So I recently bought this rig. I’ve got a 60 series and a 40 series, I’ve had many cruisers since I was in high school and no my way around them pretty well. I’ve always wanted a 45 and this was posted 3 hours away so I drove down and had a look. I paid up for it but like I said I’ve always wanted one and to find a swb with removable top isn’t easy.
I purchased it from the “right hand man” of the owner who passed away a few weeks earlier. He was a very wealthy Doctor with 50+ properties throughout CO, NM, and TX.
He also had a huge warehouse full of cars and had several other Cruisers including 78 lwb I’m trying to go see.
The back story I was told is that the rig came out of Durango and had been a farm truck. The guy I bought it from, Chris, was a body tech and painter for most of his life and did the restoration for this Doctor 20 years ago. He told me it was originally spring green, and only had a smal rust spot near the tail light that had to be cut out and replaced.
I looked the rig over pretty good sheet metal on this thing is great. There’s no signs of repair or rot, I can see all the spot welds underneath, no big dents or damage. A couple bubbles on the rear sill but it’s really clean. 4 holes were drilled into each side of the bed side, no idea what they’re for. I put some plastic Christmas tree clips in for the time being. I’ve done a few things over the last couple weeks. I’ll post pics of progress, though it’s mostly just going to be baseline, cleaning it up and drive it. I was amazed when I got it home, I took it for a spin and can do 60mph with one finger on the wheel. It tracks straight and the motor is surprisingly peppy!
The truck has a F145 engine out of a 71fj40 (per block number) with a 3speed on the floor and PTO winch.
The rig is a T66 but a 65 by vin. Now i have a couple questions….
The vent windows on the doors are not the bug catcher style. What year did they switch to the lower latch?
Mine does not have the vent on the right for the heater, does this mean it didn’t come with one originally? It now has the heater out of a newer fj (probably the same one that donated the motor).
I know the roll bar and hitch are not factory. What else do you see?
Here’s some pics, I’ll try to keep them in order to show what I’ve done. It probably hadn’t been washed in the 20 years it sat, I found a pancaked mouse under the driver mat.
I purchased it from the “right hand man” of the owner who passed away a few weeks earlier. He was a very wealthy Doctor with 50+ properties throughout CO, NM, and TX.
He also had a huge warehouse full of cars and had several other Cruisers including 78 lwb I’m trying to go see.
The back story I was told is that the rig came out of Durango and had been a farm truck. The guy I bought it from, Chris, was a body tech and painter for most of his life and did the restoration for this Doctor 20 years ago. He told me it was originally spring green, and only had a smal rust spot near the tail light that had to be cut out and replaced.
I looked the rig over pretty good sheet metal on this thing is great. There’s no signs of repair or rot, I can see all the spot welds underneath, no big dents or damage. A couple bubbles on the rear sill but it’s really clean. 4 holes were drilled into each side of the bed side, no idea what they’re for. I put some plastic Christmas tree clips in for the time being. I’ve done a few things over the last couple weeks. I’ll post pics of progress, though it’s mostly just going to be baseline, cleaning it up and drive it. I was amazed when I got it home, I took it for a spin and can do 60mph with one finger on the wheel. It tracks straight and the motor is surprisingly peppy!
The truck has a F145 engine out of a 71fj40 (per block number) with a 3speed on the floor and PTO winch.
The rig is a T66 but a 65 by vin. Now i have a couple questions….
The vent windows on the doors are not the bug catcher style. What year did they switch to the lower latch?
Mine does not have the vent on the right for the heater, does this mean it didn’t come with one originally? It now has the heater out of a newer fj (probably the same one that donated the motor).
I know the roll bar and hitch are not factory. What else do you see?
Here’s some pics, I’ll try to keep them in order to show what I’ve done. It probably hadn’t been washed in the 20 years it sat, I found a pancaked mouse under the driver mat.
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