1959 FJ25 Soft Top Frame Off Restoration

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

I got my tubes at Autozone, got the number somewhere, they don't list the small 16's on their system but it's on the box, Monkey Grip or something like that. :D

I've got a pressure blaster, but it's a hungry thing, you'll need lots of sand.
 
If you don't mind me asking according to your list what are you charging him for restoration on each component ; example: engine ressto, tranny and case resto exc.? really curious. I think i want to go this way with mine ( mechanically) and find someone out that has done this before to help me / do mine. Im really desparate. Im not going historically though because thats more expensive. Anyway im not trying to steal your thread... I can't wait to see this baby when its done!!!!
 
I didn't itemize it with prices on the quote. Since I was doing all of the work to it, I just gave them one number. Before I spill the beans on the cost, I'd like to see if it actually does come in at budget :D
 
Hope yer not wantin' that plow back per the quote! :D

Any results on the bolt plating experiment in the labooritory?! I've got buckets of bolts I could do that too...

Nick
 
You mean they aren't going to plow they yard with a frame off 25 :confused:


;)
 
foxfab said:
Welcome back to the land of snow and ice :flipoff2: You have a pressure sand blaster? I need to do the inside of a frame :D

3 of the 5 rims are bead blasted finally. I dunno what kind of paint is on this thing, but its a PITA to get off. I've never seen paint so thick or stubborn. It even laughs at aircraft paint stripper. The backs are pretty well pitted, but the fronts are mint.

DSC00080_sm.JPG


Made in May of 1959 ;)

DSC00081_sm.JPG


Anyone know where to get inner tubes for these things?
Pep Boys said they could get the tubes and the boots, but not tires. John 3
 
I just looked at the stampings on the wheels I have from a 58/25-----all of the stamping is in one straight line----450XE round peace sign 2-58, sooo I'm thinking they were 4.5"s wide by E" in diamater (they are 16") made in february, 1958===make sense? Thanks, John Pardi
 
The frame is stripped!

After another 8 hours of sand blasting, she seems ready. I had two different styles of blasters. A cheap Craftsman siphon out of a bucket style and a decent Eastwood pressurized style. For the life of me, I couldnt get the nice one to work and the on/off was at the tank, not the nozzle. So most of today was done with the cheap one. I also tried play sand. Even though it says its screened, I had to do it again. I also had a bucket of "black beauty". Nice stuff but a little big for the cheap blaster. The best thing that I had was a sanblasting hood to cover my head. I used just a face shield last time and that really sucked. I had sand in every orafice. I got as much as I could out of the inside of the rails. There are just some places that you can't get to (inside of the inner rail). I fixed the rear crossmember too. Just some small things to hit with a grinder and I'll start prep for primer and body work. Of course, rain/snow is in the forcast. Not good weather to paint in. My recommendation to anyone sand blastimg their frame... have someone else do it. I've heard prices from $150 to $300 to do a frame. Looking back, I would have paid $300 and still come out ahead :doh:

Here's the primer/paint plan...
Do inside of rails, let dry.
Do top and inner rails, let dry.
Flip frame
Do outside and bottom of rails, let dry.
Flip frame
Repeat..

Stay tuned!!
 
I blasted an entire m416 with a 100lb pot and diesel compressor. I used 1k of black magic. IT was HELL. I'll never sandblast like that again. I'll do little stuff but never anything that big.

We'll never say never ;)

How bout more fj25 story..
 
More pics more pics!!!

Looks great, I love these build threads! Helps me cure the urge somewhat :)
 
Some progress tonight. I finally removed the engine/trans/transfer from the carcass.

engine_sm1.JPG



Next, the trans and transfer are off to Jim's house for an inspection and the engine is off to Machine and Diesel in New Haven, CT for the same. I really hope they can save the block.

I did have one boo boo. The shifter for the t-case has two threaded studs at the base . One of them snapped off. I'm hoping I can drill through it and run a bolt inside it. Very poor design IMHO.

I also torched off most of the body mount bolts. The tub should come off soon.

I contemplated starting to paint the frame tonight, but it wasn't in the cards. I'm hoping for a warm day this weekend and I'll get on it.
 
foxfab said:
I did have one boo boo. The shifter for the t-case has two threaded studs at the base . One of them snapped off. I'm hoping I can drill through it and run a bolt inside it. Very poor design IMHO.

Couldn't find a decent pic of it.....I believe that in a rust free world it is really a single shaft with the two ends threaded. The shaft is supposed to remain fixed and the shifter is bored to be a slip fit on the shaft. Of course, yours probably fused into a single piece about twenty years ago. :D

I think I managed to free mine up to work correctly......might even have a spare.
shifter.webp
 
So Mike, by any chance would you know how many fasteners hold an FJ25 together? I only ask because I applied 31 nuts and/or bolts (and a cotter pin) to the Daughter's 25 last night and we were wondering what our "percent restored" score was...

Oh, was it you that wanted an example of the bumper-mounted-hand-crank-guide thingy?
 
engine_sm5.jpg


I couldnt get the bellhousing off because I was told that you need to take the clutch/flywheel off to get to the back bolts. This is hard to do when the engine wont turn over. DOH~!

The engine is also missing the spring and the clip at the end of the rocker shaft and of course, the stud for the carb linkage on the side of the block discintegrated when I touched it. Anyone got any of this stuff?
 
Last edited:
I have what you need, keep making a list and I can get it all together with that bumper framitz...

One of my parts rigs must of had a siezed engine at one time, the bellhousing had two areas torched out so they could get the clutch cover, then flywheel off....I have an extra bellhousing too....
 
foxfab said:
the stud for the carb linkage on the side of the block

I was trying to get mine out of the block on my 66 so I could use it again on another later F block but after 40 years that sucker is in there. I tried using some claws, pb'd it down for a few days but those splines are doing their job. How does one get this stud out? or has somone found a replacement stud to use?
 
Yeah Mike, I gots that stuff too.......if they can't budge it I'd try to torch the hub of the clutch disc out first........if that doesn't do it.....like Phil said, I've got a spare bellhousing. :D
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom