Builds 1978 US Market FJ40 Factory Restoration (4 Viewers)

[dmaddox]

Thank you @greenEFSI , @SteveH and @OhioFJ for the helpful comments and ideas. Sometimes I just need the confirmation of the slog still ahead of me.

In the meantime, I'm just about done with the rear harness. @Coolerman has really been a life saver with fittings/plugs and great quality wire. As you've all likely encountered, any plug or fitting in the engine bay and especially the rear harness near the u-joints and t-case all have impossible to remove connectors. And when you do, they look like this:

The stuff has a consistency of tree sap and was/is likely some oem protectant that is being replaced with super lube. Also, the underbelly wiring usually has some if not most of the plugs melted.

I know the factory plasti-coat or covering on all of the spot welded "keepers" or clamps were painted over. I guess if this was a perfect restoration, I would have plasti-dipped each hook/holder before I painted. I made a mistake and forgot. My remedy for now is to just use electrical heat shrink on each tab underneath and in the engine bay. A minor detail, but still bugs me.

Once I wrap up the rear wiring harness and get the fuel lines squared away for the send/receive and charcoal canister vent - I'll take more photos of this area.

Oem hose clamps and "Made in Japan" 8mm fuel line. Hard to read red print on the fuel hose, but very difficult to find.

How I was ever able to drive this FJ40 before I tore it down is beyond me. The broken wires and hacks are endless:

Sorting the last piece - the wires that go to each tail light.

Teal - reverse
White - brake
Pea - running
Red/Yellow - turn
Fingers - dirty

 

[V8FJ4078]

Side marker install. Straight forward. I had to clean the threads of the m4 screws. If only all cruiser projects were this satisfying.

View attachment 3386954View attachment 3386955View attachment 3386956View attachment 3386957

Adding parts like this was very satisfying!!
I am taking my 78 for state inspection tomorrow morning, I have 30 miles on it since I got it running and it is so satisfying once you put in all this work!!!

 

[Ackcruisers]

The terminals and connectors that are in the engine bay or rear harness are particularly frustrating to remove. I find using warm dawn sprayed into the connector followed by compressed air gets the crud out enough to get the tool inside the connector to depress the tang. It’s time consuming.

Then use an acid bath and neutralizer followed by polishing with Dremel and DeOxit or just crimp new 250 Yazaki terminal and new clean connectors.

 

[mattressking]

The terminals and connectors that are in the engine bay or rear harness are particularly frustrating to remove. I find using warm dawn sprayed into the connector followed by compressed air gets the crud out enough to get the tool inside the connector to depress the tang. It’s time consuming. View attachment 3389947

Then use an acid bath and neutralizer followed by polishing with Dremel and DeOxit or just crimp new 250 Yazaki terminal and new clean connectors.

View attachment 3389951
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My favorite for tedious cleaning now is ultrasonic - takes all the annoyance out of the cleaning

 

[dmaddox]

Excellent results @Ackcruisers that looks great. I agree with you guys that while frustrating and time consuming, it is very satisfying to have a snappy clean and correct wiring harness. Normally, people will wheel these, camp, enjoy the outdoors, hunt, fish, etc... but with my cruiser, here was the typical summer:
1. Drive through tar pit.
2. Test Aunt Kathy's hair cutting scissors on various awg sections of the wiring harness.
3. When cured, lets see how much weight 16 gallons of Bondo ads to a car!
4. Billy got a new welder, lets have him learn by hacking sections of the FJ40 out and practice welding in thicker gauge steel in it's place so it doesn't bond to the steel and melts the surriounding.
5. Wal Mart has a clearance on the ultra high-def zingo bingo light up cd player system! While it requires us to cut (with a claw hammer) a 12"x8" hole in the dash, we will be rockin'

Lastly: Breed cats, house a refugee camp, two world wars and a newspaper route.

On lighter news, I am excited for a few boxes to be arriving in the next week with some NOS stuff - I can't wait! This weekend I hope to finish the wiring harness, work on the fuel system and heater.

 

[dmaddox]

@V8FJ4078 How did the inspection and drive go? I hope you're off to the races!

I REALLY wish I could get this done for a fall drive, but the days and free weekends are slipping away quickly. I still have rear doors, top and hood to paint, seats to recover.....ugh.

 

[South Texas 97]

Nice work. The marine grade heat shrink on the metal tangs is better than the plastidip which I tried, but did not seem to give the right thickness. The taillight sub harness is an odd beast, per @Coolerman some matched the main wiring colors, others did not.

 

[dmaddox]

I wanted to share some memories with you guys. I was digging through some photos and ran into my first cruiser.

It was 2003 and I was working at a software company about to bid on a CJ7 when a co-worker noticed and said "Hey, don't buy that, join me for lunch I'll show you something cool." He took me to lunch and showed me his 1981 Red FJ40 and I was immediately sold. I bid on the only FJ40 on ebay at that time that was under 4000 bucks (my sad budget). It was in Coos Bay, OR - some 1500 miles away and no plan on how to get (the non running) truck.

Here I am with an able and just as nutty buddy of mine and a borrowed dolly. We hit a snow storm on the way back to his place in Pocatello, ID. Where we spent the next three days getting it running so that I could drive it back to Colorado Springs. I made it home, died a couple of times. but made it home.

I joined TLCA and the next month ih8mud. I couldn't wait to go on the first four wheel drive trip. I sold the early doors (and met a lifetime friend in @SteveH ) and found a set of correct doors. Off to the races on my first trip, November 2003 (me in the middle):

The dude in that white 69? ended up pulling me through most of the trail. Such a capable cruiser that was. My cruiser was ugly, but it was mine. 14 FJ40's later, here we are, working on the mustard.

 

[V8FJ4078]

@V8FJ4078 How did the inspection and drive go? I hope you're off to the races!

I REALLY wish I could get this done for a fall drive, but the days and free weekends are slipping away quickly. I still have rear doors, top and hood to paint, seats to recover.....ugh.

Yes, all good on the inspection, still things to finish up like the hard top and few other little things, but can work on them now that I can drive it!
A few pics before the inspection (yes, add a spare tire)

 

[dmaddox]

NOS score!

Part no. 87130-60034 Blower Assy. I have seen NOS blower motors but when I found the entire unit, I had to jump.

I have a few questions. First, what is the large hook off the motor side for? Does the wiring harness ride there? I can’t find any oem shots with this hook used. Second some motors are vented, others not. I triple verified the part number was correct before making the deal. It may be market related perhaps?

Mounted with some of @ToyotaMatt 's hardware. Quick plug for Matt's hardware, I purchased JIS hardware from a few different places. I'll say that by FAR his hardware is superior if you have an eye/desire for accuracy and correctness. I have purchased several bags from him and I have been replacing other venders hardware with his.

 

[dmaddox]

If the hook is for the harness, the shoe fits….

 

[MOTOV8R]

Yes wiring harness.

 

[Andrew S]

FWIW, my 78 has no hook. The harness is routed down the fender and under the blower. Maybe the hook was a 79 update?

 

[greenEFSI]

Here's my 11/78

 

[dmaddox]

Thank you for the photos! I love the documentation we are collecting! As we speak, I'm just about to tie up the rear harness.

 

[fyton2v]

This truck is going to be amazing.

 

[dmaddox]

Today I was able to finish the rear wiring harness thank's to @Coolerman. I just need to get the frame clips into place and plug everything in.

One tip he also gave me that I added in: I soldered in a WB wire with the factory ground at the frame rail and ran it back to each tail light, adding in a ground to each tail light plug.

I also received new glove box hardware. Dash is nearly complete!

Next, I finished the fuel evaporator lines, charcoal canister check valve, etc..

I installed new grommets for the hard line that goes through the tub:

Per our previous discussion, I found a NOS distributor air filter.

 

[dmaddox]

I'm posting 9 million pictures mainly because I'm using this thread as my sole location for documenting the restoration. Apologies if it is annoying.

Distributor vent line (good used):

I also finished clamping the brake/clutch lines to the firewall. A bit unwieldy to work with, and very difficult to make look perfect.

A timely delivery from the VintageTEQ labs. Huge thank you to @ToyotaMatt for all of his consulting, ideas, parts and service to help me along.

As I've said before - one thing I will continually recommend is @ToyotaMatt 's hardware selection. The best on the market in my opinion.

More dash completion - just about there.

Dash plugs and choke cable in. On the firewall side next will be the choke/temp sensor grommet.

 

[dmaddox]

Last for the day - I found a correct igniter pack. While it has scratches, it is original and correct for 01/78 and appears to be otherwise perfect.

Along with the igniter pack, a condenser from @ToyotaMatt was installed.

Happy to also report I'm the first recipient of his Negative battery terminal kit. Fits perfectly, easy to install and matches the positive side.

 

[Ackcruisers]

Amazing progress. The wiring and dash look perfect. Did your 89620-60030 igniter come with the front coil cover 19519-38030?