Who has the oldest/earliest FJ40? (FAQ)

[Living in the Past]

Just what the title says, who has or knows of a real old FJ40. I have two FJ40s that I plan on making one out of. The newer one is a early 63 (62 production date) The other one is a 61. The 61 is in very ruff shape but besides a bad rear cross member the frame looks usable, most of the bady is shot be has all the original running gear. The 63 would be a easier restore but while looking at Treeroot's website I notice that the FJ45 start with FJ45-10001 in !960 thru FJ45-29XXX in 1967. So my problem is the 61 is 1-FJ40-1020X which might make it one of the oldest 40s. I know parts are hard to find for the early cruisers but I have most and have a idea where to find the ones I don't have. I really hope there is at least a couple of older ones out there. The newer one would be a easier restore. I just don't want to find out later that this is the oldest one left and I cut it up.

So who has or knows of a older one.


John

 

[clemson55]

Mark from Marks Offroad has a lot of the engine stuff you might need, that is assuming you will be keeping the early f in it.

 

[Living in the Past]

Quote: bustanutley sounds like a pissing contest to me

I know it sounds that way but the 63 is a AZ vehicle and wouldn't need any sand blasting just replace the rear sill, the 61 I can salvage the cowl, windshield, aprons, bib and hood the rest would have to come off of the 63. The 63 is the best of the two. I just don't what to cut up the oldest 40. My thought that this just over number two hunderd off the production line world wide. Would you just cut it up with out a second thought?


Quote: clemson55 Mark from Marks Offroad has a lot of the engine stuff you might need, that is assuming you will be keeping the early f in it.

Thanks but both of these 40 still have the stock engines in them. I know a little history of the 61 and I think the 63 engine is in better shape. I bought the 63 out of a junk yard. The engine was complete but the early three speed transmission was torn apart in the vehicle which makes me think that way this one was sold to a junk yard. In came in a group of four cruisers that were sold to this yard from the middle of the state.


John

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

I've got a 1962!

Seriously, anyone know what the starting VIN was for FJ40's?

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

What's your VIN?

Kirk
[No hope for me - mine's an 1982]

No hope for me either: 2FJ40-16829 , by that time all the FJ25 carryover pieces weren't being used anymore.

 

[treerootCO]

My '64 Fj40 is 22349 - I have an Fj25 style radiator and intake manifold.

 

[Living in the Past]

I don't think the radiator is original but the engine is. So TreerootCO do you think Toyota started off with 10001 on the vin #s and not 00001. If it was 00001 I would cut it up but if it is just over number two hunderd is it worth restoring? Anybody?

 

[wesintl]

I betcha that was the case starting with 100xx

My 64 is 21822.. beat treeroots by 527 sold in mar of 64

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

My '63 soft top VIN is 2FJ4015401.

 

[pardion]

John - #1-FJ4010216 was a 1961 Fj40L 4-speed tranny 1 speed t/c spare tire on the side and batt under the seat, John

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

John - #1-FJ4010216 was a 1961 Fj40L 4-speed tranny 1 speed t/c spare tire on the side and batt under the seat, John

Now we're cookin! I think that's why Living in the Past started up this thread. Not sure where the transition happened between FJ25 and FJ40 but I have a feeling it wasn't a clean break. Unless some swapping of parts happened on FJ4010216 it sounds like more FJ25 than FJ40. I'd love to see pictures.

The puzzler is that John's FJ401020X has the side shift three speed, not the 25 drive train, but was an earlier number. I believe his is a domestic (non-US) though.

 

[rick_d]

john- et al

I have the November 1960 "advanced information" book on the 40 series and sadly this nor my 1961 parts books show frame numbers. I found the 10,000 mark start on the FJ45's and I will guess it is same for 40 series.

I doubt there are any 0FJ4010001's and maybe its a 1FJ4010001 start.

guesses?

 

[Living in the Past]

Quote: pardion John - #1-FJ4010216 was a 1961 Fj40L 4-speed tranny 1 speed t/c spare tire on the side and batt under the seat, John


So #1-fj40-10216 was a soft top. #1-fj40-10202 is a hard top with a three speed and two speed t/c. Battery was in the engine bay just like all other 40s I've seen. The only carry over 25 only parts were the intake on the apron, gas tank fill and cap. Had the same mounting for the rear seats but they were the right one for a 61 with the lower armrests on both sides. I take by the word "WAS' that it is no longer around. Sold or parted? Any pictures? Did the dash have the opening for the shifter above the steering column and the hole for the t/c? Maybe they had some 25 soft top tubs left over and they change later. You don't have any 25 tire carriers around? Since I was able to get another set of 25 wheels I can use them on my white 25.

John

John

 

[General Sherman]

i JUST BOUGHT A 1962 WITH VIN# 1fj4010451
Check out the pics here
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=88635

 

[Living in the Past]

If that was directed at me that is funny. I don't know why I still married now. I have two other FJ40s now plus two runnning FJ25s with another two for parts, an FJ45LPB, FJ62 and just picked up a 100 series for my daily driver. Even if my wife wouldn't divorce me I don't need all the projects I have now. I bought the early 63 from the junk yard to fix up for a snow plow vehicle and the 61 because of the FJ25 carry over parts it had on it. After getting the 61 I realized how old it really is and have almost all the parts to restore it to original. I was hoping a few people would come up with some older FJ40s so I could just put these two together and not worried I did away with the earliest one. So does the Toyota museum have any really old FJ40s? I know there was at least 201 FJ40s made before this one, there has to be a few still around. Who's got them? I really don't have the room or the time to restore this.


I'll tried and find some picture's of both so you can see what I've got. Who know maybe someone will decide this is a project they really want and make me a offer I can't refuse.

John

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Close but no ceegar...............1FJ4010423.
Ebay 1961

 

[wesintl]

Was it ever confirmed it was franks?

 

[Living in the Past]

First cruiser was an FJ25 and it was in 1958. Jim (Cruiser_Nerd) parted out a 58 FJ25 but it was a hard top but that was not the first. Toyota only showed one cruiser imported in 58 and that must have been a soft top model because Toyota ran an ad in Magazines in 1971 showing Frank with his soft top model sold in 58. I thought TLC claimed to have the oldest LC at the SEMA show in Las Vegas this year. Jim why can't you just let this old tread die, how do you delete a tread go to the first post and delete.


John


EDIT I thought TLC claimed to have the oldest LC at the SEMA show in Las Vegas this year. I meant to say the first LC imported since Paul Decker has a 57 that can from south of the border.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Jim why can't you just let this old tread die, how do you delete a tread go to the first post and delete.

Don't do it! I really want to know where the 25 ended and 40 began. Besides, you know I've got a thing for VIN #'s

 

[Living in the Past]

yes there was an article in toyota times magazine showing the truck and its owner then the restoration .the mag was a dealer mag and they actually gave them to me when they were done sorry about the fj25 thing didnt mean to steal your spot here

Don't worry about the 25 thing that's why I bought it in the first place. So do you have any extras of this Toyota Times magazine that you would sell I just have the ad out of an old magazine?

Okay Jim I wouldn't delete this tread just for you. Maybe I should start one in the 25 forum asking for the newest. That way if my grey one is the newest one still left I could sell them as a pair, the last 25 and the first 40 You know after spenting years to find parts and restoring, only to sell them for a 1/4 of what you have into them I really should find a cheaper hobby


All I was really hoping for was some older 40s out there so I could use the 25 carry over parts on the 25s and anything else usable on the 1963 FJ40. A couple of years ago there was a 61 FJ40 in New York that sold on Ebay Maybe it was older What ever happen to that one Jim? Wasn't the guy who bought use it for parts on his 69? Jim you need to check this out again. Do you know the VIN already?

If I ever get my home computer working I mean when I get my home computer working I'll post some pictures of the 61 and the 63. I'm sure you'll see why I prefer to buy my cruisers in AZ.

John