Texican
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Old School FJ45 Desert Racer Find (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Texican
- Start date
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- Joined
- Sep 25, 2011
- Threads
- 84
- Messages
- 3,631
- Location
- Harbour City, the New Southern Wales
- Website
- www.freewayoneentertainment.com
Nice work mate. Just read your Pirate thread.
Be nice to be able to clear over all the decals to preserve.
I'm for the V8.
Be nice to be able to clear over all the decals to preserve.
I'm for the V8.
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
Been awhile but there are several updates on this rig from this original post. Including a video I found of this rig wheeling in the 70's. I am back on this build on and off trying to do 3 builds at once is tough.
Justin
Justin
post vids! That thing is boss. Well done. 
Rad 
lol...feeling your pain..still not quite done with annie, doing a 78 to 69 pig swap, just picked up a 4runner with a bad engine and gearing up to build a bug out 4bt powered pig with redline cruisers for my brother. means the 45 and the pickle won't get touched for a while (again) and the blue pig and the 80 are neglected during daily driver duty.
Very Cool!
Who makes those brake rotors?
Who makes those brake rotors?
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
Only a month delay in response... Sorry.
The rotors are just a Napa brand, I will try and find a part number.
As to the rest of the build. Going slow but ticking along. I finally got my other 45 running and driving so this one can get some attention. Trouble is I have been working on racing and the FST FJ40 as well.
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
I am planning on updating this thread soon. This 45 is still not running but I have completed a bunch of stuff on it. This is always my when I have time and resources project. Having a fleet of rigs and a desert racing habit don't lend them selves very well to time or extra cash.
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
In 2012 I had a friend/coworker ask me if I see any early 70's FJ40's come up for sale let him know. He sold his a few years ago and kicks him self for it. We started bull s***tin and he said there is a ranch out of town a ways that has one of those Land Cruiser trucks in the field. WHAT!??? We ventured out to the peoples ranch and sure enough tucked back in the trees a short Bed 45.
I talked with the woman who was home and she said it was her dads. It had not been running or driving for years. I asked her if she was interested in selling and she said yes. I gave her my number and said let me know as soon as you decide on a price. A week went by and I had not heard a thing. I could not take the suspense and I drove out to her ranch. She said she had lost my number but had a price in mind. I happily forked over her asking price and the story's started flowing.
Her dad bought it new in 1966 in Salinas CA. He had always been into four wheeling but really wanted to desert race. Some time in the late 60's or early 70's he raced this at least once in NORRA Mexican 1000. It spent the rest of its life on the Rubicon and Northern CA trails. There are a ton of stories with this thing. We are working to get the video of him racing converted to DVD so I can attach it to the story of the resurrection of this old rig.
So what does "Formiga Rosa" mean? Where does it come from? The words are Portuguese this is what this rig was called by the race teams back in the 60's. The "Red Ant".
This is where we rescued the Ant.
I talked with the woman who was home and she said it was her dads. It had not been running or driving for years. I asked her if she was interested in selling and she said yes. I gave her my number and said let me know as soon as you decide on a price. A week went by and I had not heard a thing. I could not take the suspense and I drove out to her ranch. She said she had lost my number but had a price in mind. I happily forked over her asking price and the story's started flowing.
Her dad bought it new in 1966 in Salinas CA. He had always been into four wheeling but really wanted to desert race. Some time in the late 60's or early 70's he raced this at least once in NORRA Mexican 1000. It spent the rest of its life on the Rubicon and Northern CA trails. There are a ton of stories with this thing. We are working to get the video of him racing converted to DVD so I can attach it to the story of the resurrection of this old rig.
So what does "Formiga Rosa" mean? Where does it come from? The words are Portuguese this is what this rig was called by the race teams back in the 60's. The "Red Ant".
This is where we rescued the Ant.
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
Kelly spent a few hours cleaning the dirt/mud, rat nests, rat s***, years of sitting soot out of the Cruiser today. We found some good news. The floors in the cab and the bed are in excellent condition. No rust to speak of in these areas. Also found new in the Bag from Toyota, lenses for all the lights including the rear tail lights.
Axles are going to be Just updated 40 axles with discs.
Kelly is in love with this thing and for now she just wants it to be running and driving. She likes the look of the faded paint and rough body.
Axles are going to be Just updated 40 axles with discs.
Kelly is in love with this thing and for now she just wants it to be running and driving. She likes the look of the faded paint and rough body.
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
I decided on a 5.3 Vortec.
If you are reading this and wondering WTF. You need to understand something. When Gordon bought this new in 66 he didn't flinch. He bought it drove it home and put a motor, transmission and steering box to meet his needs. I feel the same way and I have had his wife and his daughter in my shop helping to guide my vision.
If you are reading this and wondering WTF. You need to understand something. When Gordon bought this new in 66 he didn't flinch. He bought it drove it home and put a motor, transmission and steering box to meet his needs. I feel the same way and I have had his wife and his daughter in my shop helping to guide my vision.
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
Digging round trying to learn more history on this 45 I stumbled across this video. It was a tribute put together by his son in law to Gordon Hevern after his passing. There are a few clips of the 45 in it around the :56 mark and the 1:16 mark. The first clip looks like the high Sierra some where and the second I cant really tell. Maybe a beach?
Gordon G. Hevern 1927-2009 on Vimeo
__________________
Gordon G. Hevern 1927-2009 on Vimeo
__________________
73fj
Tho at sumbitch in ayer!
I see your vision and I really like the patina, cool truck.
Man what a cool movie thanks for sharing. Gordon would have had some cool stories by that quick glimpse of his life
100 point restos are great but who really wants to put wear and tear on them?, being an enthusiast over collector by modifying your truck but still keeping the essence of a 60's cruiser that's cool, as a fellow enthusiast you have my vote
100 point restos are great but who really wants to put wear and tear on them?, being an enthusiast over collector by modifying your truck but still keeping the essence of a 60's cruiser that's cool, as a fellow enthusiast you have my vote
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
i had a 1977 ish fj40 rear I replaced the 3rd with one from a fj60 I parted out, slapped on a disc brake kit I ended up with in a trade. It's a brake kit from MAF I think. Real nice stuff. The brackets were for an FJ60 but with some hole relocation they will fit 40 or 60.
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
The split tcase is from the donor FJ60. When I split it to get it off the Transmission it had some warn bearings and such so I decided to rebuild it.
Pretty easy task, just a little time consuming.
Pretty easy task, just a little time consuming.
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
After the rebuild I added a Advanced Adapter TH350 to split 19 spline case. Really nice product. I have a rebuilt TH350 coming from Georg.
RustyNailJustin
Supporting Vendor
I used an advanced adaptors fly wheel to take the LS style motor to a TH350. After some frame prep and plate I used Rock Tactics LS style motor mounts.
whitey45
SILVER Star
That tin cup master gonna slow down the ls!.. nice build as usual!
