Wife VS. Huz - to FJ or not FJ?

[sarca]

Ive been looking for a 60s-70s FJ40 for around 6 months..they are hard to come by here on the NC Coast. My huz is getting quite tired of looking at pictures that I pull up from this forum and he posed me the following question.

"How do you know you want one, if youve never even driven one?"

He's got a good point, and he appreciates the FJ as well..but he thinks it a bit odd that I am so positively smitten and intent on having a vehicle Ive never driven..all I can say in my defense is that I grew up with game warden father in the Ozarks. I spent entire seasons bouncing around unbeaten paths in old Broncos with my dad looking for spotlighters, poachers and moonshiners..

The huz is definitely not AGAINST me getting one.. but Ill ask you all to think back to your first FJ and help me make my point better...What do you remember from your first time behind the wheel of an FJ? Did you 'know' before you turned the key and turned the motor?

 

[1911]

...What do you remember from your first time behind the wheel of an FJ?

It was love at first drive.

Did you 'know' before you turned the key and turned the motor?

Know what?

I knew that I was looking to buy a 30+ year-old truck made with 50+ year-old technology, so my expectations were fairly realistic (having owned many vehicles much older than that). If you can appreciate an older piece of machinery for what it is (and what it is not and will never be) and you like to do your own maintenance and mechanic work, then 40 ownership is very gratifying. I never get tired of driving mine, and suffer withdrawal symptoms if I don't drive it every few days or a week at the most.

But if you have unrealistic expectations as to the comfort, noise, heat, highway handling, fuel economy, and a host of other eccentricities on a truck this old, you may be disappointed. Surely there is someone in a TLCA chapter not that far away that would let you drive theirs or at least give you a ride? I have let lots of folks drive mine. Currently teaching 15 and 16-year old girls (daughters of friends) to drive in mine as a matter of fact.

 

[zags]

I loved the fact that it was not a Jeep! It was different and cool. It evoked images of exploring the Australian outback or traveling the Serengeti on safari.

You may want to find one for sale and go out and test drive it. I don't think they are for everybody. They are slow, noisy, and ride like crap. They have zero creature comforts. But they are oh so cool! In their element, off-road, they are reliable and unstoppable. Unlike a Jeep, everyone waves, gives you the thumbs up, or stops you to tell you their Landcruiser story. If you want to re-live your experiences of bouncing through the back country, you can't beat a Landcruiser.

 

[broth9640]

I drove jeeps for years before I became obsessed with the FJ40. I bought one without ever having driven one. 10 times better than the Heep. Feels really similar , but the engineering is waaaaaay better. Plus I think it looks better. Just go test drive one off Craigs list. who knows maybe it will be the one. Good luck!

 

[DSRTRDR]

I had no idea

liked it on first drive - fell in love the next day wheeling it in the desert

 

[sarca]

But if you have unrealistic expectations as to the comfort, noise, heat, highway handling, fuel economy, and a host of other eccentricities on a truck this old, you may be disappointed. Surely there is someone in a TLCA chapter not that far away that would let you drive theirs or at least give you a ride? I have let lots of folks drive mine. Currently teaching 15 and 16-year old girls (daughters of friends) to drive in mine as a matter of fact.

I honestly have no clue what or where I would find a TLCA chapter around here - guess Ill start looking-its all pretty new to me - I have no illusions around the upkeep and maintenance...quite honestly I plan on it being the first vehicle my daughter will learn to drive on ..(so Ive got four more years to look !)

I will have to look for a close group..probably Raleigh or Myrtle Beach - thanks for the suggestion!

 

[zags]

I honestly have no clue what or where I would find a TLCA chapter around here - guess Ill start looking-its all pretty new to me - I have no illusions around the upkeep and maintenance...quite honestly I plan on it being the first vehicle my daughter will learn to drive on ..(so Ive got four more years to look !)

I will have to look for a close group..probably Raleigh or Myrtle Beach - thanks for the suggestion!

click on the "clubhouse" tab on the top of the page!

 

[G-Cat]

I honestly have no clue what or where I would find a TLCA chapter around here - guess Ill start looking-its all pretty new to me - I have no illusions around the upkeep and maintenance...quite honestly I plan on it being the first vehicle my daughter will learn to drive on ..(so Ive got four more years to look !)

I will have to look for a close group..probably Raleigh or Myrtle Beach - thanks for the suggestion!

NC- Olde North State Cruisers

 

[sarca]

Thanks Garth...I was just on their page..but it looks like you have to own one? Im always a bit apprehensive about overstepping boundaries (unless I know Im right ha ha) I think Ill send em an email..see if they ever get together just to brag..Id love to sit in and take notes!

 

[Source3]

...Im always a bit apprehensive about overstepping boundaries...

You will find that the land cruiser community is a very friendly group and are willing to help out every way possible. Contact the NC group and I am sure you will be welcomed.

 

[cjgoode]

If you live near the coast of NC, a fj40 might be perfect, I do not think there is any real highway anywhere near you, and these vehicles like the lower MPH. My first one was 30+ years ago in high school, it was just a 4x4 that I could afford, and it was black with a half soft top so it looked like a funny little pickup since it did not have a roll bar. I have loved and been addicted to them ever since, although I went many years driving jeeps, because when wanted to swap form a pickup back to an open air 4x4 jeeps were readily available and get a little better MPG, but it was very rare to see a fj40 on the road, but when I did I would want one again so bad. They drive like any old short wheel base jeep, or the old short wheel base bronco's from 76 and earlier with slightly less MPG then those vehicles.

 

[sarca]

You will find that the land cruiser community is a very friendly group and are willing to help out every way possible. Contact the NC group and I am sure you will be welcomed.

Thanks - I did exactly that - Ive been skulking around here on the forums for a while unregistered..learning tons of info! You all know your FJs..its pretty darn impressive!

 

[Source3]

As far as comfort, my FJ40 with Scat ProCar seats and OME 2.5 Lift rides just as nice as my 1992 Toyota Hilux with stock split bench seat and OME 2.5 Lift. Before upgrading to the OME suspension, the FJ40 drove like a tank.

I never drove or been in an FJ40 before purchase, I just knew I wanted one.

FYI: OME = Old Man Emu.

 

[Lake Rat]

A buddy of mine had a 40, never seen one before then. Went wheelin' with him a couiple of times and seen that these thangs (excuse the Texas accent) were damn near indestructable, he blew the motor up in it and sold it shortly afterwards.. That was mid '70's Alway's wanted one since then. Fast forward to 2002. My boss bought a 40 for his son, took it home, the kid didn't like it (didn't have a/c, power steering etc...wasn't cool....???) , it came to a point he had to sell it ($1800.00). he asked me if I wanted it, told him I couldn't afford it at the time, the he said " The wife wants it out of the garage, give me what you can and pay the rest out". That was a mistake, I took him up on it and now..... I have it and 2 others...It becomes an addiction. Good Luck and I hope you find the right one for you, and yes, sometime (rarely) you know yours when you see it, even after looking at many of them, there will be that ONE that you just have to have.

 

[AlexJet]

Always was a fun of fine Japanese engineering, so precise. Land Cruiser was also in my favorite list. It's known for its amazing survivability all over the world. Jeep guys wonder why Jeep is so popular in America, but in the world the crowd is shared between Toyota and Land Rover. My unswerving is always: "have you seen 700'000 km Jeep in good drivable condition without rebuild". As far as I know, not. There are may be some exist in the world which I'm not aware off. In my personal opinion 40-series was a better vehicle then CJ (you have to compare apples to apples).
So it was and still is a passion and love from the first glance. Land Cruiser just looks so amazing, and people around waves you.
"It's a Toyota, you WOULD understand"...

 

[motor220099]

I bought my first FJ40 when I was 16 in '86. I had no idea what it was or how it drove, the ad was in my price range and I needed 4 wheel drive.

Decades later I still love driving my cruiser.

 

[FJsnoozer]

Ive been looking for a 60s-70s FJ40 for around 6 months..they are hard to come by here on the NC Coast. My huz is getting quite tired of looking at pictures that I pull up from this forum and he posed me the following question.

"How do you know you want one, if youve never even driven one?"

He's got a good point, and he appreciates the FJ as well..but he thinks it a bit odd that I am so positively smitten and intent on having a vehicle Ive never driven..all I can say in my defense is that I grew up with game warden father in the Ozarks. I spent entire seasons bouncing around unbeaten paths in old Broncos with my dad looking for spotlighters, poachers and moonshiners..

The huz is definitely not AGAINST me getting one.. but Ill ask you all to think back to your first FJ and help me make my point better...What do you remember from your first time behind the wheel of an FJ? Did you 'know' before you turned the key and turned the motor?

I think if you grew up in old broncos, you will be right at home.

My first drive in the 40 was right after my dad got it repainted. It was a bit dirty, and I offered to detail it for him. It was the only time I had ever driven a standard other than 1 terrible lesson in an f250 with no 1st gear.

12 years later, my dad agreed to give e the truck if I rebuilt it. I'll always remember THAT first drive with a folding chair for a driver seat and the first drive with the doors off!

 

[JohnVee]

Post a similar thread in the ONSC clubhouse. We have a few folks with 40's on the NC coast and they'd be happy to help in any way.

If you think you want one, then you probably do. Get one before they're all spoken for and you have to resort to a heep. The guy I bought mine from made it a point to tell me it's definitely not a daily driver (he had it for 15 years). It runs great - he just didn't think anyone would want to use one as anything but a toy to show off on weekends since they don't drive like a car! Not my first old-tech vehicle, but my first old-tech 4WD.

--john

 

[RattleCan]

I loved the fact that it was not a Jeep! It was different and cool. It evoked images of exploring the Australian outback or traveling the Serengeti on safari.

I love this, The first two sentences are why I bought a Landcruiser. The last sentence is totally true. Very well put zags.

 

[RogueFab]

Definitely drive one. As an outsider (non cruiser owner), I can say the inside group looks like a good respectful bunch to join as well...

Just find some overpriced one at a dealer or local ad and see if you like them. Then look for another 6 months!