FJ40 - 50th Birthday
In August of 1972 the final assembly of this Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 was completed which now makes it half a century old!
I'm thankful that the timing of finding this one worked out the way it did for me, as it's pretty neat to be able to usher in the 50th birthday of yet another vehicle. One of the things I love most about the journey of vintage car ownership is just the opportunity to acknowledge and reflect on the age and history behind them. When you fully grasp the fact that a particular thing has existed on Earth for longer than you yourself have, it conjures a certain level of respect and awe that's hard to match. The experience is a time capsule that teleports you back to a period when things were different, which is an amazing nostalgia trip even if that was well before your own time. For me that is just such a great perspective on life, and one I will be forever curious of.
I know I haven't posted much (at all) about the FJ40 since it first came to me back in May, but it has been absolutely great so far! Cruising around Santa Monica is exactly as I imagined, and it has been a blast getting to know it inside and out. There has been no shortage of things to tinker with, as I've been busy with a number of improvements including: installed a new exhaust, refreshed most of the steering components, cleaned up the carburetor, fixed the temperature gauge, changed all the fluids, cleaned up some super questionable wiring, put on period correct mirrors, bolstered up the driver's seat, and continue the hunt to track down all sorts of rattles.
This morning's drive out to some of my favorite spots around Malibu Creek State Park was the first time taking it back outside the city since making the initial trip home from Monterey, so the timing was perfect for a 50th birthday cruise!
I've got a whole bunch of future plans for the truck which are sure to evolve as time goes on, but for now it's just about enjoying it, experiencing it, and learning all that I can 🙂
