RevISK’s ‘80 FJ40 - A Girl Named Norman (1 Viewer)

[RevISK]

No picture alert…

I decided, based on the visual evidence, that it was time for an oil change. This resulted in a broken distributor cap (filter was stuck, resorted to a c-clamp, should’ve removed the cap) but @aljollano for the win, again, got me right.

Since I had to take the battery out to get to the oil filter, I noticed the battery was bulging quite a bit.

Between tolls, gas, time and a new battery, my oil change became an expensive proposition.

Lesson learned, don’t f with your LandCruiser, it’ll just cost money.

 

[middlecalf]

Since I had to take the battery out to get to the oil filter…

Seriously?

 

[RevISK]

Seriously?

Yes. Couldn’t get leverage with the strap wrench with the battery in. I even had to pull the battery tray.

Got a K&N filter this time with the nut on top so maybe next time I’ll only break the windshield or something.

 

[RevISK]

Small wins today…

Took the Girl back to the tire shop to get them to swap out the massive balancing weights that cut into my fresh tie rod end boots and on the way back was hearing significant rattling from my spare tire carrier. I’ve heard some before, but not like this. When I got home I cut some mechanical rubber I had laying around and lined the inside of the bottom rest with it. Made the carrier fit way more snugly. Took it for a drive and it actually sounded worse? Turns out the dillweeds at the tire shop didn’t tighten my spare. Promptly checked torque on my wheels and those were good. To be fair, they actually asked what the torque specs were for the wheels (Enkei), 95lbs for aluminum wheels was my response (learned from restoring airstreams and the like).

The good news is the rubber just loves its spot and stayed put via love and affection….

Also, drove to a dentist appointment and the tire appointment with this gusset just sitting on the bumper. Still there when I got home. I guess my suspension is getting better? Probably 8 miles of driving… I’ve got to stop setting things on this rig.

 

[RevISK]

Made some seat extensions for my driver seat out of Super/Uni Strut. I saw the idea elsewhere on here (@1911) and use this stuff for all kinds of stuff (racks mostly).

Even though I clock in at 5’ 9 255/256th” I still felt I needed a bit more room than the furthest back setting. Gained about 3” of distance and it seems right one click forward from all the way back.
Also gained 7/8” in height.

No drilling though I did have to notch out the Strut for the seat mover deal. Took about a half an hour total.

 

[RevISK]

Just returned from traveling for work for a few weeks. It gets expensive sitting in hotel rooms and Airbnb’s buying parts as “something to do” but at least I came home to some care packages from @ToyotaMatt and @Fourrunner as well as some random eBay buys.

Got the big bad battery cables put on from @Fourrunner, these things are no joke. I swear Norman was a bit more excited on start up after installation.

Then installed the new washer/rad fluid tank, hose and nozzle from @ToyotaMatt (thanks for the goodies). Had to enlarge the hole in my hood a bit as her blouse is of an older vintage than the rest of her clothes but now she can wash her face…

If only I could figure out where to put the washer fluid …

 

[ToyotaMatt]

.
i hope your TEq surprise mystery gift cereal box prizes are kool enough this rodeo-round , i try to never repeat the same whatever it is i come across in mass quantity

or lay out on the Arts and Crafts table work station here at the Skunk-Works Laboratory and bang out a pile of in one long several cold one secession


- that being said if the below Genuine NipponDenso JAPAN Spec. option is now , after the fact more suitable or more desirable ? Please PM me and i will gitty-up one out to you pony express style .....

- reason being is if i knew about the Early Blouse topic , you would NOT have to had enlarged the EARLY D-Groove OEM factory HOLE at all, as this IS the OEM factory predecessor to the later DIAMOND Shape Grey double squirted nozzles everyone thinks is there ONLY available possible option here on all this ans that , in fact day 1 1962- FJ40 California Mandate was just like mandatory front lap belts equipped ( SAFTEY-RED nylon fabric no-doubt ) a windshield washer system was also , hence it being a ( ( OPT. ) in any EWD diagram , just like a HAZARD switch is A ( OPT ) or optional equipment , i seriously double the other 49 USA states even knew this at the time and if a said early 1960's FJ40 FJ45 P/U actually made it east for some ODD AZZ reason ? the new buyer or whom ever would say who the H#LL drilled 2 hole's then later only 1 hole in that hood for that squitter ain't so bright !


.
- PM me if i can help on the early nozzle squitter topic please...
.

GENUINE NipponDenso JAPAN OEM TOYOTA Washer Nozzle 85341-60030 ROUND Style Single Housing DUAL JETS USES the D-GROOVE HOOD HOLE PROFILE SEE photos PLEASE ......... - VintageTEqParts.com

GENUINE NipponDenso JAPAN OEM TOYOTA Washer Nozzle part # 85341-60030 ROUND Style Single Housing DUAL JETS USES the...

vintageteqparts.com

.

​

 

[RevISK]

.
i hope your TEq surprise mystery gift cereal box prizes are kool enough this rodeo-round , i try to never repeat the same whatever it is i come across in mass quantity

or lay out on the Arts and Crafts table work station here at the Skunk-Works Laboratory and bang out a pile of in one long several cold one secession


- that being said if the below Genuine NipponDenso JAPAN Spec. option is now , after the fact more suitable or more desirable ? Please PM me and i will gitty-up one out to you pony express style .....

- reason being is if i knew about the Early Blouse topic , you would NOT have to had enlarged the EARLY D-Groove OEM factory HOLE at all, as this IS the OEM factory predecessor to the later DIAMOND Shape Grey double squirted nozzles everyone thinks is there ONLY available possible option here on all this ans that , in fact day 1 1962- FJ40 California Mandate was just like mandatory front lap belts equipped ( SAFTEY-RED nylon fabric no-doubt ) a windshield washer system was also , hence it being a ( ( OPT. ) in any EWD diagram , just like a HAZARD switch is A ( OPT ) or optional equipment , i seriously double the other 49 USA states even knew this at the time and if a said early 1960's FJ40 FJ45 P/U actually made it east for some ODD AZZ reason ? the new buyer or whom ever would say who the H#LL drilled 2 hole's then later only 1 hole in that hood for that squitter ain't so bright !


.
- PM me if i can help on the early nozzle squitter topic please...
.

GENUINE NipponDenso JAPAN OEM TOYOTA Washer Nozzle 85341-60030 ROUND Style Single Housing DUAL JETS USES the D-GROOVE HOOD HOLE PROFILE SEE photos PLEASE ......... - VintageTEqParts.com

GENUINE NipponDenso JAPAN OEM TOYOTA Washer Nozzle part # 85341-60030 ROUND Style Single Housing DUAL JETS USES the...

vintageteqparts.com

.

View attachment 3315615​

It’s all good Matt.
Her hole was a little ragged anyway and need reaming.

That hood has a lot of “character” to begin with so a small shove into future isn’t the worst thing.

When I get around to pulling her top off, I’ll route the line for the windshield mounted squirter.

Ian

 

[90WT]

@RevISK I like your rear seat idea to fold and flip sideways, and keep the space between the two seats for passage way. That's cool. I used third row seats from GX470 as back seats in our 40. They also fold and flip sideways. Maybe you could use the mounting bracket from the GX (or similar approach) to attach your seat to the wheel well or across the roll bar. For more ideas and seat belt attachment ideas, there's some pics in my thread here:
Pics
Looking forward to seeing what you end up with.

 

[RevISK]

@RevISK I like your rear seat idea to fold and flip sideways, and keep the space between the two seats for passage way. That's cool. I used third row seats from GX470 as back seats in our 40. They also fold and flip sideways. Maybe you could use the mounting bracket from the GX (or similar approach) to attach your seat to the wheel well or across the roll bar. For more ideas and seat belt attachment ideas, there's some pics in my thread here:
Pics
Looking forward to seeing what you end up with.

That Is a good idea using those brackets. Project on hold while I travel for work. Back at it in a week or so.

Ian

 

[RevISK]

REAR SEATS SAGA

While not really a saga per se, I had started a thread musing about rear seat options and it got a little weird but I did get some good opinions (and some other stuff).

I’m bringing that idea to here for further exploration.

Where I left off with the mockup:

 

[RevISK]

Purchased a Bestop fold and tumble seat but wasn’t in love with how low it sat in stock configuration and the amount of holes (7) to puncture in the tub. Since I would have to dab something up anyway, I started down this path wondering if A) anyone has done this, specifically without butchering the jump seats B) if I could use factory mounting points to make this reversible down the road, as it were.

Seems like it could be a cool thing to be able to do and there has got to be at least a couple other folks who would be interested if I could make this work.

Plus, I really like coming up with solutions to problems I didn’t have in the first place.

Naturally this led to pulling her top off for what was certainly was the first time in her life.

Amazingly only one broken bolt and two stripped screws.
I’ve got some metal work in my future, as if I didn’t already.

Ian

 

[RevISK]

I am really considering getting a decent shrinker/stretcher for 16ga and thinner. I'm the kind of dumbAss that insists on figuring out stuff that took folks decades to learn so I am taking up body work/fabrication. I have made many parts for vintage aluminum travel trailers so it isn't like I am starting from complete scratch. Just a similar approach to a different material. I can sew and I can weld, they really aren't that different. As a bonus, I am equally terrible at both but my stitches hold.

Going to need a new hardtop reinforcement piece for across the top of where the ambi doors open. The ends of mine are cheesed and that is a complicated piece at the ends.

I've got a bit of credit with @65swb45 and if that fails, Cruiser yard might have... For reference:

 

[RevISK]

I referenced the inherent dangers of driving a 40 when things were getting questionable on the other thread with, “this vehicle has no airbags, we die like men”. I knew I’d seen a sticker on a post somewhere at some point in time.

Well, @ginmtb was prescient enough to drop by

and remind me…

Here is the OG reference as well as the thread:

Builds - Won a '74 40 on a coin toss...

Agree but looks like he's been off mud since about the time most places were getting locked down. Hope everything is OK.

forum.ih8mud.com

Ian

 

[RevISK]

Naturally I got it wrong while still keeping the spirit alive. Such is life.

 

[EStein]

I am really considering getting a decent shrinker/stretcher for 16ga and thinner. I'm the kind of dumbAss that insists on figuring out stuff that took folks decades to learn so I am taking up body work/fabrication. I have made many parts for vintage aluminum travel trailers so it isn't like I am starting from complete scratch. Just a similar approach to a different material. I can sew and I can weld, they really aren't that different. As a bonus, I am equally terrible at both but my stitches hold.

Going to need a new hardtop reinforcement piece for across the top of where the ambi doors open. The ends of mine are cheesed and that is a complicated piece at the ends.

I've got a bit of credit with @65swb45 and if that fails, Cruiser yard might have... For reference:
View attachment 3423676

Is your header not fixable? It’s an expensive part to replace. Mine was messed up as well. I’m NOT a fabricator and my welds are average at best but I was able to patch mine up on the ends using flat pieces and didn’t have to bend anything. Best part is you can’t see the fix once it’s back on the truck. Sorry I didn’t take photos.

 

[RevISK]

Is your header not fixable? It’s an expensive part to replace. Mine was messed up as well. I’m NOT a fabricator and my welds are average at best but I was able to patch mine up on the ends using flat pieces and didn’t have to bend anything. Best part is you can’t see the fix once it’s back on the truck. Sorry I didn’t take photos.

Thank you for this encouragement. I got home late last night and fly out again tomorrow morning but I went up to the barn for a second look and I think you’re right. I can fix this:

Bad side

Good side

There is enough life in the good side to probably just clean up, but more importantly, use as a guide to rebuild the bad side.

Looks like the packing there is/was the culprit along with the leaking top of course.

Ian

 

[EStein]

Thank you for this encouragement. I got home late last night and fly out again tomorrow morning but I went up to the barn for a second look and I think you’re right. I can fix this:

Bad side
View attachment 3424189

Good side
View attachment 3424190

There is enough life in the good side to probably just clean up, but more importantly, use as a guide to rebuild the bad side.

Looks like the packing there is/was the culprit along with the leaking top of course.

Ian

You definitely can repair it. At least give it a shot. Not a whole lot to lose. I have to say mine was not as bad as yours!

 

[RevISK]

You definitely can repair it. At least give it a shot. Not a whole lot to lose. I have to say mine was not as bad as yours!

I’ll clean it up and se where I am at. The ones I’ve been seeing for sale are pretty rough. Mark @65swb45 has a bunch listed on his site but I think he’s out of town for awhile. Maybe there is one that has the reverse cheese and fit that way.

 

[RevISK]

Okie dokie.

A bit of a quandary here lads and lasses…

I’m trying to hunt down some elusive leaf spring eye bushings. 33mm OD x 15mm ID. I can get 33x17 from that place in OKC, but the extra 2mm seems like a lot of slop.

A bit of backstory here, I believe the po (beloved Norman, the man, not female 40) had a lovely Rancho suspension put on at some point as evidenced by the shocks I swapped with BIL’s twin’s and the red spring eye bushings that look like a dog shat out a bloody, mangled Tupperware container now. The pins I pulled are 5/8” (15mm for those who don’t speak “the rest of the world”) and/or 15mm while the spring eye measures 33mm.

Just buy new springs and be done with it you say…
Well, I’ve been puking money at the 62 like a sorority girl after a visit to Carlos and Charlie’s and the wife is about to auction my jewelry to the lowest bidder. If you smell what I am cooking here.

I need cost effective, short term solutions.


TD;LR (did I get that right? What does it mean?)

If I get the 33x17 bushings, will that be too much slop? I’ve called Rancho (beyond useless), Energy Suspension (a bit delusional, but at least helpful. “Would 24x19 work?”) searched the webs until I saw the lord (the “Rev” in my name denotes that I am a reverend, I am. Trust me on that.) in HTML.

The rig is like riding a whole heard of goatchickens who all see food in different places.

Help me Obi Wan Kenobi’s…