Builds 1965 FJ40 FST Restoration Thread "Old Yeller" (1 Viewer)

[seth]

Hey everyone! I hope you are ready for another teardown/build thread, because I don't doubt that this project is going to be an adventure...

This is the second FJ40 I've owned – I also have a third I call Dirtbag – but Old Yeller is by far the most original. Over the last 6 years I have gradually gathered missing original parts, and it's time to tear it all down, sandblast, prime, paint, clean, rebuild, and whatever else I have to do to get it as close to factory original as possible.

I'll make every effort to photograph the entire process, and invite all of you in the Land Cruiser community to chime in.

A little bit about the truck's history, as far as I know:

I've had this 1965 FJ40 for 6 years, and it was my daily driver here in Los Angeles for almost that entire time. Based on the vin, I would pin it as a late-1964 build, so there are a few parts from 64 and a few from 65. Additionally, it may be one of the earliest trucks I've seen with the factory heater and fresh air inlet. (My other early-64 YOM FJ40 has the alternate dealer option heater.)

Previous owner said it was a central California truck and he acquired it from the original owner's son-in-law. It was a hunting vehicle (evidenced by the gun rack mounted next to the driver's seat) and was likely pulled behind an RV since it came with a tow bumper.

It doesn't look like it dealt with salted roads, but there are still a few small spots of rust showing here and there which is one of the primary reasons I've decided to take the body off.

The color has been much-discussed on Mud, but it is the Yosemite Yellow (or Sunny Yellow) and shows really differently depending on the light. (Yes, it appears to have been re-sprayed at some point in its life, but I've seen some spots with the original color.)

Original F motor and big-window carb. Oil bath air filter. Factory soft top bows. Factory rear seats.

That's about all I have for tonight, but I'll post some more pics very soon.

-Seth

 

[imyahucklbrry]

Look forward to your ‘project’ but dang if I don’t think it looks great just the way it is!

 

[Living in the Past]

Look forward to your ‘project’ but dang if I don’t think it looks great just the way it is!

X2 except for the cut rear wheel wells. Not a fan of those. Interesting the exhaust exits on the passenger's side.

 

[JackA]

It looks great as is.

 

[sproggy]

Don't touch it.....looks MUCH better like this than all shiny when you just have to worry about every little speck of dirt and smudge. This is perfect (except for the rear fender wells) and the kind of truck that can be used and not just looked at and oohed and aahhed over and wiped down and caressed ad nauseum. Of course, you probably know this far better than I as you drove it for 6 years. To each his own. If I had a cruiser that looked so good I'd be in 7th heaven. Good luck.

 

[Simcoe]

I agree with everyone above. I think it looks great the way it is - it's only original once

 

[seth]

X2 except for the cut rear wheel wells. Not a fan of those. Interesting the exhaust exits on the passenger's side.

Luckily they didn’t cut the wheel wells out...only added the flares on top. Photo coming soon to show them removed!

 

[seth]

Rear wheel wells with rubber flares removed. Luckily they didn’t cut out or modify the original lip. Looks like a little bit of metal work and they’ll be perfect.

 

[seth]

Look forward to your ‘project’ but dang if I don’t think it looks great just the way it is!

I wholeheartedly agree! It’s a really solid starting point, and I have wrestled with leaving it as-is for a long time. My philosophy at this point is I’m just being a steward of the truck and need to make sure it survives for at least another 50+ years. Doing so requires dealing with the metal, mostly, and of course to do that correctly means I should probably take it all down bare.

You’ll see in some photos more of the blemishes and holes that I’m talking about, but how great to be able to work from something so solid?!

 

[seth]

Don't touch it.....looks MUCH better like this than all shiny when you just have to worry about every little speck of dirt and smudge. This is perfect (except for the rear fender wells) and the kind of truck that can be used and not just looked at and oohed and aahhed over and wiped down and caressed ad nauseum. Of course, you probably know this far better than I as you drove it for 6 years. To each his own. If I had a cruiser that looked so good I'd be in 7th heaven. Good luck.

Thank you, and I agree that we need to use these trucks—they weren’t meant to be trailer queens. I have another FJ40 that will be my do-whatever-with truck, but this one has had just enough done to it over the years to deserve a little bit of nudging back in the direction it came from.

 

[Simcoe]

Glad to see those wheel wells weren't hacked up!

 

[Living in the Past]

Nice they didn't cut the wheel wells. Would be curious what the hole looks like under the dome light on the B bow. That style light did not show up until the mid seventies. Does it have the Darth Vader light mounted to the dash anywhere? With a factory heater where the Vader light went a bracket for heater controls was mounted.

 

[seth]

Nice they didn't cut the wheel wells. Would be curious what the hole looks like under the dome light on the B bow. That style light did not show up until the mid seventies. Does it have the Darth Vader light mounted to the dash anywhere? With a factory heater where the Vader light went a bracket for heater controls was mounted.

Those bows came with the truck, but I don't think that particular set were original to this truck...I added that newer light because it fit on the B bow and there is an L-shaped cutout. What would the early B bow look like? My truck still has the original dome light wiring up the side of the windshield, and I have never seen early style.

The heater controls mount right where the Darth Vader light would have been, so this wouldn't have had the light from the factory. That being said, the factory spot where Darth would sit is still there. On my other FJ40, I have the base of the Darth light, but not the "helmet".

 

[seth]

Here's a quick walk around of the truck. Real quick.

 

[Living in the Past]

Those bows came with the truck, but I don't think that particular set were original to this truck...I added that newer light because it fit on the B bow and there is an L-shaped cutout. What would the early B bow look like? My truck still has the original dome light wiring up the side of the windshield, and I have never seen early style.

The heater controls mount right where the Darth Vader light would have been, so this wouldn't have had the light from the factory. That being said, the factory spot where Darth would sit is still there. On my other FJ40, I have the base of the Darth light, but not the "helmet".

There was no dome light on the early soft top bows. The style light you have sounds the for the bows. Doesn't appear to have the angle in the B bow for hard doors so probably a US market bow just later. My 73 FST had the wire for a dome light but has a Darth Vader light to the right of the glovebox. This was in a time frame when hard top and soft top models were made to run either. Does this one have fixed threaded nuts along the tub to bolt on a hard top? Guess I've been lucky to have so many of my early cruisers to still have the Darth Vader light still there.

 

[seth]

There was no dome light on the early soft top bows. The style light you have sounds the for the bows. Doesn't appear to have the angle in the B bow for hard doors so probably a US market bow just later. My 73 FST had the wire for a dome light but has a Darth Vader light to the right of the glovebox. This was in a time frame when hard top and soft top models were made to run either. Does this one have fixed threaded nuts along the tub to bolt on a hard top? Guess I've been lucky to have so many of my early cruisers to still have the Darth Vader light still there.

If there was no dome light in '65, I wonder why I have a wire on the lefthand side of the windshield for one?
Nope, this is a FST so no way to bolt a hard top.

 

[imyahucklbrry]

Here's a quick walk around of the truck. Real quick.

Ah.... nobody likes a ‘tease’

 

[Living in the Past]

If there was no dome light in '65, I wonder why I have a wire on the lefthand side of the windshield for one?
Nope, this is a FST so no way to bolt a hard top.

My 73 FST has the wire too and it was a soft top with the dash Vader light. But I have fixed nuts around the tub to bolt a hard top on. My 68 and 70 FHTs the fixed nuts for the clamp of the fixed rear bow and bolts/nuts/washers in the hole for the bracket for the rear bow. My 68 had the holes for the twists to secure the top. Never removed the top from my 70 but guessing they are there as well. Some time in the mid sixties Toyota made both models more universal to run the other style top. Part of that included a wire for dome light. I know my 9/64 FJ45LP-B has a factory dome light so know they were used that early. The wire on it runs the se asy later FJ40s, starting with my 9/67 68 model. I have bows from a 67, 69, 73 and fourth set of unknown year. None of them have a dome light or hole for a light in them. You either have a later B bow or that light was added.

 

[seth]

My 73 FST has the wire too and it was a soft top with the dash Vader light. But I have fixed nuts around the tub to bolt a hard top on. My 68 and 70 FHTs the fixed nuts for the clamp of the fixed rear bow and bolts/nuts/washers in the hole for the bracket for the rear bow. My 68 had the holes for the twists to secure the top. Never removed the top from my 70 but guessing they are there as well. Some time in the mid sixties Toyota made both models more universal to run the other style top. Part of that included a wire for dome light. I know my 9/64 FJ45LP-B has a factory dome light so know they were used that early. The wire on it runs the se asy later FJ40s, starting with my 9/67 68 model. I have bows from a 67, 69, 73 and fourth set of unknown year. None of them have a dome light or hole for a light in them. You either have a later B bow or that light was added.

What does the dome light look like on your 9/64 FJ45?

 

[Martyt]

Reminds me of my 69FST. Except for the jump seats I took out (to install other items), mine is original as well and have been adding original odds and ends for the past 8 months. I intend to keep mine as is and I think the imperfections and blemishes add character; I like that look way better than a shiny one that looks like it came off the showroom floor--but that is just my opinion. The big ticket items I bought were the original PTO option--all in with the winch (with factory rope and hook) and getting my hump cut exactly like it would have been from the factory (I bought a template hump with PTO cutout for that purpose), was $3,000. The OEM factory bows and doors ( in VERY good condition and the new color of my rig) set me back $4200 but I would rather do that than mess with junk. Vader light-$400, list goes on. I don't expect to make money on my rig and am never selling it--I just like to have everything it had from the factory on it and functioning exactly as it should. Anyway, I love the fact you like originality and I love you rig--really nice! Martin