especially when you live in HV county.
What have you done to your Land Cruiser this week?
- Thread starter IH8MUD
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One of the best posts I’ve read in a long time. I look forward to being able to tell my own stories like these
@Polecat ….who made your soft top?
looks great
looks great
Ha! Thank you! I’m pretty sure someone else asked that same question the last time I posted in this thread. Unfortunately I don’t know. The truck was restored and imported from Colombia right before I bought it, so I don’t have any detail. I could ask, but I’m afraid the answer wouldn’t help.
“Smiles per mile”…stealing it, going on a T-shirt.. Wanna buy one?
Well done…what a ride..!!!
Had a mishap in St. George this winter, so it was time to address it as its cruiser season again here.
Made a bracket for the portapower and it magically went back into a useable shape. Not perfect by any means, but it’ll do until I find another early windshield
Caought it in the evening light. Now I wish I had gotten this shade in the respray. (Top pic is probably a truer shade).
Caought it in the evening light. Now I wish I had gotten this shade in the respray. (Top pic is probably a truer shade).
I loved reading @cruiserkev story about his FJ40. I thought there would be an interest of my 49 year memory so here it goes. I moved to northern Vermont 1973 with my Pontiac. By thanksgiving there was no way that car would be useable all winter long. I was a few miles from the Canada border and it snowed like crazy. Found my FJ40 brand new at Morristown Toyota in New Jersey and took the $4400 deal. I was a 21 year old kid with few cares and even fewer needs after the Land Cruiser. My future wife lived up the road from me with her parents and we got together in the spring of 1975. She helped me take the hard top off, work on things, and take a few off-road logging road trips. Over 40 years after I sold that FJ40, 2 others came to live in our house but that all ended in the 1980’s and our Land Cruiser days were empty but fill with kids and toys. 1 year ago now 69, something inside me clicked and I just had to find another FJ40. I found it right here on IH8MUD. She’s a beauty and I took it back to nearly stock. Now 70, I have had the thrill of enjoying and babying this truck and re-living some great fun with my wife in the passengers seat
the ride is not as I remember but maybe at 21, that bumpy bouncing ride was never an issue…. The guys here on IH8MUD have been so incredibly helpful. Thank you
Downey equipped 1974
New z stock 1974
out of the showroom stock 1974
2 years in the Vermont snow
the new flame 1975 FJ40 49 years later
the ride is not as I remember but maybe at 21, that bumpy bouncing ride was never an issue…. The guys here on IH8MUD have been so incredibly helpful. Thank you
More work on the door cards. Cut out ABS sheets that match my PVC cards from CityRacer. Machined a 3 degree angle on a stack of 6” speaker rings. Spaced them at the bottom of the card and attached with template tape an screwed from the back.
I then routed out the hole.
I cut 2 10 inch aluminum rings out of a spare sheet and smoothed it with the drill press. Added threaded rivets to hold 1/4 20 stainless screws in equally spaced holes around the rings.
Lastly, covered with green fleece, stapled to the wood speaker rings and secured with the aluminum rings.
It is now ready for fiberglass. Just have to learn how.
I cut 2 10 inch aluminum rings out of a spare sheet and smoothed it with the drill press. Added threaded rivets to hold 1/4 20 stainless screws in equally spaced holes around the rings.
Lastly, covered with green fleece, stapled to the wood speaker rings and secured with the aluminum rings.
Look up “West Epoxy Systems”. They do have some very user friendly information and it’s not just boats. Their materials are used for all kinds of great projects. They publish a quarterly magazine …free. It is called “Epoxyworks”
good luck
good luck
Man! We need to start a cruiser story section! I like to hear about people’s connection Roland cruisers or just their 40. It gives all the faceless cruisers a history.
Finally got my kids seats bolted in properly and they fold down nicely as part of a double bed. Also got the bare bones of the kitchen fitted in place.
very nice, totally multi-functional
Been thinking of the "to do" list: motor mounts, center arm rebuild, rain gutter repair, hardtop restore, the thing consumes some oil, maybe a top end job... Or, I just keep adding oil, keep filling the tank, keep on keeping on and trying to prevent any major concerns.
I sure do enjoy driving this thing.
I sure do enjoy driving this thing.
Great solution.
This site is better for learning fiberglass. Structural Fiberglass Repair Part 1 | Boatworks Today - https://www.boatworkstoday.com/videos/structural-fiberglass-repair-part-1/ He is on youtube.com as well.
This is the stage I’m in currently.
My FJ addiction started in the late 60s to early 70s when I was about 8 or 10 years-old. I remember my cousin's husband's brother had a mustard FJ40. We drove out into bumf-cked Lake County CA to look for Lake County diamonds in it. Didn't realize until recently that that memory had etched into my noggin.
Fast-forward to high school years and one of my best friends had a red '72 FJ40. We drove the crap out of that thing and wheeled into and (usually) out of places we had no business being. We're lucky to be alive. Had to be winched a few times, but that adds to the memories.
Years later, my wife and I were married with a little one on the way and somehow I convinced her it was a good idea to add an FJ40 to the collection. I already had my '67 Barracuda, a '63 Corvair Spyder, a '69 Corvette convertible and "her" '72 Mercedes 250C. I picked up a '72 FJ for $1500 and shouldn't have bought it. It was rusty as hell, but was still fun for the year that I had it. Sold it for $1900 and thought I had shut the door on the FJ addiction. I had owned one and that was enough. It just wasn't practical for a young family, we told each other.
Fast forward to 1993... the Barracuda was gone, the Spyder was gone, the '72 Benz had been replaced with an '85 300D "mom's" car and the Corvette was no longer practical, so it was sold. I decided to try the FJ again. This time I found a '69 which had been flopped on its' side for $1900. I called the guy and he said it ran fine, so went to look at it. It ran like crap, the windshield frame was bent and the roll cage was tweaked. I offered the guy $1300 and he took it. I drove it home... barely! By the time I got home, I was so disgusted I couldn't look at it. We were late for a party so I left it in my driveway to be trouble-shot another time.
The next day, with a clear head, I fired it up and raised the hood to a giant sucking sound. The 3/8' vacuum line to the t-case vacuum apply was floating in the breeze. It had come off when the guy flopped it and he never put it back on. I reattached it and it ran GREAT! Win one for me! Next up was to find a windshield frame ($100 with windshield) and to straighten the roll cage. A couple of cuts, some heat and a come-along and it was ready to weld back together.
Over the next year and a half, I painted it myself in the garage. I added some camping accessories and a hitch to it (for small tent trailer) and painted it. The next couple of summers were spent camping all over NorCal with my two boys (around 6 and 4) strapped into a home-made rear seat and bungie cords attaching everything from coolers to sleeping bags wherever they would fit.
One day coming out of Lake Pillsbury with only the bikini top on and half doors in 45 degree weather, I pulled over to make sure the boys were okay in the back, under an army blanket. I peeled back the blanket and steam came rolling out. They were fine (and LOVING it!). Those rear heaters really work!
Sold the FJ in about '96 and picked up a Suburban, then a different Suburban...
Fast forward to 2015... My oldest son, now 27 said to me, "Dad some of my best memories were when we used to kick around all over the place with the red LandCruiser, can you help me find one?". Another win for me! It just so happened that a good friend was selling his Capri Blue '70, so a deal was made. ...And an addiction was rekindled.
In 2020, I was on the hunt for my own FJ40, when I happened upon the 45LV. I made the deal on the LV and then had to sell my '67 GTO. I hated t sell that car, but I really haven't looked back. The LV is a completely different affair, I tell ya!
That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Cheers All!
Chuck
Fast-forward to high school years and one of my best friends had a red '72 FJ40. We drove the crap out of that thing and wheeled into and (usually) out of places we had no business being. We're lucky to be alive. Had to be winched a few times, but that adds to the memories.
Years later, my wife and I were married with a little one on the way and somehow I convinced her it was a good idea to add an FJ40 to the collection. I already had my '67 Barracuda, a '63 Corvair Spyder, a '69 Corvette convertible and "her" '72 Mercedes 250C. I picked up a '72 FJ for $1500 and shouldn't have bought it. It was rusty as hell, but was still fun for the year that I had it. Sold it for $1900 and thought I had shut the door on the FJ addiction. I had owned one and that was enough. It just wasn't practical for a young family, we told each other.
Fast forward to 1993... the Barracuda was gone, the Spyder was gone, the '72 Benz had been replaced with an '85 300D "mom's" car and the Corvette was no longer practical, so it was sold. I decided to try the FJ again. This time I found a '69 which had been flopped on its' side for $1900. I called the guy and he said it ran fine, so went to look at it. It ran like crap, the windshield frame was bent and the roll cage was tweaked. I offered the guy $1300 and he took it. I drove it home... barely! By the time I got home, I was so disgusted I couldn't look at it. We were late for a party so I left it in my driveway to be trouble-shot another time.
The next day, with a clear head, I fired it up and raised the hood to a giant sucking sound. The 3/8' vacuum line to the t-case vacuum apply was floating in the breeze. It had come off when the guy flopped it and he never put it back on. I reattached it and it ran GREAT! Win one for me! Next up was to find a windshield frame ($100 with windshield) and to straighten the roll cage. A couple of cuts, some heat and a come-along and it was ready to weld back together.
Over the next year and a half, I painted it myself in the garage. I added some camping accessories and a hitch to it (for small tent trailer) and painted it. The next couple of summers were spent camping all over NorCal with my two boys (around 6 and 4) strapped into a home-made rear seat and bungie cords attaching everything from coolers to sleeping bags wherever they would fit.
One day coming out of Lake Pillsbury with only the bikini top on and half doors in 45 degree weather, I pulled over to make sure the boys were okay in the back, under an army blanket. I peeled back the blanket and steam came rolling out. They were fine (and LOVING it!). Those rear heaters really work!
Sold the FJ in about '96 and picked up a Suburban, then a different Suburban...
Fast forward to 2015... My oldest son, now 27 said to me, "Dad some of my best memories were when we used to kick around all over the place with the red LandCruiser, can you help me find one?". Another win for me! It just so happened that a good friend was selling his Capri Blue '70, so a deal was made. ...And an addiction was rekindled.
In 2020, I was on the hunt for my own FJ40, when I happened upon the 45LV. I made the deal on the LV and then had to sell my '67 GTO. I hated t sell that car, but I really haven't looked back. The LV is a completely different affair, I tell ya!
That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Cheers All!
Chuck
Green Bean
SILVER Star
One of the rear lift hatch latches wasn't catching very well and was causing some rattling. Our son 3d printed a small spacer which tightened things up nicely.
Brother, I call this, on a 47yr old platform, the perpetual state of angst.
