Builds 1960 FJ28L - Project Lara (3 Viewers)

[scoobiedubes]

I did just post a wanted ad for an FJ25 transmission. I see what they did to it now. For some reason they removed the linkage that moves the transfer shift lever over to a long oval hole on the left side (that you can see they welded shut), and the lever is now on the right side (and they cut that triangular hole in the bump). I'm guessing at the same time they removed the ebrake assembly as well, who knows why. At any rate, I'm not optimistic I'll ever find just that setup, and only slightly less optimistic that I'll find a transmission but if anybody has a lead please let me know. Makes me a little sick to think about finishing this thing with that stuff missing.

They also obviously hacked this hump up over the years and we will need to get it cleaned up.

 

[scoobiedubes]

On the next episode of "Japanese Pickers", I did find some pretty cool tail lights with help from @JohnnyC . I don't have them in hand yet but they look awfully close to Pinkie the FJ28VA's, so will be excited to see how they work out.

 

[1969FJ]

It is very nice that you are spending the time and effort to do this right. It is also amazing to realize that when this was first purchased, it was used as the way it was designed to do. And now, in 2020, it is a collector vehicle. Kind of like finding an old coin that was just a coin and now is priceless.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

That hump used to have the operating lever and brake on the left like the US model, so I would guess the right side setup is a hack. Someone might have a hump and transfer lever setup for the left side, and maybe even some of the brake hardware. Attached are a couple photos so you know what you're looking for, ingore the flat bar and oval shift door, that's a PTO and you aren't finding one of those.

I was suspicious of the smooth (not ribbed) transfer case cover, more so now that I realize the fill plug is on the top not bottom, you don't want that much oil in your transfer.

What is the problem with your transmission? Everything you've posted is just ancillary and can be corrected or made. Open it up (hopefully you drove it) and see what you're dealing with before worrying about a replacement. Splangy has the previuosly unobtainium synchros and as far as I know the only thing that can't be purchased are gears and the little roller bearings inside the shaft.

 

[nuclearlemon]

we need a "love" emoticon. amazing how quick you are getting to this

 

[scoobiedubes]

That hump used to have the operating lever and brake on the left like the US model, so I would guess the right side setup is a hack. Someone might have a hump and transfer lever setup for the left side, and maybe even some of the brake hardware. Attached are a couple photos so you know what you're looking for, ingore the flat bar and oval shift door, that's a PTO and you aren't finding one of those.

I was suspicious of the smooth (not ribbed) transfer case cover, more so now that I realize the fill plug is on the top not bottom, you don't want that much oil in your transfer.

What is the problem with your transmission? Everything you've posted is just ancillary and can be corrected or made. Open it up (hopefully you drove it) and see what you're dealing with before worrying about a replacement. Splangy has the previuosly unobtainium synchros and as far as I know the only thing that can't be purchased are gears and the little roller bearings inside the shaft.
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Great photos thank you. You can see in your photo how there’s an arm that takes the transfer case lever to the driver side, as well as all of the ebrake assembly that I’m missing.

Yeah they hacked this trans hump up. I’m sure the farmer that had this thing didn’t think anything other than he was just keeping it on the road.

Nothing is really wrong with the transmission itself, I just don’t know if I’ll find the missing pieces without finding an entire transmission/tcase setup. It drove before we disassembled so it’s functional, but i don’t want to go halfway with it - getting the ebrake and transfer case the way it’s supposed to be is a priority. I’m not sure about fabricating those missing pieces without having some to template from. But you never know. I’m hoping someone has some laying around. We have lots of time, right now this is the only thing that’s got me kind of stuck. Everything else we are doing pretty good on.

I picked up the synchros from splangy, pretty awesome that he got those.

 

[scoobiedubes]

we need a "love" emoticon. amazing how quick you are getting to this

Thanks! I just discovered the other day (on accident) you just hold on the like button and there’s all kinds of options. Even a dislike!

 

[scoobiedubes]

Second door should be finished this week. Seems like we're averaging about a door per week, these were the worst pieces on the truck though so I'm feeling good about the progress. The worst one is done, this one was the second worst. So the remaining 4 maybe won't take too long, though some of the bracing on the front passenger door was cut out for some reason and will need to be fixed.

Getting them to sit right on the body will be a challenge too, the lines are anything but straight right now on the exterior.

Still haven't sent the body for sandblasting, trying to get some patching done on the rear floor first, and add one of the braces/gussets on the engine bay firewall that got hacked off at some point.

I see now why these restorations take so long One little detail can easily set you back weeks. But we're cranking along...

 

[middlecalf]

You’re kicking A$$. This is no cream puff.

 

[crockett]

YOUR right a lot of work! But your having fun its a great hobby! I am now getting lazy and into street machines 69 Camaro Resto

 

[cruiserdan]

YOUR right a lot of work! But your having fun its a great hobby! I am now getting lazy and into street machines 69 Camaro Resto

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Yummy.

 

[whitey45]

I think I still have a 25 hump that needs far less work than that one! Let me check storage tomorrow.

 

[scoobiedubes]

I think I still have a 25 hump that needs far less work than that one! Let me check storage tomorrow.

That would be great! This one is in rough shape, but we can make it work if we have to.

 

[whitey45]

Here is an old pic, ebrake hole needs a little work, otherwise pretty darn solid( just have to make sure I have it still’

 

[cult45]

Big job and good on you for committing. Mudders and Facebook don't usually mix, but a regular Facebooker will see more parts than a non-Facebooker and at the end of the day it's about finding parts. Hell, there's a guy in Indo selling uber rare parts on Insta. My 2c anyway.

On the topic of FB, there's a page called Australian 40 Series Landcruisers and the page owner has some rare early stock. Shane Cassidy. The fixed top ute collection springs to mind, though I'm certain he's got some 20's. The earliest though is the complete BJ he pulled out of PNG a couple years back. Not BJ40 btw.

I'll be following. Again, well done on taking this on.

~ Dan

 

[scoobiedubes]

Big job and good on you for committing. Mudders and Facebook don't usually mix, but a regular Facebooker will see more parts than a non-Facebooker and at the end of the day it's about finding parts. Hell, there's a guy in Indo selling uber rare parts on Insta. My 2c anyway.

On the topic of FB, there's a page called Australian 40 Series Landcruisers and the page owner has some rare early stock. Shane Cassidy. The fixed top ute collection springs to mind, though I'm certain he's got some 20's. The earliest though is the complete BJ he pulled out of PNG a couple years back. Not BJ40 btw.

I'll be following. Again, well done on taking this on.

~ Dan

I’ve been thinking you’re right about Facebook. There’s a stubbornness to it for me, I really hate what social media has done to our society and don’t want to be a part of it. But maybe I can create a profile that’s for nothing but ‘mud stuff.

got those rear tail lights in today, I’m going to check it out tomorrow and see if they fit the body or not. They look pretty close, fingers crossed.

working on the 3rd door now. This one had to cut the entire bottom out, but I think will be simpler to repair than the first two. Progress progress!

 

[scoobiedubes]

Here is an old pic, ebrake hole needs a little work, otherwise pretty darn solid( just have to make sure I have it still’View attachment 2224000

So I’ve got this trans hump on the way, thank you @whitey45 ! And a rusted out trans from @65swb45 that should provide some of my missing transfer/ebrake pieces. Just have to figure out how to get it to Phoenix from Burbank if any mudders have any ideas. Slowly but surely my parts list is shrinking, but I’m not so foolish as to think it won’t start growing again at some point! I think the biggest piece left to get right now is a 1960 F135, but I do have a few leads. Just being patient for now.

also many thanks to @Living in the Past for donating his firewall brace/rib from one of his parts tubs. Much easier than fabricating a new one!

I feel like this project has a bit of the whole community in it. “It takes a village of cruiser addicts to raise a 28”.

 

[JohnnyC]

A lot of mudders use Fastenall to ship bulky things ... I have yet to do it ... but... I think it’s also cheap in comparison to fedex or ups

People have also used greyhound bus lines to ship

 

[Land Cruiser Junky]

"It takes a village of cruiser addicts to raise a 28”.

I see a T-shirt coming.

This 28L fell into the right hands. Glad to see the time you're taking to "undo" the sins of the past and as best you can get this thing back to it's original state. The doors are looking good.

When you're finished you'll have to send some pics over to Cahaba Cruisers who sold the red 28 and tell them, "Here, this is how it's done".

 

[scoobiedubes]

Tried out the new tail lights this morning, they're too small but I really like the look they're a pretty close match to what Toyota had on the pink 28VA so I think we will try to make it work. The opening in the body is about 105mm, the light is about 98mm so its close enough that we should be able to fill it by building some kind of a bezel I think. Such a long ways to go from being ready to mount these, but its nice to cross a part off the list... these came from a Yahoo Japan auction, and I believe are from an old Mitsubishi J24 jeep.

Other nice thing is these are combination lamps, so they'll be able to function as run/brake/turn signals.

Edit: here's the photo from Pinkie