Guns & Outdoors Forum

Wambli asked me to share this story, so here we are. As I mentioned in SS3’s truck thread, much of my spare time over the last year has been spent shooting and turning wrenches on my old FJ with the young man who calls me his American Dad.

Eight or so years ago, he came to my team as a part-time intern when he was in high school, as part of a program that matched minority students with STEM talents to companies for technical internships. He expressed an interest in cyber security, so I became a mentor to him. Over the years, we discovered almost every day, another area we shared an interest in; everything from shooting sports to good cigars to old Toyotas to politics. He even lives in my old neighborhood. Wife’s theory is that 25 years ago, someone stole my DNA, took it back to Saigon, and created him in a lab.

Last year, he unexpectedly came out to the house on Father’s Day, with a handful of my favorite cigars, a few cans of my favorite chicory coffee, and a Father’s Day card, bearing a note thanking me for being his American Dad, and making him the man he’s become. Yes, I shed a tear. So after 35 years, I adopted a son, or, we adopted each other. His girlfriend loves Wife and me, and the boy’s parents love it because I’m teaching him and his brother things they can’t, about firearms, IT stuff, and just being an American man.

So since then, we’ve spent most weekends either on the sporting clays course, or the ranges at my rod & gun club, where he has also applied for membership; often these are followed by he and his girlfriend staying for dinner with me and Wife. His girl is getting pretty good with a pistol, too!

It’s a weird and wonderful story, and frankly I never knew I missed having a son until he showed up. Now tell me this ain’t my kid:

That is pretty damn awesome.

That is just AWESOME!!!!!! I am so glad for both of you

Tell us more of this "old FJ". . .

Practicality necessitated parting with my '78 FJ-40, so I wouldn't exactly say I miss it. I can still live vicariously.

It’s a 2008 with about every factory option. This pic is right after I got the new wheels & tires last summer; since then we’ve installed a better skid plate, black front bumper wings, and molle racks in the back for gear. Next is black wings for the rear bumper, and maybe some fog lights. This winter I had the entire undercarriage microblasted, rust-treated, and sealed. It’ll be good for years until the boy inherits it!

How much was the undercarriage treatment if I may ask?

It was around $3k, and included replacing a couple of cross members that were iffy. My local mechanic also restores old trucks.

OOff, worth it if you are going to keep it though

Indeed, that’s the plan. The boy wanted one but until recently they were still pricey, so he built up a 4Runner instead. Now he’ll have this one in 20 years when i sail off on my final fishing trip…

Well done, Sir. Well done. Proud and happy for you. As one who has bred adopted as a surrogate sone, I can say thank you for what you’ve done.

Thank you! I couldn’t choose a better son if I had to.

LMLarsen wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 7:51 pm Indeed, that’s the plan. The boy wanted one but until recently they were still pricey, so he built up a 4Runner instead. Now he’ll have this one in 20 years when i sail off on my final fishing trip…

Used Toyotas are pricey on a good day.

Bring him and that rig out to Nevada and we’ll have some fun!!! I might even throw some cigars and libations into the equation. Long road trip, but I’ll take you guys to some awesome places

Good on you LM.

Mine is my youngest step-son. We were talking one day and I said, "I know I'm just your step-dad" He stopped me right there and said, "Yeah, a step up from dad"
That hit me HARD in "the feels"

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Sun Jul 06, 2025 1:55 am Bring him and that rig out to Nevada and we’ll have some fun!!! I might even throw some cigars and libations into the equation. Long road trip, but I’ll take you guys to some awesome places

We might just do that!

GrapeApe wrote: ↑Sun Jul 06, 2025 4:12 am Good on you LM.

Mine is my youngest step-son. We were talking one day and I said, "I know I'm just your step-dad" He stopped me right there and said, "Yeah, a step up from dad"
That hit me HARD in "the feels"

That’s awesome!




When you said old FJ, I thought you meant an….old FJ.

I wish! Those aren’t just pricey these days; they’re insane expensive! But that’s what started my lifelong love affair with jeeps and the like: riding in a family friend’s FJ-40 when I was about 10. Love at first ride!

Over the years I’ve owned a ‘61 CJ-5, a ‘74 Wagoneer, a ‘99 Cherokee, and now this FJ Cruiser. This one drives better than any CJ or derivative I’ve ever been in.

Yeah, he old 2 door Jeeps had horrifyingly bad rides, you had to be a hardcore Jeep lover to willingly subject yourself to a long trip in one of those. My wife use to REFUSE to get in my original 1999 Rubicon and then my 2004 Rocky Mountain Edition. She started changing her mind with my 2012 JKU and now the preferred vehicle of every trip is my 2022 Gladiator, she LOVES that Jeep.

One of our neighbors had a Wrangler Unlimited, and it was nice, but a little cramped for me. Other than installing a set of riser brackets for the driver’s seat, this Toy fits me perfectly. And it’s refreshing to have a rig I can actually work on; my 2023 Explorer is kind of a black box when it comes to maintenance. In fact, the boy christened the FJC “The Beast,” because compared to the Explorer with all its computers, electronics, cameras, satellite radio, etc., the Yota is just, well…

But I love it on the weekends when I go cowboy!

Nothing like owning a vehicle that will easily take you way past where most would go…

LMLarsen wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 7:39 pm It’s a 2008 with about every factory option. This pic is right after I got the new wheels & tires last summer; since then we’ve installed a better skid plate, black front bumper wings, and molle racks in the back for gear. Next is black wings for the rear bumper, and maybe some fog lights. This winter I had the entire undercarriage microblasted, rust-treated, and sealed. It’ll be good for years until the boy inherits it!

Curious, what size tires? Do you have any issues with rubbing while off-road? I've never looked under one of those so have no idea of configuration of drivetrain, clearance, etc.

They’re 265/70R-17 Kumhos, from Tire Rack. No rubbing, great traction, and since the tread is asymmetrical there’s no road noise.

There’s no lift on the rig, and I don’t plan on installing one. It’s fine for the dirt & gravel roads at the gun club, and the occasional trail around here.

LMLarsen wrote: ↑Wed Jul 09, 2025 9:09 pm They’re 265/70R-17 Kumhos, from Tire Rack. No rubbing, great traction, and since the tread is asymmetrical there’s no road noise.

There’s no lift on the rig, and I don’t plan on installing one. It’s fine for the dirt & gravel roads at the gun club, and the occasional trail around here.

NICE! The options for good AT and off-road tires that behave well on pavement have gotten overwhelming. Back in the day BFG was THE choice and they are still good ones, but there are a LOT of GREAT new tires out there that give the old BFG TA KOs a run for the money.

Rig looks great and performs as needed, that's a winner!

If you decide to head out my way I have trails that are fun without needing rock crawling capabilities, extending from here all the way to Southern Utah and you'd never hit pavement. I took SS3 and his buddy (who had just bought a new Tacoma) on one of my favorites which starts behind one of the oldest (if not THE oldest saloon in NV) and goes about 15 miles through a beautiful desert valley cresting over a pass with a breathtaking view and finishing up just a few miles away from my house. Actually I now found a connecting trail that brings me two blocks away from my house

It's a great ride that is challenging enough to be truly enjoyable but doesn't need 40" tires on a lift and it starts or ends with a good bar burger and beer and includes some good shooting spots in the middle.

AND if you want to spread the wings a bit we can do a road trip to visit the boys up North too and go play in the snow.

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