1980 FJ45 in Dubai - Saved From the Sands

[maxofarabia]

Went to Al Ain and picked up some of the parts I ordered, crappy pics in the passenger seat, but good to have here for posterity's sake.

rear window rubber

windscreen rubber for below it (it is very squishy)

rubbers for both sides between tub and rear cab

kick vent springs (I need new vents as mine don't have the mechanism) at

steering column cover - I don't like the feel of it, somehow feels cheap but it's better than not having it. In other news, i have ordered the rear reflectors thanks to Bears input. They didn't have the ones for the 45, but had 3 in the system for the 40, so I paid for all just to have a spare.

 

[maxofarabia]

I cleaned mine up a bit. They now appear much darker. If these are indeed the same ones you can get, I would be down for at least the mirror heads for sure. I would consider the turn signals depending on how much they were.

View attachment 1026763
View attachment 1026765

I checked on the black convex mirrors, they don't have them in the system as available unfortunately

 

[jgeoffr]

I've got a set of black convex mirrors if you need them. I believe Wes was able to source them from Amayama in Japan.

-Geoff

 

[maxofarabia]

I've got a set of black convex mirrors if you need them. I believe Wes was able to source them from Amayama in Japan.

-Geoff

Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine with the ones I bought. Appreciate it!

 

[Greek Cruiserhead]

Went to Al Ain and picked up some of the parts I ordered, steering column cover - I don't like the feel of it, somehow feels cheap but it's better than not having it.

Hi Max,I guess you've got a good reason for such a judgement.May I ask you,is it a Toyota original part or a reproduction?

Mits
-----
1984 BJ42,last of the breed
PS. You've got PM

 

[maxofarabia]

Hi Max,I guess you've got a good reason for such a judgement.May I ask you,is it a Toyota original part or a reproduction?

Mits
-----
1984 BJ42,last of the breed
PS. You've got PM

Hey Mits, as far as I know it is a Toyota original. I bought it from the dealer I work with in Al Ain, and so far have been very happy with everything I have received from them. It wasn't really based on anything, more that it just didn't feel as sturdy as I was expecting.

 

[maxofarabia]

Cab is off and looking good.

and the engine has some caked on goodness, but things are progressing slowly so I am happy.

 

[Honger]

Hey Mits, as far as I know it is a Toyota original. I bought it from the dealer I work with in Al Ain, and so far have been very happy with everything I have received from them. It wasn't really based on anything, more that it just didn't feel as sturdy as I was expecting.

I know what you mean. I've got a similar cover around my steering column. I't just a two-piece injection-molded shell. It just doesn't "feel" like a typical Toyota Quality part. I have a feeling it was designed for pure function... ie. the engineers felt the need to cover the harness, signal switch, and ignition to protect them from bumps and objects. I don't think aesthetic appearance was the aim of the cover. =)

View attachment 1034823 Cab is off and looking good. View attachment 1034825and the engine has some caked on goodness, but things are progressing slowly so I am happy.

Oh boy!

Are you going to do a complete frame-off? Or are you leaving drivetrain and mechanicals for later?

 

[maxofarabia]

I know what you mean. I've got a similar cover around my steering column. I't just a two-piece injection-molded shell. It just doesn't "feel" like a typical Toyota Quality part. I have a feeling it was designed for pure function... ie. the engineers felt the need to cover the harness, signal switch, and ignition to protect them from bumps and objects. I don't think aesthetic appearance was the aim of the cover. =)



Oh boy!

Are you going to do a complete frame-off? Or are you leaving drivetrain and mechanicals for later?

Gives me more confidence that you have the same feeling about yours! Makes sense that it's more function than form, but when the rest of the car is so bulletproof it is a little bit weird. Either way it is better than having the loose wires so I'm glad I have it.

The plan is a full frame off, I think the engine might come off this week. Chassis will be blasted and then painted black. As for actual engine work I think I am probably not going to go full Monty on it just yet, and will probably just put in new gaskets etc for the time being until I have it completely rebuilt like @arabiancruisers is doing with his. It is too beautiful to not give it that treatment, but I want to get all my ducks in a row before I take that plunge.

Also I want to change the suspension and shocks, but to get the whole kit shipped (351 pounds) it is proving pretty costly so I am looking for a more reasonable solution to get them here. Disk brakes, ac, and hopefully power steering are also in the cards I hope, but it depends on when I get the parts.

 

[Honger]

Also I want to change the suspension and shocks, but to get the whole kit shipped (351 pounds) it is proving pretty costly so I am looking for a more reasonable solution to get them here.

Just PM'd you on this one... perhaps we can join forces!

 

[jgeoffr]

Not that it would help but I got Saudia Cargo Houston to Dammam for $1.60 a pound. Not cheap but better than some...

-Geoff

 

[maxofarabia]

Not that it would help but I got Saudia Cargo Houston to Dammam for $1.60 a pound. Not cheap but better than some...

-Geoff

1.60 a pound is practically free vs. the prices I was getting. UPS quoted me something like $7,000 -_- if you have details please PM me.

 

[maxofarabia]

Just PM'd you on this one... perhaps we can join forces!

PM replied, I am definitely in. If anyone else in the UAE etc wants a lift kit from cruiser outfitters maybe we can all join forces on this one?.. I want to get it asap though

 

[jgeoffr]

www.saudiacargo.com

Have to deliver it to the airport and collect it at destination airport.

Have also used DHL Danzas from US to Saudi. Was around $6 a pound but was door to door with pay in Saudi. This may be the way you want to go. Could arrange to have it picked up from Kurt and delivered to UAE. Google the Danza service and give the US number a call. May have to scan or fax ID to them. Saudia works for me because I can deliver to airport. Last shipment was 20 boxes and 1,000 pounds. Had two pallets worth of stuff.

-Geoff

 

[maxofarabia]

Ok so small update: I wasn't in the mood to do any work today so decided to drive to Al Dhaid to see if I could find anything interesting in the junk yards. The most well known one was closed (Al Shaibani), but I did manage to find one that had a few pretty well picked over carcasses of fj45s. No luck on anything mechanical, but I did manage to persuade them to chop up the rustiest of the 45 cabs so that I could get the cowl vents with hinges that my 45 was missing (PO glued them shut and they had no mechanism)

a few before pictures of the donor vehicle. Not much on it apart from the vents, and there was a lot of rust so I didn't feel too guilty in letting it go under the knife. However I must say these things are built like a tank: I tried to beat a hole in the metal with a chisel and a hammer and it was pointless. Based on my failure in this endeavor, they decided to bring out the big guns.

this is the plasma cutter (not sure if that's what it actually is), but instead of carrying it, or having a cart for it they use a broken down car. So I then spent 10 minutes pushing this pile of junk around the junkyard so we could get it close enough to chop out the parts I wanted.

let the butchering begin. I was super happy to get what I wanted but felt pretty guilty about the chopping necessitated.

it left quite the scar.

 

[maxofarabia]

So now my new cowl vents are happily back in Dubai where they will soon be put into place on their new home.

When I stopped by Performance Garage they were hard at work on the bottom of the cab, smoothing things out where they replaced a bit of the floor, and making sure everything was in place. They are yet to start on the bed, but all in good time.

 

[Honger]

Very nice... glad your trip to Al Dhaid wasn't totally in vain. @UAEFJ43 and I have been up there once... that's how I connected with the guy who snagged my 40 for me.

 

[Honger]

What junk yard was this?

 

[west aussie]

nice project; no expense spared i see. love the junkyard pics.

this junk yard cant even make a runner old bunky to cart their gas around and have to PUSH it?? that is HILARIOUS!!

 

[maxofarabia]

What junk yard was this?

It's directly after the brick factory if you are driving out of town and towards the roundabout that you take right at to reach the other roundabout you take a right at to reach the industrial area. Not sure of the name, but it's the only big junkyard on the right.