Saving The Old Rustbucket--My 1982 FJ40 Tale (1 Viewer)

[watrob]

A good story is like good coffee, it's in the essence that is used and years of knowledge of the brewer!

 

[myquestoyota]

I'm sure the story will continue when the time is right. Now we know what the world felt like when they finished a Harry Potter book or the first book in the Foundation series and then waited a few years for the next one. Lee gave us the first installment and now we need to patiently wait for more.


and

 

[Gunso]

 

[jeffro109]

Merry Christmas Lee, and the rest of ya too!

 

[Fjloveaffair]

We all have times in our life where the FJ,like it or not, takes a back seat to what's is REALLY important in life....and in the spirit of the season...that is family and the essence of it. I'm sure that the pause in posts is not a lack of love for the FJ, but only a pit stop on the road of life that we each have. When we each look back at great moments with our FJ's those moments were not alone, they were shared with family and friends that might as well be family. Igloo igloo igloo to the holiday season fellow 40 lovers.

 

[watrob]

Well that's another year gone, Santa's been, we have all had a pitstop and reflected back on what once was, now back to the 40?

 

[78FJ40Mark]

Epic!!!

Thank you Lee and all folks who have posted on this thread....
Just joined MUD 3 days ago after being reunited with my 40 that I drove in highschool and college.
Wish MUD was around when I had the old FJ 40...
Not even sure how I found this thread but I echo all of the previous comments....Stellar story telling...
Can't wait to start making new memories with my kids in the 40 and hopefully meeting up with some of you guys.

Apologize to those looking for a new Chapter......Subscribed!

 

[cbmontgo]

Wonderful read. Subscribed.

 

[Frank Traverse]

I finally found and got to try a left hand milk stout down here in Charleston. It's a great beer.

 

[Darasick]

I finally found and got to try a left hand milk stout down here in Charleston. It's a great beer.

It's my favorite beer in this thread and I have the Commander to thank for introducing me to it as well. It is an excellent Stout!

 

[phils40]

Lee/SeaKnight,

I have to say your story is a great one, very inspiring and hits at all the right levels. Get it published!
What i am enjoying about it is the road less travelled, its characters and of course, great beer (i'm a keen amateur brewer and craft beer drinker).

I also recently lost my father (the 40 I just got was his) and your story hit the spot with me.

Keep it coming... (but no rush!)

Phil

 

[WesternMT1]

After a false start searching for a 40 back in '08-09 in Northwest Montana and some half-hearted looking in Salt Lake City in the intervening years, hopped back on MUD yesterday for the first time in 3 or 4 years and fell right into this thread. Absolutely incredible. Got caught up this morning from my desk in Missoula, Montana, and can't wait to hear about the Turtle arriving in this great town.

I'm really lucky to work in the magazine industry (long-distance bicycle travel) and if half the stuff submitted to me was half as good as this, well, I'd just about give my right foot for that. I'm in awe that such a great, well-written tale is publishing on an internet forum (and getting WAY more views most magazines could dream of!).

I'll be hoisting a Moose Drool in anticipation of the next chapter and re-starting my 40 search in earnest. I tip my hat to you, sir. Fine work indeed.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

Talk to Paul in Helena (a.k.a. 3puppies on MUD). He has a yard full of cruisers in every flavor and a shop full of parts (read "hoarder"). He would likely know of any 40's in Montana.

 

[OGBeno]

^^^ Truth.

 

[40HNTR]

great thread!

 

[77wagon]

I try not to post, despite my infinite questions, but...

This thread captures why we all have a tech section. These vehicles are more than just vehicle, they are part of our lives and our families and our history. Just because it is not new, does not mean it is not the essence of what we are all doing (restoring vehicles which will take us on adventures). I am so glad I stumbled upon it, after passing it up so many times. Thanks for keeping it there and thanks for writing it Sea Knight. I keep waiting for more... But I'm ok if that's all it is.

Sorry I'll shut up now.

 

[BlakeQueen]

Chapter 1

So after the aforementioned Yooper brother, AKA Uncle Meldon, decided to buy the Austin 40, Yooper casually mentioned that his brother lived in Kona, Hawaii. I made a flippant remark, something to the effect of: "Now that I've done the inspection, I suppose he'll expect me to drive the 40 to Hawaii for him." A few days later I get an email from Uncle Meldon. "I've decided to take you up on your offer to drive my new ride to Hawaii." I'd known Yooper for years, but had never met his brother. I learned that he was chief engineer on a yacht, and would be at sea for several weeks, maybe months. The proposal was that I'd drive his 40 from Austin to Seattle, ship it to Hawaii, fly to Kona and pick up the truck at the port in Hilo, park it in his garage, and fly back to Austin. While the 40 was in transit, I could hang out at his beach house. Only a fool would have refused this deal so naturally I signed on. In April 2005 I took off for Seattle, a road trip which proved to be the adventure of a lifetime. There would be unplanned delays, several of them--a monsoon rain somewhere in Oklahoma, a road closure in the wilds of New Mexico, a clutch failure in Colorado, and a major Winter blizzard in Wyoming. Even with the delays I somehow made Seattle on time and hooked up there with another old friend, Landpimp, who was kind enough to follow me to the shipper and provide a ride back to SeaTac in his new 100. I languished in Seattle for a few days before departing for Kona, and got to spend time behind the wheel of Landpimp's legendary '82 40. After several weeks on the road in Uncle Meldon's '76 and a couple of days motoring around Gig Harbor in Landpimp's '82, the 40 virus had quietly established a foothold in my brain. I didn't know it at the time, but I was toast.

Landpimp's John Deere Green 40, well known to all MUD'ers.
View attachment 587265

Wow, I like this one. Just look at its colour and design, it's awesome!!!

 

[Honger]

I try not to post, despite my infinite questions, but...

This thread captures why we all have a tech section. These vehicles are more than just vehicle, they are part of our lives and our families and our history. Just because it is not new, does not mean it is not the essence of what we are all doing (restoring vehicles which will take us on adventures). I am so glad I stumbled upon it, after passing it up so many times. Thanks for keeping it there and thanks for writing it Sea Knight. I keep waiting for more... But I'm ok if that's all it is.

Sorry I'll shut up now.

Nailed it!

To this day i can't listen to Townes Van Zandt without visions of cross-country trips in a Cruiser. I'm perfectly happy to wait for more... as long as it takes.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Epic thread that transcends the ordinary mundane ramblings of the average rhetoric. It could have started with "Call me Ismael", same vein, same fluent recounting of an intrepid narrative....A sailors yarn indeed, "permission to come aboard"...I'm hooked!
Woe be unto the Philistine that moves this thread out of the 40 tech forum...

“Swerve me? The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails, whereon my soul is grooved to run. Over unsounded gorges, through the rifled hearts of mountains, under torrents' beds, unerringly I rush! Naught's an obstacle, naught's an angle to the iron way!”
― Melville

 

[CreeperSleeper]

I had a Moose Drool on draft the other night and it made me think of this thread... Cheers!