First, I need to give credit to my bro-in-law. If it wasn't for him, I would never have become part of the Land Cruiser community. Turns out he drove a 60 series in Bolivia for a number of years and when he came back to the states he vowed he would own one. After a number of years he found a clean '88 FJ62 and bought it. Honestly, I wasn't impressed. To me it looked like a bigger version of the station wagon the Griswald's drive in National Lampoon's "Vacation". The year was 1995 and I felt there were a lot better options out there for an SUV (I was ignorant, so forgive me). After several months of owning his, he drove by a Toyota dealer one day and spotted a super clean 1990 FJ62 that had just arrived. He told one of the salesman to hold it, he had someone who was going to buy it. Turns out that someone was me. I wasn't interested, but he convinced me to at least go to the dealership and look at it. So here was a 5 year old FJ62, single owner and 18,000 miles! A husband had bought it for his wife (they were both getting up there in age) because he wanted something big and safe for her. She had never driven it in bad weather because she was too scared. It spent most of the time in the garage and came out for the occasional run to the grocery store. An hour later my 1988 Jeep Cherokee (BIGGEST PILE OF CRAP I EVER DROVE) was gone and replaced with the Cruiser.
It went with me to college in UT and little did I know this simple fact would forever change my relationship with my Cruiser. I had never even considered lifting a vehicle let alone take one offroad until I had lived in UT. It did stay completely stock for a year or so. First mod was an ARB front bumper. Yes, it looked a little strange with stock suspension and the stock 28" tires, but I wanted the bumper. After the tires finally wore to the point I was ready to replace them, 31x10.50 BFG All-Terrains were fitted. I was amazed at how far this setup could take me. In college, I was the guy with the truck that doubled as the road trip/ski/camping trip/party wagon. Campfire in the canyon, everybody hopped in with me. Head up to the ski resorts for a day of skiing or boarding, I was the taxi.
It was on one of these ski trips that solidified my position as lover of all things Toyota Land Cruiser. I'm heading up the canyon with 4 others and all their gear in the back of my 62. It had already started to snow and there was a good, thick blanket covering the road. Just as it starts to get pretty steep, there is a lifted Tahoe (no offense to those who drive one) with big tires and a crew of unhappy skiers pulled off to the side. They couldn't get any further up the road and told me to turn around as well, there was no point in going any further. One of my buddies blurted out "keep going", so I continued on to see how far I could make it up the road. I just kept going, and going, and going until I came to a stop at the ski resort parking lot. I felt like a champ, and the guys and girls with me gave praise the rest of the day to my "unstoppable" Land Cruiser.
The second defining moment for me was my first trip to Moab, UT. I have always been a mountain biker. Growing up on the east coast, I would ride all over the trails of No VA and at some of the resorts in WV. Now that I was in UT and biking all over the Wasatch, my brother suggested I head down to Moab. He heard that for some reason, lots of bikers would go down and ride there. "Moab, what's Moab?" The first time I crossed the Colorado River and pulled into Moab, I knew this was a special place. There was just something about the place that made me feel instantly......at home. Anway, I was there to bike, so off to Slickrock Trail I went. Amazing ride, amazing scenery, amazing atmosphere. Then I see a group of trucks going up Lion's Back, Dump Bump, and Baby Lion's Back. I had never seen anything like that before and couldn't believe something could actually drive up those things (I now understand how unimpressive those obstacles are). I decided to give Baby Lion's Back a try, and that is the first time I experienced the "pucker factor" and how annoying the loooooong hood of the 62 is. Now, don't give me a hard time for getting nervous on B.L.B., it was my first time on what I would call an "obstacle" and not merely a dirt road. After that simple 60 second rush of adrenaline, I was hooked to offroading.
Next mod was to throw on the OME suspension sometime in the late '90's. When the 31's finally wore out, I slapped on some 33x10.50 BFG All-Terrains. At this time I also put the full length Garvin Wilderness rack up top, with Hella 4000's up front and IPF 816's wired in as additional reverse/flood lights on the back. The spare tire went on the roof and the snorkel was plumbed up and bolted to the pillar. I admit that those last two were for looks. The headlights and harness were replaced with IPF H4 bulbs and IPF housings and remain one of my favorite mods. The stock headlights SUCKED! The stock horn was also an embarrassment and was replaced with a Hella horn kit.
And this is how my Cruiser remained for many years and for most of its offroad excursions. I found that with the lift and 33's, I could do the majority of trails I wanted. The 60 series is just so incredibly capable in nearly stock form! Moab became an almost every other weekend trip, and even during my busy semesters I made sure to make it down at least once a month for some offroading, biking and camping. Moab will always be a place for me that no matter how busy or challenging or crappy my life can get........I can cruise into town and life is all good. I just wish I could make it there as much as I did while in college.
This is not the end of my Cruiser saga, but will be continued tomorrow. Sorry I can't get the entire thread done at once! Pics will go up as soon as my silver star renewal goes through. I know, this thread is worthless without pics!!!!
It went with me to college in UT and little did I know this simple fact would forever change my relationship with my Cruiser. I had never even considered lifting a vehicle let alone take one offroad until I had lived in UT. It did stay completely stock for a year or so. First mod was an ARB front bumper. Yes, it looked a little strange with stock suspension and the stock 28" tires, but I wanted the bumper. After the tires finally wore to the point I was ready to replace them, 31x10.50 BFG All-Terrains were fitted. I was amazed at how far this setup could take me. In college, I was the guy with the truck that doubled as the road trip/ski/camping trip/party wagon. Campfire in the canyon, everybody hopped in with me. Head up to the ski resorts for a day of skiing or boarding, I was the taxi.
It was on one of these ski trips that solidified my position as lover of all things Toyota Land Cruiser. I'm heading up the canyon with 4 others and all their gear in the back of my 62. It had already started to snow and there was a good, thick blanket covering the road. Just as it starts to get pretty steep, there is a lifted Tahoe (no offense to those who drive one) with big tires and a crew of unhappy skiers pulled off to the side. They couldn't get any further up the road and told me to turn around as well, there was no point in going any further. One of my buddies blurted out "keep going", so I continued on to see how far I could make it up the road. I just kept going, and going, and going until I came to a stop at the ski resort parking lot. I felt like a champ, and the guys and girls with me gave praise the rest of the day to my "unstoppable" Land Cruiser.
The second defining moment for me was my first trip to Moab, UT. I have always been a mountain biker. Growing up on the east coast, I would ride all over the trails of No VA and at some of the resorts in WV. Now that I was in UT and biking all over the Wasatch, my brother suggested I head down to Moab. He heard that for some reason, lots of bikers would go down and ride there. "Moab, what's Moab?" The first time I crossed the Colorado River and pulled into Moab, I knew this was a special place. There was just something about the place that made me feel instantly......at home. Anway, I was there to bike, so off to Slickrock Trail I went. Amazing ride, amazing scenery, amazing atmosphere. Then I see a group of trucks going up Lion's Back, Dump Bump, and Baby Lion's Back. I had never seen anything like that before and couldn't believe something could actually drive up those things (I now understand how unimpressive those obstacles are). I decided to give Baby Lion's Back a try, and that is the first time I experienced the "pucker factor" and how annoying the loooooong hood of the 62 is. Now, don't give me a hard time for getting nervous on B.L.B., it was my first time on what I would call an "obstacle" and not merely a dirt road. After that simple 60 second rush of adrenaline, I was hooked to offroading.
Next mod was to throw on the OME suspension sometime in the late '90's. When the 31's finally wore out, I slapped on some 33x10.50 BFG All-Terrains. At this time I also put the full length Garvin Wilderness rack up top, with Hella 4000's up front and IPF 816's wired in as additional reverse/flood lights on the back. The spare tire went on the roof and the snorkel was plumbed up and bolted to the pillar. I admit that those last two were for looks. The headlights and harness were replaced with IPF H4 bulbs and IPF housings and remain one of my favorite mods. The stock headlights SUCKED! The stock horn was also an embarrassment and was replaced with a Hella horn kit.
And this is how my Cruiser remained for many years and for most of its offroad excursions. I found that with the lift and 33's, I could do the majority of trails I wanted. The 60 series is just so incredibly capable in nearly stock form! Moab became an almost every other weekend trip, and even during my busy semesters I made sure to make it down at least once a month for some offroading, biking and camping. Moab will always be a place for me that no matter how busy or challenging or crappy my life can get........I can cruise into town and life is all good. I just wish I could make it there as much as I did while in college.
This is not the end of my Cruiser saga, but will be continued tomorrow. Sorry I can't get the entire thread done at once! Pics will go up as soon as my silver star renewal goes through. I know, this thread is worthless without pics!!!!
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