Blackjack 40

[tucker74]

After tinkering with a diesel FJ55 for the last 5 years I was missing having a SWB 40, fate would have it my friend Georg happened to be selling one for a client about the same time. The truck is a '76 he had built for a local local pilot to run the Rubicon, it's not perfect but as rust free as I've ever seen with lots of Georg's magic already done. When I was growing up we called the back 40 of our hunting lease down in South Texas the Blackjack due to all the pump jacks, somehow the name just seems fitting for this 40.

'76 FJ40:

• GM crate 5.7L
• H55F/38mm split-case
• Late 40 rear axle with integrated e-brake drums
• 4:11s w/ ARBs F/R
• 4plus 4" SUA with extended anti-inversion shackles
• 35x12.50 BFG MTs
• Saginaw conversion
• 4plus front bumper
• FC Fab full belly plate
  
• FC Fab full family cage
• Tuffy console/Con-ferr storage bench w/ dual lock boxes

Tucker

 

[tucker74]

The first project was to figure out how to mount my Warn 8274, since it already had a 4plus front bumper modified for a tow bar I reached out to Dave Gore. He sold me the winch plate made for this bumper and I modified it:

Tucker

 

[tucker74]

Otherwise I've just been enjoying the rig and tinkering:

Better stock wheel:

CruiserCrap 5-speed TEQ ball:

Powdercoated and installed EL wire:

Powdercoated and 5-speed shift plate:

Parked next to the famous "Rust Bucket":

Tucker

 

[tucker74]

Trip out to Hidden Falls with the local club:

Kiddo approved:

Tucker

 

[tucker74]

Realized I hadn't updated this in a while, out at Lake Travis:

Took the top off last spring:

Cars and Coffee:

Kids still digging it

Tucker

 

[Captn Conch]

Wow that is a fine unit..Cruisin' Austin in style. OK that's gotta be a hot Cruiser, black in the Texas triple digit heat! I bought my '71 down in San Marcos back in about '80. We lived in Austin. It came with an air conditioner. I took it off it just didn't make much diff in that heat!
Yes, that's a beauty!

 

[tucker74]

Yep - like riding around inside a blow dryer in the summer Want to get the cap painted white before I put the top back on!

Tucker

 

[cruiserkreutz]

Love the look of a black '40. Can't imagine trying to keep it clean though... Beautiful rig!

 

[NOSAJ]

Tucker nice rig! This is Jason met you at hih. Thanks again for talking me out of that Mercedes diesel swap!!

 

[tucker74]

Been working on a little project in preparation for the hardtop going back on this weekend:

Tucker

 

[tucker74]

Finally got the hardtop put back together, cap and bezel turned out pretty nice.

Tucker

 

[tucker74]

Loaded up the 40 and headed out to Katemcy for the LSLC Roundup last weekend:

The truck did great and no major damage

The famous @Sea Knight checking our bearing:

The Austin 40 crew lined up:

Good times were had by all, big thanks to Butch (@Texican) and the LSLC crew for putting this on

Tucker

 

[tucker74]

Small project to figure out how to use my new nutcert tool:

 

[bwalker16527]

Been working on a little project in preparation for the hardtop going back on this weekend:

Tucker

View attachment 1516834

View attachment 1516835

What paint and color did you use?

 

[tucker74]

What paint and color did you use?

It's Toyota 033 white in a single stage, thought the Cygnus would look to creamy against the black.

Tucker

 

[G-Cat]

The white bezel and cap transform it from awesome to awesomer.

 

[bwalker16527]

It's Toyota 033 white in a single stage, thought the Cygnus would look to creamy against the black.

Tucker

Thanks

 

[tucker74]

Been slowly working on another little project, wanted something better than a bolt on tailgate panel when the top was off. Since factory tailgates have gotten so expensive and are usually rusty (and I didn’t want to put my kids up for collateral on a real steel), I reached out to Mike Gozzard to make me a solid fiberglass one I could sit on. These are pure awesomeness for the price, but to each is own to the purists out there. Here are some pics since I’ve never been able to find any on how to install.

Comes as a solid panel, fortunately borrowed a friends stock to place holes:

 

[tucker74]

Next I pieced together a set of hardware, what I found was pretty crusty and required some work:

 

[tucker74]

Painted it up all shiny black, I also replaced the pins with stainless Allen bolts/nuts: