Stock or not (1 Viewer)

[Skydog]

Writing is on the wall; electric is the future. Gas stations will eventually be as rare as service stations are now. Then eventually as rare as ethanol-free stations. Then rare as stations with race gas. Eventually, the radius to find a gas station will expand to where you'll have to give serious thought to retrofitting electric power to your truck. Which I wouldn't mind at all. All that torque and silence (especially on the trails, can you imagine?), and none of the fumes and leaks.

I'd say, "Of course." And for me, for my to be restomodded FJ40, which I fully intend to hang-onto for my life long, I'll be willing to one day swap its 2F for not a V8, but a then appropriate-sized electric motor. Which I can imagine will become far more inspirational than we're even knowing or realizing today.

It won't be all bad; we'll still have our '40's, and they'll still be valuable.

My arguement is that that may be the case; but likely, only intrinsically to us, ourselves. For us, the FJ/BJ40 was a desired item, that we wished to strive for, while we were still in high school. ... Not so with this next generation. They're striving & aiming for a Telsa. ... If we want to be wise and "invest" in a future money-making 'Classic' vehicle, I suggest it'll instead need to be this first generation of Telsas.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

@Skydog great question, although I hope you are wrong! I think we all do. This future generation is largely lazy, stupid, entitled and babied. I really don't see them wanting to bang knuckles under an old vehicle because they have a passion for bringing old things back. Sadly, the only think these slaves have a passion for is having well developed thumbs! Sad. The dumbing down of America has been in full swing for quite a while now.

I think we have a responsibility to our future generations to try to reach them and not let this be the case. It is not over until it is over, I hope that my grandchildren learn what I taught my children that if you work hard on anything it will return to you value and satisfaction. My hope is that the grandkids learn by example and get to love my Land Cruisers as much as my son and I do. I am familiar with the transition of classic cars and their declining popularity and demand. All but the most rare will eventually decline in monetary value. But if we only look at the dollars we miss the point, many of these cars previous owners loved and cared for and had an awful lot of fun with their cars and clubs and lots of cruise ins.

As far as resto-mod or stock, I have a survivor that will always be as close to original as possible as long as I own it but a future owner may not share my vision. I am involved with @Jdc1 on a total nut and bolt, true as we can be to Toyota except for some very nice upgrades, we are in it for a lot more than we initially planned but the truck has a life of its' own and seems to lead us where it needs to go. Even If we lose money it is what we chose to build and we did it pursuing excellence in every step. When it is done we will share the satisfaction of a combined effort to build a truck as good as we can, someone else may share the vision and the only way they can have it is to pay our price. The market decides what it is worth, we decide whether or not we accept the money.

And my last point, parts are getting harder to find and our choices as to what we do with our vehicles will soon depend on the availability of parts. Many of our vendors on this forum are a critical part of keeping these cruisers alive, thanks to them for their knowledge and commitment to supporting our interests in all the ways we decide to take our cruisers. Support them when you can and keep them healthy.

Given that I was born in 1986, I find myself a part of the dreaded "millennial" generation. I've often lamented this to my wife, and just about anyone else who will listen. Of my friends and acquaintances, I'm the only one with an interest in classic cars. 99% of my friends have never changed their own oil. Any time I bring up the 40 (my passion) in conversation I'm met with eye rolls and comments like "ugh, why don't you just sell that piece of old junk and be done with it. Buy a nice new Wrangler instead, they're basically the same thing." It makes restoring a car a pretty lonely pastime, and also challenging, since anyone I know who is local to me will find any excuse to NOT help on the two-person jobs (engine pulls etc.). When I need help, I have to get my 60 year old father in law, or one of his 50-70 year old friends to come down and help me out. It's also why this forum is so phenomenal - it gives a clueless millennial like myself access to an entire planet of old-heads to learn from!

To be honest, I'm not even sure how I wound up into classic cars - it's not nostalgia, I was born a decade and a half after muscle cars and 3 years after the demise of the FJ40. It's not like I learned from my dad (zero interest in cars). I just always saw the old cars as having more personality, and more "artfulness" in their design. They all look different, ride different, feel different. Modern cars are as exciting as kitchen appliances to me. I'm hoping one day if I have children, they'll pick up the torch - but not in my 40. This thing (not stock at all) is mine. They can find their own damn classic.

This topic has really strayed - but I tend to agree with the above. "Stock or not" is not the question in the grand scheme of things. The real question becomes - when electric, self driving cars take over, will we even be allowed on public roads in vehicles that require a steering wheel? Will our cars instead be relegated to tracks, driving courses, and parades, like horses today?

 

[dlzadl]

So we need to enjoy what we have, build what we want and live for the now.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

So we need to enjoy what we have, build what we want and live for the now.

 

[White Stripe]

Given that I was born in 1986, I find myself a part of the dreaded "millennial" generation. I've often lamented this to my wife, and just about anyone else who will listen. Of my friends and acquaintances, I'm the only one with an interest in classic cars. 99% of my friends have never changed their own oil. Any time I bring up the 40 (my passion) in conversation I'm met with eye rolls and comments like "ugh, why don't you just sell that piece of old junk and be done with it. Buy a nice new Wrangler instead, they're basically the same thing." It makes restoring a car a pretty lonely pastime, and also challenging, since anyone I know who is local to me will find any excuse to NOT help on the two-person jobs (engine pulls etc.). When I need help, I have to get my 60 year old father in law, or one of his 50-70 year old friends to come down and help me out. It's also why this forum is so phenomenal - it gives a clueless millennial like myself access to an entire planet of old-heads to learn from!

To be honest, I'm not even sure how I wound up into classic cars - it's not nostalgia, I was born a decade and a half after muscle cars and 3 years after the demise of the FJ40. It's not like I learned from my dad (zero interest in cars). I just always saw the old cars as having more personality, and more "artfulness" in their design. They all look different, ride different, feel different. Modern cars are as exciting as kitchen appliances to me. I'm hoping one day if I have children, they'll pick up the torch - but not in my 40. This thing (not stock at all) is mine. They can find their own damn classic.

This topic has really strayed - but I tend to agree with the above. "Stock or not" is not the question in the grand scheme of things. The real question becomes - when electric, self driving cars take over, will we even be allowed on public roads in vehicles that require a steering wheel? Will our cars instead be relegated to tracks, driving courses, and parades, like horses today?

Your friends won't help you yank a motor? I think you need to trade in your friends.

Writing is on the wall; electric is the future. Gas stations will eventually be as rare as service stations are now. Then eventually as rare as ethanol-free stations. Then rare as stations with race gas. Eventually, the radius to find a gas station will expand to where you'll have to give serious thought to retrofitting electric power to your truck. Which I wouldn't mind at all. All that torque and silence (especially on the trails, can you imagine?), and none of the fumes and leaks. It won't be all bad; we'll still have our '40's, and they'll still be valuable.

I mentioned this in chat when the topic came up about electric 4x4s. When it comes to going offroad, I do not want any high voltage/amperage whatsoever. Because the only way to know for sure that the vehicle is truly up to task to make it across the river without turning the occupants to bacon along with fish and other aquatic wildlife within a 30 foot radius, is to drive it through the river. Not something I care to test personally. But I will watch from the other shoreline with my 2f powered 40.

 

[thecrazygreek]

My most bestest mods that I would actually do to a 40 that I would keep as mine...
2f with tbi, balanced with headers, ported, polished and pretty.
FJ60 steering
OME 2.5 LIFT
H55 5 SPEED
4 wheel discs w hydroboost
Air Con
Stock everything else

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Your friends won't help you yank a motor? I think you need to trade in your friends.

If I based my friendships on folks who would help me pull a motor, all my friends would be 60+ years old. It also doesn't help that I'm in the "No Man's Land" between two great Cruiser clubs (Keystone and CCLC). Awesome guys, but all the meetings and offroad sites are 3+ hours and a tank and a half of gas from my house.

 

[scott fasken]

Hi here are two stock FJs if you really want stock

1967 Toyota FJ45LV Land Cruiser

1976 Toyota BJ40 Land Cruiser

 

[tls3601]

@RWBeringer4x4 very well said my friend. I have learned a lot about these things by offering a helping hand here and there. My father is far from a mechanic as well and so I am self taught. I guess the first 40 I saw when I was like 8 years old I thought was "neat". As I got older I saw them as the real deal and super rugged to boot. Never saw myself as a gear head but here I am now in life wanting to fix everything! Life can be strange but always an Adventure that is for sure. I already am missing the search and so probably time to take on another, but need a newer DD first.

 

[tls3601]

Hi here are two stock FJs if you really want stock

1967 Toyota FJ45LV Land Cruiser

1976 Toyota BJ40 Land Cruiser

We will see how stock they are in person. I will be at that auction in a couple weeks. My friend @JackA says the 45 could be closer to original, he also has a FJ45LV as well. I think that same rig sold a few years ago for like $185K, will be interesting to see how it fares this time. They certainly are a rare bird.