For the committed Toyota 4x4 owner, the FJ40 embodies all that is right and good and wholesome about a 4WD. It is the stuff that dreams are made of. For Ed Beggy, his dreams were always made of a Series II or Series III Land Rover. However, his brother-in-law, Jonathan, subtly (and perhaps not-so-subtly at times) persuaded him that what he really needed was a Land Cruiser. Ed got religion in the form of a 1982 FJ40 that he purchased in 2005.

Sporting the original 2F engine, Ed’s Land Cruiser is in remarkably great shape for the 195,000 miles logged on its odometer. When he picked it up in the spring of 2005, he turned it over to his nephew, Jake, for a few months for some sprucing up. This included restoring the emission control system, replacing the carburetor, installing new gears, and general preventative maintenance. Ed, recognizing his limitations with mechanical repairs, wanted a rig that was in mechanically superior condition.

This FJ40 benefits from an OME suspension, including springs and steering damper, as well as a Man-A-Fre shackle reversal kit. On board you’ll find a Hellroaring Technologies’ governed dual-battery system for powering his accessories. Moving back along the drivetrain from the 2F engine you can find a Mark’s Adapters Gearmaster low range transfer case, front and rear differentials re-geared to 4.56, front and rear air-lockers, and Warn manual hubs cap off the axles. Riding up front is a Man-A-Fre bumper complete with grill guard and auxiliary lighting. For traction Ed has shod his FJ40 with 33” BFG Mud Terrains. For his expedition travels he custom-built a drawer/storage unit for the back. Ed has future plans to add a Warn winch and possibly a Kaymar rear bumper.

Perhaps most unique to Ed’s expedition set-up is the recent addition of a Horizon Adventure Trailer. From previous trips Ed had found that the Maggiolina Airland roof tent altered his handling and reduced his clearance too much. Traveling behind his FJ40, Ed’s adventure trailer not only carries his Airland tent but also his ARB 45 fridge/freeze. His fridge/freeze comes in handy as a supplement to the unique mess/kitchen set-up on his trailer. As if the dual-battery setup on the FJ40 weren’t enough, the trailer hosts a third battery. Between his FJ40 and the trailer, Ed can easily transport all the sundry items required for expedition travel.

Ed grew up camping with his family. Exploring the outdoors has been part of his life for as long as he can remember. Recollections of hiking, camping, backpacking, and Boy Scouting with his dad, brother, and friends fuel his desire for expedition travel today. As a senior in high school he converted his VW Bug (not a van!) into a one-man camper and toured the Pacific Coast into Canada and back home through the Rockies. Ed started a Christian humanitarian-aid organization, Shoulder to Shoulder International Inc. that has taken him to Kenya six times and Mexico twice since 1995. In addition to his aid trips, Ed has traveled to such places as Tanzania, Italy, Great Britain, Canada, & has been scuba diving in Fiji and several Caribbean islands.

Until the Expedition Trophy 2005, Ed had never participated in a group expedition trip. Current plans call for Ed to take a solo expedition into south and central Utah this fall. Ed’s FJ40 and his trailer will be an integral part of that two-week trip. Ed remarks, “When I explore I mostly go alone. I look to remote areas and wilderness for time to be introspective, meditate, read, and just enjoy the beauty of creation that is all around us. It helps me refocus and unwind.”

Equipment Contact:

Adventure Trailers: 877-661-8097

ARB Locking Differentials and Old Man Emu Suspension: 303-772-7207