Saving The Old Rustbucket--My 1982 FJ40 Tale
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I love stories like this, especially ones as rich as your's Lee.
I stumbled across your thread poking through the 40s section Tuesday morning because the 150 series section is all but totally dead - anyway. I'm sitting on my engine at Magna, the plant in Bowling Green Kentucky that hydroforms all of Ford's truck frames; waiting for them to bring me out my loaded rail cars.
Needless to say - the next 3 1/2 hours went by in a blur of your story aided by a vivid imagination. Every stop signal I came to, out came my phone and another chapter down
Keep writing man, we need more. And seriously I know it hasn't been said in a while but please, get this s*** printed and bound because I'd love to buy a couple copies and give them as gifts. Saying this journey is inspiring is at the very best an understatement.
I stumbled across your thread poking through the 40s section Tuesday morning because the 150 series section is all but totally dead - anyway. I'm sitting on my engine at Magna, the plant in Bowling Green Kentucky that hydroforms all of Ford's truck frames; waiting for them to bring me out my loaded rail cars.
Needless to say - the next 3 1/2 hours went by in a blur of your story aided by a vivid imagination. Every stop signal I came to, out came my phone and another chapter down
Keep writing man, we need more. And seriously I know it hasn't been said in a while but please, get this s*** printed and bound because I'd love to buy a couple copies and give them as gifts. Saying this journey is inspiring is at the very best an understatement.
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- #1,523
Second batch:
I thought I had these sorted in chronological order but obviously I don't.
1. Hard 8 BBQ in Stephenville, Texas, Ken and Barbie chapter, Pg 4, Post 66
2 & 3. Somewhere in western Oklahoma or the Texas panhandle. Spearman--Part 2, Pg 10, Post 183
4. Departing Oklahoma, entering Texas panhandle, same chapter as 2&3 above.
5. Hansford Cemetery, Spearman--Final Chapter, Pg 10, Post 197
I thought I had these sorted in chronological order but obviously I don't.
1. Hard 8 BBQ in Stephenville, Texas, Ken and Barbie chapter, Pg 4, Post 66
2 & 3. Somewhere in western Oklahoma or the Texas panhandle. Spearman--Part 2, Pg 10, Post 183
4. Departing Oklahoma, entering Texas panhandle, same chapter as 2&3 above.
5. Hansford Cemetery, Spearman--Final Chapter, Pg 10, Post 197
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Oops. Should have been in the previous post. Leaving Oklahoma, entering Texas Panhandle.
So happy to see you back, and to see new pics. To be honest I stopped checking in as often because I didn't want to be dissapointed there wasn't new material. Understand how life gets in the way, my 40 has sat pretty much idle for the past two years and it's starting to bug me. Safe travels and many adventures on your mini trip!
There are still allot of us sitting back here, and were hungry for a good story. Thank you for the pictures, and have a safe trip.
Wonderful thread...the narration is simply superb.
Sorry for your Father & Mother. RIP
Some how I missed this thread always, I don't know why I did not check it out, no wonder it is in the stickies. I clicked it for the first time on 27th of July 14 and caught up on 1st August 14. It made me remember my father who passed away in 1994, on a pilgrimage thousand of miles away, could not bring him back to my country. There are some things you can't help.
I am a proud owner of a 40 and after reading this tale I feel as my car has a soul, I have started treating her as a living thing as my partner. Though I do not have a nick name for her. Commander, I will appreciate it you can give her a nick. It was also a Rust Bucket...
Please don't mind I am attaching a pics of before and after for reference....
Thanks for sharing this story, and I glad you are back with the remaining, and then the Rust bucket story as well.
Looking forward
Sorry for your Father & Mother. RIP
Some how I missed this thread always, I don't know why I did not check it out, no wonder it is in the stickies. I clicked it for the first time on 27th of July 14 and caught up on 1st August 14. It made me remember my father who passed away in 1994, on a pilgrimage thousand of miles away, could not bring him back to my country. There are some things you can't help.
I am a proud owner of a 40 and after reading this tale I feel as my car has a soul, I have started treating her as a living thing as my partner. Though I do not have a nick name for her. Commander, I will appreciate it you can give her a nick. It was also a Rust Bucket...
Please don't mind I am attaching a pics of before and after for reference....
Thanks for sharing this story, and I glad you are back with the remaining, and then the Rust bucket story as well.
Looking forward
Lee, Let's call this what it is......you needed some Jones County air and a chain saw to get the blood flowing!!!
hsumbal....id go with Phoenix....it's even red!
Commander........
hsumbal....id go with Phoenix....it's even red!
Commander........
Looks great hsumbal, the only thing I would have done different is stick with the split rims and tall skinny military tires. Could name her pilgrim 
Lee, Let's call this what it is......you needed some Jones County air and a chain saw to get the blood flowing!!!
hsumbal....id go with Phoenix....it's even red!
Commander........
Thanks mate. That is a very nice name. It takes position in my short list....
Thanks for the pics Lee.
Hope to see more of your writing.
Good work on that 40. Here is mine. Almost done with the paint. 77.40
Hope to see more of your writing.
Good work on that 40. Here is mine. Almost done with the paint. 77.40
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- #1,535
Thanks guys. There's lot on my table at the moment but keep the faith, more writing is coming. I'm also investigating a book deal. More on that later. Have to finish the dang story first. 
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- #1,536
More pics from earlier chapters:
1. Abandoned stone building somewhere just outside Clayton, New Mexico. I don't think this was mentioned in a chapter, but I was chuggin' along on US Highway 87 with a belly full of chow from the Rabbit Ear (Dale Jr. at the Rabbit Ear, Pg 11, Post 205), beautiful clear afternoon, when a monster hail storm came out of nowhere. I looked for shelter and spotted this empty building, went off road and parked inside it for 15 minutes, until the storm passed. I never figured out what the building was originally, but it saved me and The Turtle.
2. Somewhere between Clayton and the rest stop where I met Gayla, the 40 driving Colorado girl (Danger Will Robinson, AKA The Colorado Girl, Pg 11, Post 218). Pulled off to stare at the mountains.
3. Same as 2, close up shot of The Turtle.
4. & 5. Abandoned motel near Grenville, New Mexico. I backtracked and camped behind the motel while hiding from, uh, temptation, if you catch my drift. (Danger Will Robinson Parts 2 &3, Pg 12 Post 235 and Pg. 14, Post 268.)
1. Abandoned stone building somewhere just outside Clayton, New Mexico. I don't think this was mentioned in a chapter, but I was chuggin' along on US Highway 87 with a belly full of chow from the Rabbit Ear (Dale Jr. at the Rabbit Ear, Pg 11, Post 205), beautiful clear afternoon, when a monster hail storm came out of nowhere. I looked for shelter and spotted this empty building, went off road and parked inside it for 15 minutes, until the storm passed. I never figured out what the building was originally, but it saved me and The Turtle.
2. Somewhere between Clayton and the rest stop where I met Gayla, the 40 driving Colorado girl (Danger Will Robinson, AKA The Colorado Girl, Pg 11, Post 218). Pulled off to stare at the mountains.
3. Same as 2, close up shot of The Turtle.
4. & 5. Abandoned motel near Grenville, New Mexico. I backtracked and camped behind the motel while hiding from, uh, temptation, if you catch my drift. (Danger Will Robinson Parts 2 &3, Pg 12 Post 235 and Pg. 14, Post 268.)
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Poser photo on the outskirts of Raton, New Mexico, minutes before being blitzed by a winter storm while going through Raton Pass. Cold, but clear skies and sunny, 30 minutes before the storm hit. (Snowing on Raton, Pg. 15, Post 303)
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At the Colorado state line, The Turtle crosses into Wyoming. The winter mix started falling about 50 miles north of Denver, on the outskirts of Fort Collins. Temp was around 10 degrees. Within minutes after taking this photo, snow was falling so hard that I couldn't see the road. Visibility was zero, and I followed the tail lights of an 18 wheeler into Cheyenne. (Fire and Ice, Pg. 22, Post 238)
Parked outside Sierra Trading Post in Cheyenne. Had to stop for an emergency purchase of cold weather gear, and thaw out.
Parked outside Sierra Trading Post in Cheyenne. Had to stop for an emergency purchase of cold weather gear, and thaw out.
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The Turtle in the Sheridan, Wyoming Motel 6 parking lot where I met Yosemite Sam, the Cleveland cowboy. Welcome to Friendly Sheridan, Pg. 28, Post 547
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More pics from Sheridan, Wyoming. I don't think any of these were mentioned in the Sheridan chapter, but it's on Pg. 28, Post 547
At Buffalo Bill's house near downtown. Not a good shot. I attempted to park in front, closer to the sign, but a security guard ran me off as soon as I pulled in. Note the clean tires.
While driving around Sheridan, I spotted a dirt road leading up a steep hill that looked like it might provide a panoramic view of the city. View was just so-so, but The Turtle seemed to enjoy gettin' the MT's dirty. Tires are now properly broken in.
My favorite shot of the now legendary Turtle, lookin' manly.
Downtown, Main Street in Sheridan, with mud caked tires. I guess this was some kind of touristy souvenir shop. I didn't go in, just thought it would make a cool photo. This was shortly before I asked about driving onto the sidewalk for a photo op in front of the cowboy statue. Thinking back on it, I wonder if the prissy guy who threatened to call the police, just didn't want mud on his precious sidewalk.
At Buffalo Bill's house near downtown. Not a good shot. I attempted to park in front, closer to the sign, but a security guard ran me off as soon as I pulled in. Note the clean tires.
While driving around Sheridan, I spotted a dirt road leading up a steep hill that looked like it might provide a panoramic view of the city. View was just so-so, but The Turtle seemed to enjoy gettin' the MT's dirty. Tires are now properly broken in.
My favorite shot of the now legendary Turtle, lookin' manly.
Downtown, Main Street in Sheridan, with mud caked tires. I guess this was some kind of touristy souvenir shop. I didn't go in, just thought it would make a cool photo. This was shortly before I asked about driving onto the sidewalk for a photo op in front of the cowboy statue. Thinking back on it, I wonder if the prissy guy who threatened to call the police, just didn't want mud on his precious sidewalk.
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