Builds 1965 FJ40 FST - Seth’s Frame-off Restoration

[red66toy]

Ok, so it’s also time to revive this inquiry. Has anyone with an early FJ40 (pre-1965) seen semigloss black paint on firewall and underside of body?

Even more evidence of this black when I lifted the wheel skin off the other day. It’s a bit hard to tell in the photo, but there are no layers of body color paint under there…

View attachment 3758822

My early 64 build (but 65 model) has a black firewall. Not sure about the wheel wells but I’ll check later.

 

[seth]

My early 64 build (but 65 model) has a black firewall. Not sure about the wheel wells but I’ll check later.

Thank you! It’s pretty random to see, and maybe something they tested out on the assembly line for a little bit. Would be nice to get a range of VINs that had the black.

 

[red66toy]

Thank you! It’s pretty random to see, and maybe something they tested out on the assembly line for a little bit. Would be nice to get a range of VINs that had the black.

On the wheel well question, definitely used to be painted black. Still some remnants

 

[seth]

On the wheel well question, definitely used to be painted black. Still some remnants
View attachment 3759779

Thanks for checking on it! What’s the vin on that one? Mine is 32561.

 

[red66toy]

Thanks for checking on it! What’s the vin on that one? Mine is 32561.

23306

 

[seth]

23306

That’s a pretty big spread between those numbers. Wild.

 

[red66toy]

That’s a pretty big spread between those numbers. Wild.

February- March brothers.

 

[RIDGEROCK49]

View attachment 1784130 View attachment 1784131 View attachment 1784132 Can anyone tell me if this is a factory side mirror? It was on this FJ40 when I got it, but my other (early-64) has the simple round mirror. Could this have been during a changeover?

I recently bought a 1963 FJ40 from the second owner, who knew the first. Other than the stuff the original owner added to facilitate snowplowing, I believe much of what remains is stock. My driver's side mirror looks like yours. I have vintage literature that shows both round and rectangular. I think the round was on a FST and the rectangle was on a FHT...