Users Land Cruisers

This is our grocery getter, a '93 fzj80, shown here on Steelbender Trail in this year's CruiseMoab. I removed the fender flares, lifted it with a OME suspension, installed a Lockright in the rear diff, and shoed it with 33" Yokohama Geolandar MT's. It's one of many 80 series in the AzLCA that sees the dirt regularly. I love it and when it's paid off I'm going to get a '97. Eric Madsen, Scottsdale, Arizona

Users Land Cruisers

My name is Anand Shah, and this is my 1977 FJ40. I purchased it in April of 1997 after shopping for over a year and dreaming for many more. This cruiser has a Chevy 350 with a Holley carb, Hooker headers, five 33x12.50s on 15" aluminiums, a custom interior with great seats, poly bushings, a fully padded cage, ranchos and a new Bestop. In the near future, I plan to remove the very little rust that it has, Rhino-Line under the interior carpet, get a paint job and winch. Once I graduate from college and start making some money, I hope to add lockers and OME suspension. Gimme a holler if you are ever in Houston, Texas.

Reader's Rigs

Yes I do know this truck, but I can't tell you how's truck it is because nobody knows anymore. It is registered to one of the Icelandic mountain rescue teams, but only because then no taxes need to be paid of it... The story of this truck is as follows. Few years ago the Reykjavik's ( Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland ) fire department, which also runs the ambulance service with ambulances owned by the Icelandic red cross, felt that they were incapable of reaching people that hurt themselves outside the pavement. The Econolines (2wd and 4wd) were just not capable of getting to these places, and the drivers not dressed, skilled or equipped to deal with such conditions. The Rescue Teams did however have the experience, equipment and skills, but as they are manned by volunteers it takes some 20 minutes to start them. So an agreement was made between the fire department and two of the rescue teams for cooperation. The Rescue Teams would train few people from the fire department and when the call would come, the fire department would go and the Rescue Teams would then follow them as a backup team. Of course the fire department needed a real field ambulance to do this, and that's were the Toy came in. The Icelandic Toyota dealer gave the two Rescue Teams a Land Cruiser GX. (Since the Rescue Teams are non profit charity organisations the dealer got some Tax reduce from this which the would not have if they had given the Red Cross or the fire department the truck!...). The truck was then modified on cost of the fire department, the Icelandic way, and the Red Cross then gave all the stuff a real ambulance need. So "who owns this truck?", is a bit tricky question!! If you look close at the front bumper of the truck you can see the blue emergency lights in it. (Otherwise the truck is very striped on that picture) . This picture comes from the cover of a local sports magazine, that was published probably 4 - 5 years ago. Today the Truck looks a lot more radical and now three rescue teams also have Cruiser similar to this one. These trucks are modified mostly in the same way and are made to float on top of the snow. (When the snow gets 2 - N yards deep, that's the only way to keep going.)

Reader's Rigs: Jan 2000 - Jun 2000

Rob McGarty 's FJ40 This 1973 pretty baby blue monster is pretty much stock, 3 speed, straight six ... it has many nifty featuers, such as the air horn. if you look closely at the hood you will see the dual air horn. this is powered by an air tank built out of an old fire extinguisher filled by an air compressor under the hood. Nothing like letting out 200 decibles on demand!

Project FJ40

Since I bought my 78 FJ40, I have been trying to improve its off-road performance and its on-road comforts. The more I wheel it, the more I want to improve it. Not only is this Land Cruiser my trail rig, but sometimes it is my daily driver. I do not have a tow vehicle for it (yet), so this rig has to be driven to the trail, through the trail, and back from the trail without any problems. Therefore, the main goal of Project FJ40 ? ROK CRZR is to make it into a bulletproof rock crawler without sacrificing reliability and on-road handling.

Reader Rides Part 4

Reader Rides Part 4

Project Rock Runner Sponsor Page

Project Rock Runner Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach 5/30/98

Reader Rides Part 1

Reader Rides Part 1