Owning and Overlanding in a FJ40 - What are the Pros and Cons?

[nickw]

Many people go around the world on a motorcycle two up. There isn't a bike made that can carry what a 40 carries so lets render the capacity parameter moot.

The same can be said about comfort.

Comfort and capacity are a matter of choice. Reliability is not...

Its not all that hard to make a 40 have similar reliability to an anvil. Some would argue that the closer you leave one to stock the more reliable it is. Not going to pick a side on that debate but rest assured a well maintained (as opposed to built) 40 will take you pretty much anywhere, and bring you back.

I had a super clean 78' 40 for years and I'd disagree with the reliability part from a practical perspective. While they are simple, very well built and robust......reliability when NEW was excellent, 40+ year old vehicles are a different story in todays world....particularly ones where many OEM parts don't exist and cheap(er) replacements have been introduced and used over the years. Simple things like the t-case parking brake don't have good high quality aftermarket replacement parts on par with long discontinued OEM stuff.

I had the intentions of making mine into a super reliable & simple overlanding rig, figured I'd throw in a modern 5spd transmission, which necessitated upgrading to split case, which meant I lost my t-case parking brake, which mean I had to upgrade rear axle....on and on and on to the point it was custom vehicle with custom vehicle problems. Don't even get me started with GM repowers, may as well just buy a GM pickup IMO.....it's engineered to work together properly.

 

[squeezer]

I had a super clean 78' 40 for years and I'd disagree with the reliability part from a practical perspective. While they are simple, very well built and robust......reliability when NEW was excellent, 40+ year old vehicles are a different story in todays world....particularly ones where many OEM parts don't exist and cheap(er) replacements have been introduced and used over the years. Simple things like the t-case parking brake don't have good high quality aftermarket replacement parts on par with long discontinued OEM stuff.

I had the intentions of making mine into a super reliable & simple overlanding rig, figured I'd throw in a modern 5spd transmission, which necessitated upgrading to split case, which meant I lost my t-case parking brake, which mean I had to upgrade rear axle....on and on and on to the point it was custom vehicle with custom vehicle problems. Don't even get me started with GM repowers, may as well just buy a GM pickup IMO.....it's engineered to work together properly.

"but rest assured a well maintained (as opposed to built)"

Well maintained means stock systems functioning as new...

100% agree with your point that the more modifications you make to a 40 the less reliable they become.

 

[nickw]

"but rest assured a well maintained (as opposed to built)"

Well maintained means stock systems functioning as new...

100% agree with your point that the more modifications you make to a 40 the less reliable they become.

Stock sytems functioning as new would be great if the quality parts existed, but they unfortunately don't, you are forced into aftermarket or re-man parts.....

 

[zidaro]

i love driving about in my 40. Its a classic, and a tractor.

 

[lugueto]

Don't get me wrong, I love mine as well, but I wouldn't drive it on the regular 8-10hr drives I usually take on my truck.

Mine is bone stock, mechanically sound so reliability is not an issue (although I've never driven it for so long). But comfort is a huge issue. Noise, heat and seat comfort might be an issue. I can get out of my truck after a 10 hour drive just fine, but driving after a couple hours on the 40 is taxing.

If I do a trip on the 40, its because I want it to be iconic, symbolic. Not because I choose to do so regularly. I believe 40s are indeed an icon, fun to drive and meant to go off road. But realistically speaking, I would never choose it for long distance or regular travel.