1963 FJ40 color question for the experts (1 Viewer)

[c2dfj45]

Got this 63 40 in from MT today...neat truck. A little more beat up than I usually like but it's complete and it was obviously well used.

Trying to ID the original color....maybe Jade Green? I found some areas in the glove box that were unpainted and it looks like the tops of the doors are unpainted(or the horrible bright green paint that was put on it wore off).

Just wondering if anyone recognizes it. Will do a full thread on the build on this one once we get started...

 

[thebigredrocker]

Wow. Awesome find.

 

[Old Red]

Post your VIN please. And any other photos you have.

That color is called Judson Green.

little orphan annie

 

[c2dfj45]

Sure looks like Judson. Thanks so much. Wish there was more Judson and less Kermit on it. This truck was resprayed at some point and they REALLY resprayed it. The bright green is everywhere...

I'll put up some pics tomorrow...maybe start my thread on it. There will be a pretty good delay in the build as we're elbows deep in a FJ45LV build.

 

[c2dfj45]

VIN plate....

 

[CHCP]

VIN plate....

View attachment 1456796

Cool, I got 2FJ40-15276, the first digit usually denotes the year made but our 63 cruisers were made with a 62 frame, if you look at my albums you can see that my cruiser is dismantled and waiting for restoration but was also Judson Green.

 

[whitey45]

Should have a stamped bezel, and I can see the one year only rear roof hatch! Very cool late 62 40 titled as a 63!

 

[c2dfj45]

Yes on stamped bezel....first stamped bezel I have owned! Kind of a big day for me. Ha. Yes on roof vent too.

This truck was used pretty hard...has a lot of crunched body panels that were beaten out. Hood/fender in left side are rough. Windshield frame is REALLY rough which sucks. Not easy to find the early ones plus I start changing the patina which is what I don't want to do. I think glass will fit back in. The top is trashed as far as I am concerned. I was going to yank it off and run no top on this truck. One small rusted thru spot in the tool box(tool box was empty....I had dreams of finding complete tools and jack....no such luck).

As much as this will probably bother the purists, I'm going to do what I do on my trucks to this one....3FE, 4 speed, disc brakes. I might do a OME zero lift on it with 31s or something small(usually run 33s). Obviously I'll go back to steel wheels.

Only wild card in my plan is that this truck has a centered differential in the rear......not sure how that will work with the 4 speed/3 speed transfer...I'm guessing it will work since the transfer in the truck now is offset.

more pics. It feels right at home in FL.....it's with some other old timers...

 

[JohnnyC]

Nice high post hard top cruiser

Congrats of the acquisition !!

 

[whitey45]

It will lose the high post if ditching the top! Another early survivor lost! But you can do as you wish!

 

[c2dfj45]

I never realized there was a high post model....never knew that was even a thing. That kind of changes things. I wish the top was better on the truck...it's crunched pretty good. I do like that vent though. Just not sure I want to own another hardtop...this one was going to be my open top truck.

What happens when someone would convert a HT truck like this to a soft top? Do the high posts interfere with the soft top bows? They would have too. I've had soft tops on other trucks of mine so I know where the bows go. Maybe a custom set of bows?

 

[JohnnyC]

You can mod a set of FST bows easily to work

Keep... repair ... and use the hardtop when you want it

Do not trash it

 

[c2dfj45]

I won't trash the top....maybe break it down to store it. It's a mess. Will need a lot of work but I have a couple of good body guys so not the end of the world. Fiberglass work wouldn't be a big deal.

I've got a soft top on a 65 in my shop....I'll have to take a look tomorrow to see how the bows would work. Probably not a big deal at all.

 

[JohnnyC]

Like this high post HT truck here:

 

[c2dfj45]

Cool. That truck has different seats...it's obviously not a FST with the posts...so maybe a seat swap or did they change out seats in 63? I thought those seats only came with the FST trucks.

 

[JohnnyC]

The one I posted I believe was just the standard front bench seat

I will need to look at work and see if I have any other pics of them

What seats do you have?

 

[c2dfj45]

I have the seats that look like stadium seats. SUPER simple. No screw-on rear metal cover. The material just screws to the frame and that's it. Seems like I seem them on in the factory HT trucks....not the FST trucks.

 

[whitey45]

Those are original and very hard to find!

 

[c2dfj45]

I'm guessing FJ25 seats....must have been a transition period in some of the early 40s where they used those. They're really cool. Truck has the back seats in place too.

 

[Old Red]

Seats in 1962 were the same on the soft top models as on the hardtop models.

This is not mine, but below is a 1962. The grey upholstery on the front seats is not original. The upholstery on the jump seats is original.