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Archive for the 'Personal Interest' Category

New Tires for my Toyota Land Cruiser

Posted by admin on July 2nd, 2008

I own a 1997 Toyota FZJ 80 Limited Edition LandCruiser. For those of you who are aficionados of 4X4s, you already know that this particular year and model is the very best and most capable 4X4 vehicle ever produced anywhere on the planet. I fondly refer to it as my “Range Rover Recovery Vehicle”.

The picture below will give you some small indication of the extreme off-road capability these trucks have. While the vehicle in this picture does have a lift, the ability of the suspension to articulate as you see in this picture can be done by a stone stock LandCruiser.

These vehicles reached their pinnacle in 1997, but went downhill after that year because Toyota started catering to the “Soccer Mom” SUV market instead of the true 4X4 enthusiast.

Yesterday my wife picked up a quarter inch bolt in the passenger front tire. Since the tires were just about gone anyway, I started shopping around for a new set. I’ve always been very fond of Olson Brothers Tirefactory in Milwaukie, and sure enough, I was able to secure a brand new set of Nokian AT 265/75/R16 tires for the amazingly low price of $567.56! Anyone who has shopped for tires recently, and done their homework, knows that Nokian tires are in a completely different universe from all the other tires on the market. You can go unchained on these puppies where others fear to tread with chains!

This is the kind of sweet deal that I really like, Nobody on the internet was able to match or even come close to Olson Brothers Tirefactory’s price on these tires, and I didn’t have to pay for shipping, or wait a week to get them.

Go to Olson Brothers Tirefactory for your automotive needs if you live in the Milwaukie area, they are simply the best. I’ve been dealing with the same front counter people and the same mechanics for probably 12 years now. People that work there, stay there.

These guys are the nicest people in the world, they do quality work, and they stand behind their products and services.

Martial Arts Video Sharing and Distance Learning Site

Posted by admin on June 25th, 2008

Well, my business partner, Eric Kristiansen and I have been working diligently for months to finish up our martial arts video sharing site Martial Arts Outpost, and distance learning site Learn Chinese Martial Arts. It’s been full of setbacks and delays, however. I had a catastrophic hard drive crash, the second one in 9 months, a short time ago, and it was 3 weeks before I had everything back the way I needed it. I’ve taken industrial - strength measures to safeguard against that ever happening again. Every bit of data I have is backed up to a second identical drive by means of a disk image (DMG) file. The backup drive is kept OFFLINE and in a safe place except when I’m doing backups, so it never gets used except for that purpose. We are hoping to flesh out the site in the coming months and make it a unique resource for learning at a distance.

1974 Toyota FJ-40 Land Cruiser - Update

Posted by admin on June 25th, 2008

Well, those of you who know me are aware of a little project I’ve been working on for a few years now. I am the proud owner of an original 1974 Toyota FJ-40 Land Cruiser that I am currently doing a restoration on. We’ve had a very long and rainy winter, and I was beginning to despair if I would ever get back to work on my “baby” but it looks like the time is ripe. We’ve finally gotten into some continuous dry weather, and I am READY to get back to work on it. I’m very hopeful that I’ll finish it this year, there is still a lot to do, but maybe…. There’s a new wrinkle, though, I’ve been researching hydrogen power conversions, and I’m going to do a conversion on the FJ-40. From what I’ve been reading, I should be able to increase the gas mileage from 15 to at least 30, and possibly 50 MPG or better. Now THAT would be something. My favorite place to get parts is Cool Cruisers of Texas. They are a great bunch of people, and very knowledgeable. Another GREAT cruiser website is the TLC Icon website where you will see the type of vehicle we all love, old fashioned styling with all new technology, the perfect blend comes together in this vehicle, but they are a little pricey at $135,000.00. I was planning on selling my FJ-40 when I finally got the restoration finished, but I’m not so sure now…