1977 FJ40 desmog/axle rebuild/ steering/ discbrake

[FJROSS]

This is a 40 that I purchased last January that needed a little freshening up. After digging thru it a little bit, I was presently suprised of how little rust was present on the body and frame. I had a carb desmogged by Jim C and are currently running a vacuum retard distributer. I ended up with one vacuum line from the manifold to the choke breaker. All other lines and coolers are now gone. Attached are some pics of the freshen up. My plans are a body off down the road, but for now I wanted to stop some of the oil leaks and replace the suspension. I am doing this in such a way that I will be able to roll the front and rear axles to the side when the time comes to do the frame and body.

This is a pic prior to desmog

After desmog.

 

[FJROSS]

One of the first leaks was the tail of the xfer case that I Speedi-sleaved and used a Mudrack double seal speedo housing.

Before

New shoes

Assembled and restaked

 

[FJROSS]

Sent all parts to the have hot tanked.

I purchased a Eastwoods powder coating kit that since has been used in building my 65 kit Cobra, restoring a 71 442, 68 GTO and know the 40. This is a pic of the pan after hot tank and prior to powder coating.

Ready for the oven

 

[FJROSS]

I purchased the 40 with Warn hubs and happen to find a set of Asco's. I dissassembled the hubs and had the bodies electroless plated, studs were black chromate and nuts yellow plated. I also powder coated the hub faces.

Dissassembled hubs

Powder coating selectors

Finished pic

 

[PabloCruise]

Beautiful!

 

[FJROSS]

While I was bleeding out cash. I decided why stop now and went for Sag steering. My manual steering box was leaking anyway and there was quite a bit of slop in the linakage. I went with the Downey kit and replaced all the tierod ends while at it.
Tig welded reinforcing plate

Hose routing to heep pump with 4-Plus bracket and Iron Pig wide pulley. Had to do a little bracket modification to get the pulley to line up with the heep pump. I did like the way that the compression hoses worked with the supply and return connections that come straight out the back.

Finished steering pics

 

[FJROSS]

After installing Downey 4" lift with 1-1/2" front and 2-1/2" rear shackles. I ended up installing some bolt up steel shims along with Bilstiens.

Front suspention

Rear suspension

 

[nspctr1]

Nice work. Sounds like you have your share of projects. I had a 69 GTO at one time and I regret selling it. post more pics. looks like a clean rig...

 

[FJ40 MNTCRZR]

Wow, very nice work, now get some MUD on that thing ...


I also own a 77, however not that clean ...

 

[voyager:01]

WOW that is 1 happy cruiser now.. super clean work..



have u gotten it all back together yet for a test drive?? i can immagine driving it will be a world of difference from b4.. can u give us some feedback on that? thanx!

 

[cruiserjunkie]

Man that is a clean cruiser you will the power steering

 

[FJROSS]

WOW that is 1 happy cruiser now.. super clean work..


have u gotten it all back together yet for a test drive?? i can immagine driving it will be a world of difference from b4.. can u give us some feedback on that? thanx!

Yes, all the individual modifications made a world of difference. The steering is probably the most pronounced as far as getting rid of all the slop out of the linkage. It does get a little getting use to after having 32 year old manual steering. Its also nice to not have to monkey with the accelerator pump in order to start it. Jim C desmogged carb ran great right out of the box. It's also nice not mopping up the garage floor from timing cover, oil pan, xfer case, steering box, steering knuckle leaks ect...ect...ect.......

Dave

 

[FJROSS]

Here are a few more pics I found.

Proportioning valve and brake line reroutes.

Downey steering plate

This is a pic of the front axle spring perch. I didn't notice this butchery until I got it back from the hot tank and didn't know if the shims would sit properly. I found a cheap front axle here on the east coast but with all the road salt it couldn't compare with the condition of the axle from out west. as you can see in the up coming pics, there is not even pitting on this axle.

 

[FJROSS]

Removed the old perch with a 4-1/2" hand grinder and cut off wheel



Had my sheetmetal vender bend up a one foot long channel, cut and drilled it to match the old perch.



The hardest part was jigging up the perch on the axle to make sure it was square and level

 

[John Smith]

FJROSS, Are you interested in selling the smog gear you removed? Also, if you are not a weldor by trade it looks like you have been TIGing for quite some time. Very pretty welds.

 

[dirtfella]

Nice work! I am doing a 4" downey lift right now on a 77 fj and am curious as to what billy shocks you used ie part# and length. Also have you flex tested it t see how they ride and work?
Cheers

 

[FJROSS]

FJROSS, Are you interested in selling the smog gear you removed? Also, if you are not a welder by trade it looks like you have been TIGing for quite some time. Very pretty welds.

Sorry, but I'm going to hold onto all my spare parts on this 40. This 40 will be going under a body off eventually. As far as the welding goes. My brothers and I are process piping contractors and have several radio-graph welders that we employee.

Dave

 

[John Smith]

Sorry, but I'm going to hold onto all my spare parts on this 40. This 40 will be going under a body off eventually. As far as the welding goes. My brothers and I are process piping contractors and have several radio-graph welders that we employee.

Dave

I would hold on to that stuff also, Thanks.

 

[77HesterSue]

Dave,
Nice looking 40. I have a 77 Olive too. Can't wait to do some of that stuff to mine also. Thanks for the pics and the post.