Colorado Land Cruisers is a four-wheel drive club based out of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and sanctioned by Toyota Land Cruisers Association. We are organized to bring together Toyota owning families and individuals interested in exploring Colorado four-wheel drive trails.
What a month. Due to the big snowstorm we had a rather small meeting this month. We discussed checking with the Sheriff's office to volunteer for emergencies like this. I am planning on checking into this. There is a Denver metro area group that does this called FEAT. I have emailed them and there is some one here in the Springs that is trying to co-ordinate a Springs FEAT operation. This is a list of people that can be available to help
other people by using their four wheel drive vehicles to get emergency services to people in need. See their web site for more information. http://www.featonline.com/
After the meeting on my way home I decided to play a little in the snowdrifts near my house. I live in a new subdivision, and there are some New roads without any houses yet. I went up a hill and was turning around to head back down and went through a snowdrift that was deeper than it looked and I was going slow. Needless to say I got stuck. I could not get the truck to rock back and forth. I got the shovel out and started digging and was thinking to myself. Why did I do this? I know better than this. It was snowy, windy, and cold. I called John to come rescue me. He was on his way when a guy in a Jeep drove by checking out the drifts. He was kind enough to give me a tug off the snowdrift.
Anyway, be careful in the snowdrifts. Sometimes it seems that we can be unstoppable, but it does not take much to get into serious difficulty. Be prepared and have the equipment with you to extract yourself, or better yet don't go alone.
The next meeting will be held at Liberty Toyota North at 7:30 on 4/15.
Kendall Carlton
CLC President
Trip Report: Chinaman's Gulch 3/29/03
What a great turnout that we had today. We had 10 vehicles show up. I lead the trail, David Hayes, John Van Vuren, Mike Taylor, Vicky Warren, Norm Opperman, Nick, Joel Beerer, and Mike Steven were all there. We left the Western station promptly at 8:00 and headed to Johnson Village. We hit the trail about 10:00. Right at the trailhead there was another club(s) that was working on opening a new trail called Carnage Canyon that meets up with Chinaman's Gulch. This trail is supposed to be difficult and should be open soon.
We headed up the trail and went through the first obstacle. Mike Taylor broke his front axle and had to continue in 2wd, but you know he has plenty of power on tap for that. A while later Norm broke a front shock mount. That was welded up in short order. The next obstacle caused a problem for Nick's transfer case. No four-wheel drive was available from that point forward. He followed Norm the rest of the way through the trail connected to the strap. We all made it up Whale rock, even though there was quite a bit of snow there. Further up the trail on a North-facing slope, I had some trouble staying on the trail. I slid off a side hill into a tree. No major damage and I was able to get out.
We all made through and had a great time playing in the snow and mud on the way back to the main road.
Thanks for the great turnout.
Kendall
Reason #824 on Why FJ40’s are Unique
Have you ever had a train honk at you? I mean not when you were trying to get over the crossing and in your mind you were in a race to beat the train? Well, I did – a coal train engineer blew the engines horn at me last fall when I was coming home. I was going north on Mark Dabbling, approaching the I25 overpass, when I saw a coal train just coming out from under the overpass. I looked at the train, then heard these 2 blasts of the horn and saw the engineer wave at me as we passed. Cool. A “hogger” that also knew what a classic FJ40 was! (hogger: RR lingo for the engineer)
1. In the Mar/Apr 2003 issue, where was the cover photo taken? Who took it? Where in Colorado could CLC take a similar TT cover photo?
2. In the article titled “Nick’s Adventure”, how did they get the FJ80 back after the rear axle broke?
3. What’s the deadline to get in your Rubithon application? When is Rubithon this year?
4. In Mark Whatley’s “Tech Exchange”, what is the first thing he checks when a customer comes to his shop complaining about driveline vibration?
Answers to these questions and many others can be found in Toyota Trails, TLCA’s bi-monthly journal. Oh, you don’t receive it? Easy fix. Either join TLCA and become a voting member in CLC and receive the magazine, or renew your membership. Either way you become a winner along with TLCA and CLC.
Trail Run – Carnage – April 27, 2003
Scheduled meet time is 7:00am at the North location, McDonalds at N. Academy and Highway 83 Leave time is 7:30am. Paul is scheduled as trip leader. Please note: Carnage is located west of Denver in the area which received 2-4 feet of snow in late March, and may not be accessible this early. Have chains and other winter gear, and check the web page for possible changes, or alternate destination, to this scheduled trip.
Next Meeting – April 15,
2003 – 7:30pm
Plan on attending CLC’s next meeting. We are changing to our summer meeting location at Liberty Toyota, located at 5595 N. Academy Blvd. Please park in the rear. Come early and join us, as shoptalk starts in the parking lot. Pete should have CLC stickers for the club!
March 2003 Members Dues and Past Due Members: If you are reading this via smail, look at the address and see if you are past due. If so, look for David’s mailing address on the inside of the mailing wrapper, and mail him a check right now. Or See David, at the next CLC meeting, about getting your dues paid up.
For Sale:
FJ55 parts, ’85 4Runner parts – Andy/Bart at (719) 338-3384 or (719) 238-2530
A Whole lot of stuff For
Sale – Jerry Nichols
Jerry E. NicholsVoice - 719-576-0616Fax - 719-576-2180 Wife says, "MUST clean out the garage/shop - either sell it or take it withyou ..!" (She sounds serious this time...) Pieces / Parts For Sale - Make An Offer...(MAO)?1. Course spline Birfields - 2. 5 White spoke 15"x 8" LC wheels 3. LC 4 spd trannies -16 & 19 spline Long & Short 4. NIB AA#50-8903 for 700R4 /'94 to '96 4L60E to split case - List -$737 - Asking $590 (Has VSS bung)5. FJ40 LC U-bolt flip kit (F & R) - $1356. Course Spline (6) Lock-Right - $757. '77 LC stock heater/duct/blower Complete. - 8. '77 LC rear heater/blower Complete - 9. '85 LC rear heater/blower Complete - 10. FJ60 3.73:1 3rd Members/Axles - 11. FJ62 good A440F tranny core -12. FJ40 R-disc Conv Brackets -13. FJ40 Reverse Shackles - 14. FJ60 Fan Shroud, Pdr Coated - 15. Early FJ40 Fan Shroud - 16. 2 sets SB 350 heads - 17. 168T early SB350 Fly Wheel - 18. 168T late SB350 Flex plate - 19. NIB '77 LC Disc Brake Rotors -20. LC-4 spd Bell Housing - 21. SBC - Bell Housing -22. '78 LC Rear Axle housing (sand Blasted) -23. 5 - stock FJ60 Wheels -24. Warn Birfield Eliminator Set W/Complete set of replacement axlesand Mfg warrantee - $80025. SBChevy Tuned Port setup, complete - MAO