Second Chance FJ40 (1 Viewer)

[PIG PUNISHER]

I haven’t spent much time on the 40 series side of this forum. I have had a 40 in the late 90’s and a couple of 80’s. In fact I still own a 97 LX450. I have wanted another 40 ever since mine burned up in a shop fire 20 years ago. I may have found one.
It’s a 74 that was dismantled many years ago for a restoration. Will come with lots of NOS parts and was stored indoors since being dismantled.

Here are a few pictures that the current owner took as he was taking it apart. It is now taken completely apart and will be a frame up build. I have worked out a deal with the current owner and hope to pick this up in a few weeks. I’m sure I will need tons of guidance from the community moving forward. I am not rich and will have to build her over a couple years and on a budget.

 

[B y r o n]

Looks like you have a blank canvas that you can turn into whatever you like!

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

Looks like you have a blank canvas that you can turn into whatever you like!

With enough patience and money anything is possible. I plan to go back pretty close to original with a few improvements.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

She’s home. Got her all unloaded and I’m ready to work. I’ll start with the frame and axles and get her rolling then get the engine running. I’m sure I’ll need plenty of guidance along the way.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

First question of many. What is everyone’s preferred frame paint? I’m going to get the frame sandblasted. Do I then paint with 2k primer and paint? I’ve done a lot of searching on here. Just wondering what the consensus is.

Next question is front disc conversion. If I use mini truck knuckles I will need the knuckle rebuild kit for the mini truck? Correct? Obviously I will but will I need any 40 specific parts? The truck is a 74 BTW

 

[macdaddy59]

For paint I recommend 2k epoxy for the sealer after sandblasting and then some frame paint for the top coat.

 

[B y r o n]

Depending on your budget and timeframe, powder coating is probably the most durable. I've never done a whole frame but for my projects I've cleaned as best as I can and then hit with Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer in case I missed or couldn't reach all the rust. Primers will let water through them so a top coat is needed to prevent future rust. I always toped off with a semi-gloss black coat to seal.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

Next question. What is the best way to clean up the rust where the body panels meet? This is the worst spot in the truck as far as panel seams go.

Hopefully a wire wheel and sandblast from the outside will take care of it. I really don’t want to separate the panels.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

This is the most worrisome spot on the truck.

I’m thinking I can make a template and fabricate the top section where the hardtop bolts to the tub and weld it in. It’s crazy how different cruiser rot in different places. Most of the normal rust spots on this one are very clean.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

What’s up with the exhaust manifold not covering this boss in the head? I believe a 2F head has this boss and the manifold attaches there. Is that correct? Is this a 74 only deal? This is my first 1F engine.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

Got the frame painted today. I was going to pick up a sandblaster but that didn’t work out. I used a wire wheel, flap disk and a needle scaler to clean up the frame.

The needle scaler worked really well on the 48 year old undercoating. The wire wheel was just smearing it. This thing worked like a jackhammer.

Couldn’t thinkof a reason not to have a home brew.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

Got the epoxy primer sprayed first.

And topped it off with several coats of black enamel.

Feels really good to get something done. Axles will go under her soon and engine will go in and get compression checked. That’s the plan anyway.

 

[Grayscale]

View attachment 3209355
What’s up with the exhaust manifold not covering this boss in the head? I believe a 2F head has this boss and the manifold attaches there. Is that correct? Is this a 74 only deal? This is my first 1F engine.

The '75 2F below has a hook at that spot.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

Thanks. I guess my hook is missing.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

Guess I’ll talk about the plan for the build. First of all this rig, while in pieces is pretty nice. At least the pieces are pretty nice. I plan to build a nice driver, not an assembly line correct restoration. I don’t have the time patience or money for that. I plan to do as much as possible myself with the help of my 9 year old son. If the engine compression tests good then I’ll get it running and see how she runs. No plans to rebuild it unless necessary. I will regasket it however. Same with tranny/tease. I won’t rebuild unless needed. I’m going to rebuild the rear drums and put mini truck knuckles up front with 60 rotors and IFS calipers. Probably run a non-ABS 80 series master and a mini truck booster. I have brand new front bumper, fuel tank, dash pad, front turn signals, tail lights, battery tray, windshield, weatherstripping, glass rubber, and much more all in Toyota boxes that came with her. This is going to be fun.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

Got a lot done this weekend but didn’t take many pictures. Both axles are cleaned up painted and under the frame. I still have to rebuild the rear brakes and do the knuckle swap on the front but that can happen later.
About a week ago I pulled the spark plugs out which all looked great and slipped a little ATF in each cylinder.
I placed the crusty 1.5F between the shiny frame rails, jumped the starter with a set of jumper cables and she slowly turned over. Slowly being the key word. I pulled all the plugs and hooked up the compression gauge but I don’t think it’s turning as fast as it needs to for an accurate reading. Read 90 across all cylinders except for #4 which was 80. Next I’m going to try to get the engine running, let it go through some heat cycles before performing the compression test again.

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

I did place a rock auto order. And a have a pertronix unit on the way.

 

[Grayscale]

How hard is the engine to turn with a wrench on the crank?

The body seam bleeding rust on to the paint is cleaned up with a moist cloth and dry baking soda. If you were to use an acid type rust remover, expect more bleed later, as the acid primes the iron for oxidation. Everything that I've read suggests that baking soda is too alkaline of an electrolyte for rapid corrosion of iron in regular environments, but it is abrasive enough, when kinda dry, to gently remove the rust bleed on the majority of my enamel. I've heard of people stopping something like a navaljelly process with baking soda, but, I wonder about playing with chemistry in the shop. Paste wax on the enamel will reduce further rust staining. If I had a garage in a moist climate, I'd circulate air under the chassis with a fan.

 

[Greek Cruiserhead]

Got the epoxy primer sprayed first. View attachment 3212310
And topped it off with several coats of black enamel. View attachment 3212311
Feels really good to get something done. Axles will go under her soon and engine will go in and get compression checked. That’s the plan anyway.

Moving right along, looks good...and great pics!

PS. Love the HiLux in the background...

 

[PIG PUNISHER]

How hard is the engine to turn with a wrench on the crank?

The body seam bleeding rust on to the paint is cleaned up with a moist cloth and dry baking soda. If you were to use an acid type rust remover, expect more bleed later, as the acid primes the iron for oxidation. Everything that I've read suggests that baking soda is too alkaline of an electrolyte for rapid corrosion of iron in regular environments, but it is abrasive enough, when kinda dry, to gently remove the rust bleed on the majority of my enamel. I've heard of people stopping something like a navaljelly process with baking soda, but, I wonder about playing with chemistry in the shop. Paste wax on the enamel will reduce further rust staining. If I had a garage in a moist climate, I'd circulate air under the chassis with a fan.

It turns over easy enough by hand. I’m going to pull the battery out of my 80 and connect it directly to the starter. I was using jumper cables and I think there is just too much resistance/voltage loss