[Spike Strip]

Mark Algazy and Joey R.’s path to my door began when I purchased my 5/85 FJ60 with a blown head gasket.

Mark and Joey didn’t know it then, and neither did I, that on a brisk 8:30 am Thursday morning, 18 months later, Mark, of MarksOffRoad.net, (65swb45) and Joey (NXLTACY) would be at my house to fire up my rebuilt beast. Joey arrived in his FZJ80. Mark in his FJ45. Mark, tall, wearing a dark ball cap and black sweatshirt, hood pulled up over his head, slightly resembled Darth Vader. Joey, like myself, resembled someone who had gotten out of bed too early. Mark leaned into the bed of his rig and retrieved a box of Land Cruiser resuscitation instruments like a paramedic who had witnessed this crash a thousand times … Joey lugged a big camera. Both men perked up considerably when shown hot coffee and pastry and were even kind enough to ignore my big snarling dog.

We got to work quickly, Obi-Wan Algazy gently suggesting the proper way to do things and giving the ol' girl a good looking over.

Valve cover removed and a quart of oil being poured over the rocker assy. Wait. Then a little more, letting the stuff percolate down into the oil circuits.

[Spike Strip]

More prep:


Set the timing. Pour gas into the Air Horn (TIP HERE)

Don't be stupid like me -- FILTER the GAS and don't use a cheap-ass paper funnel - I'll tell ya why later.

At this point about an hour or so into it.

Mark had also adjusted the valves to proper cold setting.

[Spike Strip]

Time to light 'er up !!

A couple of glitches - minor adjustments - then

Mark had stressed the importance of using a vacuum gauge to see when the rings seat. When the vac hit 19 inches, climbing from 15 or so, you know the rings have seated and at least that worry is over. But still the proper break in needs to be done.

[Spike Strip]

Happy Camper - With Mark stating that I looked like I had just delivered a baby - In fact, I had.

[Spike Strip]

I've been working on "resurrecting" my FJ60 since I had her towed about 60 miles from Long Beach, CA., to my home in the Valley in June of ‘07. That was a happy day because I was too stupid and naive about cruisers to know what I was getting into. The only thing I knew was I had to have one.

Up to this point, this is what I have done:

Motor rebuilt by MAF's builder. Balanced moving assy.

New H55 tranny - rebuilt T/C

Carburetor rebuilt by Mark Algazy.

Dizzy rebuilt by Jim C.

Drive Shafts rebuilt and balanced.

Diffs rebuilt by ZUK w/ 4.11's - ARB locker rear.

FF rear – rebuilt by me - and rebuilt front axle and knuckles and brakes.

OME CS005s front and rear with shackles and everything else.

MAF U-bolt flip kit.

Long Range 190 Liter gas tank.

33x 10.5 BFG on 8 inch rims.

Paint frame and under carriage and engine compartment w/ rust bullet and top coat with chassis saver. SS brake lines and new hard lines and lots or other stuff.

New CSF Radiator and rebuilt or replaced just about everything else in the Engine Bay save for the smog pump, which was pointed out, no less, by the above ”Gentlemen”.

[Trapper50cal]

As Howard Cossell would say, " TRULY, A sight to BEHOLD!"

Very nice, clean work, what a payoff that's gonna be!

[Wile E Coyote]

Wow, 18 mo in the making? that ole pig musta sounded good when you lit her up, eh? I sure looks clean. Now get it out on the road and stretch her legs a bit.

[esh]

Great stuff! Hope you enjoy it and treat it well!

[Spike Strip]

And finally, I've got to give a big thanks to Mark A. for providing this service and Joey R. for his invaluable help and picture taking. It sure would have been a lot more grief had they not been there.

And that paper funnel into the carb? I probably introduced some dirt into the carb and it ended up logging in the slow jet - With the result that the carb had to come off and go home with Mark so he could work his magic.

Pic here is Mark and Joey on another project, just so you all could get to see Joey.

[Dirtgypsy]

this is a great story. glad to see you have the baby up and running. I have almost the same drivetrain sans rebuild motor and ome springs and I can tell you this truck will get you places you never imagined and back without a hiccup.

enjoy your new truck and new cruiser friends!



clint

[Randy88FJ62]

Your engine looks clean! It will always run when Mark is around.

[NLXTACY]

I couldn't feel more bald then looking at my own picture :(

Spike congrats, it was fun watching her light up....then immediately removing the carb

[Spike Strip]

Happens to the best of us. ...

I changed it to your "money" shot...

[NLXTACY]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. All I can say is DONT FALL IN LOVE folks, its already spoken for

[GLTHFJ60]

Congrats! Long live the LC!

[Mikesta]

Very cool.... so in this process you kicked the 4spd to the curb... Smart!

[RredFJ40]

Lots o' cash, high dollar parts, and time into a rig you'd never driven!

[Spike Strip]

Originally Posted by RredFJ40

Lots o' cash, high dollar parts, and time into a rig you'd never driven!

Kinda like how you'd get into any women, eh ?

[Joe_E]

Big congrats Spike!
Your engine compartment looks awesome and my mission is now to match your fine craftsmanship.
Hopefully 18 months from now i'll be posting the same type of thread.

[lehiguy]

That baby will outlast anything you have ever owned or ever will own. Enjoy!

[Randy88FJ62]

Originally Posted by Spike Strip

Kinda like how you'd get into any women, eh ?

[Dynosoar]

Whats up Spike no invite to the inaugural fire up? I see how you roll!


Congrats man, It must feel GREAT. No you gotta go and try to break it. I can help with that too.


Dynosoar

[NLXTACY]

Originally Posted by Dynosoar

Whats up Spike no invite to the inaugural fire up? I see how you roll!

You know, I asked SpikeStrip if there was anyone else that should be here to share the momentous occasion...

He paused.

And said nope, not a one!

[Spike Strip]

Ah, Peter, you were there, watching over us...

[IndianDoc]

Looks like I'm still acouple of months behind you but won't be much longer. Congrats and Awesome Good on You!!!!

[Spike Strip]

So this little bastard was stuck in carburetor slow jet and would not let the truck idle...

Mark Algazy was good enough to take the thing apart and find it. How he found it, I'll never know...

So, the moral is, filter all gas before you fill the carb through the air horn.



And thanks for the kind words, guys.

[NLXTACY]

HAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!

See what Mark found in mine was about the same size but gel'd rubber. He took it out with his Mark's Off Road small screwdriver. He gave me that screwdriver.

Months later and I am working on something that requires a very small screwdriver. I find the one Mark gave me...

IT STILL HAD THAT PIECE OF RUBBER STILL STUCK TO IT!!!!

Now tell me the truth...there was a small part in the back of your head while you kept having to take the carb on and off that maybe you made a mistake having Mark rebuild it? Then doubting his abilities. Its ok, I kinda...sorta...almost did too. Then when you see stuff like this all you can think is HOLY HELL its a good thing I live so close to Burbank and Mark is a carb master!

[ElliottB]

I think this thread needs more pics of your rig. It is definitely sweet.

BTW, whats up with the specimen slide? You don't work in histology/pathology by chance do you?

[Spike Strip]

Ha! - Funny you caught that...

I work in the Virology dept of a large HMO clinical lab ... I took the pieces in to look at 'em under the scope - don't know why, just did. Maybe I wanted to see if I could identify the source ... Wasn't helpful. But I had to sneak over to Histo and borrow (steal ) some slides as it's not something we use, much...

Will post more pix. But I'm currently working on cruiser #2 and compiling pix of that for a new thread. But this time around, it's nowhere near as clean as the first, and nowhere near an clean as yours 'cuz I wanna use it a DD dog waggon! This one is mainly a Trail runner.

[sandcruiser]

cool story. let's see her in action.