Recent content by FJ40Mitchell

Unfortunately our 40 restoration is still in progress, as it has been for coming up on 3 years. Our body guy should finally be getting it wrapped up in the next couple of months, but I've been saying that for 2 years... Hopefully I'll have a reason to become regularly active again on this forum...

Last week marks one year since my dad, uncle and I spent 4 days tearing down the 40 to begin our first frame off restoration. Back in those days, we had delusions of finishing the restoration in a few months. Ah, how naive we were. But we’ve enjoyed the project so much that we decided we needed...

Yes, especially a RHD one. I'm going to have to figure out how much of it is comparable to a LHD FJ40 tub, since they will be much easier to source stateside. I guess I had assumed that nearly everything from the cowl back was basically the same? Besides the floorpan, because the gas tank is on...

We'll be keeping it all original like our '73, and yes, we'll definitely be looking to replace the tub. Only significant appearance thing we'll likely change is the paint color. Dad and I both dislike red, and after all, there are too many Freeborn Red 40's out there. Probably go for Mustard Yellow.

More pictures:

My dad and I really enjoyed our first frame off resto of our 1973 FJ40. As of writing, it’s still in progress, but that’s how these things go, isn’t it ;) The link to that build thread is in my signature, but for now its time to kick off the build thread of the newest member of our cruiser...

Stopped by to see Tony. He's making steady progress still, but keeps finding things that he says will probably extend the time required to finish the job. He's got the body all together on a frame, but he had to use some ratchet straps to pull the hardtop sides in enough for them to fit. There...

Thanks for all your great suggestions. Unfortunately my mother and sister nixed most of the Land Cruiser related names, but we ended up naming her Nova. She's got a very defined five point star on her chest, and we liked the name in use. It also goes well with her new older sister's name, Ivy...

Another minor update Dad stopped by the shop last week and Tony has started work on the tub. He's definitely having fitment issues with the Land Cruiser Heaven rear half tub. I think that's simply because LCH doesn't (and probably can't) have the manufacturing precision of a Japanese assembly...

Haha dude, I thought I was reading the beginning of my own build thread at first! I'm also a college student, studying Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, and doing a frame off with my dad! Cool I'm not the only guy under 50 on here ;) Check out my build thread! (Link is in my signature)...

So my family has just adopted this puppy from a lab rescue center here in ATL, she's half lab half something else (maybe collie, spaniel, maybe one of yall have an idea). But we need help naming her! I picture her riding shotgun in our soon-to-be restored '73 FJ40, and I think a name with...

Update! Well folks, it's been a while. I'm starting to finally learn things never happen as quickly as you hope they will with these projects: since our last update, the family went on vacation and then school started back up, so the 40 hasn't gotten much attention. But now Dad and I have gone...

Haha, in his own words, "I f**king hate those things." They were suggested as a solution, but he doesn't like them because if they aren't tight enough for whatever reason, or if they loosen up over time, they will spin with the bolt when you try to turn it. And once the nutsert starts spinning...

That makes a lot of sense, and I certainly would have been disappointed if the holes didn't line up. Based on what I've heard about hardtops on 40's, they all fit a bit different anyway. I wasn't criticizing Land Cruiser Heaven for false advertising or similar, but I just wanted to answer the...

Sorry, skipped that image. It was sitting on a pallet, strapped down with the blue and red straps and wrapped in cardboard and plastic. We got a floorpan and a used transmission hump from them too.