Builds 1960 FJ28L - Project Lara

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I can't stop looking at this thing. What an awesome vehicle. Some good news, that dash ashtray you're missing is sitting in my garage. As I messaged you today, check to see if the door regulators and openers are the same as the LV and I might be able to help. I wonder if the turn signals on the fenders originally had the red lense in the back of the housing? If you find that they did, I can help you there as well.

I would not want to be you. With an LV to work on and now a 28, I'd never get out of the garage. 😁 Good thing your wife likes the Land Cruiser.
 
Land Cruiser Junky said:
I can't stop looking at this thing. What an awesome vehicle. Some good news, that dash ashtray you're missing is sitting in my garage. As I messaged you today, check to see if the door regulators and openers are the same as the LV and I might be able to help. I wonder if the turn signals on the fenders originally had the red lense in the back of the housing? If you find that they did, I can help you there as well.

I would not want to be you. With an LV to work on and now a 28, I'd never get out of the garage. 😁 Good thing your wife likes the Land Cruiser.
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great news on the ashtray! I'll PM you on it.

We started some disassembly today, so I'm looking at the door regulators... looks to me like they've been modified over the years with some "Venezuelan ingenuity", and they're in pretty rough shape. So if you've got some LV parts that would certainly help. It's nice having the LV and 28 right next to each other to compare. Last picture is the LV mechanism, need to pull it apart a little better to get a closer look but you can see on the 28 mechanism that at some point they welded a piece on the end already.

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Time to start stressing out and getting scared. Taking it apart a little bit - windows are out, as expected lots of crustiness in all the window frames. Amazingly all of the window glass looks good, not sure yet how much is original though. Would I be looking for any particular markings to know for sure?

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Some pieces are better than others, the seats in there are definitely some new pieces the seller probably just whipped up in a hurry to call it a "driver" at the auction. I'll hold onto them for a little bit but will probably see if I can use them for a bartering piece at some point for some work locally. Never know what can be used as currency!
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Rear passenger side regulator looks a little different (one posted above was front passenger).

This thread is going to get really long really fast - everybody ok with me posting a ton of pictures on here or should I create some sort of google photo album?
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Rear cargo door mechanism - is this green hose piece original? :) kidding. I don't think the mechanism itself is, I'm wondering if I should try to use some of the FJ40 ambulance door hardware when we start putting it back together. One thing I actually have "spares" of are the exterior door handles from the LV (that this 28 shares) so I'll probably use one of those on the rear
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These other pictures below are of the ambulance doors themselves. Going to be some surgery in a lot of these areas for sure. Worst door is the driver side rear.
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Do you know anyone who has an FJ28 parts manual for this year?
 
Which door openers and regulators do you need? Driver/Pass -front/rear
 
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I think we only need one window regulator (front passenger) surprisingly. TBD on the door mechanisms, need to get into those still. Had to leave for a bit will take a closer look at them in the morning hopefully.
 
Lots of lipstick on that pig. :hmm:
 
What a shame.
 
cruiserdan said:
Sadly there isn't much there to see.View attachment 2189693View attachment 2189694View attachment 2189696
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Dan do you have a better picture of the base of the steering wheel. I'm not able to find anything on the turn signal switch used here in the US FJ25s in the 1963 version of the FJ25 & FJ25L parts book. There is a small section in the back but only on difference in the frame, suspension and running gear.

The FJ28 in this thread has a aftermarket turn signal switch (red knob for the hazzard lights is a give away) and possibly a 61-7/69 steering wheel which may explain why it looks so good. I know I'm AZ but have never seen a FJ25 steering wheel in good shape. 61-7/69 FJ40 wheels I have are all in much better shape.

The ashtray in the FJ40 started during 1962. I have what is left of a 61 FJ40LV has what is left of a rusted out aftermarket ashtray. Seems funny today but tons more people smoked back in the sixties adding a ashtray was not that uncommon.

Turn signals on the fender look to have three screws holding the lense were later than the dual lens turn signals and last I checked were still being sold new by Toyota. Turn signals mounted in the location have a bracket the underside so the mount bolt tightens against a flat surface. The pictures I've seen the turn signal if not on the bib were mount on the top of the fender with a taller base. But that may have been on a FJ35. For the turn signals and ashtray removing and inspecting may be a easy why to tell if original or not.
Not sure if the bib lights are original or not. By 1960 the style still sold today with amber lenses was the same. If this was a market requirement of the market it came from or what is easy to find.

A very nice cruiser, would be jealous if I was twenty five years younger. Since enough parts have switched or added leaving it patina like the one in the museum doesn't make sense. I would restore it as correct as possible especially since many items can be located. Would think it would help the value later on.
 
Living in the Past said:
Dan do you have a better picture of the base of the steering wheel. I'm not able to find anything on the turn signal switch used here in the US FJ25s in the 1963 version of the FJ25 & FJ25L parts book. There is a small section in the back but only on difference in the frame, suspension and running gear.

The FJ28 in this thread has a aftermarket turn signal switch (red knob for the hazzard lights is a give away) and possibly a 61-7/69 steering wheel which may explain why it looks so good. I know I'm AZ but have never seen a FJ25 steering wheel in good shape. 61-7/69 FJ40 wheels I have are all in much better shape.

The ashtray in the FJ40 started during 1962. I have what is left of a 61 FJ40LV has what is left of a rusted out aftermarket ashtray. Seems funny today but tons more people smoked back in the sixties adding a ashtray was not that uncommon.

Turn signals on the fender look to have three screws holding the lense were later than the dual lens turn signals and last I checked were still being sold new by Toyota. Turn signals mounted in the location have a bracket the underside so the mount bolt tightens against a flat surface. The pictures I've seen the turn signal if not on the bib were mount on the top of the fender with a taller base. But that may have been on a FJ35. For the turn signals and ashtray removing and inspecting may be a easy why to tell if original or not.
Not sure if the bib lights are original or not. By 1960 the style still sold today with amber lenses was the same. If this was a market requirement of the market it came from or what is easy to find.

A very nice cruiser, would be jealous if I was twenty five years younger. Since enough parts have switched or added leaving it patina like the one in the museum doesn't make sense. I would restore it as correct as possible especially since many items can be located. Would think it would help the value later on.
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I believe I've sourced the correct steering wheel for this 28, thanks to @Indygbd - I didn't know these existed, learning a lot! See how rounded the base is? I'm hoping the horn button is interchangeable at least.

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As for the turn signals from the brochures it looks like this had those semaphores, which I believe had a switch on the dash? This is something that will be really difficult to source for sure. I definitely know this won't have any signals on the fenders, those have to go. At a minimum I'll have dual filament on the little torpedo signal lights up front on the bib. Down the road if I'm lucky enough to find the semaphores or @JohnnyC finds them for me, those should be pretty easy to retrofit. I can't get my hopes up on that, but what a cherry on top it would be. I don't think these ever had a column turn signal switch though, if what I've read about the semaphores are true. Please correct me if I'm wrong (anyone). But I guess if I'm going to make the bib marker lights into turn signals I may have to install one.
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The current signal lenses in the bib are pretty rough, they look different though than what I've got in the LV. More "pointy" - but I am hoping those will work still if the opening is the same size in the bib. Did FJ25's have different signal lights in the bib than the 40 series? I've got a new set, but haven't yet examined whether they're going to fit or not.

I'm enjoying the idea of restoring this one, and I agree leaving it as-is doesn't make sense to me since there's too much that's already been modified over the years. I just have to be patient, as I know it's going to take a long time.
 
Can someone help me understand if these are the correct hood hinges or not? And what they should look like if no? They’ve got just some long hex bolts pushed through them right now. I hope we can get them out ok without damaging them too much but if not, I hope it’s something I can get a replacement for without too much trouble. Picture could be better sorry. EDIT adding a couple more pictures

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One other thing that’s really been bothering me is this engine. I feel like I should try to at least find a 1960 engine if possible so it’s the correct model year at least. Won’t be numbers matching ever but that would be the next best thing. Anyone disagree? Will a 1960 F be difficult to find?

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