I picked up my FJ55 last year in Russellville from Ginzu. Found it on Craigslist, after searching for over a year to find a clean one.
Within the first week of ownership a hose blew off the radiator on the interstate, it overheated, and the head gasket blew. Or so I thought. Ended up with a cracked head. Off to the shop at Bohannon's offroad in Bentonville. Jewell has been working on LC's for a long time, and he has actually done a lot of work on mine before I owned it. The cruiser got a lot of love over the winter.
The head was repaired, along with a valve job and a new radiator to be sure it doesn't happen again. Then I decided to bite off the disk brake conversion. For any of you that own 69s, you know the issues there. New GM parts in the rear, along with a new floor mounted emergency brake. In the front, went with used FJ60 parts. There isn't room for a booster. Just running it unboosted on the original master cylinder. It stops way better than it used to, and more importantly, it stops in a straight line every time. Maybe some day I'll try to figure out the remote booster.
Axle bearings, seals, steering knuckle rebuild, and on and on. Basically, I spent a ton of money and you can't tell it from looking. Since it stops, I put some bigger tires on it, so at least it would sit a little more proud. 31x10.50 BFG/ATs with some spacers to make it stand a little wider on the stock wheels.
Next up, getting those god awful bumpers off of it. In the meantime, my kids are learning how to drive it and loving every minute of it.
1969 FJ55 For Sale
See Craigslist post 1969 Toyota Landcruiser FJ55 Wagon Hate to, but have to sell. Runs and drives good, need some TLC, $5500
forum.ih8mud.com
Within the first week of ownership a hose blew off the radiator on the interstate, it overheated, and the head gasket blew. Or so I thought. Ended up with a cracked head. Off to the shop at Bohannon's offroad in Bentonville. Jewell has been working on LC's for a long time, and he has actually done a lot of work on mine before I owned it. The cruiser got a lot of love over the winter.
The head was repaired, along with a valve job and a new radiator to be sure it doesn't happen again. Then I decided to bite off the disk brake conversion. For any of you that own 69s, you know the issues there. New GM parts in the rear, along with a new floor mounted emergency brake. In the front, went with used FJ60 parts. There isn't room for a booster. Just running it unboosted on the original master cylinder. It stops way better than it used to, and more importantly, it stops in a straight line every time. Maybe some day I'll try to figure out the remote booster.
Axle bearings, seals, steering knuckle rebuild, and on and on. Basically, I spent a ton of money and you can't tell it from looking. Since it stops, I put some bigger tires on it, so at least it would sit a little more proud. 31x10.50 BFG/ATs with some spacers to make it stand a little wider on the stock wheels.
Next up, getting those god awful bumpers off of it. In the meantime, my kids are learning how to drive it and loving every minute of it.