[foxfab]

Most of you already know about the frame-off that Jim and I are doing. I'm finally ready to come out of the closet with it now that the destruction/parts search is mostly over and the resurrection can begin.

First, I want to say that I never would have even thought of taking on this task without the info and knowlege of the people on Ih8mud (you know who you are), this forum, and especially, Jim aka Cruiser_Nerd. The hardest part of an FJ25 restoration is obtaining the unobtanium. Many of you have been gracious enough to dig deep into your hoarded parts collections and allow this restoration to take place. Thanks to everyone!

The history: As most of us 25 owners do, we're always looking for that diamond in the rough in some farmer's pasture, or in this case, an old plow truck on A-1 Toyota's car lot. I'd always seen an old Cruiser tucked way in the back of the lot but never paid it any attention. Heck I was a mini truck guy competing in NEUROC, not a restoration guy. 3 years ago, I didnt even know what an FJ25 was, much less how to tell it apart from an FJ40. Fast forward a year later and Cruser_Nerd gets me into the 25 scene with my ride. Now I'm hooked, and hell bent on restoring it to as original as I can. A little birdy told me to go and re-visit A-1's lot to investigate what that old Cruiser really was. Here's what I found:







Of course, the first thing I did was go into the dealership and ask who owned it. The parts guys told me that it was the owner's truck and that it had been sitting there for over 15 years. It had a broken rear axle and the engine was seized. I asked them if I could take a closer look at it and they said, go ahead. I went out again and popped the hood to find a virtually unmolested engine bay and the VIN confirming that it was a 1959 FJ25. I took the above pics and went back to work to try and set up a meeting with the dealership's owner to try and buy the FJ25. I was hoping that he really didn't know what he had and that I would get it for cheap since it was in such disrepair.

It took over a month to finally connect up with him. His name is Domenic, a nice older italian man. We first talked on the phone for a minute, at which time he told me to come down and talk in person. A week later, I was sitting in his office. The first words out of his mouth were," Its not for sale". But he then told me the story of his FJ25. A-1 Toyota was the first Toyota dealership in New England. This FJ25 was originally bought by A-1 in late 1959. It was then shown and featured by Toyota in the 1960 New York Auto Show. Domenic personally drove it from New Haven to New York for the show. At the show, the 25 was sold to a local man and he promptly took delivery of his new FJ25 and drove it away. Fast forward 10 years and the owner decided that he wanted to trade it in on a new FJ40. This is how A-1 took posession of the FJ25 again. Since then, it was used for a recreational weekend truck and then as the lots plow truck until parts became too scarce for A-1 to fix it. As we all know, in 1969 when the parts lookup changed, all of the old part numbers became obsolete. Being a dealership, and not an avid group of resourceful enthusiests like us, they gave up trying to find parts for the 25 and that is where it sat.

I asked what he wanted to do with it if I couldn't buy it. He told me that he wanted to restore it. Now, I have to admit that I've only restored cars that parts are readily available for and thought twice about what I was going to say. But that thought only lasted a few seconds. I said that I would be interested in the opportunity to give him a price on a restoration. He asked if I thought I could get parts for the restoration. I told him that I have a few friends with 25's who have collected parts over the years. The thought even crossed my mind that if worse came to worse, I'd use my 25 as a parts rig for the restoration, but only as a last resort. Heck the frame numbers were less than 20 digits off from one another. They were like sisters! Dominic told me that he was talking to some of the resto companies in California, but that he'd keep me in mind. I wasn't holding my breath. I left him a FoxFab business card and off I went.

A month or so went by with no contact. Then suddenly, my cell phone rang and it was Steve from A-1. Steve is the son-in-law of Dominic and he wanted a price on how much to restore it. I told him that I'd need to really go over the truck to give him an honest number and that if I did it, I'd want it to be done back to its original color and as stock as possible. He agreed. He said, would you like it on a lift? We set up a date that he would have it inside on a lift. I couldn't believe that they actually called back. I immediately called Jim to make sure he could make it. I also called my buddy Matt to get a third set of eyes on it.

We all met on a Saturday morning at A-1 and as promised, the 25 was inside on the lift waiting our inspection. The three of use went over the truck inside and out. This was when we found out that the original color was green. The frame was marginal, the tub had more rust than it looked like, but the good thing was that almost all of the parts were there. We spent a good 2 hours poking and prodding it. Jim took lots of pictures. We then went to the local diner for breakfast and talked it over. Jim and I put some numbers together over the next few days.

A week later, I put together a proposal and met with Steve to go over it:

We are pleased to estimate the following job:

Frame - off restoration of a 1959 Toyota FJ-25 Land Cruiser Soft-Top
Vin #: 9-FJ25-12553L

Work to include:
Complete disassembly, inspection and restoration in a historically correct manner, and reassembly of all vehicle parts including but not limited to:

Disassemble and Remove body from frame
Strip bodywork and frame to bare metal and repair as necessary
Prime all bodywork with PPG Epoxy primer
Paint bodywork and frame with historically correct color green PPG single stage enamel paint
Paint suspension and axle components in black PPG single stage enamel paint
Remanufacture/replace/restore engine assembly
Remanufacture/replace/restore transmission assembly
Remanufacture/replace/restore transfer case assembly
Remanufacture/replace/restore drivelines
Remanufacture/replace/restore front axle assembly
Remanufacture/replace/restore rear axle assembly
Remanufacture/replace/restore suspension components
Remanufacture/replace/restore steering linkage and components
Remanufacture/replace/restore electrical system and lighting
Remanufacture/replace/restore trim pieces and emblems
Remanufacture/replace/restore seats and interior components
Installation of a new historically correct soft top


Projected Start Date: August 1, 2005
Projected Completion Date: October 1, 2006
Payment Terms:
50% due at acceptance of proposal
35% due at re-assembly stage
15% due at drop-off of completed vehicle

All transportation costs on an open car trailer are included

We also request that any parts that may still be sourced from Toyota through A-1’s Parts Department be sold to us at dealer cost.

Total hours incurred estimated at: XXX
Labor rate shall be $XX.00 per hour

Total Estimate: $XX,XXX.XX
State of CT sales tax of 6% additional

Estimate does not include restoration or installation of the attached snow plow. The snow plow will be removed from the vehicle and returned to the customer as it is not historically significant.

All items that are replaced with new or remanufactured parts shall be returned with the vehicle unless other arrangements are made.

Thank you for the opportunity to estimate this project. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me at XXX-XXX-XXXX.


Michael Fox, Owner FoxFab4x4 LLC.

All we could do now was wait and see. August 1 came and went and again, I never thought I'd hear from them again. I didnt think my number was out of line, and I didnt see how anyone could do it for less and produce the quality of restoration that this FJ25 deserved. So I went on with life.

I immediately booked a solid axle swap/ rear suspension swap/dual t case installation on a 2nd gen 4Runner, one project that ran on much longer than it should have. Now I call my work area a shop, but its really only a 2 1/2 car garage. This limits me to one project at a time inside. The 4Runner took up every inch of free space in the shop while it was there. A month or so into the 4Runner, I got a call from Steve. We were on! The next day, I picked up the deposit and scheduled to pick up the 25 with Jim's help 2 weeks later. But I still had a LOT of work to do on the 4Runner. I figured I could pick up the 25 and keep it outside for a little while as we disassembled it. Fortunately, this would prove to work out ok. We got to A-1, took as much crap out of the back as we could ( it was filled with 15 years of leaves and garbage), swapped on a set of rims and tires so that it could move, and pushed it onto Jim's trailer. Off to my house we went!

The goal:
To restore a piece of Toyota history to as close to historically correct as possible given the parts availability, time frame and budget.


Day1: Deconstruction begins...


First thing to go, the plow and frame.




She moves inside for the final resting place:


My best friend when it comes to this project:


Construction Begins!

We're starting off with a rust free (yes John, not that brownish color) frame which is essential for any frame-off restoration. The frame was pressure washed, and has gone through 8 hours of wire wheeling. It needs a few more hours work and removal of the springs (todays project). I decided not to go the media blast route just to say that "I did it". All tapped holes have been chased and inspected and snapped off bolts drilled and tapped. My goal is to have paint on it by Sunday and hopefully have the restored axles and springs under it shortly after.

[Living in the Past]

So is this the frame that was on the vehicle or from a donor vehicle? I like the front crossmember on the frame and the two brackets for the front motor cradle. Looking good.

Now that your out of the closet keep us posted on your progress. Like how those hub caps turn out. This project you guys are doing is going to help the rest of us out with reproduction parts we can't get any other way. Thanks guys.



John

[treerootCO]

Take lots of pics

These threads really help to motivate me.



I have the horn button for you.

[foxfab]

John, this is a donor frame that I got from Phil and Lynda. Remember the pic of it and the parts tub rolling onto the trailer to be delivered here?



The original frame is too far gone to be a good foundation for such a build. The donor frame is so nice. It makes mine look rusty. The only issues are the welded on hitch off the back crossmember. Its really on there. I still havent gotten it off.

Ok, today sucked. I woke up early this AM knowing that I was in need of filling up my O2 bottle. The plan was to burn out the bushings on all of the springs to get the spring pins out in one piece. A little birdy told me that the 4 frame pins are unobtanium. So, off I went for the 45 minute drive to Abco. I swapped bottles, and back to the house I went. I got the bottle out of the car and back to its proper home and got dressed for work. Mr Brown Shorts showed up with my new body dolly. It will make life easier when I decide to bring the tub down to have it media blasted. So an hour later after assembling the dolly, I fired up the torches to start in on removal of the springs. Something didnt seem right with the torch so I shut it off and went to look at the regulators (I have all of my bottles outside for safety reasons). Wouldn't you know it, some asshat left the Acetylene bottle on and it was now empty too. ARGGGHH. 2 hours later, I'm finally back at my house with plenty of 02 and Acetylene. Of course, my father and my wife's parents showed up for unnanounced visits at exactly the same time. That killed another 2 hours. Around 4PM, I finally got into the shop and managed to get all 4 springs off, pins in tact. But unless I am missing sonething, the frame pins look exactly the same as the shackle pins. I also flipped the frame over and will be able to hopefully finish stripping it tomorrow.

[warrior_1515]

Very Cool. I am interested in how you convinced the old guy to sell.

Dave

[foxfab]

I'm still working on the story as time permits, but the short of it is that he still owns it.

Originally Posted by warrior_1515

Very Cool. I am interested in how you convinced the old guy to sell.

Dave

[Living in the Past]

So Mike are you going to piece in the VIN# part off the old frame? If you do let me know how it works. Also I never thought about it before but being a 59 and with just that part of the top left with no rear seats if could be either type of bows. In 60 I think they were all B style bows but in 59 they had both, at least the parts book shows a picture of both types in 59. Which type of rear seats and bows should it have. I knew that was a west coast frame that you were going to use. I'm just giving you guys a hard time. The dash looks pretty nice on that one, but what is the switch above the light switch for, after market wipers.

Mike send me a list of parts your looking. I know some of them but maybe try to do a one time shipping of all of them thru Forward air on a pallet, unless you boys want to come out here. Let me know when funds are going to be needed for the emblems so I will have plenty of time to auction off my first born


John

[foxfab]

The VIN is already done and it looks great. I cut about a 1/2 inch to either side of the number and as low and as high as I could, keeping the two holes in the plate with the VIN so that I could easily bolt it up to the new frame to trace out where it should be. I made the plunge cuts with a cutoff wheel, tracing the lines with it. Then I took the trusty sawzall to finish the cuts to be able to make square corners.



It has the full frame B style bows. The main bow and channels above the door are present but the rest of the bows are missing. It was set up for jump seats, not a rear bench, but oddly enough, it has both types of brackets on the tub for either the A or B style bows. Go figure.

I think the switch was for the plow lights. Its gone now. The dash is what actually made me use this tub vs. Phil's tub. Phil's is almost rust free, but the dash is really cut up and the quarters are mashed. It'll make a good trail buggy for me I'll be stealing the drivers and passenger floors, the mid floor and hump, and the passenger rocker out of it.

[Living in the Past]

I hate to say anything Mike but isn't that a 1960 VIN number and not a 1959.


John

[foxfab]

thats the one cut out of Phil's frame I'd take a pic of the installed VIN, but the frame is upside down at the moment.

[LandCruiserSteve]

Originally Posted by foxfab

I'd take a pic of the installed VIN, but the frame is upside down at the moment.

You could try turning the camera over.

[foxfab]

ok, its also black from torching out the bushings

I made a little progress today. Too bad it wasnt on the frame. I got my parts washer up and running finally. I bought a 40 gallon washer about 6 months ago and it has been sitting idle in the corner of my shop. So, today I went and got some degreaser fluid that you mix with kerosene. It should make a nice fire if I ever get a spark in there from welding Good thing its got a cover and its on the "clean" side of the shop. I did get a little time in on the frame and scraped what was left of what appears to be undercoating off of the frame. It was brittle so it came off with a scraper. I also got the frame off of the saw horses and onto the body dolly. Now I am free to roll it wherever I want, like outside for some better pictures.

But just to show there is light at the tunnel, the installed VIN looks just like it did in the old frame



EDIT: Per Steve's suggestion, a pic with the camera upside down

[Living in the Past]

That came out real nice. Does the back side look as clean? That's what I'll have to do to my early 40s. The 61 has a title and the 63 doesn't. 61's frame is pretty well rusted and the 63's frame is a AZ rust free one. I thought you were going to cut the whole front piece off and weld in the one off the old one. This way seems alot better way to go.


John

[cabron]

Looks like some good progress. but please finish the story..

[wesintl]

Me too.. at least another paragraph foxfab

[LandCruiserSteve]

Wow, that looks sharps, Mike!!

[foxfab]

I played mad scientist today in my basement laboratory, that's labOOORRRatory, like in the movies



I bought a cad plating kit for all the nuts and bolts and small stuff that was yellow cad plated from the factory. I set up all of the chemicals today. They need to "pickle" for at least 24 hours before use. I did heat everything up to temperature just to see if all is working and so far, so good. The cleaning solution is heated to 190 degrees and the plating solution is heated to 70 degrees. I also bought the optional yellow die to make everythign look factory.

I also got some better frame pics. I've done as much as I can with the wire wheel. I have a sandblaster coming for the rest. Unfortunately, I wont be getting paint on it this weekend. Oh well. I guess I can paint the axles then.







I did manage to get the hitch off of the back without too much damage, but I do have some repairs to make tomorrow.

[LandCruiserSteve]

Too cool, Mike!!! Looks like I'll have to send you all my nuts and bolts to get cad plated.

[Cruiser_Nerd]

That's it? What have you been doing all this time?

[foxfab]

Welcome back to the land of snow and ice You have a pressure sand blaster? I need to do the inside of a frame

3 of the 5 rims are bead blasted finally. I dunno what kind of paint is on this thing, but its a PITA to get off. I've never seen paint so thick or stubborn. It even laughs at aircraft paint stripper. The backs are pretty well pitted, but the fronts are mint.



Made in May of 1959



Anyone know where to get inner tubes for these things?