I am just as much into being able to go places
- but your wipers sure don't look they're with the program yet 
Stock or not
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I am just as much into being able to go places
- but your wipers sure don't look they're with the program yet
it's all about whether you want to brag about your STUFF (including this or another vehicle) or whether you value experiences with meaning in your lifesee, today I went out into the Arizona desert, and stopped just ~3 miles in on a dirt road off a major highway, to sit down in my $15 camp chair at a spot that offered a $million dollar view of the desert and mountains . . . just sitting there, watching birds, taking some pictures of cactus and the surroundings, just slacking off . . . I think it was more than 2 hours later that I even thought of getting up and leave . . .
THIS type of experience is what my 40 means to me (and just as well do the LX and our 80)
Wadesters
SILVER Star
@Skydog thank you for your kind comments about my restorations! I do primarily restore to stock specifications. I have on occasion had and restored a modified FJ40. My preference is to go back with a stock configuration. That being said I am a huge fan of the vehicles. However someone chooses to drive their Land Cruiser is great with me. I just want to see the "legend kept alive" and the vehicles staying on the road!
This
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Chris (@Wadesters), I'd like to meet you in person one day. I too live in GA, and frequent Newnan. -- My bringing you into my example of 'brand' was that for you, largely, restoring the vehicles back toward 'OEM-as-possible' is "your brand." And your 'brand' is therefore different than ICON's brand, or that of Cool Cruisers of Texas, let's say. -- Cheers to your new year !! ~Marc
I had shut the cruiser off mid-windshield wipe. Was a very wet day.I am just as much into being able to go places
middlecalf
SILVER Star
I like stock because it’s the hunt for stock parts and fixes that’s one of the main reasons I have a 40 and 45. But these are pretty early rigs so the hunt is quite often not for NOS. And quite often I have minimal knowledge of what it is I’m missing and/or what’s needed to fix/replace something. Hunts On!
All my rigs are worth $100k
All my rigs are worth $100k
I agree with others that true survivors should be kept stock and are worth more that way.
Now that I've said that, I wouldn't pull my SBC and go back to stock. As was shown recently... The "$300 '69 350" that went in in 1996 died after 21 years of use / abuse / neglect, and in went a "$300 '72 350" that only had 72K miles on it. If I rebuilt my 1.5F in 1996 and it died, I'd be out $4000 and be in search of a good F. The new SBC sparkles inside and I'm miles ahead.
As for it being stock... my frame, floor, hardtop, hood, seats, 1/4s, fenders, rear axle... have all rotted away. If I didn't scavenge from every way I could... it'd be a windshield attached to a cowl with rusty doors being recycled into a new Hyundai. I Lost count at about 36 donors of one form or another... and I'm to far down this road to go back. And it even has a pint or two of A- liberally applied here and there for good measure.
Now that I've said that, I wouldn't pull my SBC and go back to stock. As was shown recently... The "$300 '69 350" that went in in 1996 died after 21 years of use / abuse / neglect, and in went a "$300 '72 350" that only had 72K miles on it. If I rebuilt my 1.5F in 1996 and it died, I'd be out $4000 and be in search of a good F. The new SBC sparkles inside and I'm miles ahead.
As for it being stock... my frame, floor, hardtop, hood, seats, 1/4s, fenders, rear axle... have all rotted away. If I didn't scavenge from every way I could... it'd be a windshield attached to a cowl with rusty doors being recycled into a new Hyundai. I Lost count at about 36 donors of one form or another... and I'm to far down this road to go back. And it even has a pint or two of A- liberally applied here and there for good measure.
Thinking about this today and for me what I don't agree with is thinking about our hobby as a money maker. it's one thing to be in business, but to buy a Land Cruiser and think you're going to store it for forty years so you can make money on it is not what this forum and group of people are about. We use them, fix them, upgrade them and do whatever it takes to enjoy them. Most of the groups vehicles are worth under what $20,000 to $30,000 how much do you really think you're going to make keeping it totally in stock form, sure I'd love to have one of the restored stock $100,000 40s, but what do you do with it and how many of us can have one. If you like a stock vehicle then great, but if you want to do something that a stock 40 would have problems doing, then why not improve it. Invest in Bitcoin, it's more of a sure bet. I love all of them, just wish I could have one of each.
Thanks for letting me rant.
Thanks for letting me rant.
Thinking about this today and for me what I don't agree with is thinking about our hobby as a money maker. it's one thing to be in business, but to buy a Land Cruiser and think you're going to store it for forty years so you can make money on it is not what this forum and group of people are about. We use them, fix them, upgrade them and do whatever it takes to enjoy them. Most of the groups vehicles are worth under what $20,000 to $30,000 how much do you really think you're going to make keeping it totally in stock form, sure I'd love to have one of the restored stock $100,000 40s, but what do you do with it and how many of us can have one. If you like a stock vehicle then great, but if you want to do something that a stock 40 would have problems doing, then why not improve it. Invest in Bitcoin, it's more of a sure bet. I love all of them, just wish I could have one of each.
Thanks for letting me rant.
It is true that any forum is for the use of the vehicles in question. Two things are happening, 1.) Parts support is slowly going away from the manufacturer for older units. 2) Beating on a classic car is not good. At one time these just became old and use them as designed. Too bad the internet did not exist in the muscle car era as everyone would be exchanging their mods and whatever. The issue that is starting to happen with FJ40's and other 4X4 is they are going from the driver world to the classic world. I remember Hemi cars doing things in the 1960's that one would not Dare do today. Why ? Value. You could buy a GTO for a normal price and race, smoke the wheels, etc.. and no big deal. Today, they are to valuable for that so they become classics.
Believe it or not , blue chip classic cars are considered investments these days. FJ40 is not there yet , but , maybe. Take a look for yourself.
Blue Chip Collector Car Indexes | Hagerty Valuation Tool®
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Here's a question I'd like to ask :
It may not seem to be happening or unfolding in front of us so quickly, as I can today go to virtually any overpass bridge here in Atlanta and see a million-zillion motor-cars being driven below me. And also from @1969FJ 's Blue Chip chart immediately above. ... But I'm sensing, in a queasy way, a different reality for our future population than those of the 60's & 70's & even 80's saw of us today : I'd think there will become a push, on a surprisingly exponential scale, for a move toward 1) full electric cars/vehicles, and 2) fully autonomous cars/vehicles. And this push will, in my mind, stem from a combination environmental base of needs & political requirements via insurance company demands.
Sure, I don't see the nicer Classic Mustangs and GTO's and Spitfires, and of course 40's just being tossed to a compactor and then into a landfill. Not right away at least. But I do envision a future requirement that you'll need a lot of insurance money & government tax money if you're to drive your own vehicle. Especially if your vehicle happens to be a gas/diesel powered one. The oil companies & associated companies of course will do what they can to prolong such social movement. But might such a move come more surprisingly quickly we're right now thinking ?? ... Cargo hauling trucks are even right now being converted to electric & autonomous. No ??
Someone within the U.S. Federal Govt, Dept of Transportation; as well as someone who owns a large tech firm, not too long ago told me that in 20-25 years from now, all vehicles will be electric and autonomous. I immediately considered that an ambitious stretch. But there DOES seem to be a push toward that direction. And if so, could fossil-fueled vehicles (on an overall average) not begin to go down-hill in monetary & social value ?
And the younger (teenaged & pre-teen) generation today ? ... The average majority of them are mostly less than interested in their future driving. Unlike us, they're being raised to know that they can instead be driven - to where they need to go - without the hassle & responsibility & insurance risk of being the driver (in the future). If chauffeured (as in by the car, itself), the younger generation will have learned they can then concentrate on other (more productive) duties... such as utilizing some sort of electronic device. - - - And this (younger) generation I speak of would otherwise be the same generation who would be the one to purchase your getting really old (and long-in-the-tooth), Classic 40-series. ... A series of vehicles which is far, far, far from being practical (in virtually every sense) to today's teenagers.
I don't speak of everyone (younger generation); but I'd think I speak of the majority. The majority would continue to think of your FJ/bJ40 as being cool looking. But I'd think that'd be basically the extent of it.
So. My question is, what would our 'Classic' 40-series vehicle REALLY mean to the future generations ??
~Skydog
It may not seem to be happening or unfolding in front of us so quickly, as I can today go to virtually any overpass bridge here in Atlanta and see a million-zillion motor-cars being driven below me. And also from @1969FJ 's Blue Chip chart immediately above. ... But I'm sensing, in a queasy way, a different reality for our future population than those of the 60's & 70's & even 80's saw of us today : I'd think there will become a push, on a surprisingly exponential scale, for a move toward 1) full electric cars/vehicles, and 2) fully autonomous cars/vehicles. And this push will, in my mind, stem from a combination environmental base of needs & political requirements via insurance company demands.
Sure, I don't see the nicer Classic Mustangs and GTO's and Spitfires, and of course 40's just being tossed to a compactor and then into a landfill. Not right away at least. But I do envision a future requirement that you'll need a lot of insurance money & government tax money if you're to drive your own vehicle. Especially if your vehicle happens to be a gas/diesel powered one. The oil companies & associated companies of course will do what they can to prolong such social movement. But might such a move come more surprisingly quickly we're right now thinking ?? ... Cargo hauling trucks are even right now being converted to electric & autonomous. No ??
Someone within the U.S. Federal Govt, Dept of Transportation; as well as someone who owns a large tech firm, not too long ago told me that in 20-25 years from now, all vehicles will be electric and autonomous. I immediately considered that an ambitious stretch. But there DOES seem to be a push toward that direction. And if so, could fossil-fueled vehicles (on an overall average) not begin to go down-hill in monetary & social value ?
And the younger (teenaged & pre-teen) generation today ? ... The average majority of them are mostly less than interested in their future driving. Unlike us, they're being raised to know that they can instead be driven - to where they need to go - without the hassle & responsibility & insurance risk of being the driver (in the future). If chauffeured (as in by the car, itself), the younger generation will have learned they can then concentrate on other (more productive) duties... such as utilizing some sort of electronic device. - - - And this (younger) generation I speak of would otherwise be the same generation who would be the one to purchase your getting really old (and long-in-the-tooth), Classic 40-series. ... A series of vehicles which is far, far, far from being practical (in virtually every sense) to today's teenagers.
I don't speak of everyone (younger generation); but I'd think I speak of the majority. The majority would continue to think of your FJ/bJ40 as being cool looking. But I'd think that'd be basically the extent of it.
So. My question is, what would our 'Classic' 40-series vehicle REALLY mean to the future generations ??
~Skydog
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@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.
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Your words & thoughts are mine. ~Marc
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Being a naturally very neutral type person (but I'm not at all liberal), I must say my personal belief is that we're literally destroying our Earth. As if the human race is merely cancer to the Earth. I've believed that since early childhood. So, I do indeed believe we, the human race, the overall human race, need to be thinking of & striving toward more "green." But equally, I do in fact realize interest groups, as little or as big and international as they can become, seek to take money out of the hands of another, who are not within their own interest group. From an American perspective, the international community wishes to take money out of Americans hands. And from an American citizen perspective, the (crazy left) American government or local government naturally wants to take money out of the citizen's hands. Etc, etc. Politics and organized interest groups as usual. ... I'm just speaking my mind here.
Regarding "Stock or not" : I'm not one to be able to say, but I can't imagine the current motor vehicle, as we know them, NOT going the way of the horse-drawn stage coach. Or like the pocket watch. Or like any one of my old computers & monitor screens. And why wouldn't they ?? ... And if so, there'll naturally be a continuous sloping decline of the current combustion engine toward that 'new' reality. ... Like it or not.
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LOL ... not what I meant ...I own two pocket watches and both are stock
Cheers Peter
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.
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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.
Marty McFly, Doc, are you out there? Need a flux capacitor to fit my 40 Stat... Hope I am long gone before fossil fuel vehicles are extinct.
