Barn Find 83 FJ 60. Did I do ok? Not operational Need help with where to even start (1 Viewer)

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Hello! I found this old 83 FJ 60 for what I thought was a good price <10k. It doesn't work, the guy says he had done an engine swap a few years ago and it turned over however the radiator was bad. he had tried to get it fixed but lives very remotely. Thus he had left it sitting out under his trees for a while. It has air lockers, he took out the air compressor to prevent someone from selling it, I have it in my garage. I am not to versed in wrenching but want to learn . Seems to me a lot of stuff missing in the engine bay? also I cant tell if this undercarriage is surface rust or bad rust. I want to spend the time to restore it to glory. I have the time and a steady income source to do it. Please let me know what you guys think, did I make out ok. also where do I start?

Seems to me a lot of stuff missing from the engine bay, I know the radiator for sure and the smog set up. Im going to live in Rural nevada and won't need smog testing

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thank you for any advice anyone might have. still searching all the info on this forum, great community. I have learned about a mechanic in Stockton, Ca who may be able to help guide me.
 
Engine bay looks fine. Looks like it just needs a radiator and battery. The smog pump has been removed which frees up a lot of spsce
 
Engine bay looks fine. Looks like it just needs a radiator and battery. The smog pump has been removed which frees up a lot of spsce
I assume I would still need to do the desmog procedure that people have brought up in this forum correct?
 
Nobody has to remove the smog equipment on their cruiser. They do so because they don't like seeing it clutter up the engine bay.
 
Engine bay looks fine. Looks like it just needs a radiator and battery. The smog pump has been removed which frees up a lot of spsce
Looks like the smog pump is still there - pulley and tensioner bolt visible below the PS pump. Maybe it’s just a pulley….

@FJ60LC It looks like most if not all of the smog equipment is still present FYI. I can’t see the HAC hiding back by the brake booster but everything else seems to be there. So you’re short a battery and a radiator. Good luck!
 
Pull the plugs, see if it cranks easily by hand. Closest good source of parts for you would be
Man-A-Fre in Henderson just out of Vegas. Vendors list has some really good parts sources of
rally good quality used parts, save you a bundle of money.
Go here, look through the diagrams for the entire radiator assembly. figure out the part numbers
you need and then start looking. I use this site cause it gives numbers of each part you need too.
Very helpful once you figure it out.

All the manuals you need are above in the RESOURCES section. Grab the one you need and download.
good luck, and have fun. I personally never worry about what someone pays. What you have is a very
viable truck, great looking starting point. There will be one or two things crop up that will question
your common sense, but stick with it and lots of help here. J
 
@FJ60LC You could yank the smog systems out - less to troubleshoot. I have to be smogged here in Denver and once you wrap your head around the different systems it’s not too bad. A surprising amount of my equipment worked and yours might too.

Get it turning over by hand, and then by battery, and then by fuel. See where you’re at then.
 
I didn’t really look, if you are in Reno then just over the mountain hump is Valley Hybrids. Georg is a
genius and may have parts or steer you in the right direction.
Yea. I actually have it here in Sacramento for a few weeks at my families house before I transport it to Reno. Maybe I’ll call valley hybrids while I’m 30min away
 
Pull the plugs, see if it cranks easily by hand. Closest good source of parts for you would be
Man-A-Fre in Henderson just out of Vegas. Vendors list has some really good parts sources of
rally good quality used parts, save you a bundle of money.
Go here, look through the diagrams for the entire radiator assembly. figure out the part numbers
you need and then start looking. I use this site cause it gives numbers of each part you need too.
Very helpful once you figure it out.

All the manuals you need are above in the RESOURCES section. Grab the one you need and download.
good luck, and have fun. I personally never worry about what someone pays. What you have is a very
viable truck, great looking starting point. There will be one or two things crop up that will question
your common sense, but stick with it and lots of help here. J
Thank you! I will check this out, and start there. Excited for the journey.
 
This guy. His repair shop is just that. I remember him from my earliest days in the land cruiser world.
Go visit and talk to him. Been a few years, but he had a dozen lined up in the yard.
 
This guy. His repair shop is just that. I remember him from my earliest days in the land cruiser world.
Go visit and talk to him. Been a few years, but he had a dozen lined up in the yard.
Great find, he never came up when I was searching the site. Thanks
 
Great find, he never came up when I was searching the site. Thanks
No, he is really flying under the radar. He was so big back when this website was starting.
His innovations were inspiring to many of us. His trucks, that FJ45 - off the charts!
 

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