1978 FJ40 Stock Restoration – 15 Years Long (2 Viewers)

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Found some items to continue her journey to near stock.

Bought an original cigarette lighter. I cleaned and repainted the knob image. Found a Toyota AM/FM radio. I realize the '78 didn't have FM as an option, but I'm willing to live with that. :) Installed but not yet hooked up. Also got an original cargo mat.

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One sweet looking 40...congratulations ...I love that color and Im not a blue fan..
 
coleman2347 said:
One sweet looking 40...congratulations ...I love that color and Im not a blue fan..
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Thanks. I wasn't particularly a blue fan either and I spent a long time thinking I might paint her beige or yellow. When it came time to pull the trigger, the purist in me couldn't paint her anything other than her original blue.
 
Finally put a bumper on. I know the winch isn't stock (or a good brand) but a friend gave it to me. I don't normally turn away free stuff. Now what to put on the front license plate holder? Because we can use year-appropriate tags, I though about a matched CA set.

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First time I saw this thread - great story thanks for sharing!
 
alabamatacomaguy said:
Did you get the seatbelt re-done? I am in need of a driver seat belt but I don't like any of the options available to replace it.
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I contacted a couple people that were willing to look at them but I never followed through. I bought a replacement on eBay but it was so rusted as to be unusable. It did give me a donor belt to take apart. After seeing how fragile the plastic in the mechanism is, I'm not sure what I'll do.
I'm tempted to replace the webbing myself. I can get appropriate thread and replicate the stitch pattern. I just don't want to damage my wife's sewing machine.
Wish I had a better solution.
 
Thanks for the reply. I have looked at all the normal venders for belts as I'm sure you have as well. The prices of the generic reproduction belts are high to me.
Do you know if the oem are interchangeable? As in the pass side can be used on a driver side? Maybe a decent shaped passenger belt could be found easier. I'm like you and many others I just need the drivers side belt.

Just noticed that radio, that looks great. I've got an 80s or 90s unit in mine that's missing knobs, ideally I want to do what you have done in the future.
 
I also have a belt issue-OEM units but the passenger side retractor/tensioner not wanting to tension up when clicked into place as a passenger. Can that mechanism be rebuilt???
 
How do you re-paint the dash knobs? Product used??
 
wow, can't get over how clean the interior floor etc was when you started ... mine's originally from California and doesn't look like that inside ... very nice refurbish and love the colour ... don't see that many blue 40s ... I think you made the right "purist" decision re colour ...
 
unixman said:
I contacted a couple people that were willing to look at them but I never followed through. I bought a replacement on eBay but it was so rusted as to be unusable. It did give me a donor belt to take apart. After seeing how fragile the plastic in the mechanism is, I'm not sure what I'll do.
I'm tempted to replace the webbing myself. I can get appropriate thread and replicate the stitch pattern. I just don't want to damage my wife's sewing machine.
Wish I had a better solution.
Click to expand...

Try http://ssnake-oyl.com/ I used them on one of the 55's. Very happy - the webbing was slightly different from original but they sent two samples for me to choose from. Kind of spendy but they are as close to OEM as you can get.
 
tls3601 said:
I also have a belt issue-OEM units but the passenger side retractor/tensioner not wanting to tension up when clicked into place as a passenger. Can that mechanism be rebuilt???
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I would say no. I took apart the mechanism. If it's broken, it's broken. If you could get the retractor cover off without the clock spring flying out, an ingenious person might could have new parts made with a 3D scanner and printer. It's just too tedious with questionable safety concerns for me to do that.
 
alabamatacomaguy said:
Do you know if the oem are interchangeable? As in the pass side can be used on a driver side? Maybe a decent shaped passenger belt could be found easier. I'm like you and many others I just need the drivers side belt.
Click to expand...
I don't think they're interchangeable but I don't know for sure. Never tried.
 
Ming89FJ62 said:
Try http://ssnake-oyl.com/ I used them on one of the 55's. Very happy - the webbing was slightly different from original but they sent two samples for me to choose from. Kind of spendy but they are as close to OEM as you can get.
Click to expand...
They do some beautiful work. They said they could not replace the webbing because the computerized sewing machine can't stitch that close to the retractor. They would basically put my OEM buckle on their retractor and belt. Costs $90-$140 per belt. Having a new retractor isn't a bad thing but I like my OEM retractor cover.
 
Thanks unix, I am going to call Seatbelt Solutions about my passenger side retractor.............
 
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