its got an okay paint job and it currently has a really loud squeaky fan belt which I need to fix! So, its nothing special.
I didn't realize these things were so captivating to the general public. I thought the "popular" 4 wheel drives were the Bronco, Land Rover, Jeep and various Bro-Dozers(Ford F250 etc). But, I've never cared much for being popular, I've just always loved the FJ40. So, do you guys have the same experiences with the general public driving your 40s around town?
Almost every day someone gives me a thumbs up while I'm driving around town (Mountain Brook), or someone wants to talk to me about the 40 when I'm getting in or out of it. I've had a 60 year old lady stop me in the street and ask me about the "cool looking old Jeep" (I was slightly insulted but politely corrected her: It ain't no Jeep!!!). I had a hippy chick tell me it was her dream vehicle. An Alabama Power bucket truck followed me for a mile and finally caught up with me in the Home Depot parking lot and we talked for I don't know how long. A guy in a Bentley stopped to talk to me about the 40. I walked out of Publix one day and saw a guy doing a walk around on my 40. He was a retired engineer from Afghanistan. He told me the FJ40 saved his life in the desert back in the 70s. My 40 was parked in my driveway one Saturday morning, and a road cyclist (ie bicycle, spandex, weird looking helmet) stopped, pulled out his cell phone and took a picture of the 40 and we talked for a while. Stuff like that happens all the time. My wife just rolls her eyes. But, I sincerely enjoy talking about the 40 and its been really cool that the 40 has jump-started conversations with so many complete strangers.
Just to be clear, I don't have a $100k ICON rig or an FJ Company rig. I bought my 40 for $12k and I've got another $6k in it. Its got an okay paint job and it currently has a really loud squeaky fan belt which I need to fix! So, its nothing special.
I didn't realize these things were so captivating to the general public. I thought the "popular" 4 wheel drives were the Bronco, Land Rover, Jeep and various Bro-Dozers(Ford F250 etc). But, I've never cared much for being popular, I've just always loved the FJ40. So, do you guys have the same experiences with the general public driving your 40s around town?
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