Hey guys,
I wanted to post up a thread to tell the story and track maintenance, mods and adventures of my FJ62.
Story
Part 1: Finding the Truck
I am a mechanical engineer. I love tinkering and have always wanted a garage and a project to get fully into. I have always been into go fast/street only vehicles owning m3s and corvettes among other vehicles. I have owned my Lexus ISF now for a few years. It became my only car after moving into Midtown Atlanta as I only had one spot for the condo. The ISF has been a fantastic car for the 27k miles I've put on it from track days to road trips to getting groceries. After adopting a GSD/Husky puppy at the beginning of the year, I finally decided it was time to put on my big boy pants and buy a house. Fast forward a few months later to the move itself and my brother lent me his old 90s Tahoe. I loved it. Never been a truck guy but having something big to carry stuff, take the dog around, doesn't matter if it gets dinged or dirty was AMAZING. The idea of having something to take to garage sales or transport furniture (I picked up a new hobby of woodworking that I'm trying to get into) rather than renting a pick-up from home depot sounded so appealing. The real questions were "How much do I spend?" and "What do I get?" I figured buying a house for the first time that conservative was better for budget. I needed to find something that I could potentially drive a year and worst case I could more or less break even if I had to resell it. My brother, being the former GM mechanic that he is, suggested tahoe/suburban/silverado. I decided that while a truck made more sense, SUVs were more appealing for trips or as a dog carrier. And then, if I was going to get a truck or SUV, I might as well try my hand at some light off-roading. So thus I narrowed my search down to 4x4 SUVs. At the price range there were a few options: old land/range rovers (Which I absolutely love but know not to touch them. Always been a brittish vehicle fan), tahoe/suburbans, 2nd/3rd gen 4runner, passport/rodeo, xterra. The 3rd gen 4runner was the top contender. My search intensified to find a clean decently running 4runner for the price I wanted. In fact the land cruiser wasn't even on my radar until I found a cheap FJ80 that was pretty rough. I kept finding 2wd 4runners in budget, but they were not the color or the options I wanted. Not long after I came across what looked to be a sweet land cruiser on ebay. Old enough (for me) to scratch the classic itch that has been brewing, modern enough to be regularly usable. It was even in FL so it would be a doable purchase without shipping. Better yet, it was almost the same age I am which was something else on the bucket list. Surely, I thought, this won't be in the price range. I put it on my watch list and thought nothing more. I get a notification that the auction is ending soon and the price is under budget. I debated back and forth. A 4runner makes more sense. It's better for hauling trailers, better gas, more reliable, cheaper parts, etc. I know the cruiser isn't exactly what I need...but it's so dang cool that I can't resist. The history, the looks, the interior: So cool. I could picture it in my driveway. The auction ends with me as the high bidder even though it doesn't reach reserve. I contact the seller. Let him know that I'm interested if he wants to work something out. He finally gets back to me that if I can come soon, with cash, that he will accept my high bid. Next day the GF and I (with our 8 month old puppy in tow) make the 8hr drive down to check out the truck.
Part 2: Checking the Truck Out
We make it to the meeting point in tact and only about 30 minutes later than planned. Reasonable success. The previous owner is there to meet us and is prepared with paperwork. He tells me that he's owns an FJ80/FZJ80 and that he bought it a few years ago with his son. Now that his son is off to college, they got him a commuter vehicle. As soon as I see the truck I am smitten. I love this thing. I expected it all to be a little rough, after all it's 30 years old. Between the ad and our correspondence I knew there were 3-4 small rust spots on the body and that there was some surface rust on the undercarriage. I climb underneath and nothing appears to be misrepresented. The rear frame member is solid. There aren't any holes. Onto the test drive. Having not driven a FJ60/62 before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Basically I compared it with my brother's tahoe. It felt solid. There was less play. Power was adequate, much better than what I expected from reading the forums. The AC seemed to work well aside from a squeal. (more on that later) The steering wheel wasn't straight but an alignment would fix that. The electric door locks don't work... Not a deal breaker, especially at that price. Windows seem fine. Radio is okay. A little weak for aftermarket. (figured out later that the fronts weren't working at all) We get to the 4wd system. I have never driven in 4wd in a vehicle. I had no clue how the system works. Thankfully after a few embarrassing grinding noises it works perfectly too. Bonus, there is a big box of goodies in the back: FSM, new carpets, new seat covers, extra parts. That's a win. I'm going to go through with it. I own a land cruiser. (which if you were reading, I was sold at first sight anyway)
Part 3: The Trip HOME
We sign all the paperwork. We say our goodbyes. It's getting dark. By this point, the GF and I are tired and starving having been on the road since 7am that morning. We decide to make the trip into a mini vacation and visit my mother a few hours away. I turn on the truck as my gf is pulling away. I go to follow and nothing happens. Noise. No movement. Well turns out H2 is not different than regular drive. I forgot to re-engage high two after four wheel drive. Phew. One crisis averted. We get to Palm beach without any major troubles. Stalled once or twice on idle. (figured out later that it was probably just bad gas and a vacuum line that I fixed) Test 1 the 2 hour trip was complete. To be continued: Visit family. Running hot. Ants. AC. Home at last
Part 4: Living with the FJ62
garage sale, parks
Mileage
Bought 8/2016 187k
Update 8/31/2016 188200
Maintenance
Finished
(in last 2 years by PO)
Shocks
Headlights
Steering stabilizer
tail lights
alternator
battery
front brakes
rear brakes
fan
master cyclinder
knuckles
fuel pump
new exhaust
fuel filter
(By Me)
Fuel Pulsar Screw
Topped off Coolant (added 2 gallons of distilled). System burped
JB Weld Vacuum tube
Oil/filter Change 188000
Alignment 188000
New Radiator Cap
Swapped lines on charcoal canister
To Do
Rust Work: Underbody primarily, Pass front fender, Driver door, Pass doors, Misc
Paint repair
Read Codes
Plugs (ordered)
ATF/Clean Filter (ordered)
Transfer Case Fluids and fix seal (ordered)
Diff Fluids (ordered)
Replace belts (ordered)
AC manifold readings
Shifter Bushings (ordered)
Antenna Replacement
Wiper blade replacement (ordered)
Fix Rear pass window
Door Locks (relay tried- no change)
Rewire window switch and paint surround (brown currently)
TPS adjustment/Throttle Body clean (intermittent idle stumble)
Oil Galley Plug? (I haven't been able to locate it exactly. not sure if that is a good or bad thing)
Side turn cover replacement (ordered)
Valve Adjustment (Who knows when the last time it was done)
Make additional keys
replace spare
fuel smell (cap doesn't seat well: worn filler nozzle?)
Seat Covers and Carpet (new- came with the truck)
Calibrate speedometer
Mods
Finished
Pioneer Head Unit
Kicker Speakers (fronts currently not working)
Wheels/tires
weathertech matts
tinted windows
To Do
Fix Speakers (not blown)
Trim fan surround
Roof rack
H55f (when/if transmission ever fails)
4runner Brake upgrade
Led lighting (debating. I like the oem look)
trailer hitch
Poly Bushings OME (came with the truck)
Spare Parts
Headlight surrounds
Taillights
More pictures to come. Any of you guys have an idea of the color for this? 155 or 153? I need to figure out which of the grays this is. I actually thought it was more of a brown until I looked at the color chart.
I wanted to post up a thread to tell the story and track maintenance, mods and adventures of my FJ62.
Story
Part 1: Finding the Truck
I am a mechanical engineer. I love tinkering and have always wanted a garage and a project to get fully into. I have always been into go fast/street only vehicles owning m3s and corvettes among other vehicles. I have owned my Lexus ISF now for a few years. It became my only car after moving into Midtown Atlanta as I only had one spot for the condo. The ISF has been a fantastic car for the 27k miles I've put on it from track days to road trips to getting groceries. After adopting a GSD/Husky puppy at the beginning of the year, I finally decided it was time to put on my big boy pants and buy a house. Fast forward a few months later to the move itself and my brother lent me his old 90s Tahoe. I loved it. Never been a truck guy but having something big to carry stuff, take the dog around, doesn't matter if it gets dinged or dirty was AMAZING. The idea of having something to take to garage sales or transport furniture (I picked up a new hobby of woodworking that I'm trying to get into) rather than renting a pick-up from home depot sounded so appealing. The real questions were "How much do I spend?" and "What do I get?" I figured buying a house for the first time that conservative was better for budget. I needed to find something that I could potentially drive a year and worst case I could more or less break even if I had to resell it. My brother, being the former GM mechanic that he is, suggested tahoe/suburban/silverado. I decided that while a truck made more sense, SUVs were more appealing for trips or as a dog carrier. And then, if I was going to get a truck or SUV, I might as well try my hand at some light off-roading. So thus I narrowed my search down to 4x4 SUVs. At the price range there were a few options: old land/range rovers (Which I absolutely love but know not to touch them. Always been a brittish vehicle fan), tahoe/suburbans, 2nd/3rd gen 4runner, passport/rodeo, xterra. The 3rd gen 4runner was the top contender. My search intensified to find a clean decently running 4runner for the price I wanted. In fact the land cruiser wasn't even on my radar until I found a cheap FJ80 that was pretty rough. I kept finding 2wd 4runners in budget, but they were not the color or the options I wanted. Not long after I came across what looked to be a sweet land cruiser on ebay. Old enough (for me) to scratch the classic itch that has been brewing, modern enough to be regularly usable. It was even in FL so it would be a doable purchase without shipping. Better yet, it was almost the same age I am which was something else on the bucket list. Surely, I thought, this won't be in the price range. I put it on my watch list and thought nothing more. I get a notification that the auction is ending soon and the price is under budget. I debated back and forth. A 4runner makes more sense. It's better for hauling trailers, better gas, more reliable, cheaper parts, etc. I know the cruiser isn't exactly what I need...but it's so dang cool that I can't resist. The history, the looks, the interior: So cool. I could picture it in my driveway. The auction ends with me as the high bidder even though it doesn't reach reserve. I contact the seller. Let him know that I'm interested if he wants to work something out. He finally gets back to me that if I can come soon, with cash, that he will accept my high bid. Next day the GF and I (with our 8 month old puppy in tow) make the 8hr drive down to check out the truck.
Part 2: Checking the Truck Out
We make it to the meeting point in tact and only about 30 minutes later than planned. Reasonable success. The previous owner is there to meet us and is prepared with paperwork. He tells me that he's owns an FJ80/FZJ80 and that he bought it a few years ago with his son. Now that his son is off to college, they got him a commuter vehicle. As soon as I see the truck I am smitten. I love this thing. I expected it all to be a little rough, after all it's 30 years old. Between the ad and our correspondence I knew there were 3-4 small rust spots on the body and that there was some surface rust on the undercarriage. I climb underneath and nothing appears to be misrepresented. The rear frame member is solid. There aren't any holes. Onto the test drive. Having not driven a FJ60/62 before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Basically I compared it with my brother's tahoe. It felt solid. There was less play. Power was adequate, much better than what I expected from reading the forums. The AC seemed to work well aside from a squeal. (more on that later) The steering wheel wasn't straight but an alignment would fix that. The electric door locks don't work... Not a deal breaker, especially at that price. Windows seem fine. Radio is okay. A little weak for aftermarket. (figured out later that the fronts weren't working at all) We get to the 4wd system. I have never driven in 4wd in a vehicle. I had no clue how the system works. Thankfully after a few embarrassing grinding noises it works perfectly too. Bonus, there is a big box of goodies in the back: FSM, new carpets, new seat covers, extra parts. That's a win. I'm going to go through with it. I own a land cruiser. (which if you were reading, I was sold at first sight anyway)
Part 3: The Trip HOME
We sign all the paperwork. We say our goodbyes. It's getting dark. By this point, the GF and I are tired and starving having been on the road since 7am that morning. We decide to make the trip into a mini vacation and visit my mother a few hours away. I turn on the truck as my gf is pulling away. I go to follow and nothing happens. Noise. No movement. Well turns out H2 is not different than regular drive. I forgot to re-engage high two after four wheel drive. Phew. One crisis averted. We get to Palm beach without any major troubles. Stalled once or twice on idle. (figured out later that it was probably just bad gas and a vacuum line that I fixed) Test 1 the 2 hour trip was complete. To be continued: Visit family. Running hot. Ants. AC. Home at last
Part 4: Living with the FJ62
garage sale, parks
Mileage
Bought 8/2016 187k
Update 8/31/2016 188200
Maintenance
Finished
(in last 2 years by PO)
Shocks
Headlights
Steering stabilizer
tail lights
alternator
battery
front brakes
rear brakes
fan
master cyclinder
knuckles
fuel pump
new exhaust
fuel filter
(By Me)
Fuel Pulsar Screw
Topped off Coolant (added 2 gallons of distilled). System burped
JB Weld Vacuum tube
Oil/filter Change 188000
Alignment 188000
New Radiator Cap
Swapped lines on charcoal canister
To Do
Rust Work: Underbody primarily, Pass front fender, Driver door, Pass doors, Misc
Paint repair
Read Codes
Plugs (ordered)
ATF/Clean Filter (ordered)
Transfer Case Fluids and fix seal (ordered)
Diff Fluids (ordered)
Replace belts (ordered)
AC manifold readings
Shifter Bushings (ordered)
Antenna Replacement
Wiper blade replacement (ordered)
Fix Rear pass window
Door Locks (relay tried- no change)
Rewire window switch and paint surround (brown currently)
TPS adjustment/Throttle Body clean (intermittent idle stumble)
Oil Galley Plug? (I haven't been able to locate it exactly. not sure if that is a good or bad thing)
Side turn cover replacement (ordered)
Valve Adjustment (Who knows when the last time it was done)
Make additional keys
replace spare
fuel smell (cap doesn't seat well: worn filler nozzle?)
Seat Covers and Carpet (new- came with the truck)
Calibrate speedometer
Mods
Finished
Pioneer Head Unit
Kicker Speakers (fronts currently not working)
Wheels/tires
weathertech matts
tinted windows
To Do
Fix Speakers (not blown)
Trim fan surround
Roof rack
H55f (when/if transmission ever fails)
4runner Brake upgrade
Led lighting (debating. I like the oem look)
trailer hitch
Poly Bushings OME (came with the truck)
Spare Parts
Headlight surrounds
Taillights
More pictures to come. Any of you guys have an idea of the color for this? 155 or 153? I need to figure out which of the grays this is. I actually thought it was more of a brown until I looked at the color chart.
<--- Official Mud Welcome
