Vintage "Crawler Truck" Pictures

[BigMike]

Vintage "Crawler Truck" Pictures
We thought it would be cool to start an album of the famous Crawler Truck, which Marlin has been wheeling since 1983. We'll be posting new pictures often so keep an eye out and enjoy!


The Famous Crawler Truck, circa 1984


Same Truck, Same Place, 25 years apart! Dusy/Ershim Trail, Sierra Nevada Forest, California


Huge 35" tires and dual front shocks! (circa 1994)


Climbing up waterfall number 7 of Surprise Canyon in Panamint Valley, CA. Marlin's Heavy Duty Marlink visible. (1995 or 96)


Marlin dropping down Waterfall #5 with me standing by, Surprise Canyon, Panamint Valley, CA, June 28, 1998

[81 shortbed]

Nice pics!

Sent from my MB886 using Tapatalk

[BigMike]

The Legendary Man and the Legendary Truck at Panamint City, circa 1994, Surprise Canyon, CA.


Beginning our descent back down the seventh waterfall in Surprise Canyon. 10th Annual CAL4WD Panamint Valley Days, 1995.


WOW! The Crawler Truck is only 108:1 in this picture from 1994!


Here is one of the very first photographs known to man of Marlin "Walking The Crawler". This is from the mid 1990s, almost 15 years before this became a YouTube phenomenon!! No driver, no brakes! What is "Walking The Crawler"? Check out this YouTube video that started the recent craze! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFk9yVwVLrE


A rare photo of the Crawler Truck on 35" TSL SSR's back in the mid-late 90's. Surprise Canyon, Panamint Valley, California. (thank you Pepe for the proper tire identification!)

[BigMike]

Let's play a game with this 1986 Dusy/Ershim Forest Service Trail Work trip photo! A) Where is Marlin? B) How many Hank William Jr impersonators are there? and C) Can you find the Sasquatch?


The Crawler Truck, Granite Bowl, Rubicon Trail, Summer 1985.


Here is our Crawler Truck's first time through the Sluice Box, summer 1984! Little Sluice, Rubicon Trail, California


Here is the Crawler Truck making its way up Cadillac Hill we believe for the first time ever, summer 1984.


Check me out at 3-1/2 years old alongside the famous-to-be Crawler Truck with those massive tires! Summer 1984

[Wainiha]

Hats and flannel everywhere. 

It must have been even better then without the crowds.

[BigMike]

First time on the Fordyce Trail near Lake Tahoe, California, fall 1984.


Marlin! Get a hair cut!! TLCA's Toys-4-Fun vehicle inspection, circa 1987.


Making our way up Surprise Canyon with yours truly at the wheel. September 2, 2000, Panamint Valley, California.


Mad off-camber flex, early 90's style, complete with a hardcore Downey Off-Road replacement tie rod! Ohhh yeah


Camping in the Sierra Nevadas in the mid '80s

[HogCanyonHopper]

nice pics Mike!! good to see one from Fordyce. dont hear much from you guys about that awesome trail. It would be so sweet to have some kind of Marlin/Toyota crawler based event on Fordyce to complement the Round-Up every year.  thanks for sharing

[BigMike]

Who remembers all the signs at the Little Sluice? Rubicon trail, circa 1985


Here is Marlin dropping down Surprise Canyon with the careful spotting of Jon Bundrant of All Pro Off Road! Sept 2, 2000.


Locals should know where this 1995 picture was taken.


Just another day on the trail. Sept '00, Surprise Canyon, Panamint Valley, California.


We believe this picture is the first time in the World a Toyota with Dual Cases tamed the mighty 36-mile long Dusy/Ershim High Sierra trail in Central California. Summer 1994

[BigMike]

With Marlin's 6-speed transfer case yielding a total of 36 speeds, it's easy to see why this truck has become so famous. His tailgate lists his five low range 1st gear ratios back when he was *only* 1,047:1. Picture taken from his first trip to TLCA's Great Smokey Mountain Trail Ride (GSMTR) in Tennessee, 1997.


Pop quiz from this 1997 picture: 1) Who is the fellow Toyota shop owner standing with Marlin? 2) What is the name of the mascot they are holding? 3) What type of animal is this mascot? and 4) What is the significance of this mascot?


Hardcore wheeling at it's finest, 16 years ago! Great Smokey Mountains, Tennessee


This might be the very first time the Crawler Truck ever crossed the Rubicon River Bridge. Circa 1984/85.


The Crawler Truck's first time at Hollister Hills SVRA near Hollister, CA! Spring 1984

[86bobbedtoy]

thanks for posting!

[toyodaaddict]

Let's play a game with this 1986 Dusy/Ershim Forest Service Trail Work trip photo! A) Where is Marlin? B) How many Hank William Jr impersonators are there? and C) Can you find the Sasquatch?

A. Marlin, second row from the top third from the left?
B. more Hanks than i can count.
C. sasquatch, second row from the top second from the right.
D.bottom row third from the right, Paulie from 'ROCKY'

was i close do i win?  GREAT thread.

[Wainiha]

That hat is Paulie all the way.

[BigMike]

D.bottom row third from the right, Paulie from 'ROCKY'

Ha hahahahaha

[BigMike]

If only Marlin knew that in about ten years after this picture was taken he would single-handedly change the world of off roading forever. Dropping down Widow Maker / Whales Rock, Dusy/Ershim trail, Sierra Nevada, California. Circa 1985.


For the love of off roading, 1984-style.


Panamint City, Oh how we miss thee. Date unknown.


Finishing the last waterfall in Surprise Canyon, Panamint Valley. Date is estimated to be 1998.


Here is Aaron Kelly winching up off of the back of the Crawler Truck in Surprise Canyon, Panamint Valley. Date circa 1996 & before Marlin bobbed his bed. Approximate location: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=36.11364,+-117.16555

[Rocksurfer]

I remember those days when the crawler was a true long bed, I guess it still is except it lost some weight in its butt.

[86moneypit]

WOW, super nice pics Mike.  Very cool to see the old school stuff. 

[RCKSQRL]

Thx for posting them up! Makes me want to dump (what's left of )the linked runner and go old school! Leaf springs.... All sheetmetal! Nice!


Sent from magic wish granting phone

[BigMike]

Dropping down the lower waterfall unassisted was always a challenge. Surprise Canyon, Panamint Valley, circa 1996, just before Marlin got his "CRAWLER" CA license plate.


Look at that mad flex from the 1990's!


Over the years the Crawler truck has seen its share of challenging dirt-only trails.


Check out this photo from approximately 1997 when Marlin first invented his Marfield Heavy Duty modified Birfield joint! We offered a Free ARB to the first person to break one, which took about half a year to accomplish. Good times!


Not quite "vintage", but a cool shot of the Crawler Truck from the turn of the century when it was undergoing changes to become more modernized. Moab, Utah

[Wainiha]

How do you get those old photos up?  Home scanner of "Polaroids"?

[BigMike]

How do you get those old photos up?  Home scanner of "Polaroids"?

I have a photographic memory and let's just say I'm very talented with Adobe Photoshop.

Regards,
BigMike

[Wainiha]

 :lipsrsealed:Cool, that and the other thing, makes two secrets I can't know.   

[BigMike]

At the top of the last waterfall in Surprise Canyon, Panamint Valley. Fall 1997.


Fantastic shot of the Crawler Truck with the iconic 19th century Panamint City Smelting Tower which was used to liquify rhyolite and quarts rock to extract both Gold and Silver from the area. Circa fall 1997 before Marlin got the "CRAWLER" license plate. Panamint City, California


Found another not-so-vintage picture that is worth sharing for sure! Circa 2000 during the Crawler Truck's transformation to more modern design concepts. Check out the old school "nerf bars"!


Customers from the 90s should recall this picture featured in our very first product brochure! At the base of the first waterfall, Surprise Canyon, Panamint Valley, CA.


We came across an old copy of the Toyota Land Cruiser Association (TLCA)'s 16th Annual Thanksgiving Event we attended in 1991. When Marlin began attending this annual TLCA event in the mid 80s, they were held at Totem Pole Ranch, with trails in now-closed Santiago Canyon located just south of Palmdale, CA ("Santiago's Revenge", Littlerock Dam). In 1991 TLCA moved the event to Panamint Valley which today sees an annual event put on by Cal4WD. This was the first time Marlin ever winched up the 7 waterfalls of the now-closed Surprise Canyon where he went on to become the trail-leader for the annual Cal4WD event, Panamint Valley Days (PVD). PVD event details here: http://www.cal4wheel.com/events/panamint-valley-days

[Rocksurfer]

I love that old front bumper, it would look good on my lowered 4Runner.

[BigMike]

Ha ha ha "lowered" 4Runner You're an O-K dude Rocksurfer

[Cheesemaker]

The mascot is a Turtle, and its this

[BigMike]

Check out this picture of Marlin holding the world's first Total-Spline 4.70:1 prototype gear set, July 19, 1995!!


This was Marlin's first time up Surprise Canyon with his brand-new dual cases installed. "Don't Gear Down Double Up!" Panamint Valley Days, November 1994.


What can we say about this photo other than it's beautiful! The Crawler Truck, dropping down Surprise Canyon, Panamint Valley, California, November 1994


How many people remember the Lighted Shift Lever Kits we used to sell back in the 90s? Each LED would light up as soon as it's case was shifted into Low Range. They were more-or-less a novelty item and we stopped selling them because demand was low and the cost to build was high. Marlin even had three Lighted Shift Knobs when he first installed his Triple Cases back in 1995!


CAL4WD Sierra Trek, 1995

[Cheesemaker]

Mike, I ran across this site in a search. 
http://www.barneymc.com/marlin/marlin.htm

[iNfErNaL]

Very nice thread Mike ! ! !. Keep the vintage coming 

[BigMike]

Mike, I ran across this site in a search. 
http://www.barneymc.com/marlin/marlin.htm

Yes, I have seen that site! It's been around for a long time

[Wainiha]

I remember everyone wanted double/triple "rollbars" with that huge tubing.