A dream realized
HAH! 😅 A day that has been a very long time coming has finally arrived. Say hello to this 1972 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40, which I am very proud and excited to now call my own.
Over the past 10 years I've gone through phases of searching for one, wishful thinking in the beginning but transformed more and more into a realistic proposition over time. With how amazing these last few years have been with the BMW 2002 (which YES I still have) and how much this has skyrocketed my enthusiasm for vintage cars, that momentum has led me to finally pull the trigger!
These typically get modified to high heaven, so it's really difficult to find one in completely stock form, in decent shape, at a decent price, and not too terribly far away. After about 6 months of checking nation-wide listings just about every single day and test driving several local trucks, the stars finally aligned on this one. Pretty much everything about it is exactly as I envisioned, and I was able to get it at a fantastic price from Mohr Imports in Monterey, CA. Thank you @mohrimports
Last weekend I booked a one-way flight up there and drove it back home to Santa Monica down the Pacific Coast Highway! It only has 3 gears and tops out at about 60 MPH, so I did have to get creative in a few stretches to stay off the highways! I took just about every scenic back road I could find, which made for an amazing inaugural adventure in the truck. It performed perfectly and has set a great precedent for the future to come.
My dad had one in the 70s, which I saw photos of as a kid and was always just so drawn to it. I was constantly doing sketches of them and looking out for them on the road (I can easily spot one from a mile away still today), and ever since then I've had this strong feeling within me KNOWING that one day I'd get to spend time with one up close. I'm a very hands-on type of person, in that if I have an interest in something I yearn for a tangible experience with it. So I'm excited to get to learn more about these tanks and what its like to live with one as I continue to dive deeper into the rabbit hole. 🙌
