Builds 1965 FJ40, What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

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And finally for the unveiling....

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I still need to sand and buff but it is finally getting somewhere!
 
A few updates:

Found a nice truck bed liner on amazon for the rear. Had to cut it down to size but I like the style.

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Some larger news. I got engaged! And she even said YES! No she has not been slowing me down on the progress.... The kicker now is She said the FJ40 has to be ready for the wedding in a year. The pressure is on!
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The wiring harness is going back in along with the glove box and ash tray.
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Next up, steering column, E-brake, and pedals.

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Next up... fender, bib, and hood installation.
 
Too bad your fiancé isn’t happy.

:p Congrats!
 
Good choice. Need to have it ready for your wedding. Definitely a time saver!!
 
So the original pedal left me with little confidence in it's work. The pedal was ridden hard and put up wet. Essentially all of the linkages and shafts were wallowed out.

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I spent a while welding back up and grinding to fit in order to get the pedal to inspire confidence. I even drafted a few parts up and had them laser cut out. to remove some of the slop. All to no avail. I then decided to change the pedal out to a more modern cable driven style.

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I purchased a '68-'72 pedal from a fellow mud member and drilled a few holes (future owner forgive me). I bolted it up and it fit perfectly.

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Next, I made a mount to hold the other end to the carb and voila, It works without any slop!

Now to fill the holes with grommets, adjust the battery tray, and bolt everything back together.
 
Great looking paint and project work here - good job!
 
Not much progress to post about. I've been working on the electrical trying to work out the gremlins. I can't get the turn signals to work at the moment. I've gone and tested all grounds, even adding additional grounding straps to the fenders. Maybe a bad turn signal switch? The weird part is, they were working before I took it apart to paint.

Some good news though. I've managed to source a few rare missing parts. A NOS site glass for my SD40 carb along with the period correct rear view mirror!!

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Found this thread yesterday and read from start to finish. Looks like you’re only a bit ahead of me. My body/tub should be going back on the frame this week. Still need to touch up a few things on the chassis beforehand. Your build is looking great. While putting it all back together did you learn any tricks, any “I should have done it differently” moments as far as installing components?
 
Appreciate the kind words. The biggest thing I learned was leave all the bolts loose while positioning the body and the fenders/front bib. I cant tell you how many times I started tightening down things to find something crooked. Also make sure you have plenty of help to place the body back on the frame. I had 4 people including myself. I could have used another 1-2 sets of hands. And when you find yourself getting frustrated, take a break, have a beer, and cool down. You spent too much time and money so far to scratch up something.
 

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