1959 FJ25 Costa Rica

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Esteban022

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Apr 6, 2014
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Hi,

My name is Esteban and this is my first post. My dad and I just recently bought this 1959 Toyota LC FJ25, that was used for off road purposes. Luckily it still has the original engine and transmission, and most of it's parts a few details are missing here and there.

We're planning to restore it to it's original condition, as close as we can. Since we're aware that there are some parts that are just impossible, or very expensive to get.

From what I can see, and have researched online these are the parts I have to change:
  • remove roll cage
  • remove car gauges
  • search for a Toyota steering wheel
  • change the car floor
  • remove doors, and change to original shape
  • missing gear knobs
  • search for Toyota rims
  • search for seat frames
  • search for front bumper
  • any other unoriginal part you can spot, please let me know
1t93.jpg

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Also we found these 16 inch rims (6 holes), but we're not sure if they original Toyota Land Cruiser rims, we don't mind the year or model as long as they're original Land Cruiser rims.

93p5.jpg
 
front turn signals should be the round style, not rectangular, that was 70-ish to 74. mirrors are also wrong. emblem is on upside down, vent under w/s glass has been bondo'd or glass'd over, non oem shackles. it appears your rig is a factory hardtop, so doors are correct shape, but not vintage, and not sure wth they did with the hinges?
sure there is more, but my dinner is up. looking forward to your build
 
Only thing I will add to Ige's comments is that the FJ25 did not have turn signals mounted on the fenders. They used the front bib lights for turn signals.

Looks like a good project! I'd love to see some more pictures of the door openings as something funny is going on there.

Good Luck :beer:
 
I see what you mean at the bottom of the A pillar, squared off and not round like the door. Has the T-bird which I believe all of those were at least 58. Thought by then there was pop open vents in the side of the cowl. Seen a few hard top models without the vent in the windshield. Still not sure if they were sealed later or came that way from the factory. While it has the hard top doors being from another market doesn't mean it couldn't have been a soft top model. Other market got hard doors as early as the FJ25. US was one of the few markets that had soft door on the sides. The picture of inside the back sounds the brackets for the rear seats with arms at the front. Probably later jump seats installed.
 
Thank you all for your responses.
  • Remove fender mounted lights.
  • Turn upside down, the t bird emblem.
  • The vent under w/s glass indeed has been sealed, I will have to sort that one out. Also the mechanism for opening the vent seems to be missing.
  • Look for OEM shackles, will FJ40 shackles fit?
Now for the tricky questions. Since the previous owner had it for offroading I can't tell which parts did he modified and which ones are original:
  • How can I tell if it was and original hard top or soft top?
  • Did the previous owner cut the body to fit the doors? Since it looks like a square cut and not a round one, ant there's a huge gap.
  • Are the door steps OK? I have seen some FJ25 pictures and they seem shorter.
  • Did the previous owner sealed the pop open vents in the side of the cowl? From the inside it doesn't seems like there has been any work done to it.
  • The fuel tank doesn't have an access in the body work (not sure how that's called in English). My assumption has been that when the previous owner add the doors and modified the body he eliminated the fuel tank access.
 
Esteban022 said:
Thank you all for your responses.
  • Remove fender mounted lights.
  • Turn upside down, the t bird emblem.
  • The vent under w/s glass indeed has been sealed, I will have to sort that one out. Also the mechanism for opening the vent seems to be missing.
  • Look for OEM shackles, will FJ40 shackles fit?
Now for the tricky questions. Since the previous owner had it for offroading I can't tell which parts did he modified and which ones are original:
  • How can I tell if it was and original hard top or soft top?
  • Did the previous owner cut the body to fit the doors? Since it looks like a square cut and not a round one, ant there's a huge gap.
  • Are the door steps OK? I have seen some FJ25 pictures and they seem shorter.
  • Did the previous owner sealed the pop open vents in the side of the cowl? From the inside it doesn't seems like there has been any work done to it.
  • The fuel tank doesn't have an access in the body work (not sure how that's called in English). My assumption has been that when the previous owner add the doors and modified the body he eliminated the fuel tank access.
Click to expand...
Looks like in the left door photo a slot or dark space might have been from a factory soft top hinge. The best way we can identify the cruiser is more photo's. Those are the longest running boards I've seen on a 25. Nice cruiser. John
 
It has turn buttons I. The correct spot for a softtop.
 
Well we have already bought the soft top door panels (the correct shape, with the smaller running boards), and the car floor and they're looking very nice, I'll upload some pictures when they're finished.

Does anyone knows the original paint chips or paint codes for these models? I believed I read somewhere that they where white, red, grey, green and blue. But I hope I can get the original paint codes for a more original look.

Best regards,
 
Didn't happen to see a FJ45LV at the shop that had those bodies parts? Only place I know that ever made replacement body parts since I bought my FJ25 was Paul Pilgram's shop. Owner of the LV is now deceased and his widow and kids would love to get it back.
 
Here in Costa Rica there's a shop that makes all sort of body replacement parts for Land Cruiser, you can pretty much order the whole body if you want.

And well he didn't had any Land Cruisers at the shop when I went there, he just sells you the body parts you order.
 
Not trying to derail your thread so back on subject. How much was it for a the floor pan from the front pillar to the back like you have pictured and for rear fender wells, top and sides?
 
Body (from the firewall all the way back): $3500
Complete Floor: $1200
Door side (both): $800
Rear fenders (both): $1600

These prices are for FJ25, they may vary according to each model.
 
Does anyone knows the original paint chips or paint codes for these models? Or as vague reference of what colors I should use?

I did find some red behind the instrument cluster. Is it like firetruck red?
 
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