Builds FJ45SWB recovered from a barn (1 Viewer)

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FJ40Jim

The Cruiser Whisperer
SILVER Star
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Threads
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Location
Lancaster, Ohio, USA
Website
www.tlcperformance.com
Everybody likes pics, so here we are.

The local parts store told me a guy named Frank came in looking to sell an old Land Cruiser project he'd had in the barn since last century. Said it was a PU truck. They know me, so they kept the guy's name & number for me.

At this point I'm thinking "Yeah, right. Another rotted 1971 drum brake, 3speed FJ40 w/ the ass rotted off and replaced w/ a 4' square sheet of outdoor ply." But I called Frank anyway. Good thing, cause it was true and then some.

Frank bought the truck as a roller outta AZ in the late 1990's. It was trucked to Ohio, so he could build it up w/ V8, auto, sag steering, etc. But he didn't get to it, so the truck was rolled down the road a mile and stashed in the basement of the family barn for "later". As you know, later never gets here.

In addition to the rolling truck, he also had a stash of sheetmetal he bought outta AZ junkyards in the 1990's. I'll post that stuff in the general FS or FJ45 sections as appropriate.

Here's what it looked like, under a moldy, s***-covered tarp (it was in the basement of a 3-story working barn).

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And with the tarp rolled off.

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In the bed is a SBC with an exit wound in the pan, a filthy TH350, a 1963 T-case, radiator & frame, racoon poop, rotten cardboard, etc....

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The interior features random gages holesawed into the dash, rotten original seats, custom wooden overhead console, extensively customized tranny hump....

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The rear drums were rusted solid from sitting, but all 4 tires took air, and the steering was free. So we drug it outside with ZebraBee's F350.

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It was winched onto the trailer, and hauled back to the shop, where we disposed of the garbage in the bed. Then we decided that it really needed something in the bed. A proper accessory for a beverly hellbillies Cruiser.
:idea: I've got just the thing!

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Hey Jethro,

That recliner wouldn't happen to be Fine Corinthian Leather, would it?
Where y'all fixin to be puttin yer TV?
 
Ribbed roof for her pleasure and tailights down low because it has the swingout tire carrier not the underneath one... There are so many different details on these trucks it's amazing.
Better lock that bezel up. Strange that it has Orange front bib lights and a stamped bezel. Normally they would be white bib lights when they're that old.
 
Ribbed roof for her pleasure and tailights down low because it has the swingout tire carrier not the underneath one... There are so many different details on these trucks it's amazing.
Better lock that bezel up. Strange that it has Orange front bib lights and a stamped bezel. Normally they would be white bib lights when they're that old.


Fews things just aren't right. Transfer case is a 63 and looks like the truck is too. Stamped bezel with the non emblem grill would be 63 or earlier. The orange bib lights wouldn't be correct for any cruiser before the 68 model year. I believe the tail lights are later also. Prior to 64 the tail lights were the same size as the bib lights. Just too many things wrong. Best thing would be to ship it back to AZ to get things straightened up. Since I live in AZ and hate when we let things like this happen I will give you my address and you can ship back to me. As soon as I get correct parts on I will ship it back. But that may take a while.:rolleyes:
 
This is an early truck, grey speedo, fixed windshield,no plates or hinges,I bet this truck is in the 12'*** vin range making it a late 62 build...Lets see the vin#!! nice find:beer:
 
I'm told that the frt bib lights looked like new, before somebody pushed a haywagon into the barn and mashed them. I'm guessing they were replaced in 1986, right before the 305 2V engine spat out a rod.

The truck is missing a lot, and I am thankful for that. I'd feel bad updating an intact truck.

Specifically, it has a badly done Saginaw manual steering install (to be replaced w/ FJ60 power box).
No 1bbl F engine. (update to 1981 2F w/ oil cooler & full flow oil filtration)
No generator & points regulator (update to 81-90 solid state alternator)
No points ignition. (update w/ 81-87 electronic ignition)
No single circuit drum brake MC (update w/ dual circuit MC, possibly w/ pwr booster)
No clutch MC (update to 1978 style MC and new lines)
No column shift J30 (update to H4x and floor shift)

It still has the stock axles, including centered rear diff. Will probably sell the axle assemblies to somebody here for scrap value, and swap in offset rear. Not so much to gain the proper off set, but because I like the 10mm diff mounting studs in the 66-later axle housings (and the interchangeability of all 1966-1996 rear diffs). Also, for safety purposes, it will get 4WDB w/ FJ60 frt knuckles and the kludgy but effective GM RDB swap.

Might keep the vac shift t-case, if all the components are still there.

For now it has been moved to cold dry storage at a top secret military test facility. I'll build up a pair of axles to put under it to make it a roller, and a 2F to drop into it. Once the big pieces are ready for install, I can bring it to the shop and start throwing parts at it.
 
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I like the way you think. Of all those things the booster takes the most thought. Either swap firewalls or there are other options. Im heading down the same path but a little ahead of you.
 
Fews things just aren't right. Transfer case is a 63 and looks like the truck is too. Stamped bezel with the non emblem grill would be 63 or earlier. The orange bib lights wouldn't be correct for any cruiser before the 68 model year. I believe the tail lights are later also. Prior to 64 the tail lights were the same size as the bib lights. Just too many things wrong. Best thing would be to ship it back to AZ to get things straightened up. Since I live in AZ and hate when we let things like this happen I will give you my address and you can ship back to me. As soon as I get correct parts on I will ship it back. But that may take a while.:rolleyes:
You're from AZ?
Missing something?:confused:

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It's mine, I [STRIKE]took[/STRIKE] found it, you can't take it back :crybaby:
 
I like the way you think. Of all those things the booster takes the most thought. Either swap firewalls or there are other options. Im heading down the same path but a little ahead of you.

I have two different options I like a lot better than swapping firewalls.

The hydroboost is cleaner than the clutch side install, I think.
 
I hope I will not be too tall w/ the steering wheel angled up slightly. I'm not a big boy, compared to the average Walmart shopper.

On the last one I built, when the steering column was welded to the firewall plate, the column was punched through toward the bottom of the opening, which angled the column up toward vertical a little more, and the column was pushed upward about an inch, to also allow more legroom underneath. It worked OK. Woulda been better but the Buick power leather bench seat was kinda thick, so even with it all the way against the rear bulkhead there was 6" of overstuffed corinthian leather between the driver & bulkhead.

This time, cheap JY bucket seats w/ a thin back will be clamped onto the framework for the split bench.

:idea: Ooh, there's a pair of old tan Porsche seats here that could be a good fit.

OOOh, and I know where there is a stripper 318is (vanilla white w/ tan fabric rental car interior) being parted down, w/ manual buckets.
 
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Jim,

I used to wheel with you in the late 80's. If memory serves me correctly, you used treated lumber and plywood on some of your early repairs.... ;)

Nice find.

The other.... Jim C.
 
You're from AZ?
Missing something?:confused:

DSCF1871.jpg



It's mine, I [STRIKE]took[/STRIKE] found it, you can't take it back :crybaby:


Not originally from AZ. Only been here a few years (71 :rolleyes:). No that one wasn't mine. The only fixed top I've ever considered buying was in paint with primer about twenty-five years ago. Going thru a divorce timing wasn't right. Happy now just to have my long bed. Besides anything that the drums brakes are rusted so bad that they wouldn't break free even with being dragged has already spent to much time out of the state.

Your Maroon plate might have given a good idea I might be able to do what I want. I put historical plates on my 68. It had the orange and green plates. Since these over lapped the maroon plate maybe I can convince ADOT to let me use the orange/green plates on my 70 I just bought. It had a maroon plate
but the ornage/green plate would give a more retro looked.:hmm: No Buick, porche or BMW going in that one. One of these days I need to send you my 76 carb. This is off another one of these rust free cruisers we managed to keep here out of the rust belt.
 
Jim,

I used to wheel with you in the late 80's. If memory serves me correctly, you used treated lumber and plywood on some of your early repairs.... ;)

Nice find.

The other.... Jim C.

Jim falls into the same catagory as the "plumber with the leaky pipes" and the "mechanic who's car doesn't run". I know fer a fact he's running a broken and reglued tail light lens on his FJ60 carb tester (he sold all the good ones...). :hillbilly: Oh, don't ever buy a "mechanic owned" car. A good mechanic knows when to hold'em and when the car is about to fold...

On the ride to the "top secret military test facility" a guy was all excited about the " '48 Willys" I had on the trailer. You could hear the excitement drain from his voice when he said "oh, its a toyota"... :rolleyes::lol:

Nick
 
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I used to wheel with you in the late 80's. If memory serves me correctly, you used treated lumber and plywood on some of your early repairs.... ;)

Nice find.

The other.... Jim C.
Well, those were body repairs.

Completely unessential on a Cruiser.

You still rolling a Unimog?
 

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