1963 FJ45L FOUND! Restoration and Info Thread

[legion]

I noticed that the rear frame cross member (that you mount your bumperettes to) don't have the big frame rivets all over it. Looks clean that way.

 

[Living in the Past]

There is a bracket that is spot welded to the tailgate. There are two tee nuts spot welded INSIDE the tail gate. The top of the license bracket bolts to the bracket that is spot welded to the gate. The bottom of the license bracket bolts to the tee nuts. The attached pic shows the top bracket that is spot welded to the tailgate. I have more detailed pics if you need them.

Oh... and the truck looks beautiful!

I think that 's a picture of Dusty66 cruiser right?

That bracket in the picture was bolted on the first two model years of the FJ40 barn doors. I'm not sure about the tailgates. I do have a tailgate I picked up from a junk yard. The tub was early soft top FJ40 but the frame was from around 69 with no VIN plate. It had the two fixed nuts in the bottom of the tailgate but there were no footman loops or any sign of holes or ground off spot welds.

The rear crossmember on the FJ25 and early FJ40s did not have any welded nuts on the backside. No problem drilling out broken off bolts. The nut just fell off the back side. The tailgate footman loops and Toyota emblem were bolted to the tailgate with the nuts on the inside so the tailgate wasn't smooth when laying flat open. You can see the big advantage of spot welding.

 

[Dusty 66]

I think that 's a picture of Dusty66 cruiser right?

That bracket in the picture was bolted on the first two model years of the FJ40 barn doors. I'm not sure about the tailgates. I do have a tailgate I picked up from a junk yard. The tub was early soft top FJ40 but the frame was from around 69 with no VIN plate. It had the two fixed nuts in the bottom of the tailgate but there were no footman loops or any sign of holes or ground off spot welds.

.

Yep The license plate bracket is bolted on the bottom

 

[dmaddox]

So, I'd have to re-paint the tail gate anyhow.

1. Grind off the paint to spot weld the bracket on. It would burn the paint on the opposing side.
2. Re-paint the tail gate with the spot-welded bracket on.
3. Drill two bolt holes at the bottom of the tail gate (this would be horrible, because stock the holes are threaded. There is no way for me to do this as I'd have to put nuts on the inside which would do nothing but look strange as the back side is not flat and runs the possibility of scoring up the rear sill.)
4. Drill the rear sill to run wires up to the plate light. Not that big of a deal, just another drill hole.

I do agree with you guys - it seems the best "looking" location and is stock-ish. My big concerns are 1,2 and 3 above.

Dallas

 

[d30n]

DONT SHOOT ME...........................

- does this make you cringe?

The Spin marks on the extension lead does!!!

 

[Texican]

So, I'd have to re-paint the tail gate anyhow.
Dallas

fawk it, leave it where it is, course in Tx you would have to illuminate it......

when do you want mine brought up?

 

[wesintl]

just don't drive it at night...

 

[Texican]

just don't drive it at night...

You have to have it to pass the annual safety insp. plus that is a surefire way to get stopped and checked out is to not have it working.......

 

[dmaddox]

LOL - previous owner of the house had some gnarly drag nova. There are spin marks in the garage, and all over the drive-way. You honestly think the FJ45 did that? He he he.....

Well, I was digging through my bracket bucket and found a rear license plate holder like you see on Destin's cruiser. I don't have the spot-welded piece however. Any of you have one?

Here is what I was thinking.

Just use some low profile phillips metric 6mmx1.0 bolts to hold the spot-welded unit on. Then, bolt on the lower section, and be done with it.

I just need:

1. The light and wires.
2. The spot welded smaller bracket.

I'll start collecting what I need and move it up to the tail-gate and install it as clean an oem looking as I can without welding and repainting.

Thoughts?

Dallas

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Sounds like a decent plan...anyway to mock up with double sided tape or something? I think it will look a lot better than where it is now.

But, most importantly, are you happy with this...this is YOUR truck, so in the end you should be the one most happy with your work.

 

[Coolerman]

Well since you have to grind, drill and weld regardless of what you decide, you may as well do it right. Bolt the top bracket in place, drill the bottom holes through the top layer of the tail gate, then cut a small 'window' into the bottom layer of the tail gate to weld in the proper tee nuts. Then weld the window back in place, grind, fill, prime and paint!

Pic shows my trusty, rusty tailgate and the tee nuts for the license bracket on the inside through the 'window'

 

[dmaddox]

argh....what a pain.

The top part will be pretty easy. That bottom part. I mean come on....i just got it all painted and assembled.....<sobbing>......

I'll start collecting the parts and put this "on the list".

I'd like it done right - but when driving the cruiser around, the plate location really doesn't bother me while behind the wheel cruising along.

Regardless, this blows. I have already had to tear down and repaint the doors due to kids knocking them over during the assembly process. I am just getting burned out on fixing paint issues. I need a break.

'ts why I have been fiddling with the 77 Fj40.

Dallas

 

[Texican]

Light is still available from Toyota, I think I have a junk ambulance style with that bracket on there....

this is the part ya need right?

 

[PabloCruise]

LOL - previous owner of the house had some gnarly drag nova. There are spin marks in the garage, and all over the drive-way. You honestly think the FJ45 did that? He he he.....

Well, I was digging through my bracket bucket and found a rear license plate holder like you see on Destin's cruiser. I don't have the spot-welded piece however. Any of you have one?

Here is what I was thinking.

Just use some low profile phillips metric 6mmx1.0 bolts to hold the spot-welded unit on. Then, bolt on the lower section, and be done with it.

I just need:

1. The light and wires.
2. The spot welded smaller bracket.

I'll start collecting what I need and move it up to the tail-gate and install it as clean an oem looking as I can without welding and repainting.

Thoughts?

Dallas

My thoughts are that I would be tempted to leave it as is for a while and just enjoy a fine looking 45!!!

 

[dmaddox]

Texican - yep - that is the bracket.

Oh, and I am with ya TJ.....just going to collect the parts for now and just enjoy it. Maybe this winter when things calm down I'll get around to doing this job correctly.

After all I have a military pintle hook that mounts where the plate is now. /shrug.

All the best - Dallas

 

[cjltlc]

Do you think auto body adhesive (the type used to attach body panels) would hold the bracket?
It might be away that you wouldn't have to repaint your gate

 

[dmaddox]

Do you think auto body adhesive (the type used to attach body panels) would hold the bracket?
It might be away that you wouldn't have to repaint your gate

hmmmmm ....... Good point.

consensus?

 

[dmaddox]

If you have ever noticed. Chevrolet for years has glued their doors on. The epoxy they use to glue the door hinges on is obviously powerful stuff.

I also knew of a fella that was designing a mounting pad for outboard motors using a similar glue.

What kind/brand is something I'd want to get right.

Regardless I have the two bolt-holes to deal with on the bottom - can't epoxy those on.

 

[Texican]

Just so happens one of LSLC 's members, Clutchee on here used to call on all the auto makers selling this, I will see him this weed at The Southern Cruiser Crawl and find out for ya........

 

[cjltlc]

Fusion is the brand I have used. I've used it to install TLC quarter panels no welding no warping.
On the bottom could you use self tapping bolts with the right or similar heads?