Why did you get your 60? Stories?

[Herbert]

Why did you get your 60? Is it just a vehicle for you or is there a neat story why you got it? Here is my story:

In 1991 ex-monty python Michael Palin shot a travel documentary called "Pole to Pole" were he traveled in Africa from Aethiopia to Mpulungu via Sudan on "somewhat rough" roads (The roads in Aethiopia after the rainy season are unbelieveable!). The expedition was entirely done by Land Cruisers. This show was getting me started in 4x4s. Land Cruiser Diesels were always too expensive so I had to wait till last year to get a FJ62 from Florida. I'm currently converting it to Diesel.
The Land Cruiser I'm building right now looks exactly like the ones Michael Palin used back then. So in a way a dream comes true for me. Hence my Land Cruiser is called "Mpulungu" after the town with the same name in Zambia, Africa.

Land Cruisers rock!

BTW: If you don't know "Pole to Pole" yet, and you like Land Cruisers, you are in for a treat!

 

[cabron]

For me, I first bought a 40 about four years ago. I then realized that my half 74' half 68' cruiser was one of the best built cars I had ever owned. I ran my business out of it, 200+ miles a week, with little to no problems. I needed something slightly more practical for the day to day so I eyed the coolest two-tone cruiser for sale in South Bend. Virtually the day I sold the 40 I went on a road trip and laid my offer on the table in cash. I told them they had 10 minutes to either sign me the title and sell the car for that price or I was leaving. Well I got a 60. I love it, a little more practical for my daily driving and a few more creature comforts for me. Couldnt have worked out better

 

[brian]

i wanted one. and i searched till i found a local one.....it was a long search.

 

[DCM36]

I fell in love with the series Land Rovers growing up and pined after one for a long time, but think it is crazy to get one(that you plan on using regularly) unless it is fully rebuilt. So I got an FJ62 as an alternative. Now I am addicted and only interested in Land Cruisers, and adding more to our fleet.

 

[fliphkd778]

Allright.
-I started working at the local sports car dealership when I was like 14.
-About a year into my job, we got a new salesman who was local surfing legend, so I looked up to him a lot. I busted all the time to help him fit in well with his new job. He also lived in a condo down the street. One day, he comes up to work with this completely rusted out p.o.s. 60 missing half its roof and no tailgate. It looked good from the front, so I gave it like a $200 major wet sand/buff rust removal job. After, he basically gave me the cruiser.
-The rig had been owned by an old man who had passed away and given the cruiser to his neighbor, the salesman. The cruiser had been gutted of it's smog equipment, with golf tees shoved in hoses; just an absolute MESS. It had like 300,000 miles on the clock with like a borderline blown head gasket. I doubt the drive train had ever been rebuilt.
-Somehow, the truck was the fastest cruiser I've ever driven with the stock 4 speed. Maybe it was the lost weight from rust? Anyhow, the truck overheated for unknown reasons, and could only run for about 20 minutes on road, 5 or less offroad. I'd take that truck out in like 97 degreee weather and run it over the sand dunes with the temp gauge maxed out. I'd jump it with like 7 seven of my friends on the dunes. I dogged this thing so hard.
-The truck's durability made me look for one in better condition, which is the one I drive now. I did eventually find a used water pump for like $20 and solved the overheating issue.
-The old man also happened to have a Porsche 928 in a storage unit. I also hold the keys and title to it, but have been unable to find it for about a year now.

 

[calphi27]

I got mine bc it was free. I was about 7 when my dad bought it. I remember him buying it from Crow Brothers Toyota in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The dealer had to bring it in from Arkansas, and even when offered a higher price, the dealer still kept the deal with my dad.

It will be with me until it falls apart.

 

[DBS311]

My bro-in-law lived in Bolivia for several years and that is what he drove every day. He had the 10 seater option and drove it quite often with that many people in it. He has pics of driving through the jungle, rivers, etc. and ever since those years in Bolivia, he has been a Land Cruiser convert.

When he moved back to the states he picked one up and kept telling me that I should get one. I wasn't all that interested because I was a die hard sports car guy, so I kept ignoring his rants for me to buy one. In '95 he spotted a clean 62 at a nearby Toyota dealership and convinced me to go look at it. 5 years old, one owner, 16k miles, absolutely perfect condition. I've had it ever since.

 

[canaussie]

It all started a couple o years ago......
I went to australia a few years ago and got hooked. While there I had an 1988 80 with an aftermarket arb turbo on a 2b engine, arb bullbar, 31's and a whole bunch of other goodies that I didn't even notice because the truck was nothing different than every other cruiser you'd see in oz. My girlfreind is australian and this was one of her family vehicles which I was driving.( also had an old falcon, with an 8 on gas!!!not petrol.. a 3spd c10 and a few other goodies)
Anyways I have two brothers in canada who own toyotas. one a 78fj40 (big) and an 84 pickup daily driver. the other a 99 sr5v6 extra cab. So I get to aus and my girlfreinds brother is a toyota nut, he's got this old 75fj40 truck that has a chev small block 400, welded diff's custom roll cage, paddle tires , roof mounted rad, etc etc. I know nothing about toyotas but was mechanically inclined enough to help him and his buddy's build it up for their annuall "queens birthday long weekend" Anyone been to mudbash in victoria aus? I got to go and was hooked. Without realizing it I was already part of a toyota family. since returning to canada I've been kepping an eye out for one(I've driven a subaru for a couple years now, you'd be amazed at the logging roads they'll travel but it's not a truck) and a friend from work had this 85 fj60 sitting on blocks in his drive way. I saw it on a skiing trip when we stopped at his house on the way. I was out side starring at the truck when he asked if I liked the old beast. He said he was going to try to sell it for around 5000 and that it ran etc. We started it and I bought it for 2000. now I spend every second of spare time and all my money on it. I think I'm addicted. don't have any pictures yet but will soon

 

[nikos8]

I got it to piss the wife off.

 

[klinetime574]

It all started in 1984. I was to be born in six years. My parents bought it brand new from a Toyota dealer in the Dallas area. Drove all the way up there from Belton (Belton is one hour north of austin). My Dad drove it, then my Mom drove it for about four years, then my dad got it back. Then at some point my older brother started driving it. Then it was passed down to me. Luckily for me, my Dad is a nut and babied the crap out of it. Now it has 166,xxx and still running strong.

She isnt going to be leaving me within my lifetime.

 

[landcruiserjunky]

My Dad's car randomly broke down in high school, and he hitched a ride with the shop teacher, who showed up with a brand new fj40. It left such an impression, that when he was looking for a vehicle when he got back from Brazil, he decided he wanted nothing less then a 40. He saw an add in the paper and checked it out. When he pulled up, there was a landcruiser wagon sitting in the drive way. He test drove it, and fell in love (plus his three kids fit a little better in the wagon then the 40).
When I was 16, he was getting ready to sell it. I told him I'd fix it back up to stock condish and sell it. 4 years later, and nowhere near stock, I'm still not feeling the vibe to sell it

 

[Heartworm]

It all started in the summer of 2002 when my wife and I stopped at Grant's Pass, OR on our way to a meeting in Arcata, CA. As chance would have it, there was a really large car show going on. Many classic cars and hot rods and we were well entertained. I had tried to have hot rods when I was a teenager in in the 60s but did not have the money to have anything nice. Go to the Grants Pass show if you ever get a chance. Upon looking and lusting at all the nice vehicles, I suddenly realized that IF I wanted to get involved in this, I was out of luck with anything but a 4WD truck because I live 5+miles from the nearest paved road in Montana. So, I started shopping for a 4WD classic. One day I happened to see a nice 1976 FJ40 going down the street in Butte, MT with a 4-sale sign on it. I chased the guy down and it so happened that he was driving it to the Mall to park it for the first time. He parked, I walked up and said can I drive it. 20 minutes later I wrote him a check (for way too much money,,,sort of like tuition at Cruiser U.). I know that fellow was one happy dude! I had the FJ 40 for several years and my rancher neighbor saw it. He had a 1986 FJ60 and we chatted about our rigs. I casually mentioned that if he ever wanted to sell, that I might be interested. About a year later the neighbor called and said I could buy it for $250 because it just blew the #4 piston. I bought it and started to work on it. Got it running and found that Fj40s are "cute, cool, whatever.." and though admittedly great on the back road stuff, the FJ60 is far superior for every day use. So, this is the story of my addiction...I can quit any time...Yeah, right! Now, I am working on a second one for the wife.

 

[lb510]

I live and work in baja mexico half the year and it's a tough place on cars. been though 5 cars in 4 years and everytime I get stuck or breakdown I call my buddy to come pull me out with one of his fj60s.

been wanting one for a while so when I saw an 81 fj60 with 129K miles come around for $1200 I couldn't pass. body is shot but it runs strong and I kinda like that it's so beat. means I don't have to be precious about it.

I'm only just learning how to work on it and I gotta say, this board is off the charts great! been up every night since I found it reading old posts and soaking up all your collective wisdom and experience so thanks!!

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Not much of a story, but...

I rode in an FJ40 in 1974. My neighbor was a park ranger and had one. I was an impressionable 14 year old. Fast forward to 1999. I was just back from Africa after bouncing around in a Rover for 3 weeks in the Serengeti. I had been wanting an 80 series since they came out, I had some cash, and I bought one just back from a 2 year lease. One year later, I saw an ad for a clean FJ40 and I bought that too.

So, in 2003, my wife is looking at new cars. She wants something to haul the dog, go to home depot, etc. The Cruisers have been bullet proof reliable. We go to look at a clean rust free one owner 60 that has been within 20 miles of me for 20 years. It's only $3000 so we buy it. One month later we buy our first Sienna. So...60 joins the Land Cruiser fleet, and wife gets her first new Sienna. Everyone is happy. Currently on second Sienna. 60 is still mine. I've put over 50k miles on the 60 since then. It feels like a permanent member of the family.

 

[mkaustin]

My addiction started back when I was about 13. My brother and I were planning on buying a used ’40 to share. He ended up buying a used ’72 Celica and drove it for a few years and then sold it to me. I drove it for a few more years. Rebuilt the engine (first every attempt to rebuild anything.) and drove it ‘til I flipped it on a rain slicked hi-way. Drove a barrowed ’68 Chevy pickup for two years till I had enough to put down on a 40. Go to the dealer and find out that they quick selling 40’s two years ago. So I buy a new ’85 4x4 mini Xtra-Cab.
Fast forward 5 years, my wife and I were living Kentucky. saw a used ’89 FJ62 setting on the lot at the local Toy dealer. She was driving a pos car so I was happy to look at another Toyota. The Celica was always driven hard (19 yr old w/ a sports car) and was always there when I needed it. The pickup was my primary response vehicle when I was on a rescue squad and had never let me down. I did some looking around, talked w/ my bank manager/loan officer and had decided what I was willing to spend on the 62. Went to the dealer and they wanted waaaaaay too much for the ‘Cruiser. They would not budge on the price and so I got up from the table and walked out. Caught all kinds of hell from for the next week ‘cause I did not buy the 62. About a month later I drove past the dealer and the was 62 gone. “I’m in trouble”, I said to myself. That Sunday wants to go back to the dealer to see if they want to deal. I broke the news that the 62 was gone. She was calling at 0800 on Monday morning to check where it was. They said they still had it and they quoted her a much lower price than a month ago. We went down and bought it that night.
Three weeks later we’re driving back to TX for Thanksgiving. We stop in Ark for the night and it sleets heavily. The next morning everything is covered w/ ice. Driving down the highway, the traffic starts to slide all over the road. I simply steered the ‘Cruiser to the right and drove across the frozen grass to the access road. was shocked that I could do that and I told her that that was nothing that this truck could do. I ended up making my own exit 4 more times before we reached Dallas.
She drove it for 13 years and 174K. The tranny started to give us trouble and there was too much grit and sludge in the pan. I had an H42 4-speed swapped in and now I get to drive it ‘cause she does not like to shift. But lately she’s been driving it more on the weekends.

 

[rover67]

had a 67 series IIA land rover that I restored and drove aaround for a while.. had to sell it to pay for school and a real life.....

now that i have some money again, i wanted the same truck that would cruise better on the HWY and be more comfy with AC. the land cruiser fit that bill and had the same character than the rover but with more reliability and speed.

these things are tanks, i love them and mine (which i go two years ago) will never leave the family if i can help it. i mean, I simply love it... it is what life is all about, and i didn't even know it existed untill i got it.

after a long search for one i had given up and an OLD friend of mine called me up to hang out, i drive to his house and he was in this 85 fj60... i asked him if it was for sale and he said... HELL YEAH (needed the cash) so i bought it from him. How weird is that? after tons of ebay surfing and near misses with rusty crap trucks that i drove hours to go see the one that would be mine was literally in my back yard! a match made in heaven.. i think so! he was thrilled that i wanted to give him money for it and i was pumped that i landed a relatively rust free cruiser that i ended up driving for a year or so without doing anything but changing the belts and tuning the carb... AND I HAS 200K miles on it!! She's my baby.. and more importantly the dog (Mead) loves it!

 

[samibattlemaiden]

i guess mine was actually some kind of genetic memory the first time my mom saw my cruiser she told me my dad had one just like it when they dated in high school....destiny maybe....ive not always been into offroading but, for quite a while my original plan as a teen was to by an old shoe box nova or bel air and fix it up to show quality but, my first car was an 89 ford taurus and did i ever hate that thing well shortly after the wing spreading of a car and liscense i discovered there were much better places to hunt (with pellet guns at the time cause my mom sheltered me as a kid) than my back yard. old roads, forgotten construction sights 4x4 roads old mine trails and forgotten dams u'de be amased where a taurus would go and the only real advantage of it over a 4x4 is those chan gates will usually lift up hi enough to drive under in a car where as not so much in a truck. well it finally died can't imagin y? and i drove my moms exploder 4 a while a little more comfortable and capable, then my room mate gits a dui and says i can drive his 87 yota truck and it hits me i don't ever want to own another car again. he gets his $#!T str8 about a year later abd i start shopping 03 tacoma is what i ended up with and i loved her but a little complex under the hood and i know i want solid axle. i find a trashed 84 mini yota $800 (parts truck) runs like a top looks like a mad max reject, it ends up needing tones of work to be legal i decide to sell it it gets stolen. moms exploder lives up 2 its name so the good son i am i sell them my truck (plus payments were killing me) and an 87 sami comes my way yota axles geared the whole nine i good to go, well as long as im cool in the slow lane, and my fiance won't set foot in it. it to small for more than 2 and i love camping hiking backpacking hunting most of the time with groups and if its gunna be the only 4x4 we own it should be able to take us to the mountains snow to see her parents in washington ect all start to seem real uncomfortable in the sami so back burner and again im shopping for a big square (i don't really put much faith in aero dinamics plus boxy trucks look better) suv an i know i want a yoda the 55 really apeal to me cause i love ugly rigs but the creature comforts and wifeys voice start echoing in my head. so i do some research, here, pirate and learn pros/cons and start making a plan for upgrades before i even have a rig and im set on a 60 and i tell wifey about it she says "well before i say ok what does it look like" i pull up old reliable ebay (anything u need at any time) low and behold i see re built almost brand new 60 5speed 7k. it looks llike that and thats the one im gunna buy. and i did and i love it more than i thought. fate who knows but im sold.

 

[jfnall]

my reason..... I guy in high school had a mustard yellow 40 that had been passed down from his dad, to the 2 sisters and then to him. i though that was the coolest vehicle i had ever seen. I always kept an eye out for Land Cruisers thinking someday how cool it would be to actually own one.

now that i actually make some money in life, i bought an '85 60 after getting my wife a new FJ Cuiser. paid premium top dollar for the 60. Drove it back to Missouri from LA, 225K on it. all it took was gas.

second reason i bought it...... Land Cruisers are the coolest vehicles on the road. I wanted to live the legend, not just watch them drive by.

 

[sk8salomon]

i can fit the wife, kid, dog, bikes, gear & pull the boat all with one vehicle!

 

[zombiekiller]

I drove jeeps, alot. i've owned 17 jeeps in some form or another. I always wanted to be different with them, so i started building buggies, then cherokees, then comanches. I got sort of tired of having to always modify the hell out of them to appease my " cool factor" quotient. My little brother bought a 77 fj40 when he was in high school. when he went to college it was not the most practical thing for him to take to school. i traded him one of my wranglers for it, because the wrangler would cruise at 75 mph and had enough done to it so he could take it into the desert. I restored the 40.. and through being immersed in that caught the bug for 60s. i bought an 84 60 off a mud member about a month ago, and now i am remembering what its like to bring a 23 year old vehicle that is half dead back into it's prime. plus i still get a kick out of hearing " i don't think i've even ever seen one of those.. Cool!"