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Vintage Cruisers

307K views 4K replies 155 participants last post by  Jameson67 
I cut my four-wheelin' teeth in my 1976 F40. Extremely capable and forgiving vehicle. I really miss it.
 

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Ol'76 gone but not forgotten. I covered a lot of territory in Colorado in my 40. Thankfully I still have the pictures to prove it.
 

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More ol'76 photographs.
1-From Austin Bluffs overlook with Cheyenne Mountain in the distance.
2-From Rampart Range Road with Pikes Peak in the distance.
3-Near Victor, Colorado
4-shy FJ 40 in the wild near Buena Vista, CO
5-unknown
 

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More Ol'76 in the wilds of Colorful Colorado. Digging out more photos to scan.
 

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POINT OF NO RETURN!
One of my favorite Colorado stomping grounds was the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Coming in the back way was fun or exiting that way for some water play. Great place to camp.
These images are after I modded my FJ40 with white wheels, bigger tires, roof rack and painted the bezel black which I now see I installed up side down. (ARGH! I need a time machine!)
 

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I loved 4-wheelin with other Landcruisers.
One day I'm going to get me another TLC.
 

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Found these designs for shirts, pillows, mugs, poster by Mo Aoun. Lots of FJ40 and FJC.
I especially like the 1976 and the 4WD Hiking ones.
 

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I had a 64' and compared to my 73' it's a tank! The steel was so much heavier on that thing, virtually no rust except for the drivers floor and my 73' is a complete rag doll with ust 10 years between the two.
And they were so easy to work on. So much room in the engine compartment.
After wheelin' I would pull the mats out and hose down the interior.
 
After work one day me and a buddy set out for a three hour tour of a favorite 4wheelin' spot. Since it was a quick trip I didn't put in my CB, grab a coat, recovery gear, snacks & water. Destination was side trails off the Gold Camp Road up Cheyenne Canyon, SW of Colorado Springs. Not too difficult trails, but plenty secluded and a variety of terrain.

It was a beautiful drive up the GCR to our turn off. I locked in the hubs, aired down, shifted to 4WD High and headed up the trail. Climbed over a few rocks, forded a stream and we headed for the meadows. Usually I avoid this area because it's one big marsh and the track is so deep and filled with water everyone gets stuck. Well ****y me decided to cross the meadow by straddling the ruts on the wet grass. All went well for about 50 feet when my right wheels slipped off the grass into the bottomless rut. No problem I thought while shifting to 4WD Low. We went no where fast. Stuck! Ol'76 is sitting on front and rear diffs between ruts. We are stuck big time!

Lots of swearing ensued when I got out my bottle jack from under the drivers seat, go to place it under the rear axle and watch it disappear beneath the surface of the water like a boat anchor. More swearing as I reach down into the frigid water soaking my arm to the shoulder before I touched the jack. Fishing out the jack gave my buddy Steve a good laugh. I wiped the smile off his face when I told him we ain't getting out tonight as we watch the sun disappear behind the trees. Being secluded and dark, walking out didn't seem like a good idea.

Opening up my wood army surplus ammo crate I searched through my extra oil, service manuals, spark plug pump, snatch-em strap, flares and misc. stuff to retreived my army surplus blanket. Sharing the blanket and a fitful nights sleep with engine and heater running intermittently, we managed to survive the night.

Come sunup we hiked back to the Gold Camp Road where we ran into my frantic wife (now ex) and her dad in his Jeep Grand Wagoneer woody. Since I never came home the night before she feared the worst and recruited her dad to come find me. She guessed right where we went. Guiding my father in law back to scene of the crime I hooked up my snatch-em strap to the FJ tow hitch ball (yes I know) and to the Jeep. Third yank broke my strap, almost stuck the Jeep in mud.

Well crap!

We headed back to Colorado Springs to get Steve's white FJ40 and Del in his new little Bronco. We headed back to my stuck FJ. Using another snatch-em strap Del buried the Bronco, which was a gutless wonder and had no power in the first place.
Steve pulled Del out and Hooked up his FJ to my front tow hook while I jacked up the front of my stuck FJ.
Plan was to have Steve pull me off the high lift jack and out of the ruts. Planned worked and after a good jerk Ol'76 was free. After congratulations all around we headed home. Thanks friends wherever you are now!

That my friends is the story of how to do everything wrong when out 4wheelin' and my tale of wo!
 

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Yup me too!
I always gear up after that experience!
Lesson learned!
The wife once asked why I always go ready for CARMAGEDDON. I said you never know when you'll need it.
I also include a bugout bag.
 
OL'76 and it's stable mates.
Once you get a hold of a Toyota it gets a hold of you.
I had to buy a new truck in 1986 to haul the building materials to my 800 sq ft deck on my custom built passive solar subterranean mountain home.
My wife (now ex) had to have a new, in 1984, Celica GTS.
 

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Something cool about FJ's and water!
 

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