Introduction and Backstory
I’ve decided to start a thread for my cruiser build, and continue my story here, which I'm calling the Forbidden FJ60. Some of you know my story which I've posted throughout my time here, but in general I’m currently on year two of trying to turn an unlikely land cruiser story --seemingly doomed from the start --- into a big victory. I'm probably know as the guy who did what most would tell you unequivocally not to do: buying a questionable land cruiser at 23 with no mechanical experience, no major disposable income, and no other vehicles. Now 25, My whole life for the last two years has been the ultimate test of biting off more than you can chew and still chewing it because it matters that much to you.
(If you want to know more on my Land cruiser story, read the hilarious and insightful comments, and the crazy turns up until now, its all within this thread): Advice on whether I should buy a Land Cruiser - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/advice-on-whether-i-should-buy-a-land-cruiser.1227794/page-17#post-14906033
Logic and society would say I should have quit a long time ago and let the vintage land cruiser remain forbidden to inexperienced young bucks in our declining society where hardworking men and dirty jobs are somehow becoming taboo. You get your dream car when you’re older and have another vehicle, that’s what the status quo has always said. But I did all of these forbidden things anyway, and was constantly told I’m been doing things backwards and mistaken. But I've had a breakthrough, am now on better footing as I have a place to do the build, a cool job as a result, and have discovered things about myself by not quitting on it.
I think that's why this is worth talking about: for my own sanity to get it out, but as a reference for those who may want to follow after. This is an experiment: can a
or MAYBE really baseline their rig with limited help after two years of face punches? and the suffering hasn't stopped and I doubt it will fully anytime soon. Let me tell you future young bucks, I have really suffered for this decision even though I had a hunch. And there’s probably a good reason I was warned not to do it by everyone in my life and over half of the forum guys. From my life position it was simply senseless to do something like this to almost all outside views and even in my own logic. But the sufferings been worth it! and as for outside views, but I desperately needed a place to dig my heels in, and happened to pick one of the harder scenarios to do that in.
So maybe I chose wrenching and cruisers an experiment in irony, a dream I couldn’t let die, or a **** you to society, but all I know is I saw a very distant bright spot in a sea of darkness, and a challenge that had meaning. I now know if you really have something like this that you feel you HAVE to do, even if you’re bad at it, if you get hit in the face harder and for longer than you thought was humanly possible and don’t lay down, eventually you will outlast it.
Now I’m in the arena, with a mechanic shop to work in, just enough finances and in person help to keep the project going, and a history to work off of. The rigs still not running yet, but I’ve outlasted a very brutal storm, have had a few months to study and can now take on the storm of actually working on the rig with a greater chance of success.
Now, to the build and how I'll write about it:
In short, I have an 85’ fj60, I’m reassembling my 2f engine, replacing all lost parts as I go to reinstall everything, and rough baseline my rig to make it roadworthy. This is an uncertain experience even though I am now on good enough footing to post a build thread on it. The build isn’t done yet, I’m still getting hit in the face and not out of the woods yet, but at least I have the bandwidth to write about it and ask questions in a non chaotic manner. I'm really starting to finally have FUN now, and have some chops to bite things off knowing I'll figure it out.
***There will be technical postings and questions asked, but this is also a psychological/existential dive into the process of fixing a land cruiser, from my perspective as the underdog. That’s really what this build will be about. Maybe someone will get something out of it and add to it in the discussion. But if nothing else this is just an outlet. All my cash and bandwidth has and is going into getting this rig running again, and I’ve had to make it my central purpose. Currently I’m trying to be present and remind myself to take it one step at a time, since the journey ought to be the goal in itself as well. Hopefully this thread will help me do that and anyone else out there going out on a hunch won’t have to go through starting out as harshly as I have and still am **
P.S. Thank you to all on this forum who have helped me and offered your insights and support, you are a big part of the reason I haven't given up and got into it in the first place.
Sincerely,
Dan
I’ve decided to start a thread for my cruiser build, and continue my story here, which I'm calling the Forbidden FJ60. Some of you know my story which I've posted throughout my time here, but in general I’m currently on year two of trying to turn an unlikely land cruiser story --seemingly doomed from the start --- into a big victory. I'm probably know as the guy who did what most would tell you unequivocally not to do: buying a questionable land cruiser at 23 with no mechanical experience, no major disposable income, and no other vehicles. Now 25, My whole life for the last two years has been the ultimate test of biting off more than you can chew and still chewing it because it matters that much to you.
(If you want to know more on my Land cruiser story, read the hilarious and insightful comments, and the crazy turns up until now, its all within this thread): Advice on whether I should buy a Land Cruiser - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/advice-on-whether-i-should-buy-a-land-cruiser.1227794/page-17#post-14906033
Logic and society would say I should have quit a long time ago and let the vintage land cruiser remain forbidden to inexperienced young bucks in our declining society where hardworking men and dirty jobs are somehow becoming taboo. You get your dream car when you’re older and have another vehicle, that’s what the status quo has always said. But I did all of these forbidden things anyway, and was constantly told I’m been doing things backwards and mistaken. But I've had a breakthrough, am now on better footing as I have a place to do the build, a cool job as a result, and have discovered things about myself by not quitting on it.
I think that's why this is worth talking about: for my own sanity to get it out, but as a reference for those who may want to follow after. This is an experiment: can a
or MAYBE really baseline their rig with limited help after two years of face punches? and the suffering hasn't stopped and I doubt it will fully anytime soon. Let me tell you future young bucks, I have really suffered for this decision even though I had a hunch. And there’s probably a good reason I was warned not to do it by everyone in my life and over half of the forum guys. From my life position it was simply senseless to do something like this to almost all outside views and even in my own logic. But the sufferings been worth it! and as for outside views, but I desperately needed a place to dig my heels in, and happened to pick one of the harder scenarios to do that in. So maybe I chose wrenching and cruisers an experiment in irony, a dream I couldn’t let die, or a **** you to society, but all I know is I saw a very distant bright spot in a sea of darkness, and a challenge that had meaning. I now know if you really have something like this that you feel you HAVE to do, even if you’re bad at it, if you get hit in the face harder and for longer than you thought was humanly possible and don’t lay down, eventually you will outlast it.
Now I’m in the arena, with a mechanic shop to work in, just enough finances and in person help to keep the project going, and a history to work off of. The rigs still not running yet, but I’ve outlasted a very brutal storm, have had a few months to study and can now take on the storm of actually working on the rig with a greater chance of success.
Now, to the build and how I'll write about it:
In short, I have an 85’ fj60, I’m reassembling my 2f engine, replacing all lost parts as I go to reinstall everything, and rough baseline my rig to make it roadworthy. This is an uncertain experience even though I am now on good enough footing to post a build thread on it. The build isn’t done yet, I’m still getting hit in the face and not out of the woods yet, but at least I have the bandwidth to write about it and ask questions in a non chaotic manner. I'm really starting to finally have FUN now, and have some chops to bite things off knowing I'll figure it out.
***There will be technical postings and questions asked, but this is also a psychological/existential dive into the process of fixing a land cruiser, from my perspective as the underdog. That’s really what this build will be about. Maybe someone will get something out of it and add to it in the discussion. But if nothing else this is just an outlet. All my cash and bandwidth has and is going into getting this rig running again, and I’ve had to make it my central purpose. Currently I’m trying to be present and remind myself to take it one step at a time, since the journey ought to be the goal in itself as well. Hopefully this thread will help me do that and anyone else out there going out on a hunch won’t have to go through starting out as harshly as I have and still am **
P.S. Thank you to all on this forum who have helped me and offered your insights and support, you are a big part of the reason I haven't given up and got into it in the first place.
Sincerely,
Dan
