1966 FJ45 LWB Restoration

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DTFJ45

DTFJ45

10 Year
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Threads
17
Messages
81
Location
Utah
Forgive me first of all for being a complete rookie. Let me start off with just a little hostory. I always said I would one day drive a cruiser. One day in college I was fishing arround on ebay and saw an FJ45 LWB. I had never seen a pickup style land cruiser before and was sold. Well long story short I became obsesed with looking for one. One day I raised a bid by a few bucks just to see what it was going for and I must have reached the reserve. To my wifes horror and to my suprise I won the bid. Everyone knows you always get out bid at the last minute! Not this time, it was the longest 30 min of my life. Some how I have managed to hang on to it for the last 7 years or so. So did I mention I grew up in construction not mechanics! Over the last 7 years I have dabbled a bit mostly with things that don't seem to intimidating. I am posting a thread to plead for help and to hopfully find some pros who will take young cruizer head under their wing. I will be asking for alot of advice. Enough talk here she is:
 
Photos

Here a few photos from the day I brought her home. I drove to Colorado Spring and home in under 24hrs over my sring break from the Univeristy of Idaho!
fj2.webp
 
Stock VS mod

I have spent way too many sleepless nights debating if I should keep it stock or add comfort. I have come to the conclusion that this truck is too complete to modify too much. I am not a complete purist but I am going to do my best to keep her intact. I have been told guys would give their left nut for a rig this complete. I have had others tell me do add the disk breaks up front, and change out the 3 speed trans. I personally like the 3 on the tree! It currently runs and drives! I had to put a weber carb on it because it came without a carb and there was no way at the time to find an original. I put the new carb on and it purred for the first time in probably 10-15 years. whats your thought, original or mod?
 
The question that was posed to me that made this decision easy was..... Are you going to run this and have people you love in the rig (kids, wife,etc)? If so,why trust their lives to 1960's technology?

I updated brakes to front disks (mini conversion)

dual circuit brakes (geo power conversion)

3 point seatbelts.

I too liked the 3 on the tree, so I did not modify that. Plus it is a huge theft stopper. How many people out there these days know how to drive a stick, let alone a 3 on the tree?

Whatever you do, do it for the style of driving you plan to do.

I read once that the best bottle of wine available to purchase, is the wine you enjoy drinking. I think this holds true to our world.... The perfect cruiser is the one that you enjoy driving. Don't make it a trailer queen!

good luck.
 
Oh, and watch out for bezel police.
 
I agree with 2Fpower. IMO Steering and stopping are the 2 things any rig has to do predictably and consistently.
 
Do what you want and not what anyone on here tells you to do.

Mine was pretty much 100% stock and I SOA, FJsixtified it. 2f, 4spd, ps, db yada yada and my wife loves to drive it...the original '63 FJ40, not so much!

BTW, discs are just easier to maintain, drums stop fine, they're just a PIA to keep adjusted.

Bottom line, drive it and enjoy it.
 
My bed has a few large rust holes over a few of the supports, how do you go about cutting them out? Can one still find similar metal to those old beds? Where would I find such a product?
 
I have modified my truck slightly to make it wheel a bit better. I am a stock kind of guy though, and understand that these trucks are valuable as an investment.

I haven't done anything that isn't reversible.

It's your truck, you can do what you want with it. But I cringe when I see hard, and getting harder, to get parts cut up and disfigured.
 
See awl teq on this form for bed and body parts. He has a thread documenting his mass production of near perfect repo beds..
 
45Kevin said:
See awl teq on this form for bed and body parts. He has a thread documenting his mass production of near perfect repo beds..
Click to expand...

I wouldn't call that 'mass production'...


but to your point, given enough time, and money, everything can be reproduced.


Wasn't there a guy in Panama making reproduction parts for the 45 as well?
 
Owyhee Jackass said:
Do what you want and not what anyone on here tells you to do.

Bottom line, drive it and enjoy it.
Click to expand...

Yea don't worry about other vehicles on the road or passengers in yours if your rig doesn’t steer or stop. As long as you are having a good time I am sure they will understand. :flipoff2:
 
DTFJ45 said:
I have spent way too many sleepless nights debating if I should keep it stock or add comfort. I have come to the conclusion that this truck is too complete to modify too much. I am not a complete purist but I am going to do my best to keep her intact. I have been told guys would give their left nut for a rig this complete. I have had others tell me do add the disk breaks up front, and change out the 3 speed trans. I personally like the 3 on the tree! It currently runs and drives! I had to put a weber carb on it because it came without a carb and there was no way at the time to find an original. I put the new carb on and it purred for the first time in probably 10-15 years. whats your thought, original or mod?
Click to expand...

My 2 cents. These rigs are a piece of history and to modify is taking away all what this was about. I understand the family thing, ease of maint items, etc... but the beauty of the design from that era is cool. Some items have to be aftermarket or reproduced , but close as possible to original.
Do as you want and feel good about your ownership as many variations exist with these. I happen to be a purist and love the originality of the period they were built in.
 
Nice starter...post more pictures............

But for starters..........

Bezel is upside down, bed tie down tangs are missing and windshield frame maybe wrong unless its a very early 66
 
Woa, woa, woa, This is exactly why I am on this forum. Tell me more about the winshild frame? I have often wondered if it was original to the truck? The frame also has a spot light mount similar to the ones found on old cop cruisers? (I also have the light) I have replacement hooks built by AWL teq, and a new tailgate coming, mine is shot. I will post a few photos tonight, just keep that info coming I'm taking notes!!
 
Here is another shot of my cruiser when I broght it home. The photos that follow are pictures of the mirror assembly as I have refinished it. Because I am a rookie, and not very confident, I have been starting on little things (yes yes I am sure its premature even though its in need of many major things first)
I have put on a new weber carb,
re-finished and upholstered seats,
New seal in manifold,
Refinished blower motor,
Refinished horns, wiper motors, gas lines, break lines, steering tie rods.
Re fiished heater and all components,
I have been collecting seals for windows, doors, top...
also all the stainless steel latches and hooks.
New tailgate, wheel humps, and rear valance
and more...

I figure by doing a bunch of small projects I will gain a bit more confidance to jump into the bigger projects.

I have decided to go with paint code 532 (Mustard Yellow) its not original to the year, but its my favorate Land Cruiser color.
fj8.webp
2012-03-03_19-21-06_708.webp
2012-03-10_19-46-28_51.webp
 
A few more parts refinished

I finished a few more parts this weekend: Heater, Ducts, Gove Box, and i picked up some Some parts I has Re plated at Ogden Chrome. All of which turned out amazing!
 
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