Story time: what is your stock 40 capable of (1 Viewer)

[HemiAlex]

I love watching stock trucks do things. I imagine when all people had was a set of knobby bias ply tires and some extra fuel. No air lockers and fancy winches.

If you’ve had a truck that’s done trails, gone on adventures or you drove it daily in rain/sleet/snow or extreme heat without a second thought, post your stories and videos here.

 

[Downey]

So when I was a Parts Manager at Downey Toyota (new car dealership where Downey Off Road Mfg. began), the new car salesmen knew absolutely zilch about Landcruisers (part of the reason they never sold well back in the day). When a potential Landcruiser custom wanted a demo ride to see what the Landcruiser could do, the salesman relied on me to give the demo ride. There was a perfect hole in the ground near the dealership, about 10' deep, looked like a bowl had been pushed down into the ground. I'd lock the hubs, drop down into the hole, then grab some air ((accidentally, or not) coming out of the hole. When we got back to the dealership, the customer would tell the salesman; "I'll take a new Landcruiser, but I want a different one, your man already ruined this one"

 

[devo]

Here is two of many stories:

1982 I bought my first FJ40 off of the dealer lot. Took a Greyhound 500 miles to Hays Ks. to get the best price. I lived in St Louis Mo. at the time. A good American car town, a J*^p town. They didn’t care much for “rice grinders” there. I was coming off of a 1973 Scout at the time. So, I joined a local J*^p club. Boy, did I catch all kinds of crap on our runs. Someone was always unlocking my hubs and they would all be astonished that I would make it through in 2WD. For the first time they where witnessing the legend of the LandCrruiser.
The J*^pers wouldn’t even take a look at my 40, no curiosity. One dude told me it just looked ”too safari” and walked off.

In 1983 I finally was ready to up grade to some huge 31x10.5 BFG mudders. The guy selling me tires told me he’d put them on but I wouldn’t be able to turn them?

Just some the of abuse I took as a early LandCriuser owner in the Mid West.

I can get to trail stories eventually. I have tons. Thing is, back in those days we didn’t document every thing we did so they may only be stories, without video or photo documentation.




devo

 

[tls3601]

It may just be me but it seems the Land Cruiser was way more accepted out West than back East where I grew up. Buffalo was a Chevy and Ford town, people were drinking the company cool aid and many looked down at Toyota. Ignorant. Not me even with my first Toyota a 1981 Tercel I recognized quality of the machine right away.

 

[Camper Dave]

There is nothing like driving an FJ40 to put a smile on my face. People either get it or they don't. You may have to put your teeth back in after a rattling, slow, and noisy drive. However, a 40 owner will jump right back in it and do it the next day with the same smile on his face. I am a fan of anything with a motor and wheels,....this rig takes the cake in my book.

Here is some shoddy video and bad music!







Last Weekend in Mt Laguna

 

[Downey]

Another story, I locked my hubs before a day long 4WD run, then went about 4 hours into the run before I found out I forgot to put my rig into 4WD. I slid sideways on a hog back hill, gunned the engine, jumped to the other side of the hog back, then slid down loose sand/gravel and into a large rock. When I then discovered I couldn't get out of that predicament I also discovered I'd been in 2WD all day long. I didn't bother telling the other guys on the CB radio, who had been bitching all day long about how rough the run was.

 

[lcwizard]

So when I was a Parts Manager at Downey Toyota (new car dealership where Downey Off Road Mfg. began), the new car salesmen knew absolutely zilch about Landcruisers (part of the reason they never sold well back in the day). When a potential Landcruiser custom wanted a demo ride to see what the Landcruiser could do, the salesman relied on me to give the demo ride. There was a perfect hole in the ground near the dealership, about 10' deep, looked like a bowl had been pushed down into the ground. I'd lock the hubs, drop down into the hole, then grab some air ((accidentally, or not) coming out of the hole. When we got back to the dealership, the customer would tell the salesman; "I'll take a new Landcruiser, but I want a different one, your man already ruined this one"

I visited Downey when I got my first 40 in 1978. Back then only Downey and Man-a-fre existed for Land Cruisers that I was aware of. Conferr built for every truck.
I had a friend that lived off Firestone Blvd that I would drive from Phx to see. as I remember it was eventually turned into Penske Toyota. Is that right?

 

[1969FJ]

It may just be me but it seems the Land Cruiser was way more accepted out West than back East where I grew up. Buffalo was a Chevy and Ford town, people were drinking the company cool aid and many looked down at Toyota. Ignorant. Not me even with my first Toyota a 1981 Tercel I recognized quality of the machine right away.

It was. Past the Mississippi, all East coast towns were anti-Japanese. Most were Union towns and certainly did not want competition. Toyota started in Torrance, California and people were more liberal on accepting the surrender for the war. I remember Detroit in mid 1970s when an auto worker who parked his Toyota had it trashed.

 

[1969FJ]

I love watching stock trucks do things. I imagine when all people had was a set of knobby bias ply tires and some extra fuel. No air lockers and fancy winches.

If you’ve had a truck that’s done trails, gone on adventures or you drove it daily in rain/sleet/snow or extreme heat without a second thought, post your stories and videos here.

This is perhaps my favorite video ever on the FJ40.

 

[1969FJ]

Here is two of many stories:

1982 I bought my first FJ40 off of the dealer lot. Took a Greyhound 500 miles to Hays Ks. to get the best price. I lived in St Louis Mo. a the time. A good American car town, a J*^p town. They didn’t care much for “rice grinders” there. I was coming off of a 1973 Scout at the time. So, I joined a local J*^p club. Boy, did I catch all kinds of crap on our runs. Someone was always unlocking my hubs and they would all be astonished that I would make it through in 2WD. For the first time they where witnessing the legend of the LandCrruiser.
The J*^pers wouldn’t even take a look at my 40, no curiosity. One dude told me it just looked ”too safari” and walked off.

In 1983 I finally was ready to up grade to some huge 31x10.5 BFG mudders. The guy selling me tires told me he’d put them on but I wouldn’t be able to turn them?

Just some the abuse I took as a early LandCriuser owner in the Mid West.

I can get to trail stories eventually. I have tons. Thing is, back in those days we didn’t document every thing we did so they may only be stories, without video or photo documentation.




devo

What happened to the 1982 FJ40 ? Did it have AC and power steering ?

 

[devo]

Well, we had been going everywhere in that 40, and then we started traveling further and further. The gear and supplies kept building. I got a roof rack. The 40 would be so ( over) loaded it would sway and lean to and fro. Remember back then after market parts were rare, like no OME springs, etc. So, in 1988 I went to see Mr. Toyota and traded it for a 1984 FJ60 with 35K on the clock. Then the LandCriuser adventures really started! So I don’t know where it is? Do I miss it, sort of? Do I wish I still had it, sort of!
It had PS and I turned down the A/C option. This was a 1982 out of the Midwest, so it already was succumbing to horrible rust.

devo


Colorado 1985 - 88

 

[Camper Dave]

Well, we had been going everywhere in that 40, and then we started traveling further and further. The gear and supplies kept building. I got a roof rack. The 40 would be so ( over) loaded it would sway and lean to and fro. Remember back then after market parts were rare, like no OME springs, etc. So, in 1988 I went to see Mr. Toyota and traded it for a 1984 FJ60 with 35K on the clock. Then the LandCriuser adventures really started! So I don’t know where it is? Do I miss it, sort of? Do I wish I still had it, sort of!
It had PS and I turned down the A/C option. This was a 1982 out of the Midwest, so it already was succumbing to horrible rust.

devo


Colorado 1985 - 88

Those are some great pics! No top, no doors with snow in the back ground, awesome!

 

[igotta40]

Early 80’s we went wheeling in the Cruiser out to Spring Creek, on what is now Houston Intercontinental Airport. I was in my 74 and Roy drove his 65. It took everything me and the 40 had to get between the trees, over the hills and through the ditches and deep mud ruts, with my brand new BF Goodrich Mud Terrains but we made it to the creek. There sitting at the riverbank was a 70 something year old man, fishing, next to his VW bus. The photo is me trying to get air on the riverbank.

 

[1969FJ]

Well, we had been going everywhere in that 40, and then we started traveling further and further. The gear and supplies kept building. I got a roof rack. The 40 would be so ( over) loaded it would sway and lean to and fro. Remember back then after market parts were rare, like no OME springs, etc. So, in 1988 I went to see Mr. Toyota and traded it for a 1984 FJ60 with 35K on the clock. Then the LandCriuser adventures really started! So I don’t know where it is? Do I miss it, sort of? Do I wish I still had it, sort of!
It had PS and I turned down the A/C option. This was a 1982 out of the Midwest, so it already was succumbing to horrible rust.

devo


Colorado 1985 - 88

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Thanks. I already knew the FJ40s after mid 1970s were prone to the rust demon. It is unfortunate that all the rest was improved but frame and body were the weak points. Either way, I wish I had the chance in 1982 to buy a brand new one.

 

[Downey]

lcwizard, correct about Penske. Quick history: I worked for Toyota Motor Sales USA in Torrance in 1968-69'ish. Went to Downey Toyota in 1969, bought a new Landcruiser in 1970, started making Landcruiser accessories in the back room in 1970, became Parts Manager in 1971, had the 4th largest Toyota parts dept. in the USA while at the same time building Landcruiser accessories. Owner of Downey Toyota spun off the accessory operation as a private corporation in 1975, and we moved it to it's own home away from the dealership at that time. I then was able to buy the accessory business from my boss in 1978, then abruptly changed the name from Downey Toyota Off Road Center to Downey Off Road Mfg. During the years after we left the dealership, TMS forced them to get out of their s--t hole and build a brand new (up to image) dealership. Along with the heavy borrowing they had to do, they also hired a General Manager who evidently stole enough money from the dealership that he was able to purchase a Chevrolet dealership. This then was the downfall of Downey Toyota. Originally TMS took over the dealership since they didn't want to loose the choice location, then TMS eventually sold the dealership to Penske- - -end of story.

 

[4Cruisers]

Thanks. I already knew the FJ40s after mid 1970s were prone to the rust demon. It is unfortunate that all the rest was improved but frame and body were the weak points. Either way, I wish I had the chance in 1982 to buy a brand new one.

Back in March 1984 my wife and I stopped by Toyota West in Las Vegas late one might to look at Land Cruisers. An hour or so later we drove off in a new '84 FJ60, which we still own. It was a hard decision, both Land Cruisers in inventory were on the showroom floor, the FJ60 and a new mustard yellow '83 FJ40.

 

[JohnnyC]

My truck is capable of keeping me alive

I usually talk about this in a short version... but... here’s the longer version:

I was driving my 74’ FJ40 FST back from Maine ... think it was 98’ (meet up with Stan a fellow fst owner... mud member as well... I had not seen him in a few years, I had picked up an engine hand crank at his place)

On my return trip home that night ... going 65 mph... i hit a truck rim and tire that somebody left in the middle of the highway at night.

Blk rim , blk tire .... I saw it when it was about 10' from the truck, middle of the night .... slammed the brakes and cut the wheel... I hit the tire with my drivers side front tire ... Broke the spring pin... Axle moved back 6"

Tried to control the truck in a fish tail... Didn't quite do it

My truck lifted off the ground and slammed to the pavement... I remember the weightlessness and watching the windshield shatter to pieces as I was trying to pull myself below the steering wheel when it hit on it’s side

It then rolled...

Rolled several times ... side over side... in the middle of the highway came to a stop after it had slid for a bit

Ended upside down

Knowing I was most likely in the road because I felt it through my softtop vinyl (kayline fst replacement top) I turned off the radio (Brian Setzer Orchestra was playing on my cassette tape)

Turned off the ignition because the fuel pump was trying to pump air... then turned off the lights (thinking later I should have kept them on because it was pitch black)

Then I released my lap belt that was holding me upside down in my seat

Looked over to my right after I landed on the ground, I can see my passenger door was no longer there ... it had flown several yards up the road

I had to crawl through the broken glass and under the passenger seat that was leaking fuel on top of me ... as I got up from the ground outside the passenger side I flung my hair back to hear pieces of glass fly from my goldilocks onto my truck (yes I had long hair ... yes I still had hair... yes I was hippy)

I had just turned around in the direction I was previously driving from when a guy all dressed in brown ran up to help ... he was panting and going on about how he was thankful he didn’t kill me ... dazed still ... I knew I had hit a tire and he wouldn’t have anything to do with that ... looking at him I realized he was a UPS guy, I then also realized what he was talking about when he hysterically going on that he didn’t want to hit me... his 28’ tractor trailer nearly jackknifed in the road just behind me by maybe 15-20’ ... I was slowing down much faster than him, he watched the whole thing unfold as he was locking up his brakes ... and prayed he could slow down in time... he did luckily for me (I most likely prayed the same time as he did ... sooo we both had prayers answered ) my prayers had a lot of @&?! Words mixed in... but... it worked

So the tire that I hit got ejected from the back of my truck bounced up the off ramp and struck two cars getting off the exit from the highway ... grazed off the side of a lady’s car that had her 4 children and ended up under an elderly couple’s car

It was pretty quick that a Mass trooper showed up ... when he got out and walked up to us he asked if the ambulance came for the driver... ups guy and me both told him no... no ambulance yet... he runs off to my truck yelling Oh s***

“I’m right here” I told him ... he was relieved that a dead guy wasn’t splattered inside the truck! We stood around for quite awhile talking ... the people from the off ramp had also come over thinking that the tire was mine... nope not mine


it was the first mass trooper that was actually down to earth and funny... one of the first things he said to me was “Man don’t you wish you were able to film that”... ahhh No... that isn’t what I was thinking about at the time plus I used up my wish on “please don’t let me die”

Ambulance finally showed up and checked me over... no broken bones ... or head trama... no cuts even

Walked away without a scratch...

Eventually when the tow truck showed up it was just getting light and we can see further down the road a ford bronco (full sized) on the northbound side sitting there missing a front tire ... One of the two troopers that were here now drove over to the bronco to run its plates

Tow truck guy and I right sided my truck ... loaded it on the flat bed .... then swept the highway of all the debris

The trooper was there still when the owner of the bronco drove up in another car to retrieve his truck... you can hear very clearly what the trooper was saying ... well yelling... as he wrote the multiple tickets... I am glad it was not me he was going off on ... that was as crazy as me rolling the truck lol

A good night and bad night all rolled up into one

Bad: rolled my truck
Bad: had to fight with his insurance to get full price on my truck and still keep it
Good: Got an oem hand crank
Good: found out cruiser owners help each other out in tough times
Good: did not die

The good outweighed the bad... rebuilt the truck... still driving it ... still my DD 28+ years

 

[Greek Cruiserhead]

4Cruisers said:
"...both Land Cruisers in inventory were on the showroom floor, the FJ60 and a new mustard yellow '83 FJ40."
It should be a tough decision indeed!...
====
1984 BJ42 frame-off restored
1983 BJ45 resto-project

 

[lcwizard]

lcwizard, correct about Penske. Quick history: I worked for Toyota Motor Sales USA in Torrance in 1968-69'ish. Went to Downey Toyota in 1969, bought a new Landcruiser in 1970, started making Landcruiser accessories in the back room in 1970, became Parts Manager in 1971, had the 4th largest Toyota parts dept. in the USA while at the same time building Landcruiser accessories. Owner of Downey Toyota spun off the accessory operation as a private corporation in 1975, and we moved it to it's own home away from the dealership at that time. I then was able to buy the accessory business from my boss in 1978, then abruptly changed the name from Downey Toyota Off Road Center to Downey Off Road Mfg. During the years after we left the dealership, TMS forced them to get out of their s--t hole and build a brand new (up to image) dealership. Along with the heavy borrowing they had to do, they also hired a General Manager who evidently stole enough money from the dealership that he was able to purchase a Chevrolet dealership. This then was the downfall of Downey Toyota. Originally TMS took over the dealership since they didn't want to loose the choice location, then TMS eventually sold the dealership to Penske- - -end of story.

When you're 18 and the proud owner of a new FJ40 you'd saved for for two years everything in life revolved around your truck. I even dumped the gurlfriend of four years when she said she hated the truck and I needed to sell it. Phx had a small 4x4 shop, Statewide 4WD, that sold me all my first parts including Downey dual front shock towers, Conferr roof rack, Warn 8274 bumper, Bushwacker Fender Flares, Burbank springs then later, Rancho. When i was 20 I bought a tubing bender and started building my own stuff. By 1989 I realized there was very little available for the Cruiser market so i sent the "aussie grill guards" out to Downey, Specter and Man-a-fre. Man-a fre responded positively and that started a 20 some year friendship with Al and Laura that sold , literally , millions of dollars in my parts.
Al and Laura sold quite a few years ago and spend most of their retirement in Idaho. I'll be visiting there this summer . It's been a long run . I try to support every
Land cruiser shop I can.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Back in March 1984 my wife and I stoped by Toyota West in Las Vegas late one might to look at Land Cruisers. An hour or so later we drove off in a new '84 FJ60, which we still own. It was a hard decision, both Land Cruisers in inventory were on the showroom floor, the FJ60 and a new mustard yellow '83 FJ40.

@4Cruisers...ahem. Do recall how you enticed your wife to head in the general direction of the dealership? I recall a swing set of some sort? Perhaps I am mistaken. I recall laughing immensely. I might be getting you confused