PROPER INTRODUCTION (1 Viewer)

[jestlurnin]

Well everyone, I've posted up a couple questions here and there and I have a thread going in the 40 section about going back to an OEM coil that isn't going so well. I wanted to get her up and running before I did a proper intro and I guess I'm halfway there so here goes.

Picked up this little beauty in San Diego in December. The story is as follows: a gentleman from the USA went to culinary school in NZ, fell in love and married a NZ gal. NZ gals family owned a venison farm in NZ, not sure where but it's on the import paperwork (never heard of such a thing but ok). USA gentleman falls in love with FJ45 that's been a farm truck its entire life and imports it back to the U.S. when he moves back from NZ. Truck sits in a garage in Malibu CA for approximately 9 years when gentleman from USA puts it up for sale...

That's where I come in. Saw it on craigslist and flew down to SD within about a week to finalize the deal. I've always wanted a 45 to go along with my 40 and 60 and here she was!! I feel like the 45 takes the rarity of the 40 and the 60 to the next level. Everyone I've shown pictures to has said something to the effect of I've never seen one of those before!! That's a land cruiser!! My buddies uncle happened to live about 6 blocks away from the chap that was selling her and took about 50 pictures that he sent me before I flew down. In the photos she looked like a great total restoration project that I've been thinking about doing for some time.

Cash and available time are going to be the limiting factors in this build so I expect this thread will be about 6 years old by the time I finish it off.

Enjoy the photos!! And check out the next post for my conundrum...

 

[jestlurnin]

So here are a couple pictures of the OEM coil and the aftermarket coil that came with it that I eventually went back to cause I couldn't get the OEM coil to work!!

 

[jestlurnin]

Couple questions.
Can anyone tell me if this little sweetie is actually a 75' based on the plate and or the frame stamp?

Can anyone speak to the tailgate hinges and or the headache rack? OEM or industrious farm modifications. Both are awesome just trying to figure this Ol' 45 out.

I'm pretty sure I'm in love.

 

[jestlurnin]

Sorry it was a couple post later where my conundrum comes in. Tried an tried with the OEM coil....no dice. Went back to the aftermarket that she came with. Running like a champ in the driveway. Loaded up my boys for the maiden voyage. Truck had such little power we barely made it back up the street and into the driveway.....time for a dry compression check. 4 cylinders these trucks were not meant to move on!!
Cylinder - compression
1 - 0
2 - 0
3 - 122
4 - 120
5 - 122
6 - 124

Not sure I really see the need for a wet compression check as I feel like it's the head gasket. I'm sure the rest of the engine isn't in top top shape but I feel like the head gasket is more than likely the main culprit.

I really want to drive this girl for the summer and then start the tear down this fall. Can anyone see any drawback to me trying my first head gasket now and getting her through the summer then in the fall sending the entire engine in for a complete rebuild?

Here is a little picture of the garage door directly behind the tailpipe when I got her running the first time.

Ouch!! That's a lot of oil!!

Someone talk me out of just a head gasket repair for the summer followed by a total engine overhaul this fall!!

 

[whitey45]

Homemade tailgate and headache rack. Looks to be 74 to 78 model year. By all means, yank the head and see if the head gasket is gone. These are tractor engines and can easily be fixed with a new gasket as long as the cylinders and valves, all look good! Nice fun rig to play with( oh and spend alot of money on!)

 

[jestlurnin]

Whitey thanks for the recommendation. How bout the hinges on the tailgate? OEM?

 

[Bear]

Congrats on your project.

Yes, tailgate hinges are not OEM nor are they the OEM style.

 

[Rustic76]

Nice looking truck! Let's see some more pictures. Another FJ45 in the Portland area!

 

[jestlurnin]

I'll snap some more today.

What year is your 45 rustic? Would like to take a peak at it at some point.

 

[Rustic76]

Mine is a production year 1965, titled as a '66. Some definite differences mechanically from yours due to its age. It is whitey45's former truck from his "20 years later" thread here on MUD.
- Justin.

 

[jestlurnin]

That's freakin beautiful! I'll hit you up on PM and maybe I can roll my 40 over to see your 45 since my 45 only has 3 working cylinders right now

 

[jestlurnin]

Can anyone tell me if my 45 should have 3 or 4 hinges on the tailgate?

 

[FJ404345]

Nice Truck !

Have fun with it,

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

Can anyone tell me if my 45 should have 3 or 4 hinges on the tailgate?

You should have 4 hinges on your tailgate... Nice truck, love the character it has good luck

 

[jestlurnin]

What year did it switch from 3 to 4 hinges. Question is just curiosity and for my future knowledge.

 

[D'Animal]

Jest

Where are you located? You can swing by and look at my rig to see how much stuff you already have or will need.

 

[jestlurnin]

I'm in Portland would like to take a peak at your rig but it looks like you are in CA....

 

[Bear]

Jest,

The tailgates changed from 3 hinges to four hinges during production in September 1968 with frame number FJ45-36242.

Whitey is correct, yours is a model produced between 1974-1978, likely late 1975-early 1976; but without actual factory production figures I cannot tell--perhaps someone here might have those figures for that time period. Absent that accurate info, checking the engine number, the engine casting number, the head casting number, and the carb model and date code could help refine the actual date built (assuming everything is still original and not swapped with something different).

As has been discussed here several times before, the actual production date of a Land Cruiser is usually based on its frame number, with most parts dated very near that time. However, manufacturers and regulatory agencies often state model year dates, which can be newer than the actual production dates. In the US, Toyota often sold previous year unsold trucks as a later year model, and used a brass date tag added to the info plate. For the most part, knowing a "close" date is often sufficient; but occasionally some parts are updated mid-month and/or mid-year, and this can cause fitment problems if ordering the incorrect part.

 

[jestlurnin]

Update time. Adjusted the valves today. Not sure that is going to solve the 15-20 PSI compression I have in cylinders 1 and 2 but it was fun to do.

Set cylinder 1 to BDC (not sure that's even a term) but tried to get the piston all the way at the bottom of the cylinder. Then dropped this entire bottle in cylinders 1 and 2.

I'm hoping it's just stuck rings and the MMO will loosen everything up and I'll have decent compression in cylinders 1 and 2. Going to let it sit for 2-3 days, change the oil then try a compression test again.

Anyone have any other words of wisdom?

 

[whitey45]

More likely to be a head gasket. Its really an easy job and a great engine to learn on as well.