The Coal Mine Cruiser Classic (CMCC), is an off-roading event for Toyota Land Cruisers held annually at Rausch Creek Off-Road Park (RCORP). Like the FJ Northeasters (FJNE) event, the CMCC attracts a wide variety of folks, both new and old to the off-roading community. The entrance requirements are a bit more stringent than some of the other sponsored events, but it’s still a whole lot of fun and a great way to meet people with a similar interest in this type of activity. It was during the second day of the 2010 CMCC event, when I discovered that heavy rain and Metal Tech tube doors should not be mixed. Having purchased my Metal Tech tube doors only weeks prior to the event, I decided it would be simpler to remove my stock doors, prior to my departure for the event. So with the stock doors tucked away safely in my garage and the weather forecast indicating only a small chance of rain, I drove the two hours northward to RCORP full of enthusiasm and excitement. In hindsight, I should have been a bit more prepared. Continue Reading →
FJ Cruiser: Inside and Out
Body and Frame Electrical Electronics and Gadgets General Interior Upgrades Toyota FJ Cruiser Wheels and Tires
As promised, I’ve compiled quite a few additional videos covering some of the many great features available on the FJ Cruiser platform. Most of the videos are short but they do provide a good visual demonstration in addition to describing each feature. Not all of the options featured in the videos are available in the base level configuration; some require one or more upgrade packages. But each of the upgrade packages offers a number of additional options that may also be of interest to a potential buyer. For more details on upgrade packages, simply contact your local Toyota dealership. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to fill you on the details. Without further ado, the video links I promised can be found below. Continue Reading →
FJ Cruiser: Building on a Solid Foundation
Body and Frame General Suspension Toyota FJ Cruiser
Perhaps before I dive into the modding madness, I should provide some details regarding the FJ’s stock capabilities and features. Targeted at the 20- to 30-year-old off-roading demographic, the FJ was designed with ruggedness in mind. Even though the exterior shell of the FJ Cruiser is brand new, many of the underlying components are based on slightly modified versions of other existing product lines. Some may see this approach as cobbling, a vehicle designed in true Frankenstein fashion. But in my opinion, Toyota’s approach to designing and eventually producing the FJ Cruiser prototype was pure genius. Rather than rely on newly designed and therefore untested parts, Toyota dug into their existing product lines in order to determine which parts were proven to be the most reliable over long-term testing. By piecing together the strongest and most reliable parts, Toyota was able to produce not only a quality vehicle, but one which contained many of the best features from other vehicles. Continue Reading →