79 resto (1 Viewer)

[79er]

Back in 1980 I picked up a brandspankin new fj40 from the dealership. I didn't even have a drivers license. My mother followed me home. Me and my old man bought that fj40 and he was away working when it came in. We went all over in that thing. Canada every year, drove it for my senior day of high school, deer hunted in it,, my girlfriend even went wheelin with me in it..she's now my wife. Great times. We painted it from the mustard yellow to olive drab. The vehicle was part of us..Well it Sat next to the wood pile and rusted out with 30,000 miles on it. My old man gave it to a friend who thought it was cool. 2018. My buddy called me and said, hey i saw your old land cruiser. Yeah right i says. A guy was pulling it otta a garage so I went to see. I got tears in my eyes. Still had the gun rack I bolted to the roll bar. 49,000 miles,body and frame rusted out. started it up but carb was gummed. Well she's mine again forever this time.
Body off, saved what I could. Everything photographed and logged. Pulling motor off frame to have it re built .
I need a donor Frame! Can anyone help?

 

[1969FJ]

Back in 1980 I picked up a brandspankin new fj40 from the dealership. I didn't even have a drivers license. My mother followed me home. Me and my old man bought that fj40 and he was away working when it came in. We went all over in that thing. Canada every year, drove it for my senior day of high school, deer hunted in it,, my girlfriend even went wheelin with me in it..she's now my wife. Great times. We painted it from the mustard yellow to olive drab. The vehicle was part of us..Well it Sat next to the wood pile and rusted out with 30,000 miles on it. My old man gave it to a friend who thought it was cool. 2018. My buddy called me and said, hey i saw your old land cruiser. Yeah right i says. A guy was pulling it otta a garage so I went to see. I got tears in my eyes. Still had the gun rack I bolted to the roll bar. 49,000 miles,body and frame rusted out. started it up but carb was gummed. Well she's mine again forever this time.
Body off, saved what I could. Everything photographed and logged. Pulling motor off frame to have it re built .
I need a donor Frame! Can anyone help?

Neat story. I do not have a frame or I would help. Just curious, do you remember the cost of a new FJ40 at that time ?

 

[79er]

The best I recall something over $10,000. It was quite a bit more than a jeep, we were looking at both

 

[cruiserboy14]

There’s a frame somewhere out here in Arizona on Craigslist...
FJ40 rolling frame for sale

 

[Martyt]

Can we see some pictures of this rig

 

[Living in the Past]

There’s a frame somewhere out here in Arizona on Craigslist...
FJ40 rolling frame for sale

73 frame is different than 79/80. 8/80 plus changed some again. Mainly the springs and crossmember for the transmission. But 79+ used the same tub mounts. The tub made major changes 1/79 and included how it mounted to the frame.

 

[cruiserboy14]

Well I tried.... lol

 

[SW20]

I have been looking for a 1979-1980 frame for some time. Not easy to find.

 

[Living in the Past]

There’s a frame somewhere out here in Arizona on Craigslist...
FJ40 rolling frame for sale

Looked at that ad again and that is not a 73 model frame. 68-72. Clear picture of the back narrower a little further. Have one of those frames myself. Do not have the title to it but VIN isn't cut off.

Would break my heart if my 68 I bought used had fallen into the state the OP is now. It needs a new header liner and could stand to be painted. But no body work or rust to deal.

 

[rrv333]

Negatron on anything that had the VIN cut or ground off. Not worth the headache, especially here in Tejas.

 

[Living in the Past]

Negatron on anything that had the VIN cut or ground off. Not worth the headache, especially here in Tejas.

Funny how TLC has no issue making new frames and in fact complete new vehicles then registering them as a sixties vehicles in most cases. This is in California. I'm still figuring out if I want to use my 79 frame or a 82 frame I have. 79 is titled in my name and 82 have the dismantling title in someone else name. Going to a five speed the 82 frame is better. Rear frame member is bent in the middle on the 79. Could use the excuse TLC uses to use a new frame. In any case the 79 frame would never be sold.

,

 

[1969FJ]

Funny how TLC has no issue making new frames and in fact complete new vehicles then registering them as a sixties vehicles in most cases. This is in California. I'm still figuring out if I want to use my 79 frame or a 82 frame I have. 79 is titled in my name and 82 have the dismantling title in someone else name. Going to a five speed the 82 frame is better. Rear frame member is bent in the middle on the 79. Could use the excuse TLC uses to use a new frame. In any case the 79 frame would never be sold.

,

This has been discussed on here somewhere. In the case of Toyota, the frame IS the vehicle. Now, think about it, if you need to repair rust on the back half of the frame, the frame number is still intact in front. Going farther , if all you had was the passenger side part with the frame number on it, could you replace the rest of the frame ? Yes. If one frame was so bad it was to be salvaged, the frame number part could be cut out and put on a good frame. I know it is grey for some, but this is steel and it is replaced and repaired all the time. There is no spec on steel used in a repair.
I once met a person in Idaho that bought an FJ40 new and something went wrong with the frame. Toyota sent a new frame to the dealer for replacement and the frame number was FJ40-0000000. I believe they must have done this because it was just a part to them, not a full vehicle.

 

[SW20]

Funny how TLC has no issue making new frames and in fact complete new vehicles then registering them as a sixties vehicles in most cases. This is in California. I'm still figuring out if I want to use my 79 frame or a 82 frame I have. 79 is titled in my name and 82 have the dismantling title in someone else name. Going to a five speed the 82 frame is better. Rear frame member is bent in the middle on the 79. Could use the excuse TLC uses to use a new frame. In any case the 79 frame would never be sold.

,

Do they make frames? Or do they buy frames from Aqualu?

 

[79er]

Can we see some pictures of this rig

 

[79er]

 

[Living in the Past]

This has been discussed on here somewhere. In the case of Toyota, the frame IS the vehicle. Now, think about it, if you need to repair rust on the back half of the frame, the frame number is still intact in front. Going farther , if all you had was the passenger side part with the frame number on it, could you replace the rest of the frame ? Yes. If one frame was so bad it was to be salvaged, the frame number part could be cut out and put on a good frame. I know it is grey for some, but this is steel and it is replaced and repaired all the time. There is no spec on steel used in a repair.
I once met a person in Idaho that bought an FJ40 new and something went wrong with the frame. Toyota sent a new frame to the dealer for replacement and the frame number was FJ40-0000000. I believe they must have done this because it was just a part to them, not a full vehicle.

My point if the original VIN plaque is still used on the Icon it is the only part of the vehicle it's being titled as is left from that original vehicle. But could very well have a custom plaque made with info on the "RESTORED" cruiser. New vehicle avoiding all emissions and safety features. That is taking the grey area to the limit and beyond. Having titles from both vehicles changing frame seems like nothing. 82 title even though title is not in my name it is a dismantling title. Certainly not trying to do anything with a stolen property. But will probably use the 79 frame since only has the bend in the back and is rust free. 82 the brackets for the radiator are rusted and the bracket for the steering damper was removed and piece of angle iron welded on degrees from stock. Source replacements from a 84.

Do they make frames? Or do they buy frames from Aqualu?

Believe they are having their made.

 

[Martyt]

I was hoping for pictures that revealed more than a grainy 1979 7-11 holdup video

 

[79er]

Yeah I know, I'll post some detailed pics as the project progresses

 

[Living in the Past]

I was hoping for pictures that revealed more than a grainy 1979 7-11 holdup video

7-11 how about bank's ATM videos. As cheap as HD cameras are why do they have pictures that look like they were pulled from a VHS tape that records over every twenty-four hours.

 

[S.CarolinaFZJ80]

@79er
Welcome from another '79 owner.
Glad you got your old cruiser back!
Looking forward to seeing your rebuild & to seeing some pictures of it here in your thread.