Saving The Old Rustbucket--My 1982 FJ40 Tale

[RodrigzCrzr]

Be patient all! this is the best thing aout this story checking and waiting when the next part of the story is coming. makes you go back to read and remember what was written. only to find out how much better the story gets as he pumps out more chapters. enjoy and wait.! patience is a virtue.

 

[91 4runner]

Be patient all! this is the best thing aout this story checking and waiting when the next part of the story is coming. makes you go back to read and remember what was written. only to find out how much better the story gets as he pumps out more chapters. enjoy and wait.! patience is a virtue.

well said sir well said

 

[alcs]

Sea Hawk,
I would like to thank you for this incredible journey that you have brought us all on.

If I may start by saying I am truly sorry for the loss of your father.

I don't know if i could of been the outstanding person you are with some of your encounters, Jenn and Gayla for example. I might have failed in the morality department during that journey, I guess we only find out more about ourselves when we are put in those positions.

I started out like everyone else here looking for a build up thread on an old fj40 , and was taken on an incredible ride of emotions through someone elses eyes. But felt like i was there all the time.

Sorry for the long post ,I know many of you were hoping for an "update"
I spent the last few days reading your story and the many comments of everyone here, I started to regret getting close to the page 68 for i beleived the journey was coming to an end.
I sure beleive it has not, and hopefully my journey is just beginning.
Many thanks Sea Knight

 

[jbmccul]

I need my monthly Rustbucket fix!

 

[gonzopancho]

Great thread. Fine writing. Really enjoying it.

Since you're about to get to Spokane, ... I bought my FJ40 in Spokane in 2003, right before we moved to Hawaii. It was dark green metallic over smurf blue back then, and had a crate motor 350 in front of a TH400. The TH400 had a cracked bellhousing, and the rest of the truck was a huge hack.

My brother and I towed it down to Las Vegas (where we was born, and he still lived). After a short (but expensive) stint at BTB, we recovered it, and completed it ourselves.

Eventually, when it was finished, I shipped it to Hawaii (Honolulu).

In the meantime, I bought a FJ62 and shipped it over to Hawaii. Shipped them both back in Summer 2011, because we were moving back to Austin.

The pic on the back is right after my brother and I picked them up in San Diego in late June of 2011. My brother died, quite suddenly, Aug 1, 2011. That short road trip was one of the last things we did together.

So, in a way, mine is also a story of Hawaii, and Cruisers, and loss of a life-long loved one. It's been a helluva year (and a half) since. I finally have some shop space. The 40 and 62 are still sitting in front of my father's house in Las Vegas, but it's time to go fetch them (and the 65 Mustang).

(anyone up for a road trip?)

 

[RodrigzCrzr]

Road trip!

I am down for a road trip! lets go pick them up!

 

[thetoyotaman]

Back on topic, I recently received some sad news from a friend in Montana concerning the old Blue Sky Motel, which was featured in the Bozeman chapters. I say that it's sad news, because staying there was the catalyst for a crazy series of events that I won't ever forget. Here's the article from the Bozeman Chronicle, and a couple of nostalgia pics--Blue Sky, The Turtle, and some Montana girl.


"The Blue Sky Motel in Bozeman, is being sold to a businessman who has plans to re-develop the property into a three-story office and residential building. A local developer has filed preliminary paperwork with city planners to turn the Blue Sky Motel — better known for its long-term rates than plush accommodations — into a three-story building with office and residential space.

The Flathead Bank of Bigfork currently owns the property at 1010 E. Main St., real estate records show. Shahan Enterprises plans to tear down the motel and construct a more than 40,000-square-foot, three-story building, according to a site plan filed with the city planning department. The sale of the property, which was assessed at $1.1 million, is pending. Shaun Shahan, president of Shahan Enterprises, declined to discuss plans for the property.

The motel had fallen into disrepair. Four complaints were filed with the Gallatin City-County Health Department against it over the past year. The building will be torn down and replaced, Shahan’s preliminary plans show. In its place, a three-story building tentatively called Park Place will be constructed. Plans show it will have nearly 6,000 square feet of office space on the first floor, 16 residential spaces on the second and third floors and a garage on site."

I drove by the Blue Sky Motel property today and it is now gone, bulldozed into history. I always thought that motel sign was kindof cool.

 

[juanchogaviria]

Sorry for your brother´s loss, it is a good thing you both shared the land cruiser virus,...

 

[gonzopancho]

you're going to drive all the way to Texas?

 

[gonzopancho]

Sorry for your brother´s loss, it is a good thing you both shared the land cruiser virus,...

Thanks.

I have super fond memories of building that 40 with him.

 

[AlphaSig112]

Wow

So after reading over 60 pages of posts joining the forum and buying a 1971 fj 40. I have to say thank you for writing this "book".

 

[Pacer]

So after reading over 60 pages of posts joining the forum and buying a 1971 fj 40. I have to say thank you for writing this "book".

That's an epic first post welcome to the madness and to Mud!

 

[Dunbar]

Going through the area tomorrow and might stay at the Eklund Hotel in Clayton on a recommendation. Had to revisit this part of the Turtle trek to see where to eat.

Dunbar

Nope, it's Gayla, and she stayed at the Robin Hood Motel in Raton. Or that's what she told me. I certainly wouldn't have any personal knowledge.



Not a fictional character. I told a couple of Austin guys about this incident as soon as it happened. No idea about her being a MUD member. That was almost 7 years ago and I can't even remember if we discussed MUD at the time. I'd assume she still owns that 40 since it was a family heirloom.

 

[Vae Victus]

...
And Souvenirs, with the late Steve Goodman

John Prine steve goodman Souvenirs - YouTube

Live at the Old Quarter is a classic. You won't be disappointed. I think the Townes/Earle/Clarke CD you ordered is probably Live at the Bluebird. Another fine choice.
...

Cheers,
Lee

This is way back in page 42. Like many, I refuse to look at the "last post", i.e. the current portion of this thread, preferring to slowly ramble towards the end. I started at the beginning about a week ago, and read about an hour a night. I fear that is too quick, and that I'll be forced to catch up to real time, finding out that Lee has stopped writing, or worse, that I'll have to wait a week or more for new material.

But, reading about this album that was taped at the Blue Bird Cafe back in '95, forces to to interject. I drive by the Blue Bird Cafe every day, about 2 miles north of my location as I type this. It is as famous for its music as it is for its location - right in the middle of suburbia. Next to a dry cleaners and a furniture shop, a few doors from McDonald's and the high end Green Hills shopping mall - not what you think about when you think "Nashville" and "famous music joint." But, there it is, and that's what makes it so quaint.

Wish I could say I hang out there, but I don't. Probably need to change that.

Anyway, carry on. Nobody tell me, but I hope that you are here Lee, still writing. I'm going back in time now, see ya in a few weeks, back to page 42. Thanks for entertaining us. Perhaps this is the new way to write - write in real time, interactively. Charge folks to take the journey along with you. $5 a month for a book written by an author in real time, while you make comments along the way. Interesting.

VV

 

[hisandher77fj]

Inport and no new updates that made it easy to catch up. Be back state side in 45 days and I will catch up again.

 

[yooper]

Just had this Big Sky beer while taking a sauna. It is excellent.

 

[Dianna]

I'm done waiting for more, I'm gonna pull a scene from Misery on your ass. I'll serve you some great brews and play your favorite artists while you are tied to the bed with your broken legs. Do you prefer Mac or a PC?

 

[Hogan]

Thanks for sharing this adventure, I can not wait till the next chapter.

 

[HuntNFool]

Great ride so far Commander! I'm new to the forum and to 40's as well, this thread is making me wonder why I waited so long!

 

[Chamba]

Great ride so far Commander! I'm new to the forum and to 40's as well, this thread is making me wonder why I waited so long!

We were wondering that to. Welcome.