1978 BJ40 RHD build! southern california.

[garrettG]

its about time i get a thread started for this

My dad and i purchased a 1978 BJ40 from a guy in Portland a couple of months ago. Came with hard top as well and ambi doors

what we have done:
-new metal tech family cage
-body mounts
-5 OEM welded wheels
-5 33x10.5 km2's
-removed ghetto dual tank
-restored seat frames
-re-uphulstered seats


in the works!:
-early style long jump seats (have)
-4in softride lift kit (have)
-front disk brake axle (have)
-sand blast interrior and have it LineXed
-sand blast left side of car from door back and get rid of ALL bondo... its all just big dents that were packed with bondo.
-paint/powder coat cage
-power steering!
-new exhaust
-restore air cleaner box
-restore header
-RH snorkel (have)

we also scored on a 76 fj40 for a parts truck, we got like 8 storage boxes of parts with it. it has saved us a bunch of money

i will update as progress is made

oh yeah and it runs like a dream!!

-Garrett

 

[lostmarbles]

Hi there Garrett

I'll be following your progress with interest.

But your parts truck looks worthy of a new life on its own too.. (rather than just being cannibalised).



Ps. Lots more photos please?

 

[garrettG]

Haha it won't be completely canabalized
Most parts will be replaced with what I take of of mine. Then I will sell it after.

But the tub isn't in good shape, the fenders have been cut out pretty bad, there is a lot of bondO and cracked bondO with weld patches reinforcing the inside. Also a couple or holes in the floorboards. A lot of very poorly done repairs and riggs.

 

[garrettG]

I also got OEM soft doors with the fj that I am restoring
Here's what I got with it:
2 front heaters
1 rear heater
Highlift jack
Jack stands
2 jump seat frames
set of best top half doors (sold)
Set of best top full doors
Oem soft doors
Oem hard doors
Air tank
Welder
Rolling car Dolly's
Engine stand
Emblems
Knobs
About 100lbs of hardware mostly stainless
2 cb radios (kinda old tho)
Hard top
Rear lift gate
Plus the boxes of parts that I haven't fully duo thru haha

 

[garrettG]

Just dropped it off at the sand blaster.

Getting the bottom of ambulance doors patched.
Driver (right) hard door blasted and patched. Oem soft doors blasted and primed. Almost the whole car blasted and primed. All bondO is getting removed and panel beaten straight again, re defining body seams where they were plastered over Fire wall getting blasted where there was a brake fluid leak and the paint is gone. Small patch panels being put in at the bottom of the A pillars where there was some rust.
Should have it back in a week or 2ish then she's ready for lineX or paint.

 

[jusmud]

1978 BJ40 RHD build! southern california

Hi there Garrett

I too will be following your progress with interest and comparing notes however I think you will get yours back on the road quicker than I will

Please post some more pics

 

[garrettG]

I thought it was gonna take much longer but we have been scoring deals on parts and services over and over again. I'm lucky to have a Dad that is stoked on the project as well.
I would love people's input on any/everything.
Negative or positive. I hope I can help out some of you a bit as well. Gotta pay it forward since this site has helped me so much.

 

[garrettG]

i am also restoring the OEM soft doors i got

i need another one of these if anyone has one or has a lead for me!

thanks!

 

[garrettG]

Having all of this bondO removed and beaten straight again... PO had it spackled up with bondO and it's just dents, all perfect metal...

And the a pillars have rusted out a little so those will be cut out and replaced aswell

 

[garrettG]

She's all straightened out, lifted and rust repaired, top is getting worked on now!
Got lineXed on the entire inside of tub in dune beige lineX (will post pics ASAP)
Ford shock towers
Hj61 p/s with fj62 p/s pump being installed in a week or so after paint is done.
Coming together so fast I'm stocked

Thanks to Chris Noah doing all the sand blasting and body work + fab work (building me a tailgate out of barn doors)

 

[garrettG]

LineX!!




LineXed side steps as well!


Out with the old, in with the new!



MAF U-bolt flip kit and soft ride springs. And temporary ranchos until I get bilsteins.



Thanks!

 

[JVCTLC73]

Looks like great progress! I'm going to be starting my tear down / build up in about a month and will be looking for some place to get my tub sandblasted. Mind PM'ing me your guys info?

Looking forward to more pics...Subscribed!

 

[Fast Eddy]

Please post a picture of your tailgate too. I've got a couple sets of barn doors waiting for their turn to be a tailgate.

 

[garrettG]

Here is right after they were welded together, he still have some body work to do and straighten them out its super strong and gusseted at the middle.

 

[garrettG]

Should all be done by the 25th!

 

[garrettG]

Didn't make the deadline we had set... But I was there till 3am last night re-assembling and hoping for the best, looks amazing.
Thank you Chris Noah and painter Danny. For the amazing work.

 

[78fj40mg]

Awesome build!

 

[garrettG]

Thanks! It's coming along

Gonna be a couple weeks out but I can't wait to get her on the trails/road!

 

[Fast Eddy]

I just noticed the Oregon plate. I really hope you've got a CA title worked out before all this work.

 

[garrettG]

Its in the process of getting registered... They said they just need a bin verification... Please tell me I'm not gonna run into anything else??