ROTW Fj25

LandCruiserSteve · 11-13-05, 07:55 PM

I started with Land Cruisers in 1967 when I turned 16 and bought my very first vehicle for $750: a midnight blue 1959 FJ25 soft-top model. Like an idiot, I sold it a few years later and I’ve been kicking myself in the ass ever since.

About 20 years ago I got back into Cruisers again, mostly out of nostalgia for “the love that I lost” many years earlier. Many FJ40s (and even a 100 series) have come and gone since then, and I still have a nice green ’78. I found a burgundy colored FJ25 on eBay, wanted it desperately, submitted on winning bid on it . . . . and the rest as they say, is history.

It’s also a ’59, but this one a hardtop model (minus the actual hardtop). And from what I could track down from POs, it started life as a truck on a pineapple farm in Hawaii. A number of slight differences between it and known US models, indicates that it might’ve been a “foreign” import FJ25 (kilometer speedo, absence of windshield vent, no apron air intake, etc.).

Somewhere along the line, a mid to late 60’s rebuilt F engine got swapped in (which runs great) and it sports what appears to be a late ‘90s GM burgundy color. But otherwise, the truck has remained pretty much unmolested from stock. The frame and body are virtually rust-free, and fortunately all of the POs did a pretty nice job of keeping it pristine over the years.

Some FJ25 rarities it still has:

Completely original tranny (non-synchro 4-speed w/ 5.41:1 1st gear) and single range transfer case.
Most of the original engine compartment components.
Original undercarriage (axles, suspension, brakes, etc.)
OEM 16” wheels.
Original FJ25 hubcaps.
An uncut dashboard with original dash placards.
Lower dash dome light and firewall-mounted accessory light socket (even has the little plastic cover over it).
Battery still under the driver’s seat.
And of course, the bezel-less front grill.

What I’ve done so far:

Recovered the seats with SOR’s FJ25 seat kit.
Repainted lettering on control knobs and stick shift.
Fabricated driver seat extension brackets to move seat back three inches.
Painted seat frames.
Installed ConFerr locking storage box (painted to match seat frames).
Fabricated front floor mats and rear tub mat.
Replaced steering wheel (previous one was cracked to the max).
New fuel pump and filter.
New single circuit brake master cylinder and new wheel cylinders.
Installed spare tire carrier and tire.
Painted and installed bumperettes and pintle hook.
Replaced PO’s “trailer lights” with OEM FJ25 taillights.
Fixed some minor grounding problems in the dash lights.
Brand new tires all around (BFG Commercial T/A LT215/85R/16).
Bought, painted and installed tailgate doors.

What still needs to be done:

Fix the joining seam under the split hood that has a little rot happening.
Detail the engine compartment.
Fit it with gray soft-top and doors (temporarily gave up on trying to track down all the necessary parts to rebuild an original hardtop).
Track down some OEM tire changing tools.
Get my TNK wiper motors rebuilt (running JCW electrics in the mean time).
Eventually, if time and money permits, I might return the entire truck to its OEM color (green).

Anyway, it’s definitely no hardcore machine and it probably won’t see as much off-road action as my 40. Yep, it will likely spend the rest of its life being a street machine.

But, with the scarcity of parts for these old beasts, I don’t want to beat it up too much.

Here’s some poser pics with more to follow.

LandCruiserSteve · 11-13-05, 08:09 PM

And some more . .

LandCruiserSteve · 11-13-05, 08:10 PM

And more . . .

LandCruiserSteve · 11-13-05, 08:21 PM

And of course, one of those 1967 vs. 2005 "then and now" shots. (Okay, so I lost my hair and my skinny body someplace.

)

FJ40onNOS · 11-13-05, 08:30 PM

DAM, simple and sweet, Nice Cruiser man, hope we meet down the road and i get to check it out in person

74fj40 · 11-13-05, 08:42 PM

very very cool cruiser, kinda cool that its imported...

lunyou · 11-13-05, 08:47 PM

very nice rig.

lunyou

HawkDriver · 11-13-05, 08:51 PM

That is a sweet rig man. Cool you've been at it for so long. Before and after shot is classic.

Any closer closeups of the interior, repainted knobs, seat mounts etc?

Degnol · 11-13-05, 08:57 PM

Isn't 1959 when Hawaii became a state? Maybe its not "imported" after all. Cool pics and thanks for keeping it as original as you have!

Ed

77TLCFJ40 · 11-13-05, 09:04 PM

Great write-up. I love to see the older rigs in such well cared for condition.

Please give us a little more detail on repainting your dash knobs and pictures if possible. Thanks

Mace · 11-13-05, 09:06 PM

Dam...

I'll give a 5 bucks for it

Magoo · 11-13-05, 09:14 PM

bling

foxfab · 11-14-05, 05:37 AM

Is that commercial door mat material in the back? Good idea.

Trollhole · 11-14-05, 06:26 AM

Great job and nice cruiser. Good to see some stock cruisers still out there and a 25 at that!

Cruiser_Nerd · 11-14-05, 06:38 AM

Hey, nice 25!

Always regretted not going to see it when it was close to me. Maybe I'll invite myself over when I'm headed south. Nothing the family would rather do than stop to see a FJ25 and a Cruiserhead!

Enjoy it as is......................and fix your brakes!

LandCruiserSteve · 11-14-05, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Degnol

Isn't 1959 when Hawaii became a state? Maybe its not "imported" after all.

I never thought of that. Good point. Who knows, maybe this truck was used in the state inaugural parade.

LandCruiserSteve · 11-14-05, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mace

I'll give a 5 bucks for it

4 bucks if I have to spend much more time with these brakes.

LandCruiserSteve · 11-14-05, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkDriver

That is a sweet rig man. Any closer closeups of the interior, repainted knobs, seat mounts etc?

Thanks, Hawk. Sure, here's a few more interior shots.

LandCruiserSteve · 11-14-05, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxfab

Is that commercial door mat material in the back? Good idea.

4x8 outdoor mats (about $8) from Home Depot cut to size for the back. Used a piece of newspaper to size a pattern for the two fronts.

LandCruiserSteve · 11-14-05, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 77TLCFJ40

Great write-up. Please give us a little more detail on repainting your dash knobs and pictures if possible.

Thanks, 77.

Some slightly off-white paint for the knobs. Over-painted the grooves for the lettering. After it dried, real fine steel wool over the whole face of the knob. That leaves the recessed white lettering intact and polishes my knob at the same time. (Did I really say that?

)

LandCruiserSteve · 11-14-05, 07:34 AM

Some more interior and a good reason to re-do 50 year old seats.

If anyone's interested, Foxfab and I did a step-by-step seat recovering post in the FJ25 Forum.
http://forum.ih8mud.com/fj25-owners-group/46314-sors-fj25-seat-covers.html

LandCruiserSteve · 11-14-05, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollhole

Great job and nice cruiser. Good to see some stock cruisers still out there and a 25 at that!

Thanks, Trollhole.
And thanks Magoo, lunyou, 74fj40, Mace, FJ40onNOS, Foxfab and CruiserNerd. That's appreciated coming from MUD vets like you guys.

nuclearlemon · 11-14-05, 08:17 AM

that thing is beautiful... still not the same as first love, but close

11-13-05, 07:55 PM	#1
LandCruiserSteve IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brunswick, GA (but AZ is home) TLCA# 6727 Posts: 1,181	ROTW Fj25 I started with Land Cruisers in 1967 when I turned 16 and bought my very first vehicle for $750: a midnight blue 1959 FJ25 soft-top model. Like an idiot, I sold it a few years later and I’ve been kicking myself in the ass ever since. About 20 years ago I got back into Cruisers again, mostly out of nostalgia for “the love that I lost” many years earlier. Many FJ40s (and even a 100 series) have come and gone since then, and I still have a nice green ’78. I found a burgundy colored FJ25 on eBay, wanted it desperately, submitted on winning bid on it . . . . and the rest as they say, is history. It’s also a ’59, but this one a hardtop model (minus the actual hardtop). And from what I could track down from POs, it started life as a truck on a pineapple farm in Hawaii. A number of slight differences between it and known US models, indicates that it might’ve been a “foreign” import FJ25 (kilometer speedo, absence of windshield vent, no apron air intake, etc.). Somewhere along the line, a mid to late 60’s rebuilt F engine got swapped in (which runs great) and it sports what appears to be a late ‘90s GM burgundy color. But otherwise, the truck has remained pretty much unmolested from stock. The frame and body are virtually rust-free, and fortunately all of the POs did a pretty nice job of keeping it pristine over the years. Some FJ25 rarities it still has: Completely original tranny (non-synchro 4-speed w/ 5.41:1 1st gear) and single range transfer case. Most of the original engine compartment components. Original undercarriage (axles, suspension, brakes, etc.) OEM 16” wheels. Original FJ25 hubcaps. An uncut dashboard with original dash placards. Lower dash dome light and firewall-mounted accessory light socket (even has the little plastic cover over it). Battery still under the driver’s seat. And of course, the bezel-less front grill. What I’ve done so far: Recovered the seats with SOR’s FJ25 seat kit. Repainted lettering on control knobs and stick shift. Fabricated driver seat extension brackets to move seat back three inches. Painted seat frames. Installed ConFerr locking storage box (painted to match seat frames). Fabricated front floor mats and rear tub mat. Replaced steering wheel (previous one was cracked to the max). New fuel pump and filter. New single circuit brake master cylinder and new wheel cylinders. Installed spare tire carrier and tire. Painted and installed bumperettes and pintle hook. Replaced PO’s “trailer lights” with OEM FJ25 taillights. Fixed some minor grounding problems in the dash lights. Brand new tires all around (BFG Commercial T/A LT215/85R/16). Bought, painted and installed tailgate doors. What still needs to be done: Fix the joining seam under the split hood that has a little rot happening. Detail the engine compartment. Fit it with gray soft-top and doors (temporarily gave up on trying to track down all the necessary parts to rebuild an original hardtop). Track down some OEM tire changing tools. Get my TNK wiper motors rebuilt (running JCW electrics in the mean time). Eventually, if time and money permits, I might return the entire truck to its OEM color (green). Anyway, it’s definitely no hardcore machine and it probably won’t see as much off-road action as my 40. Yep, it will likely spend the rest of its life being a street machine. But, with the scarcity of parts for these old beasts, I don’t want to beat it up too much. Here’s some poser pics with more to follow. Attached Images __________________ Steve Bolander '59 FJ25, '78 FJ40, '07 FJ Cruiser Bezels? We don't need no stinkin' bezels! Last edited by LandCruiserSteve; 09-05-06 at 05:17 PM.

11-13-05, 08:09 PM	#2
LandCruiserSteve IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brunswick, GA (but AZ is home) TLCA# 6727 Posts: 1,181	And some more . . Attached Images __________________ Steve Bolander '59 FJ25, '78 FJ40, '07 FJ Cruiser Bezels? We don't need no stinkin' bezels!

11-13-05, 08:10 PM	#3
LandCruiserSteve IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brunswick, GA (but AZ is home) TLCA# 6727 Posts: 1,181	And more . . . Attached Images __________________ Steve Bolander '59 FJ25, '78 FJ40, '07 FJ Cruiser Bezels? We don't need no stinkin' bezels!

11-13-05, 08:21 PM	#4
LandCruiserSteve IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brunswick, GA (but AZ is home) TLCA# 6727 Posts: 1,181	And of course, one of those 1967 vs. 2005 "then and now" shots. (Okay, so I lost my hair and my skinny body someplace. ) Attached Images __________________ Steve Bolander '59 FJ25, '78 FJ40, '07 FJ Cruiser Bezels? We don't need no stinkin' bezels!

11-13-05, 08:30 PM	#5
FJ40onNOS IH8MUD Addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The Woodlands, Texas TLCA# 14823 Posts: 529	DAM, simple and sweet, Nice Cruiser man, hope we meet down the road and i get to check it out in person __________________ DD - 2004 Taco, 5 speed man, 4X4, 2.7L Toy - 1980 FJ40 also modded

11-13-05, 08:42 PM	#6
74fj40 IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Highlands Ranch, Colorado Posts: 2,028	very very cool cruiser, kinda cool that its imported... __________________ >Max Parkinson: January of 1972 FJ40> Rebuilt F-Engine, 4" BDS lift, Primer Paint job, 35" BFG MTRs 60 series axles, 4speed tranny with 4 speed split case, soon to have saginaw power steering with GM tilt column and some other junk. My baby >www.risingsun4x4club.org

11-13-05, 08:47 PM	#7
lunyou IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Rolla, MO (UMR) Posts: 1,673	very nice rig. lunyou

11-13-05, 08:51 PM	#8
HawkDriver Tougher'n a $2 steak Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: look up TLCA# 15861 Posts: 2,950	That is a sweet rig man. Cool you've been at it for so long. Before and after shot is classic. Any closer closeups of the interior, repainted knobs, seat mounts etc? __________________ 1975 FJ40, it's like having a second job. 2000 UZJ100, what's that thing for?

11-13-05, 08:57 PM	#9
Degnol Noaccount Webwheeler Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansastitty TLCA# 14529 Posts: 6,383	Isn't 1959 when Hawaii became a state? Maybe its not "imported" after all. Cool pics and thanks for keeping it as original as you have! Ed __________________ There is nothing so depraved as a man in the depths of an ether binge '66FJ40, Fresh 2F, H42/Orion(By Poser...LCR4WD), ARB Front/rear(By Poser...LCR4WD), MetalTech Cage installed by Poser, Screw-ups fixed(by Poser) 4WDB Corvette Master, Mini Truck PS, 3.5" Lift, Warn 8274, 33s on stockers

11-13-05, 09:04 PM	#10
77TLCFJ40 IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Madison, MS TLCA# 13533 Posts: 1,239	Great write-up. I love to see the older rigs in such well cared for condition. Please give us a little more detail on repainting your dash knobs and pictures if possible. Thanks __________________ Lash CottonLand Cruisers Treasurer TLCA: 13533 Madison, MS 02 UZJ100 Daily Driver De-blinged Emblems 77 FJ40 "GunRunner": York/Mudrak OBA, Aussie, 8274, Mini PS, Hell Creek Lift, 94" WB, 35x12.50 Hankook MTs, MAF U-Bolt Flips, F-250 Towers, MetalTech Cage, Choctaw Sliders, 8" Tuffy, Tiburon Seats... and a great group of friends who made it possible! 78 Hilux Trailer "... slowly I'm becoming one with the MUD." -- Jars of Clay

11-13-05, 09:06 PM	#11
Mace what he said Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 10,819	Dam... I'll give a 5 bucks for it __________________ I am kinda gay....... My Myspace http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endid=75712409 "Mary Poppins: In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and - SNAP - the job's a game."

11-13-05, 09:14 PM	#12
Magoo IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: parker,co Posts: 357	bling __________________ 73 fj40 88 mini ready to be built I HATE POINTS!!!(and apparently they hate me) oh yeah FYI!!! tlca#14919.

11-14-05, 05:37 AM	#13
foxfab IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: CT TLCA# 9838 Posts: 2,056	Is that commercial door mat material in the back? Good idea. __________________ YANKEETOYS.ORG Member of the elite FJ25 club Low range? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Low Range Why would you want to put a round tire in a square wheel well?

11-14-05, 06:26 AM	#14
Trollhole UC VP & Cook Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mauldin, SC TLCA# 15077 Posts: 8,181	Great job and nice cruiser. Good to see some stock cruisers still out there and a 25 at that! __________________ Marshall UC VP & Token Club Cook Greenville, SC Big Gay 2f Build The Great Cruiser Part Links Thread Buying a Land Cruiser Guide "On second thought, let's go to Chat. It is a great place." 73 Fj55 Big Ugly 76 FJ40 ROTW 75 FJ55 My Build 93 FZJ80 stock everything and staying that way.

11-14-05, 06:38 AM	#15
Cruiser_Nerd That 25 Guy. Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Higganum. TLCA# 12092 Posts: 2,432	Hey, nice 25! Always regretted not going to see it when it was close to me. Maybe I'll invite myself over when I'm headed south. Nothing the family would rather do than stop to see a FJ25 and a Cruiserhead! Enjoy it as is......................and fix your brakes! __________________ Jim FJ25.com "The FJ25 is almost humorous in its simplicity, but therein lies its beauty." Nina Padgett - Autoweek

11-14-05, 07:34 AM	#21
LandCruiserSteve IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brunswick, GA (but AZ is home) TLCA# 6727 Posts: 1,181	Some more interior and a good reason to re-do 50 year old seats. If anyone's interested, Foxfab and I did a step-by-step seat recovering post in the FJ25 Forum. http://forum.ih8mud.com/fj25-owners-group/46314-sors-fj25-seat-covers.html Attached Images __________________ Steve Bolander '59 FJ25, '78 FJ40, '07 FJ Cruiser Bezels? We don't need no stinkin' bezels! Last edited by LandCruiserSteve; 11-14-05 at 08:09 AM. Reason: pics too big again

11-14-05, 08:17 AM	#23
nuclearlemon IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: meh-ico, colorado TLCA# 1431 Posts: 7,900	that thing is beautiful... still not the same as first love, but close __________________ seven cruisers and 3 of em run and four are for sale

11-14-05, 11:24 AM	#24
NuOkie IH8MUD Rookie Join Date: May 2005 Location: Edmond, OK TLCA# 7456 Posts: 28