1970 FJ40 purchase help. (1 Viewer)

[jlm43]

I’ve been stalking FB marketplace for a spring green 40 for a year or so now and I came across this one. I’m wondering if anyone sees any major red flags in the pictures. I’m still extremely new to 40’s so please bear with me. Also, I know value can fluctuate significantly depending on how the undercarriage looks but any thoughts would be appreciated. This one is a 10 hour drive so I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth the road trip.

Little background. I’m looking for a road worthy project. Rough around the edges is ok, a basket case is not. As stock as possible with no major rot. I can repair some rusty bits but don’t want to replace a tub. At this point, I’m not picky on things like PS, transmission, or AC. We have a 1975 CJ5 as a shop vehicle so I’m used to no PS, no windshield, no suspension, and no class. I've been maintaining ex-Vietnam helicopters since 1999 so while I don't consider myself a decent car mechanic, I'm pretty good with wrench on 50 year old helicopters. It’s going to be a summer ice cream run / retirement rig. I’m 10 years out from retirement but I don’t see values dropping much so I’m looking now. We live near Acadia NP in Maine so an old school 40 would make a great vehicle for tooling around Bar Harbor and the coast of Maine.

 

[Green Bean]

Others who are more knowledgeable will chime in here with better insight. Looks to be a mostly unmolested original survivor with 3 on the tree. Auxiliary fuel tank; aftermarket carb; 2F valve cover; some rust at rockers. Depending, of course, on price, I would make the 10 hour drive. Take a magnet and a flashlight. Good luck!

 

[John Smith]

What does the frame look like? You can see the rust getting ready to break out on the driver side rocker. But the body looks solid based on the pictures. You need way more pictures before taking a 10 hour trip depending on price. A definite buy in my book based on what I can see.

 

[charliemeyer007]

That looks nice and almost stock. Clutch and brake fluid looks low and dirty.

 

[jlm43]

 

[jlm43]

 

[White Stripe]

Tough to tell from pics, they aren't good enough to Zoom in on details. I suspect it has been repainted on the exterior. Looking at the back side by crawling underneath it of the rockers, quarters, and rear sill you'll see if it has cancerous rust that's just covered by bonds on the outside, or it will look solid. You can bring a ih8mud guy with you or have a ih8mud guy that lives near it look it over. The winter salt roads will destroy a 40 very quickly in Maine. A aqualu tub or gizzard tub would be very nice for that if you can find a 40 that has one.

 

[White Stripe]

Those latest pics make it look like it might be a solid rig.

 

[jlm43]

What are the 4 metal strips in the bed for? They appear to be stainless or aluminum but could just be bare steel.

As for Maine winters, thankfully it will never see one. It will live in my garage and only see fair weather use. It might see the occasional rainy day but that will be it. The rust that is starting to show on my 100 makes me mad enough. My vision for whatever 40 I end up with would be to keep it as stock as possible. I'm sure the aftermarket tubs can be a good upgrade, I just really want something that's all original. Minimal rust with patina on a factory body peaks my interest more than a full replacement tub and fresh paint.

 

[Green Bean]

My guess on the metal in the rear bed is reinforcement for the aux. fuel tank?

 

[charliemeyer007]

Spacers on the belly pan? Don't look strong enough for playing in the rocks. Looks like some added gauges - a working accurate oil pressure, coolant temp and charge indicator would be nice. I put my aux tank in exactly the same place with same fill location.

Trust me, there is a lot more rust than you see. But you can fix all that.

 

[CondeCruiser]

I've been watching that one for a few weeks now. They dropped the price a couple times on it. Looks like it may have had some paint work done to it. Seems solid though

 

[Catching Neutral]

Looks like the roof rack is attached to the fiberglass top maybe compromising the integrity of the roof cap.

 

[jlm43]

I've been watching that one for a few weeks now. They dropped the price a couple times on it. Looks like it may have had some paint work done to it. Seems solid though

I came across it last week sometime and did some searching through the weekend. They price on TLC Marketplace on FB is about $2k higher than on their website. I'd like to think I could get it for well below $15k but who knows.

Any thoughts on value? Assuming the unseen portions are on par with the rest of the rig.

As for paint, the paint on the interior is a bit lighter than the exterior or even the interior of the top. I'd assume that it could have had an exterior repaint and the top was probably off for sometime. The rear sill, under rear doors, seems really good considering the lower door jamb. That's got me a bit concerned but magnets and flashlights would sort that out.

 

[Skreddy]

I’d piggyback on what others have said. It looks pretty decent with some add ons that can be desirable or undesirable depending what end result you want. There’s some extra wiring, the extra gauges were cut into the lower pad meaning if you don’t want them there’s the cost of a new pad, but at least the dash wasn’t cut. Things like that. I’m guessing those strips in the bed were a mount for some type of seat or reinforcement for the aux tank. Check for body filler in the tub corners, see if you can see the spot welds from the outside where the rear fender wells are spot welded to the tub. Things like that can tell you if it’s hiding a lot. There’s definitely more rust than you see but it can be treated to stop it. If you’re going to end up patching a ton of rust and repainting, don’t just look at spring green ones because at that point you may as well do a whole repaint.
Again, from this pics it doesn’t look bad. But I will say that depends on the price. For me personally, I wouldn’t be looking at it over $20k for sure and probably a bit less than that. If I were looking to keep it and not really concerned with resale and it ran and drove and stopped really well, I may be in up to $15k but I’d be looking really hard for rust and hidden problems/make sure everything works.
I wouldn’t limit your search to just local either. Shipping isn’t that expensive really and maybe you could find something better for not much more. (Again, not saying this one looks bad).

 

[Green Bean]

$15k does not seem out of line from what we can see, assuming that the drive train and structural integrity are okay. You can easily double the cost of your initial investment in repairs/refurbishments. But, if the engine, transmission; t-case are shot, then your budge can really skyrocket. If you are looking to go back to OEM, some of the parts for a 53 year-old vehicle are expensive and difficult to find. The good news is that there are great vendors/supporters on MUD who will be invaluable. I assume that you would trailer it back home versus driving. There can be huge safety concerns with brakes, tires, steering, etc.

 

[jlm43]

$15k does not seem out of line from what we can see, assuming that the drive train and structural integrity are okay. You can easily double the cost of your initial investment in repairs/refurbishments. But, if the engine, transmission; t-case are shot, then your budge can really skyrocket. If you are looking to go back to OEM, some of the parts for a 53 year-old vehicle are expensive and difficult to find. The good news is that there are great vendors/supporters on MUD who will be invaluable. I assume that you would trailer it back home versus driving. There can be huge safety concerns with brakes, tires, steering, etc.

Yes, I'd rent a U-Haul flat bed and tow it home. I'm fine with how it looks now and I'd slowly clean it up over the years. The wife wouldn't be happy if I brought something home that needed a years worth of weekends just to drive down the road.

Thanks everyone for the help, it's greatly appreciated.

 

[pb4ugo]

1st and foremost the bezel is upside down. It's an obvious repaint so you don't know what's under it. A magnet is a good idea. The rockers will need attention at some point. You need pics of the back side of the rear sill, or when your there be sure to look. Also look at the back rear inner fender wells. It appears paint is pealing on the back floors which means it was likely repainted too, but it looks solid. Its missing the rear jump seats & the rear tire bracket . It sucks someone installed the gauges in the dash pad, but you can source one and it will cover the holes in the dash. AS mentioned the rack is attached to the fiberglass, which is probably an easy fix if its just filling in the holes, if there aren't any cracks. You will probably have to address the wiring, it appears a lot has been added for some reason. It appears the frt end has been upgraded to disc brakes, and it might have rear discs too, which all would be a good thing. You might want ask. The things mentioned may be for some preliminary negations b4 you head down the road. Then look at it more deeply when you're there. After you driving 10 hrs. he's going to think you're not willing to leave with out it, and he may not move much on the price.

 

[Living in the Past]

First off it's a 71 model. Never seen the split back passenger seat on a 70 model. The brake booster started 7/70 with the start of the 71 model. That plus because it already has dual brake lines. The plates in the back floor are most likely for the spare tank. My 73 aux tank was hung that way without extra support. Tank is made with four pipes to create the hollow space for the long mounting bolts. If you plan on actually restoring it rust is probably a biggest issue. Location non treated it will continue to rust driving in the winter on salted roads wouldn't bothered restoring because keeping the rust away is a lost cause.

 

[cruisermatt]

based on the big cap distributor, 4-bolt thermostat housing, oil filter on block, oil cooler piping on valve cover, and intake manifold bosses it is pretty safe to assume that is a 60 series 2F which is a nice power upgrade (and for parts availability long-term), looks like it already has discs on the front too? Agree it is a 71 (late 70 production), power brakes are a great plus.