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In my area the trend towards a heavily modified cruiser are winding down. I think there are a couple reasons for this. Lack of trails. There are fewer trails now than ever. And the trails that are still open in my area don't require a heavy modded vehicle. As well the value of 40's and 60's are on the rise particularly the 40's. And the vehicles bringing the highest value are the ones that are unmodified or very little. I've done more back to stock suspensions in the past 2 years on 40's than lifts. I see big rims and wheels being removed and stock rims and tires going on. Most of my customers are more in tune with the value of going back to stock. Sure there will always be people like us who want bigger and better things for their cruisers. But I think we are becoming a minority. I look at my cruisers as being an extension of my personality, not value. Though that thought has come across my mind more lately.
Ehh, I'll pipe in .... but only if I can be forgiven for a certain amount of random rambling.
My relationship with cruisers is like many. They came into popularity when I was a kid (70's) and my attraction for them never faded. My dad was into offroading then, including the club scene (Triad 4WD Club) where, on a regular basis, I would get to ride with club members making our way along whatever power line the club was riding that Sunday. The Logan's Run photo I posted of my son riding with Jason was a serious time warp back to my own childhood. 40's, Broncos, K5's, ramchargers, cj's, .... EVERYONE running Armstrong Tru Trac tires. A CB radio in each rig; the on-air remarks filled with the same banter we use today (a 1970's version of "hit it at Jeep speed"). A combination of land owners and the power companies locking down trails and the developing sport of off road racing morphed most area clubs into that direction. The Sunday rides disappeared almost overnight, replaced with 300 foot drags on Saturday and motorcross on Sunday. Kids like me were suddenly spectators and not riding. That year dad purchased 2 1948 cj2a's for a combined $100. Stock flatheads, t90 transmissions, and open-open 5.38 rear ends. His first race (no roll bar or seat belt!) was a hill climb in Lynchburg, VA. I recall being on the side of that hill and thinking that's the slowest thing I think I've ever seen. The flathead came out the next week.
Replacing the flathead was a nicely machined 2.0 Liter Ford Pinto engine with a well-worked head, overhead cam, Offy intake, and Holly 390 4bbl. A phone call to Advance Adapters (yep, they were around then) and it was mated to the t-90 that was rebuilt with fresh synchros. Another incredible sound my young ears won't let me forget. The cj was then in the same class as stock Bronco's running their famous 300 CID straight 6. The broncos were allowed headers and a carb change, but it still wasn't enough for them to keep up.
The racing thing kept up until I was old enough to drive and, at 16, I strapped in, i.e. rules finally caught up to the need for safety with frame mounted cages and 5 point harnesses. I was in love. (Over 20 years later JFZ80 and I would use old trophies for target practice). Sadly, there were less than 2 years of seat time before I was off to school and, effectively, left it all behind. A 4x4 wouldn't be in my life again until my late 20's. That's when I suddenly realized I wanted a 4x4 again, and with certain clarity, I knew it would be a 40. I found a "barely running" '74 in chapel hill and drove it home. $3000. Too much $$$ because I let my emotions push reason out of the way and turned a blind eye to how much rust there was. The trip home was 25 miles and took 2 quarts of oil ... most of it protecting the rusty frame rails. True to the memory of my father, the engine came out the next week.
And here I am. I've had the 40 going on 18 years, 4 of it during the frame-off (Another story unto itself considering I never planned to do a frame-off. In short, I had too much to drink one night and by 4am the whole rig was in pieces). The first engine that went in was the traditional 350 swap, which today is sitting on an engine stand in my classroom. Out of a "want" to build an engine combo I had never done before came the 383. It has been the perfect motor for the 40 from day one.
So what have I learned? Forget about the market. Build the rig you want to drive and keep it forever. Be happy every time you get behind the wheel, or fix/replace/rebuild/remodel what is keeping you from smiling. If it cost a little more to get it the way you want it, do it.
Here is the old man. His driving style always the same ... one hand on the wheel and wearing wingtipped leather shoes. A real bastard at times, one hell of a driver
Below .... not a single picture of the 40 before starting. This is after most of the mechanical has been done and it was in the middle of body work.
I would have the 40 on the road for 12 years before putting the top back on. Here, the wife and I are running the "Moonshine Rally" in Elkin NC.
My relationship with cruisers is like many. They came into popularity when I was a kid (70's) and my attraction for them never faded. My dad was into offroading then, including the club scene (Triad 4WD Club) where, on a regular basis, I would get to ride with club members making our way along whatever power line the club was riding that Sunday. The Logan's Run photo I posted of my son riding with Jason was a serious time warp back to my own childhood. 40's, Broncos, K5's, ramchargers, cj's, .... EVERYONE running Armstrong Tru Trac tires. A CB radio in each rig; the on-air remarks filled with the same banter we use today (a 1970's version of "hit it at Jeep speed"). A combination of land owners and the power companies locking down trails and the developing sport of off road racing morphed most area clubs into that direction. The Sunday rides disappeared almost overnight, replaced with 300 foot drags on Saturday and motorcross on Sunday. Kids like me were suddenly spectators and not riding. That year dad purchased 2 1948 cj2a's for a combined $100. Stock flatheads, t90 transmissions, and open-open 5.38 rear ends. His first race (no roll bar or seat belt!) was a hill climb in Lynchburg, VA. I recall being on the side of that hill and thinking that's the slowest thing I think I've ever seen. The flathead came out the next week.
Replacing the flathead was a nicely machined 2.0 Liter Ford Pinto engine with a well-worked head, overhead cam, Offy intake, and Holly 390 4bbl. A phone call to Advance Adapters (yep, they were around then) and it was mated to the t-90 that was rebuilt with fresh synchros. Another incredible sound my young ears won't let me forget. The cj was then in the same class as stock Bronco's running their famous 300 CID straight 6. The broncos were allowed headers and a carb change, but it still wasn't enough for them to keep up.
The racing thing kept up until I was old enough to drive and, at 16, I strapped in, i.e. rules finally caught up to the need for safety with frame mounted cages and 5 point harnesses. I was in love. (Over 20 years later JFZ80 and I would use old trophies for target practice). Sadly, there were less than 2 years of seat time before I was off to school and, effectively, left it all behind. A 4x4 wouldn't be in my life again until my late 20's. That's when I suddenly realized I wanted a 4x4 again, and with certain clarity, I knew it would be a 40. I found a "barely running" '74 in chapel hill and drove it home. $3000. Too much $$$ because I let my emotions push reason out of the way and turned a blind eye to how much rust there was. The trip home was 25 miles and took 2 quarts of oil ... most of it protecting the rusty frame rails. True to the memory of my father, the engine came out the next week.
And here I am. I've had the 40 going on 18 years, 4 of it during the frame-off (Another story unto itself considering I never planned to do a frame-off. In short, I had too much to drink one night and by 4am the whole rig was in pieces). The first engine that went in was the traditional 350 swap, which today is sitting on an engine stand in my classroom. Out of a "want" to build an engine combo I had never done before came the 383. It has been the perfect motor for the 40 from day one.
So what have I learned? Forget about the market. Build the rig you want to drive and keep it forever. Be happy every time you get behind the wheel, or fix/replace/rebuild/remodel what is keeping you from smiling. If it cost a little more to get it the way you want it, do it.
Here is the old man. His driving style always the same ... one hand on the wheel and wearing wingtipped leather shoes. A real bastard at times, one hell of a driver
Below .... not a single picture of the 40 before starting. This is after most of the mechanical has been done and it was in the middle of body work.
I would have the 40 on the road for 12 years before putting the top back on. Here, the wife and I are running the "Moonshine Rally" in Elkin NC.
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- Thread starter
- #25
I agree with Marshall that the trend of going back to stock with 40s is on the rise. I do think that value is a bigger factor than many of us care to consider. I am all for building a truck to my (or a customer's) liking but there is no way I can keep value out of my decision making process. The prices that 40s are bringing these days forces me to look at my own 40 as an undeveloped asset. As it sits, I have turned down an offer of $5,500.00. This is a 69 FJ40 that sat for 8 years before I bought it and a year here, does not run and needs a total body off resto. BUT..... if I INVEST $25K into a factory restoration of this truck I will have a $45K and up truck.
I get calls from prospective V8 swap customers all the time and am seeing a trend in folks that want to keep their Land Cruiser for a long time and use it as a DD as well as their get away vehicle. Once again the word INVESTMENT keeps coming up. Even with the 60 and 80 series the days of "hacking" up a truck to make it a trail rig are on the decline. With the cost of a new 4X4 SUV rising to well over $40 K on average the thought of putting $20-$30K into a 20 year old land cruiser is becoming more realistic than as short as 3 years ago.
I've not "lived" with a 40 series as a driver, but I have with a 78 CJ7 and I would say the cave man experience of it is pretty close. It was great when I was 36 but at 54 I am looking for a few more creature comforts. I would love to drive a fully restored 40 to Sonic on Saturday night and run local errands, but more than an hour straight behind the wheel would surely start getting old. Hoping into a rebuilt 60 or 80 is another story, my dream truck is an FJ142. I think a well restored 40 kept in good running condition will rise in value as long as the economy does not tank again, don't think we are quite there yet with the 60 or 80 series.
I get calls from prospective V8 swap customers all the time and am seeing a trend in folks that want to keep their Land Cruiser for a long time and use it as a DD as well as their get away vehicle. Once again the word INVESTMENT keeps coming up. Even with the 60 and 80 series the days of "hacking" up a truck to make it a trail rig are on the decline. With the cost of a new 4X4 SUV rising to well over $40 K on average the thought of putting $20-$30K into a 20 year old land cruiser is becoming more realistic than as short as 3 years ago.
I've not "lived" with a 40 series as a driver, but I have with a 78 CJ7 and I would say the cave man experience of it is pretty close. It was great when I was 36 but at 54 I am looking for a few more creature comforts. I would love to drive a fully restored 40 to Sonic on Saturday night and run local errands, but more than an hour straight behind the wheel would surely start getting old. Hoping into a rebuilt 60 or 80 is another story, my dream truck is an FJ142. I think a well restored 40 kept in good running condition will rise in value as long as the economy does not tank again, don't think we are quite there yet with the 60 or 80 series.
I was going to write something about my love for land cruisers but i found this this morning. Some people just suck!!!!
...via IH8MUD app
...via IH8MUD app
Ouch rafael!
Someone back into you and take off? A pretty tall something at that! Hate that for you
Yes. Seam to be that a big truck turn into my street and back up into my car around 4 am this morning. Everybody saw it and no one call the police. Well! Let see what insurance says. Thanks
...via IH8MUD app
- Thread starter
- #30
Damn Rafael that sucks. People saw it and did not even get a license or name off the truck?
- Thread starter
- #32
I am thinking more like a dumpster truck or box truck or the like where a frame rail or some other appendage would be sticking out at that height.
It was a big truck that turn in the street and go stuck with no way to turn. The bad thing that he hit the 4runner the good thing is that he did not hit the 40 that was parked just behind the 4runner. This is the only truck that i dont have spare parts for. Hehehe. We have a saying " to bad weather good face" kind of keep good spirit when something bad happend at the end of the day it is just a truck. Thanks guys
...via IH8MUD app
...via IH8MUD app
As I sit in the home of the Landcruiser, I must say that I have shifted away from wheeling rigs, and more toward light we wheeling/camping type truck. The troopie was the coolest cruiser I owned and I was planning on doing a camper out of it. However, as much I hated to sell it, with every thread or article that pops up about a non-usa, less than 25yr truck getting found out, impounded and/or crushed, my mind is a little more at ease.
I did keep my 1st Gen 4Runner though, which I plan to keep stock-ish. I am planning on doing lockers and a little armor, but not doing any crazy lift or body mods. However I have toyed around with the prospect of having Diesel Toys do a 1KZ-TE conversion
When I get back state side in 2017, I am thinking about picking up a stock-ish 40 or 60 to cruise around in, may me a nice BJ/HJ-75 pickup if I can find one
I did keep my 1st Gen 4Runner though, which I plan to keep stock-ish. I am planning on doing lockers and a little armor, but not doing any crazy lift or body mods. However I have toyed around with the prospect of having Diesel Toys do a 1KZ-TE conversion
When I get back state side in 2017, I am thinking about picking up a stock-ish 40 or 60 to cruise around in, may me a nice BJ/HJ-75 pickup if I can find one
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Rice - That is a great pic of your dad in the Willy's. My relatives in the Philippines posted up a home movie from when I was a kid, my grandfathers flat fender sitting in the background. My mom learned to drive in the Willy's.
Loved your comment about the Tru-Tracks - I bought my first set in 1985 at Price Club for $65 bucks each. 32x11.50 and I thought I was unstoppable.
Loved your comment about the Tru-Tracks - I bought my first set in 1985 at Price Club for $65 bucks each. 32x11.50 and I thought I was unstoppable.
Long ago I noticed your awesome tru trac avatar. It took me back. Oddly, my dad didn't like them and ran Armstrong Rhinos instead. Same tread pattern but with a squared off sidewall rather than rounded. More than once his '73 Cheyenne-Super pickup with posi at both ends was the only rig up the hill. An equal number of times his foot was heavy enough to find the weak link in the drivetrain.
that pic is a classic. The one I referenced when I said make dad proud seconds before rice tackled a sloppy Daniel ledge so fast noone could capture photo evidence. I guess it didnt really happen
Since we're checking out classic pics here is one of the '73 Cheyenne after the old man went brass balls out Dukes of Hazard over a motorcycle jump. (The tiny bit of blond head in the left corner is yours truly). No pics of the act but we were told he would have cleared several cars. Yep .... I was along for the ride!
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The Willys pic is awesome! Did it suffer a fate similar to the Cheyenne?