Covid excuse to play hookey

[GB SISSON]

Uncovered these photos today of a month long trip taken in this toyota when it was a landcruiser back in 1993. 3300 miles towing our 1966 Aloha Travel trailer to Disneyland, Death Valley, Jerome AZ, and the Grand Canyon with 3 kids in the back seat. Had 600 bucks in cash (from the sale of a worn out farmall tractor) under the front floor mat for gas. Had 60.00 left upon our return. In the trailer were supplies for a month including a 50 lb sack of oatmeal for breakfasts, sandwhich fixins for lunch at rest stops and municiple parks, and the dinners were home (trailer) cooked at our campground. We never got a motel and had one meal out. A Wendys!
The wagon was quite heavy and had 3.73 axles and 32" dia, 235 86r 16s on non USA toyota six lug split rims sourced from a wrecking yard in Whiterock BC. Pretty slow on the hills but we knew it would be and we had a month..... The chassis/engine/drivetrain is still top notch at 195,000 and counting. Last compression test shows numbers are well above what they were when I dragged this thing outa the woods a year ago. Front to rear now: 170, 159, 169,170, 168, 168. Head/pan never off. OK back to the ford sheet metal, I just wanted to show you all that this will be a very capable and road worthy 'jalopy'. Next time we'll ditch the trailer, stay in motels and upgrade to Red Lobster!

[Zeke3]

GB, thanks for the pictures and the story, sounds like a great vacation and the wagon looks very capable for the trip.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

Uncovered these photos today of a month long trip taken in this toyota when it was a landcruiser back in 1993. 3300 miles towing our 1966 Aloha Travel trailer to Disneyland, Death Valley, Jerome AZ, and the Grand Canyon with 3 kids in the back seat. Had 600 bucks in cash (from the sale of a worn out farmall tractor) under the front floor mat for gas. Had 60.00 left upon our return. In the trailer were supplies for a month including a 50 lb sack of oatmeal for breakfasts, sandwhich fixins for lunch at rest stops and municiple parks, and the dinners were home (trailer) cooked at our campground. We never got a motel and had one meal out. A Wendys!
The wagon was quite heavy and had 3.73 axles and 32" dia, 235 86r 16s on non USA toyota six lug split rims sourced from a wrecking yard in Whiterock BC. Pretty slow on the hills but we knew it would be and we had a month..... The chassis/engine/drivetrain is still top notch at 195,000 and counting. Last compression test shows numbers are well above what they were when I dragged this thing outa the woods a year ago. Front to rear now: 170, 159, 169,170, 168, 168. Head/pan never off. OK back to the ford sheet metal, I just wanted to show you all that this will be a very capable and road worthy 'jalopy'. Next time we'll ditch the trailer, stay in motels and upgrade to Red Lobster!

[51504bat]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

Uncovered these photos today of a month long trip taken in this toyota when it was a landcruiser back in 1993. 3300 miles towing our 1966 Aloha Travel trailer to Disneyland, Death Valley, Jerome AZ, and the Grand Canyon with 3 kids in the back seat. Had 600 bucks in cash (from the sale of a worn out farmall tractor) under the front floor mat for gas. Had 60.00 left upon our return. In the trailer were supplies for a month including a 50 lb sack of oatmeal for breakfasts, sandwhich fixins for lunch at rest stops and municiple parks, and the dinners were home (trailer) cooked at our campground. We never got a motel and had one meal out. A Wendys!
The wagon was quite heavy and had 3.73 axles and 32" dia, 235 86r 16s on non USA toyota six lug split rims sourced from a wrecking yard in Whiterock BC. Pretty slow on the hills but we knew it would be and we had a month..... The chassis/engine/drivetrain is still top notch at 195,000 and counting. Last compression test shows numbers are well above what they were when I dragged this thing outa the woods a year ago. Front to rear now: 170, 159, 169,170, 168, 168. Head/pan never off. OK back to the ford sheet metal, I just wanted to show you all that this will be a very capable and road worthy 'jalopy'. Next time we'll ditch the trailer, stay in motels and upgrade to Red Lobster!

In the mid '70's a buddy had a similar Landcruiser. He knew it was slow but just didn't know how slow. UNTIL. He was on vacation towing a tent trailer with his family going camping in the Sierra's. Leaving Bishop, CA northbound on US 395 the Sherman grade showed him just how slow the Toyota was. So slow a VW camper van passed him. Needless to say he wasn't shall we say a happy camper. Shortly after that the Landcruiser was traded off.