Hey guys, It’s been a while since I’ve been active here but I have been around for a while (I’m the one who started the “FJ40 Pics From Back In The Day” thread.)
I’m back because I’m building my 1972 FJ40. But that’s not where the story starts. The story is a long one and it all begins with my Dad. Back in the 70”s my dad was on a pit crew for an off road racing team and built a dune buggy in what is now my backyard. He fell in love with all things off road and four wheel drive. When I was a year old, he bought his first 4x4, a 1975 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40.
He modified in in the style of the time and drove it as his everyday car. I have so many memories tied to that truck. Going with Dad to the airport to watch the planes land, going on off road runs with the club that he was in at the time.
The 70’s, when white spoke wheels ruled the world!
Here’s a picture of me from back then. Dig the 1970’s version of a child safety seat, complete with face bashing plate!
Dad sold that truck and bought another one a few years later. It was a 1976 with a v8. I'm pretty sure that sitting in the jumpseat and banging the back of my head against the rollbar is why my mind works the way that it does.
This was what I learned to drive in. Dad had promised me that when my feet reached the pedals, he would teach me to drive and he was true to his word. Even if I was only 9 years old at the time. He’s an honorable guy and he wasn’t gonna lie to a little kid. I assure you that I pretty much won the “What did you do over Christmas vacation” competition that year!
That Land Cruiser was sold a few years later and Dad moved to other 4x4’s but the Land Cruisers always had a special place in my heart for all the memories that we made with them.
Fast forward about 20 years and, out of nowhere, Dad bought himself this 1972 Land Cruiser. Again, memories were made as we picked it up in Lake Havasu, Arizona and drove it home 300 miles in triple digit temperatures. Good times.
A few years later, Dad’s knees began to fail and climbing into the Land Cruiser became more and more difficult. It ended up stored at my house until Dad could get his knees straightened out and enjoy it again.
That was 14 years ago. Recently Dad had a double knee replacement which has helped him immensely but he finally decided that he wasn’t going to get back to the Land Cruiser.
Knowing how much these trucks have meant to me, Dad surprised me by giving the truck to me as a wedding present 2 years ago. I haven’t touched it in that time but I started making plans. The values of these trucks have skyrocketed to an absurd level, to the point that I could never afford to buy one. This truck is my last chance to recapture some of those old times and to start building new memories.
Dad taught me everything I know about working on cars. He and I have worked together on several projects, most notably the 1932 Ford that we built for him right here in this garage almost 20 years ago.
I am a long time fan of Vice Grip Garage and watching Derek work with his sons has been both great and a little sad for me. I usually come away thinking that I would give anything to work with my own Dad just one more time.
When I told him that the Land Cruiser project was finally going to happen, he surprised me again by telling me that he really wants to be a part of this build. So it looks like I get my wish. He will be coming by, working with me and appearing in the videos!
I’m looking forward to building the FJ40 that I’ve always wanted but even more than that, I’m looking forward to spending the time with my Dad. He’s 80 now and I’m 50. This chance to work together one more time means more to me than I can say. I’ll be updating this thread with ideas, questions, pictures and videos as we go along. Hope you all like it. The link to the first video is below:
I’m back because I’m building my 1972 FJ40. But that’s not where the story starts. The story is a long one and it all begins with my Dad. Back in the 70”s my dad was on a pit crew for an off road racing team and built a dune buggy in what is now my backyard. He fell in love with all things off road and four wheel drive. When I was a year old, he bought his first 4x4, a 1975 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40.
He modified in in the style of the time and drove it as his everyday car. I have so many memories tied to that truck. Going with Dad to the airport to watch the planes land, going on off road runs with the club that he was in at the time.
The 70’s, when white spoke wheels ruled the world!
Here’s a picture of me from back then. Dig the 1970’s version of a child safety seat, complete with face bashing plate!
Dad sold that truck and bought another one a few years later. It was a 1976 with a v8. I'm pretty sure that sitting in the jumpseat and banging the back of my head against the rollbar is why my mind works the way that it does.
This was what I learned to drive in. Dad had promised me that when my feet reached the pedals, he would teach me to drive and he was true to his word. Even if I was only 9 years old at the time. He’s an honorable guy and he wasn’t gonna lie to a little kid. I assure you that I pretty much won the “What did you do over Christmas vacation” competition that year!
That Land Cruiser was sold a few years later and Dad moved to other 4x4’s but the Land Cruisers always had a special place in my heart for all the memories that we made with them.
Fast forward about 20 years and, out of nowhere, Dad bought himself this 1972 Land Cruiser. Again, memories were made as we picked it up in Lake Havasu, Arizona and drove it home 300 miles in triple digit temperatures. Good times.
A few years later, Dad’s knees began to fail and climbing into the Land Cruiser became more and more difficult. It ended up stored at my house until Dad could get his knees straightened out and enjoy it again.
That was 14 years ago. Recently Dad had a double knee replacement which has helped him immensely but he finally decided that he wasn’t going to get back to the Land Cruiser.
Knowing how much these trucks have meant to me, Dad surprised me by giving the truck to me as a wedding present 2 years ago. I haven’t touched it in that time but I started making plans. The values of these trucks have skyrocketed to an absurd level, to the point that I could never afford to buy one. This truck is my last chance to recapture some of those old times and to start building new memories.
Dad taught me everything I know about working on cars. He and I have worked together on several projects, most notably the 1932 Ford that we built for him right here in this garage almost 20 years ago.
I am a long time fan of Vice Grip Garage and watching Derek work with his sons has been both great and a little sad for me. I usually come away thinking that I would give anything to work with my own Dad just one more time.
When I told him that the Land Cruiser project was finally going to happen, he surprised me again by telling me that he really wants to be a part of this build. So it looks like I get my wish. He will be coming by, working with me and appearing in the videos!
I’m looking forward to building the FJ40 that I’ve always wanted but even more than that, I’m looking forward to spending the time with my Dad. He’s 80 now and I’m 50. This chance to work together one more time means more to me than I can say. I’ll be updating this thread with ideas, questions, pictures and videos as we go along. Hope you all like it. The link to the first video is below:
