21NDone
SILVER Star
Always wondered what it’s like to find that elusive FJ40 unicorn, whether barn find, through classified ads or in that neighbors garage. Well, I feel our lucky day has come.
Backstory – I was at a local charity event/car show with our ’65 FJ45 enjoying the day when a gentleman approached me and inquired about the truck asking very specific questions. It was fun, and I could tell he had a particular interest for Toyotas. Come to find out he worked for Hamer Toyota in Mission Hills CA for a number of years. The discussion went on for a good while and all of a sudden he stopped, and asked if I wanted another one. Another one I thought, another FJ45? Another Toyota? I wasn’t sure. He then whipped out his phone and said “this”, showing me a picture of a nice looking FJ40. He went on to describe the truck and its current state, this is where he had my full attention. The description of the truck alone had my excited. He said it was used to bounce around in the desert and used on his farm on a regular basis. Good I thought, it’s a runner!
Owner history – This is the piece of the story that sealed the deal. How did the truck get the name Red? Come to find out, Red was a 25+ year employee of Hamer Toyota and when he decided to retire Mr. Hamer gave him the FJ40 as a “Thanks for your years of service” gift. They even put a plaque in the truck that read “Red’s wagon”. Red drove the truck for 10 years up to the time he returned it to the dealer. Why he returned the truck is unknown. The day the FJ40 was returned it was parked out front at the dealer when the 2nd owner, also an employee of Hamer, asked why is Red’s truck back and they said he was “Done with it”. The 2nd owner quickly said, “I’ll buy it” and the rest was history. The 2nd owner drove it from 1985 until November 2024 when I purchased the truck.
The truck – A solid, rust free desert survivor. From my optic the truck appears to be mostly original. Shackles, wheels and rear bumper are the obvious departures. Nice thing about the rear bumper is (1) it’s well built and (2) it’s totally reversible as it uses all stock mounting provisions. Everything on the truck work minus the Warn 8000? I believe the winch can be brought back to life with a little attention.
Backstory – I was at a local charity event/car show with our ’65 FJ45 enjoying the day when a gentleman approached me and inquired about the truck asking very specific questions. It was fun, and I could tell he had a particular interest for Toyotas. Come to find out he worked for Hamer Toyota in Mission Hills CA for a number of years. The discussion went on for a good while and all of a sudden he stopped, and asked if I wanted another one. Another one I thought, another FJ45? Another Toyota? I wasn’t sure. He then whipped out his phone and said “this”, showing me a picture of a nice looking FJ40. He went on to describe the truck and its current state, this is where he had my full attention. The description of the truck alone had my excited. He said it was used to bounce around in the desert and used on his farm on a regular basis. Good I thought, it’s a runner!
Owner history – This is the piece of the story that sealed the deal. How did the truck get the name Red? Come to find out, Red was a 25+ year employee of Hamer Toyota and when he decided to retire Mr. Hamer gave him the FJ40 as a “Thanks for your years of service” gift. They even put a plaque in the truck that read “Red’s wagon”. Red drove the truck for 10 years up to the time he returned it to the dealer. Why he returned the truck is unknown. The day the FJ40 was returned it was parked out front at the dealer when the 2nd owner, also an employee of Hamer, asked why is Red’s truck back and they said he was “Done with it”. The 2nd owner quickly said, “I’ll buy it” and the rest was history. The 2nd owner drove it from 1985 until November 2024 when I purchased the truck.
The truck – A solid, rust free desert survivor. From my optic the truck appears to be mostly original. Shackles, wheels and rear bumper are the obvious departures. Nice thing about the rear bumper is (1) it’s well built and (2) it’s totally reversible as it uses all stock mounting provisions. Everything on the truck work minus the Warn 8000? I believe the winch can be brought back to life with a little attention.
