I am a lucky and blessed man that needs some help and direction....hoping you guys could lend a hand?
At 15 I did no know it....but I got bit early.....as my first vehicle was a '67 FJ40....handed down from my Grandfather to my Father....and then to me. Other than my family, my FJ40 has been with me longer than anything else in life.
My Father put a bit into her on his teachers salary, a new coat of clean, removed the 3 on-the-tree and the 2F and dropped in an AT with a 289 (really don't like it and it overheats), but he did what he felt was right back 30 years ago. He passed her onto me a bit tighter and cleaner than he received her.
I drove it for 10+ years, through high school, college, on hunting/fishing/camping trips, took her from the mainland to Hawaii for a couple years and back again. To say I have great memories in her is a gross understatement. For all of us, there are few things in life that mean as much to us as our first truck, and when it's an FJ40 it will tug at you for life!
Fast forward to 2017 and she is in need of long overdue maintenance, and prep for the next generation. Both my children, now 11 & 13 years old, are begging and fighting for me to "tune her up" to drive her.....and my wife is fully supportive. The misses is great, "Fix her up nice as you want her, she is and always will be yours, the kids can learn to drive her for a couple years around town while in high school, and when they move off to college she is all yours." Like I said, I am a lucky man.
My question is where do I start on a rebuild to bring her back to her back and into a solid daily driver? My free time is a bit limited so I will hire out the major steps. My automotive skills a bit limited as I have never rebuilt/fixed up a vehicle from the ground up, but the tug is big and there.......and I need to get going now or the opportunity could pass my families next generation by!
A couple facts:
1. Changes from stock...currently has a automatic transmission with Ford 289. Not in love with this package.
2. All original, other than engine and 1988 year old paint job, which needs to be redone. Moderate rust.
A couple thoughts, questions and looking for recommendations:
1. Should I pull the 289 and go back to the 2F with 3 on the tree? Keep it on the floor? Add an overdrive transmission to help as daily driver if I switch back to a 2F? Other suggestion? I would love to be able to pull "comfortable" 200+ mile trips out of her again. The 289 ran like crap during the last breaths...but seemed like possibly a simple vacuum leak.
2. Seems most guys remove drum breaks and switch to disk....any reason not go to this route other than the cost?
3. Should I just bight to bullet and do a body off resto/paint job while having he engine swapped or rebuilt?
4. What about the frame...don't fret or should I do something?
5. Suspension....what should I consider or do you recommend as its all original.
6. What other major items am I missing?
7. Anyone care to list steps 1-10 you would follow if in my situation?
8. Anything you would definitely do yourself?
9. What would you recommend hiring out if your skill set is limited?
I look forward to your comments, questions, feedback, suggestions and possible direction. Myself and the next 1967 FJ40 generation thanks you!!
At 15 I did no know it....but I got bit early.....as my first vehicle was a '67 FJ40....handed down from my Grandfather to my Father....and then to me. Other than my family, my FJ40 has been with me longer than anything else in life.
My Father put a bit into her on his teachers salary, a new coat of clean, removed the 3 on-the-tree and the 2F and dropped in an AT with a 289 (really don't like it and it overheats), but he did what he felt was right back 30 years ago. He passed her onto me a bit tighter and cleaner than he received her.
I drove it for 10+ years, through high school, college, on hunting/fishing/camping trips, took her from the mainland to Hawaii for a couple years and back again. To say I have great memories in her is a gross understatement. For all of us, there are few things in life that mean as much to us as our first truck, and when it's an FJ40 it will tug at you for life!
Fast forward to 2017 and she is in need of long overdue maintenance, and prep for the next generation. Both my children, now 11 & 13 years old, are begging and fighting for me to "tune her up" to drive her.....and my wife is fully supportive. The misses is great, "Fix her up nice as you want her, she is and always will be yours, the kids can learn to drive her for a couple years around town while in high school, and when they move off to college she is all yours." Like I said, I am a lucky man.
My question is where do I start on a rebuild to bring her back to her back and into a solid daily driver? My free time is a bit limited so I will hire out the major steps. My automotive skills a bit limited as I have never rebuilt/fixed up a vehicle from the ground up, but the tug is big and there.......and I need to get going now or the opportunity could pass my families next generation by!
A couple facts:
1. Changes from stock...currently has a automatic transmission with Ford 289. Not in love with this package.
2. All original, other than engine and 1988 year old paint job, which needs to be redone. Moderate rust.
A couple thoughts, questions and looking for recommendations:
1. Should I pull the 289 and go back to the 2F with 3 on the tree? Keep it on the floor? Add an overdrive transmission to help as daily driver if I switch back to a 2F? Other suggestion? I would love to be able to pull "comfortable" 200+ mile trips out of her again. The 289 ran like crap during the last breaths...but seemed like possibly a simple vacuum leak.
2. Seems most guys remove drum breaks and switch to disk....any reason not go to this route other than the cost?
3. Should I just bight to bullet and do a body off resto/paint job while having he engine swapped or rebuilt?
4. What about the frame...don't fret or should I do something?
5. Suspension....what should I consider or do you recommend as its all original.
6. What other major items am I missing?
7. Anyone care to list steps 1-10 you would follow if in my situation?
8. Anything you would definitely do yourself?
9. What would you recommend hiring out if your skill set is limited?
I look forward to your comments, questions, feedback, suggestions and possible direction. Myself and the next 1967 FJ40 generation thanks you!!
