Having spent my early childhood travelling around the northern areas of Pakistan, there was always a special place for Toyota’s FJ40 Land Cruiser in my heart. While my father was working on the Karakorum Highway (KKH) that the Pakistan Army Frontier Works Organization (FWO) was responsible for, the FJ40 was the most popular mode of transportation. I remember not wanting to travel in the “Russian Jeep” (Gaz) and always wanted to drive around in the FJ40’s. CJ5's were the other common mode of transportation back then mostly used by the civilian population.
Pictures like this from that era kept that
desire to get one someday. I was following Toyota’s development of the FJ
Cruiser (“It has daddy’s eyes”). In 2007 having saved enough money and looking
for a new vehicle for an expanding family I drove-off the local dealer’s lot a
brand new (only new car for me to date) a Titanium Silver ‘07 FJ Cruiser. We brought
our son home when he was born in that and still have it to this day.
As usually happens, then life happened. Many changes and then I got into British cars, but always had a soft spot for the true Land Cruiser, the FJ40. Having completed all the hard work on the Jaguar and the Land Rover, in the summer of ’20 aka COVID induced late night web surfing, I once again started searching for an FJ40. Well my current car projects were done and for my “therapy” and sanity 😊 I needed another car project to keep me busy. The search took me and my son (he is a great sport) all over the region and into the neighboring state. Looked at over a dozen vehicles – all the way from vehicles offered on BAT to backyard restorers to professionals selling FJ40s to many Craigslist ads. My requirements were simple; I wanted something that still needed work (to keep me busy), was as original as possible (no conversions – except for 3 to 4 speed), minimal rust and had to be between 1970 to 1974. Why? because the Jag is ’70 and the LR is ’72. I am stuck in the early ‘70’s era and I love comparing technology from a particular era. We met so many nice owners, so many wonderful stories a and heard so much history, that we could probably write a short book. But the most wonderful was when we met Don.
The story
of Salty.
In middle of October one such search took us to Oregon’s
north coast and we met Don. In 1973 24 year old Don walked into the local
dealership and purchased an Aug’73 build date FJ40, because the Jeep dealer in
town would not sell him one. All his buddies were buying Jeeps at that time. For
the next 33 years, this was his rig. It took kids to school, went on deer and
elk hunting trips in the coast range and performed all kinds of chores expected
of a fine off-road vehicle. In 2006 since it was now showing its age and
looking tattered in some areas was driven into the garage located under his
house and parked until our phone call and visit in October.
My son and I drove up the Oregon coast to look at the FJ40
after talking with the owner over the phone. We drove up his property and he
let us into the garage and it was love at first sight. 😊
An original owner FJ40 was smiling at us.
I poked around the vehicle, looked at all the items he had kept all these years. The original wheels and tires. The complete original tool kit with the grease gun, factory FSMs and owner’s manual. I asked him why he was selling and his answer, “I don’t know if I will ever get to make this run again and I don’t want to sell it to someone who will trash it”. Though it made me sad initially, I found solace in knowing that this owner appreciates his vehicles and has a bond with them just like I do and maybe I can get this back on the road again. I told him that I was looking for one so I can get it ready for my son to take his driver’s test in 3 years with it. Not so easy with the Jag and the Landy. That is when we started the story telling. If I had not already fallen for this smiling FJ40, then it happened every time he told us something about it. How he used to pull his buddies out with the winch, how he pulled the elk after a successful hunt, the litter of Golden Retrievers he brought home in it. He shared his whole family went to U of O and I shared that me and my family for two generations have been OSU grads. I made an offer and he said he would think about it and get back to us. After a couple of weeks passed, I texted him and got no response and I moved on. Looked at another couple of FJ40’s and I got busy with removing the gearbox and transfer case from the Landy (it was fine – I just “thought” it was a bit notchy 😊 – more to keep me busy over the Thanksgiving break). Cyber Monday I get a text from Don, “Are you ready to buy it?”. I text back: “I thought the Ducks losing to the Beavers this year turned you off and you did not want to sell to me!”. He tells me no, he was out hunting but now back in town and I better come get it before he changes his mind. He even gives me the contact info for a local towing company that can move it for me. I make the necessary calls to arrange the move and the following weekend my son and I are back in the garage with Don. He had pulled out the FJ40, gathered up all the parts he had saved for the last 47 years. Tow truck guys shows up, a real character himself that has actually hunted with the owner in this very vehicle since the late 70’s. Then the neighbor shows up and starts telling us of the adventures they had since the late 70’s in it. Seems like everyone in the county has a story to tell about this vehicle. I am so lucky to have met the owner and his Land Cruiser. I cannot say enough good things about the owner and feel immensely grateful for having met him and him agreeing to let me take care of it next. He comes from a long-time mariner family from the Northern Oregon coast. I am happy to say that the vehicle was safely transferred to my home base in the suburbs of Portland. The tow truck driver told me that he was flagged down twice on the drive by people offering to buy the Land Cruiser.
So, what is in store for this. First would be to get it
running and then keep it as original as possible. I have plenty of projects
going on, including raising a child alone, so things move a bit slowly and I
have ~3years to get things ready. Slow and steady wins the race!
It has not been started since 2006, but the PO had been
turning the engine over by hand, so nothing is frozen up. I still plan to follow
the Marvel Mystery Oil regimen. Of course, all fluids will be replaced, same
with the filters, cleaning of the water jacket. Clean and seal of the fuel
tank, clean the radiator, change the plugs, points, clean the carb (it has a
Holley), new tires and see how the engine fires up. After that will come a
rebuild of the steering system (all the tie rods), knuckles and then the
rebuild of the brake and clutch system. I can already see the similarities
between the Land Rover front end components and the FJ40 and the famous pre-load
and shims……. That will give me enough time to read all the on-line forums, look
at other build videos, search out the most economical parts suppliers, etc.
After all the mechanicals are done and it is running well would I move on to
the body. I would really like to keep
the patina on this one. Except, the rear needs help. Even though I am an ok welder
using MIG, maybe I will seek out someone in the local area to help me with that
part or just practice a lot on thin gage sheet metal before delving into it. If
anyone wants to help, feel free to contact me or pass on a local resource info.
Even though more recently I have been focused on British vehicles (plenty of
rust there too) and Lucas electrics, I grew up in the 80’s, tinkering with all
the family cars. The Datsun 120Y/B210/180B, Mazda 1300, 808, Toyota Corona,
Corolla, and a whole host of other Japanese models. Staring at the Toyota
engine bay it is all coming back and a lot of familiar stuff. One thing is for
sure, I need to pick up more tools. Yipieee… it is not SAE and Whitworth
anymore. Now time to get more metric tools!
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| The day we picked up |
Some of the pictures the original owner (Don) sent me with the original captions from him.
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| My favorite hunting partner |
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| Having a beer in the LC on a rainy afternoon |
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| A successful hunting trip |
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| Rehashing hunting season with friend |
Oh, if you are wondering about the name “Salty” that we have chosen for the FJ40, I am sure you guessed the mariner connection from the coast and my son has been naming all our cars since he was a baby. Yep, Thomas the Tank Engine characters….. there is Molly (Jag), Henry (Land Rover), Spencer (FJ Cruiser) and now Salty. I did not even come close to using my allocated budget. I definitely could have spent more on a much nicer vehicle, but never saw one that was a single owner. Salty will be sharing the garage space with three other single owner vehicles. 😊 Till next time….keep smiling.
