New '74 FJ40 Owner ....

[Spike Strip]

Hello Folks -

I hang around in the 60 section pretty much exclusively, and am fairly well versed in those beasts, but have almost no experience with 40s (except from repeated ogling of Mark Algazy's collection )

Well, I gots da fever and had to have one. So this is my first 40 ... No, she isn't the prettiest girl on the block, but there's little to no rust (CA truck), and to my untrained eye, seems like a good start for a project... (please, comments welcome). Date on plate is Aug of 1974

As you can see, she's without engine and trans- an aborted V8 conversion - but that's ok 'cuz I have an H55f and '87 2F in the garage that will be going in ...

So forgive all the coming newbie questions, because I've got a lot to learn - even after reading ALL the fAQs.

I plan to pull the body and blast and paint the frame and body, as well as brake and suspension rebuild - as a start.

 

[Spike Strip]

Couple more pix:
.
.
.

 

[Spike Strip]

Just a few more:
.
.
.

 

[ghostriders]

Mine is Sep of 74. Love it!! Welcomw to the 40 forum and the sickness!!!

 

[Spike Strip]

Hey, GR - Cool -- Hope you don't mind if I ask you for pix now and then so I can see how stuff is supposed to fit!

 

[ghostriders]

Don't mind at all. Mine was quite the rust bucket though. You definately have a better start then I did.

 

[youmustbecrazy]

welcome to the 40s! Nice looking rig to start with. You say it is a CA rig, where is it now?

 

[addicted56]

Gosh I love the 70's and the 80's...the 70's for the complete decade of basically the same vehicle and the FJ40 and the 80's for those awesome seat covers and that roll bar....just throw some KC's on there and you would be the heat!!! That stuff is comming back in style you know?

Get to work and start a build thread.

 

[Spike Strip]

welcome to the 40s! Nice looking rig to start with. You say it is a CA rig, where is it now?

In my backyard in the San Fernando Valley ...

 

[apeterson]

Sept 74 here.... best year ever

 

[nick]

you did good to get a 74
welcome to the 40's

 

[Spike Strip]

After the hell I went through passing CA smog on my FJ60s, I swore the 40 I got would be exempt. I looked at some 77 and 78 40s, but just didn't want to deal with the smog issues again.

Very glad I got what I got.

 

[toomanytoyzz]

I envy you "Californians" in regards to sheetmetal. Original sheetmetal FJ40's are as rare as unicorns in my neck of the woods. Build that beast!!!!

 

[Ziffdaddy]

December 74' here... Welcome. Mine was just hit by a speeding 911....waiting to hear if the insurance is going to total her, but she will rise again, regardless of what they say. I feel like I've lost one of my testicles...
74', best year. Love my truck.

 

[mattcamp]

sweet, you have a blank canvas, keep posting pics as you go, I regret not taking pictures, I found this website on the end of my fourth fj40 and wish I could have shared, to get compliments and to be laughed at, it makes it more fun to document the build.

 

[Spike Strip]

December 74' here... Welcome. Mine was just hit by a speeding 911....waiting to hear if the insurance is going to total her, but she will rise again, regardless of what they say. I feel like I've lost one of my testicles...
74', best year. Love my truck.

Wow... Hope everyone was ok... L.A. drivers really are some of the worst in the world... And I've driven in just about every Westernized Country.

 

[bikersmurf]

July 74.

Looks like you've got a good rig to start with.

 

[Ziffdaddy]

Wow... Hope everyone was ok... L.A. drivers really are some of the worst in the world... And I've driven in just about every Westernized Country.

Yeah, no injuries...he had airbags, and I had....well, an FJ... I was sitting still and he spun and threw my truck 20 feet! That's a hell of an impact from a Porsche to an almost 2 1/2 ton truck!
It looks to have bent the front of the frame and sheared the front left spring hanger right off the frame horn. every steering rod was bent like taffy..
..but, I did start it and maneuver it a little bit to help out loading on the flat bed tow truck...it's crazy how tough these things are! If they total it, I'll rebuild it myself...I'll never let this truck go.

There's where the spring perch is now...overall, though, from ten feet, you wouldn't notice much damage...but it's there.

 

[Slow Poke]

You were hit on 9/11 by a 911???? Freaky...

 

[Brasco20]

July 74 here. Congrats on the new ride!