My first 40: 1963 fj40 hardtop

3jvj · 08-09-09, 09:42 PM

I've been pretty tight lipped about this one. Aside from figuring out how to tow it I tried to avoid even think about it until I could get it in my pocket. I've been saving/scraping to make it happen. When I was down to !k left to pay it off I called u-haul in Boise, and hit the road.

Now the questions flow like a river......

1. Should I be here?

I know the 40 section flows pretty fast with rock crawlers and mods and mine is more like...... a turtle. A big ugly red turtle that probably won't get modded out (much). It smells like a pinball machine. I figured that means I might be better off with you folks for my questions.

1. How do I find out how many miles are on it?

The p.o. knew NOTHING. I mean nothing too; I'll get to that later. I am thankful and grateful to the man for holding this in his garage YEARS and YEARS without letting anybody else know it was there or I don't think I would have found it. He wasn't a mechanic, and let it go. When did they quit claiming mileage on the title?
How do I find out the history?

I have lots of pictures. I'm going to start a rebuild thread.

932 miles round trip to buy a landcruiser that you've seen in three pictures off the net from a man you've never met and been sending money to for several months?

Only two ways it can go I suppose.

Rusted out tank that won't run and leaks. Problem after problem, guy is trying to rip you off, et.c

or

Oh yes. I'm happy.

3jvj · 08-09-09, 09:50 PM

If you look real close there is indeed a rainbow landing on my new cruiser.

Let's start with the wheel wells.

body mounts:

3jvj · 08-09-09, 09:59 PM

NO RUST
Some surface scale but NO CANCER.

It's like it got caught in a time capsule.

DOES ANYBODY RECOGNIZE THIS RIG?

Not knowing it's history is a real bummer.

Original seats?

Rear hatch:

Unmolested dash. EVERYTHING works.

wesintl · 08-09-09, 10:02 PM

Nice.. Your a tease, More pics!

nice little roof vent on that one.

3jvj · 08-09-09, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wesintl

Nice.. Your a tease, More pics!

nice little roof vent on that one.

Yup. Headliner is gone but the vent is intact. Drip rail is spottless (aside from an ugly layer of what used to be white paint).

Here's a pic. Maybe you can tell me what it is?

cme out of a pile:

wierd boxes with foreign writing.

Selectro? It's got warn now. Which is stock?

and WHAT is this? Old arm for the pto? My front bumper has a slot for it, and it appear to have been there for a LONG time. Did someone just rob the pto and leave me a small sign? I wonder.........

3jvj · 08-09-09, 10:42 PM

Dirty floorboards. Yes; floorboards with dirt.

Time to find a stamped grille. If anybody has one I'm interested
Please pm me. As it is a 63 it only seems right. Of course it's been painted black.

How about it bezel police?

I'm also in the market for a pto. I'll go electric for now but it might be hard on the generator. Yup; generator. You would think an alternator would have appeared in the last 46 years but nope.

3jvj · 08-09-09, 10:49 PM

Here's how cool the p.o. was:

He put these sweet rims on there. They are 16's. The tire are like 27 inches (or something). Then he never drove it. How do I know? Because when it rolls the control arms scrape the inside of the rims.

Can I space them to make them work? Swap the control arms from each side?

But that's not the only reason I love the last owner. He kept every one of the old rims with the hub caps intact.

Time to craigs list some sweet rims and tires eh?

How much does rubber run for a new set that fit the stock rim?

I may roll these (if I can space them). They should last until I'm done polishing this turd, and then I can go back to stock.

3jvj · 08-09-09, 10:54 PM

Hope you guys like the start. I'll give some more details on Monday after work.

Any answers to my checklist would be great. I've saved the real good ones for when I have time to work on it. My nights just got FULL.

Might have to name it "the other woman" like some of the racers do with their camaros........

Cheers.

Dobster · 08-10-09, 12:12 AM

Looks fantastic - great find. And those red Seats - Love it.

Cheers Dobster

My wife said no FJ! · 08-10-09, 04:48 AM

Why can't I find such a Cruiser

That is a very, very nice 40

I'd just clean it up and drive it as is, or you can properly restore her similarly to what Destin is currently doing...you should check out his thread. If you want to do any mods to it, let them be a 'bolt on' kind of mods that can be undone. Example, Mark can fit a dual master with no booster, or you can fit a dual master with booster with an adapter...I would not cut and weld anything else in there...but that's just me...and that is only if you expect to really drive this thing.

Those seats look nice, but not completely original. They were not red like that, and there is something off about that drivers seat.

That body is

fantastic

This girl looks really stock...keep the hubcaps, and sell those mags...seriously...keep the hub caps, sell those mags, and buy some riveted 15" rims...that is how "I" know she came from the factory. I could be wrong, but do not think she came with split rims. If you still want to sell the caps, post them here...I, like others here, would take them

Anyways, I've probably said too much already. While this the 25 section, it is also the correct section for your '63 if you want to restore her, or just enjoy her. You hit it on the head...some would mod this thing all over, and I would strongly suggest against this (EDIT: for your nice stock '63)...again except for a couple of mods that easily be undone if you really want to drive her, like dual circuit brakes, plastic fan, newer seat belts...etc, but keep the ALL old stuff.

Congratulations man...beautiful 40

beaufort-fj60 · 08-10-09, 05:47 AM

nice!....

tucker74 · 08-10-09, 10:20 AM

You can buy some 1/4" spacers at Pep-Boy's etc that will probably make those rims work for a while. I'd craigslist them and buy some nice 15" 30x9.50 BFGs, there are other more retro pizza cutter options if you search this section. Nice clean vintage 40 - congrats!

Tucker

destin · 08-10-09, 10:42 AM

Wow great rig man!

More photos!

Maybe pop the stock steel rims back on and your good to go

destin · 08-10-09, 10:44 AM

any under the bonnet shots?

Living in the Past · 08-10-09, 01:11 PM

Nice cruiser very original looking. Here are a few things I noticed the seat covers don't look original. Too red and the back of the driver's seat with the cover over the top is not stock. The thing you think is part of a PTO is part of th column shifter for the three speed transmission. That is part of the early three speed transmission. The 63 was a change over year. They started with the early style then switched to the later style. The early style used to shift rods on the rear motor mounts. Pretty sure the later went from the steering column to the shifter on the transmission. There's a good chance your may have the later style installed if it's still a three speed. I like the home brew defrost vents. My latest do something along those lines. This may have had a stamped bezel on it from the factory. 63 was a change over year for this too. Not sure why you have a extra set of barns soor if yours aren't rusted. These would be off a 72-74 FJ40. The short jump set may be because some one planned on putting in a rollbar. Keep the pictures coming. How about some of the engine bay.

Edit: The extra rear barn doors would be off a 72 or 73. The 74 had the later style license plate bracket so the bracket on the door would have been different. Curious why he would have set of rusted barn doors if the 63 had good ones

dekuiper · 08-10-09, 01:43 PM

Enjoy the section here. The folks are great and very helpful to us early, mostly-stock 40 owners.

ToyotaDon · 08-10-09, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3jvj

Here's a pic. Maybe you can tell me what it is?

That is the bowl and ignition rack from a GM (General Motors) steering column.

I doubt you'll need it on this rig.

Edit: It's not the igntion rack. I forget the name, but it's the part which the turn signal lever pushes to move the rod that actuates the high beam switch.

BTW, the rig looks great. Subscribed!

Living in the Past · 08-10-09, 05:13 PM

Just noticed you don't have the ashtray in the dash. That would make this a 61 or 62 production date. What was the first number in the VIN?

3jvj · 08-10-09, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Living in the Past

Just noticed you don't have the ashtray in the dash. That would make this a 61 or 62 production date. What was the first number in the VIN?

3jvj · 08-10-09, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by destin

any under the bonnet shots?

So aside from the pipe that juts up; is the shutoff to the heater box normal or add on?

3jvj · 08-10-09, 06:48 PM

I think I may clean the paint off the radiator and use some brass polish on it. Too cool.

Big fan of the sight glass too.

3jvj · 08-10-09, 06:52 PM

another roof shot

There's foour small holes and evidence of a rack; factory or add on?

What was on the steps?

3jvj · 08-10-09, 06:57 PM

Glad this might come to fruition; I'll be wanting a red lens at the very least.

3jvj · 08-10-09, 07:02 PM

okay a couple more for today:

wesintl · 08-10-09, 07:02 PM

oh, double turn signals.. cool rig!

3jvj · 08-10-09, 07:03 PM

Would you fine folks say that this rig has more than 100k miles on it or less?

Living in the Past · 08-10-09, 08:16 PM

I've got 2FJ40-16956 also stamped 1963 on the VIN plate but it has the ashtray. So the ashtray was added somewhere in between. Yours should of had the stamped LAND CRUISER bezel. Looks like that was switche some where along the way

On the mileage the history of the vehicle would help. I just bought one and there are some insurance cards in the glove box and the license plates from Colorado have a 88 tag on it. That matches the insurance cards dates so I know it hasn't been driven in twenty-ones years. On yours it lookls like both the starter and fuel pump have been replaced. The master cylinder for the brakes has been changed to. I wouldn't said it a low mileage cruiser but like I said more history would help. My 68 has way over 100,000 miles on it but it is a rust free cruiser but has spent it whole life in Arizona.

pardion · 08-10-09, 08:25 PM

Great find! You should have a center rear diff. Check your axle ratio's you may have the rare 3.36 to 1 ratio, Parted out lots of cruisers but only seen one with that option. John

Living in the Past · 08-10-09, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pardion

Great find! You should have a center rear diff. Check your axle ratio's you may have the rare 3.36 to 1 ratio, Parted out lots of cruisers but only seen one with that option. John

I've only seen one set in all my years. I wasn't luck to get them

the rear axle was changed to a offset rear axle the front axle would try to pull the vehicle apart. I do have three or four other sets of 61-62 axles I need to check ones of these days

3jvj · 08-10-09, 09:08 PM

Interesting........

grabbing a flashlight.

Would said axles be good or bad as far as driveability? It is a three speed.