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Geothermal-Shane
Junior Nomad
Posts: 83
Registered: 5-14-2005
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There's two basic 60 series Land Cruisers that were issued in the US:
FJ60's(4 and 5 speed manual) built from 1980 until about 1987
and FJ62's(auto)1987-1990
They have the same body and chasis, in some cases a different engine. The FJ60s have the 2F engine and are known for being a little tougher than the
FJ62s which lean more toward SUV appeal, but they are basicaly the same truck.
Avoid FJ90s and later models if possible.
Used FJ60s are harder to come by than FJ62s, but if you have a choice I would reccomend an FJ60. Any model that you can find will most likely be in
fair shape, unless the owner(s) was a real jack. I wouldn't be too concerned with mileage on these vehicles. A used Cruiser will probably have
250,000- still considered a "young Land Cruiser"
Actually, 2 weeks ago I met a guy in South Pasadena trying to sell his FJ62, with 180,000 miles for $7000.
(The odometer is stuck on mine at 175,899.)
Depending on the area you live in, and how far your willing to go, they can be easy to find. In LA county they're all over the place. Check out TLC
Land Cruisers out of Van Nuys- they sell fully restored Land Cruisers of all models for between $10,000-$40,000. I think they may have a website, too.
With a 108 inch wheelbase, and a backseat that actually folds down flush, it makes for good sleeping quarters, too.
Keep in mind though-
If you do opt for a Land Cruiser your dealing with a vehicle that is all designed for LOW down power. The tachometer redlines at 4000rpm. The
speedometer maxes out at 85.
These are low gear trucks- designed "to be able to drive all the way to Tibet and back" as one owner told me. But, consequently, there won't be too
many off road obstacles that get in your way. Learning how to use the suspension can take practice, though, so don't go plunging into a boulder field
right off the bat.
[Edited on 5-23-2005 by Geothermal-Shane]
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JESSE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3370
Registered: 11-5-2002
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Todays Japanese cars are better, but Ford?s from 35 years ago are also great Baja vehicles.
My first choice:
My second choice:
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MH_Stevens
Junior Nomad
Posts: 59
Registered: 5-17-2005
Location: Aguanga, Alta California
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Thank you GOTHERMAL! A mindful of great info.
Do you have a thermal place in baja? I met a guy from Vincent Guerro the other day who sells solar stuff - bought a composting potty from his outfit.
I'm looking for some small ag lot to grow veg arounf Santo Thomas and away from the Gringos, but that's another post. Thanks.
Mike
Cheers,
Mike Stevens
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Geothermal-Shane
Junior Nomad
Posts: 83
Registered: 5-14-2005
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No, I just run on geothermal power from time to time...a lot of good locations on Baja provide an excellent place to fuel up on the stuff.
Neal Johns is a good advocate for some of these locations and has me "following my nose" to new ones.
Careful about Neal, cause he thinks its funny to make stuff up like he is a real expert!
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Me No
Banned
Posts: 444
Registered: 11-24-2003
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Oso proves once again why he is the Poster Mejor. Pizza insurance. Damn. After all these years is baja with no problems what so ever. I didn't know
what kind of policy I had. That is some funny Mierda!
Get an old beat up toyota quatro y quatro with IFS. 85 to 87's are the best.with a 22R motor. Any good MX Mechanico can fix one in his sleep. Put a
basic shell on the bed and a roof rack on the top and you will be able to go anywhere. You can haul tons of stuff, literally, and you can sleep in
the bed after you make camp. I know, I have done it for 15 years now. What makes me feel most comfortable on those isolated beaches though, is the
"Pizza Insurance". Big and shiny in Mexico=mucho dinero. I don't know if you have had an honest discussion with gringos who actually live in Mexico
lately. I have. The storys are scarry. You don't want to paint a target sign on your back. A proment poster here, we with just call him Baja PI,
told me a story a while back. No matter where you go in baja, the people are watching.
Go enjoy the land and the people, BUT , be respectful, fly below the radar, and carry plenty of pizza insurance.
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LarryB
Junior Nomad
Posts: 28
Registered: 9-10-2003
Location: Gig Harbor,WA & Los Barilles,BCS
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I just picked up an 1986 Isuzu Trooper last year for $675. Changed oil and headed south. Pizza insurance for sure If all else fails I figured i'd leave the title in the glovebox and buy a plane ticket home. It gets 23mpg average
and not a lick of trouble after 10,000mi so far. Pulls my motorcycle/ATV trailer, I built a fold-up plywood bed in the back for sleeping, it's
carbereted for easy understanding, very roomy, nice ride, 4wd. I still think the Toy P/U with a canopy is a better vehicle but it won't haul 7 people
plus luggage in comfort to and from the airport like the Trooper will. It's now at my place in Los B and will probably never leave.
Just another option. It really depends on your specific needs.
[Edited on 5-24-2005 by LarryB]
[Edited on 5-24-2005 by LarryB]
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Me No
Banned
Posts: 444
Registered: 11-24-2003
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Larry, those old troupers are indestructible. They have to be included in the top of the list. 675 to boot. Thats serious pizza!
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chicagoross
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: 5-16-2005
Location: Batangas, Philippines
Member Is Offline
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Agree with the comments on the old trooper. I bought an 85 new, drove it hard for 6 years, two baja trips a year, all of the hunting trips and a lot
of four wheeling. All I ever did was change oil. I retired it at well over a hundred thousand miles, having done a total of two repairs: the right
rear ineer wheel bearing, and the dummy fan belt pully that was there instead of an AC compressor. Like thr picture above, the Trooper towed a boat
trailer and always had a loaded roof rack on it. Wasn't fast, but it got you there reliably and cheaply, went anywhere. ME NO told me my tacoma is
too pretty to go to Mexico, and yes I get 16 or 17 mpg with the V6 prerunner, although it seems to do a little better flying down Highway 1, I guess
it likes the road. I did strip the TRD shocks and springs off and relace them with downeys and bilstiens to get the ride where I liked it.
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Me No
Banned
Posts: 444
Registered: 11-24-2003
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Yeah Ross that thing sure is purdy. But it aint gots no pizza insurance.
You rich guys don't care about that stuff though. I once saw Ross driving around Caleta San Lucas in his Dodge 4x4 like he thought the damn thing was
amphibias. That had all the old roosters in camp crowing for sure. One was so impressed he had to snap a picture. Now if I could just find where I
put it.
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synch
Nomad
Posts: 316
Registered: 9-14-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: wandering...
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A TOYOTA AND A FORD IN ONE SUV - 15 gallons goes 550 MILES
| Quote: | Originally posted by JESSE
| Quote: | Originally posted by synch
| Quote: | Originally posted by JESSE
Anything Japanese is perfect, i would go with a Toyota or Nissan, its been proven over and over that Japanese cars can handle the Baja roads ( or lack
of them) better than anything else.
Sorry Detroit. |
Toyota Recalls 900,000 Trucks for Suspension Defect
People tend to be very brand-loyal to cars that have treated them well...to the point of ignoring facts otherwise.
A heap load of advertizing doesn't hurt to drill it into their head either.
[Edited on 5-20-2005 by synch] |
That doesn't change my mind, i take anything Japanese over Detroit or Europe anytime, i used to drive cars from Tijuana to Mexico city and Los Cabos
10 years ago, drove dozens of cars from almost all brands, and i as well as all the other drivers agree, nothing beats a Japanese car for driving
Mexican roads. |
Yeah, my old Toyota has been trusty and reliable, I'm just bitter/jaded by a sleazy Toyota Dealer (LONGO - LA's largest) who ended up telling me lies
and costing $600 in "tune up" costs when I just wanted the plugs changed.
On another topic - How about a combination Toyota and Ford that goes over 550 miles on 15 Gallons of gas? CLICK HERE
Toyota has leased patent rights to Ford who has built the first SUV Hybrid 4wd. A bit spendy, but you get the reliability of a Toyota with great
range and economy.
.
[Edited on 5-25-2005 by synch]
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Me No
Banned
Posts: 444
Registered: 11-24-2003
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How do you guys do that quote in a quote in a quote thing. Thats Cool. Too bad it is so damn confusigating. That last word is for the Baja Bernie
dictionary of baja terms.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Dodge braking
Whistler, you couldn't be more right! I own a 1968 Dodge Power Wagon and in the 33 yrs I have owned it I have logged upwards of 800,000. That's pretty
good for THAT truck. It is my "original" Baja truck although its been from Inuvik, AK to San Blas more than a few times. If I could have, I would have
changed the Brakes, wheel bearings and u-joints with something better had there been an option. I must have gone thru 15 sets of brakes and atwo sets
of drums(I had em smokin' going into Port Alberni and decided that was the last "BIG" trip a few years back. Still has the original block but
overhauled and rebuilt 11/2 times. My new Dodge is unbelievable when stopping. Fully loaded with a trailer(no brakes), I felt the rotors at the
bottomn of the Siskiyous Pass and they were not even hot. Kudos to Dodge. If you are free in October, I am thinking seriously at an exploratory trip
through Los Corrales and beyond possibly. I have much confidence in Dodge and have always made it home and never stranded(but those are other
stories). Sorry folks, never owned an import, but then again, never needed or wanted one. Oh, one interesting fact.... the transfer case has never
been touched tho you can hear some in/out bearing noise.
Now it sits under the big cedar tree waiting for a new day.(sigh)
maybe some ol' timers would remember the first "Baja Big Foot" Those rims are hand-made and those are 14x17.5x36
10 ply Firestone forklift tires, the only "big" tires we could find in 1970.
[Edited on 5-26-2005 by Sharksbaja]
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synch
Nomad
Posts: 316
Registered: 9-14-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: wandering...
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Toyota's 22-R 4 Cylinder Engine in Toyota trucks
From a previous thread on the Q&A board regarding the Toyota 22-R 4 cylinder Engine
| Quote: | Originally posted by jerry
i had a 1977 toy 1 ton pickup with a 20R sold it in 1993 with 397000 miles on it.
It was a really bad engine i had to put a timing set in it and its still being driven i see it often just change the oil and run it till the wheels
fall off in 1993 i got a 1983 toy with a 22re fuel injected had to put a timing set in it too just sold it with 356000 miles on it the guy headed for
north carolina the next morning he called me when he got there another really bad truck lol have a good one jerry |
[Edited on 5-26-2005 by synch]
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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 That is very kind of you sir! I really like the backroads and have been
looking at a few. It is unbelievable how many roads there are in places visible
from those sat photos and not on the maps. The other trip I need to do is
the Bahia Tortuga Road south to San Ignacio then over to La Purisma ending at our casa in Mulege. 
Likewise amigo, if you need a spot to lay over or stay in Mulege let me know(anytime).  Have fun in the Keys! Tarpon? Snook? Boners? Who cares!
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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on a full moon night.....
on the back side of Catalina we were bringing the squid up with 6 1000w halides w/ a pair of 5000 w service gens. Scooping with long poles.I have
never witnessed anything like that in all my days. The squid came up like illuminated clouds undulating and darting about systematically with purpose
! It was a remarkable sight the first time. I would love to "cruise by" your "wide-eyed" place in my Dodge Is the coastline built up at all 'tween you and
Tortuga?
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MH_Stevens
Junior Nomad
Posts: 59
Registered: 5-17-2005
Location: Aguanga, Alta California
Member Is Offline
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So at what age does it become pizza insured? if I get a Toyota Land Cruiser what is the cut-off year?
Cheers,
Mike Stevens
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MH_Stevens
Junior Nomad
Posts: 59
Registered: 5-17-2005
Location: Aguanga, Alta California
Member Is Offline
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UPDATE:
I'm off for my FIRST trip to Baja tommorow and the car I got for Baja is a 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser, FJZ80. For my first trip I'm not going south of
Vincente G.
Cheers,
Mike Stevens
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: In love!
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Hey, Mike,
That one will get you there! (Wherever you are, you are there). Have a good trip. Take some of that stuff from The List post.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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rpleger
Super Nomad
Posts: 1087
Registered: 3-12-2005
Location: H. Mulegé, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Was good.
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Suzuki Samari Rules Baja
Richard on the Hill
*ABROAD*, adj. At war with savages and idiots. To be a Frenchman abroad is to
be miserable; to be an American abroad is to make others miserable.
-- Ambrose Bierce, _The Enlarged Devil\'s Dictionary_
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Tomas Tierra
Super Nomad
Posts: 1281
Registered: 3-23-2005
Location: oxnard, ca
Member Is Offline
Mood: Tengo Flojera
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samurai will hold you and a six pack thats about it.. pre tacoma or pre tundra toyotas have a beefier front end and are the ultimate baja
vehicles..my T-100 is bullet proof
uh oh...did I just jinx myself??
Mike the land cruiser will take you any where you want to go.be smart
TT
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