When did the 45 sickness start thread!!

[Terrax]

In 1965 I was 5 years old. Our family moved to Burbank, CA and Walter Hoffmann, the gentleman who lived across the street from us had a yellow '62 FJ40 and his son Bill had a blue '63 FJ40. I watched them drive up and down the street my entire childhood. In '69 my dad bought a 1967 Nissan Patrol and when I learned to drive he gave it to me. I drove it for a few years in high school but when I was on a mountain climbing expedition just after graduation in 1978 he sold it. I loved camping and fishing so at the beginning of '79 I went looking for another 4x4. Looking across the street at the two 40s, I decided I wanted a Land Cruiser. The second day looking for a FJ40 a just happen to see one parked with a FOR SALE sign in the window. It was a 1975 and I bought it for $3,800. 42 years later I'm still driving it every weekend. I've got two great memories of Walter Hoffmann. The first is on the first day that I owned my 40 I had it on my mom and dad's lawn and was washing it. Walter was driving away in his '62 40 and stopped at my curb and said, "Boy I wish I had a new one", and then drove off. The second was that it was Walter himself that told me about the Saline Valley desert. I have been exploring it since 1988. One year I had just came out of Saline Valley and was heading home on the 395 south. Ahead of me I saw a pale yellow FJ40 on the 395 headed north. As we got closer and were about to pass a hand waved out of the window as Walter himself smiled at me as he turned to enter Saline Valley. He drove his 40 until he died in his 70s. I also have a '84 FJ60 and a '65 FJ45LV and when I think of the adventures I've known and the relationships I've made over the last 42 years because of these great vehicles it makes me thankful for the days I watched those two Land Cruisers drive up and down my street my entire childhood.

Great story!!

 

[Keepinitstock]

Great story!!

Some rando thought $3,500 was a reasonable cold call offer for my fj45. I think he might have been high.

View attachment 2527872

That is amazing! that is my truck with Marv sitting in the back, and me driving. It was at the Las Vegas TLCA Glitter Gulch Gambol.... 1986.... hard to believe this plaque has been on my tool box for 34 years.
I will pass this photo on to Mrs. Spector

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Some rando thought $3,500 was a reasonable cold call offer for my fj45. Thoughts?

 

[Cal40]

Probably the first time I visited Mudrak’s shop. Honestly I don’t remember it that well, but his 45 was definitely the genesis for me.

I’m awaiting delivery of my 45. I see it has this sticker on the window. Wonder if it’s also a John Espil truck.

 

[middlecalf]

Wonder if it’s also a John Espil truck.

J.T. @Keepinitstock might be able to let you know if you pass along the VIN to him.

 

[Cal40]

J.T. @Keepinitstock might be able to let you know if you pass along the VIN to him.

Hope so, the vin is FJ45 28949, in case he stops by this thread.

 

[middlecalf]

I’ll send him a text with your VIN. He has some/most of the ownership records now of the cruisers in their family. Mine wasn’t one of theirs, I’ll pass along any info he provides.

 

[middlecalf]

@Cal40 I don’t see your VIN in the numbers J.T. shared with me earlier this spring.

 

[Keepinitstock]

The only records I have are these. I found them while cleaning out my grandmother's ranch paperwork. They are the registrations left in the jockey box after grandpa John bought them. Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Keepinitstock]

One more.

 

[Cal40]

The only records I have are these. I found them while cleaning out my grandmother's ranch paperwork. They are the registrations left in the jockey box after grandpa John bought them. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Thanks for posting these. I love imagining these FJ45s as working trucks out on the range.

I reached out to the previous owner (several owners ago), and he indicated he bought it from a sheep ranch in Susanville. I wonder if more than one group in that area used FJ45s.

 

[Keepinitstock]

Thanks for posting these. I love imagining these FJ45s as working trucks out on the range.

I reached out to the previous owner (several owners ago), and he indicated he bought it from a sheep ranch in Susanville. I wonder if more than one group in that area used FJ45s.

One of the three ranches was in Susanville.

 

[matzell]

When I met Kurt Grasso at GSMTR 96 and saw his ext cab FJ45 and meet his "wolf". They camped next to me.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/fj45xtra-jpg.325844/