Builds The Architect's '77 FJ40 (1 Viewer)

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On my way back from Santa Rosa Beach, Sunday before last, with the window down I noticed that I might have developed an exhaust leak. It was not pronounced so much, but at higher revs I could hear exhaust notes from under the hood. I forgot about it, till yesterday. While messing around under the hood, I started checking the exhaust bolts. Well lo-and-behold, I was able to twist the lower rear bolt with just my fingers on the extension. I tightened it back up, and didn't hear the exhaust this morning.

Question, do you guys put any loctite on the manifold bolts?

Future project, will be to install headers with a new exhaust system. At that time, I'll switch out the bolts to studs, and loctite them into the block. But would you loctite the nuts onto the studs?
The 80 series manifold nuts are locknuts. Are the 40's not?
 
On the way home the other night, I had an interesting encounter........with a DUCK! While I was just cruising down the back roads around 50MPH, there is a section that goes by a pond. Like many-many times before, I was just looking over at the pond in passing, and when I turned back------BAM!!!!! Frigging duck was coming in for a landing on the pond and caught the hood my 40! It hit at such an angle on my left windshield hook, that it actually unhooked it from the rest block. The edge on the hook ripped the duck open, then the duck smashed into and coated my windshield with duck innards. Heck, I could hardly see out the windshield afterwards. The sound that thing made against my 40 was horrible, a dead thud! How it didn't crack my windshield, I'll never know.

Wife wasn't too pleased when I got home, as if I could have done something different. Was going to take a pic, but decided not too, it was a frigging NASTY MESS!

On a lighter note, daughter stopped by on Sunday to clean up her FJC. Had to snap a few pics.

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I had a similar run-in with a grouse near Port Saint Lucie, on the way to Key West, years ago. The stupid bird kept wandering back and forth across the road in front of me, like it was playing frogger. When I reached it, it spread its wings and tried to take off; I caught it full on in the middle of the grille. I had grouse paté all over the front end. I think there are still parts of that bird in the engine bay.
 
I bounced a pheasant off of my hood a few years ago, hit the hood and then the bottom of the windshield frame.

No damage.
 
I glanced a buzzard at 60 last year

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For any locals in the Atlanta area this weekend, I'm going to be here on Saturday afternoon:



I'll post up some pics next week.
 
Prairie maggot last fall.

I hate deer so much.

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What a shame… and to such a rust free front.

In ‘92 I built this for just that reason… thankfully it has never been tested.
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First pick I spotted.



As for what you can do… brake, no wild swerving… it’s not worth totalling your rig to avoid an animal. Chances are good you’ll still hit it as well.
 
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What a shame… and to such a rust free front.

In ‘92 I built this for just that reason… thankfully it has never been tested.
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First pick I spotted.



As for what you can do… brake, no wild swerving… it’s not worth totalling your rig to avoid an animal. Chances are good you’ll still hit it as well.

Took out the bib, bezel and radiator. The radiator I wasn't too bummed, it's getting a new one anyways, but it was a nice bib. Also tweaked the driver's side fender, but both fenders are full of filler, so no real loss there. I've got two new fenders for when paint happens.


I've got a bumper on order. Has been since November of last year. Like everyone else in manufacturing he's a little backed up unfortunately. I do wish I would've had something substantial on there, probably would've been nothing. I didn't hit Bambi's mom going very fast. I was going uphill on a tired 2F not far from a stop sign. I bet I wasn't going 45 when I saw her come up out of the ditch, and less than 30 when I hit.

I'm no stranger to deer. That was the second one I killed with the 40, and I've hit and killed probably 7-8 over the years. They are freaking everywhere here.

It wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit if they were culled hard every ten years.
 
Take a guess!?!?!?!

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Took it out by hand again! And I’ve torqued it back in, AGAIN!!! Any suggestions other than a healthy dose of torque?

Well I’ve got a new bolt, but I also have new studs/thick washer/nut. Was going to use the studs when we can purchase the tri-y headers again.

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Smear some JB Weld on that mofo and send it home with the ugga-dugga, case closed.


Or send a stud to the bottom of the hole and use a brass nut.
 
One more thing to check each time you fuel up. Check oil, and the bolt.


put a camera in the garage. My guess is your wife is sneaking down there and loosening it so she can get time to watch hallmark channel while you are trying to figure it out
 

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