‘69 Time Capsule

[tyama]

Nice! beautiful rig! really clean and a nice touch to see the tires off the ground. I bet most everything is in pretty good shape from the way it was stored.

I had an opportunity at one like that, a 73', IIRC, but passed it up as couldn't come up with the $10K or so it was going for. The one i have went thru several hands and eventually wound up as a duck hunting rig, but had good bones: little rust on the frame and the tub was 95% good. A good reason to do a low end frame off.

the start up suggestions are spot on. get it to safe drivable & make some memories before tearing it down & getting into that rabbit hole.

I think the days of home garage finds maybe closing as the folks who were the original owners about passed, as we're getting a few generations from the '70's

have fun!

 

[1969FJ]

What is the frame number. There is a place on here to register it.

 

[charliemeyer007]

Looks nice.
Maybe some free download manuals

Land Cruiser Factory Service Manuals (FSMs)

Factory service manuals (FSMs) for your Toyota Land Cruiser ! From the 1950s to the present!

www.cruisercult.com

Coolermans wiring diagrams and parts

Cruiser Wiring

 

[70fj40]

From the looks of how it has been stored you likely won’t have many of the problems most of us have. If it were mine I would start with cleaning it up real good inside and out without throwing anything away! Then begin with brakes once they are working then change all other fluids. Next would be Marvell Mystery Oil in each cylinder for a few days while I went through all the headlights, taillights and signals then I’d get some new fuel in it and start it. Just after I started it I’d focus on making sure that AM radio is working. I miss Saturday morning trips to the feed store listening to Bob Berry call Sooner Football on AM station KOMA.

 

[B y r o n]

I think this image will clear up which way the bezel should be mounted.

 

[clrussell]

Hurry up and wash this thing so we can see what it looks like

 

[JohnnyC]

Nice looking truck … some things worth noting if you were thinking of going back to original…

All the black on the inside should not be there … should all be body color

The door on dr side I see an odd L bracket?

If you were wondering the setup for the radio is a stock location… can’t tell if it’s actually an oem radio setup as pic is poor… but to me looks oem

Looks like rims were painted silver? Or is it the lighting and they are gray? They should be gray … not metallic gray either

Vent scoop is a po add on

Coil/spring shocks are a po add on

Bumperettes should be pewter colored

Hour meter is a po add on

Hitch looks custom po

Of course, the fog lights, gas pedal, and the switches for the lights … fuel tank … fire extinguisher bracket… were add-ons

And definitely the bezel is wrong … there are just a few pics that are not correct in old pics… old literature has one … and is in a manual two times different years … interestingly one year you see it on correct then they show how to replace the head lamp and magically it on upside down … if anybody says otherwise to thick being up … they are ignorant and don’t understand that there are morons in the 60’s and 70’s just like we have today

They also say the J in FJ40 doesn’t mean jeep… they are wrong about that as well

Exception to this is Bandeirante as they had equal thicknesses bezels for quite some time… even later 40 bezels can be on wrong

With all that … you do have a very nice cruiser and do enjoy it … it’s yours do with it as you wish … po did

 

[69JortsGuy]

Thank you ALL for the replies! Sorry for the delay on bath time, it is coming soon. I promise.

I have a 3 year old and four month old at home and thought "you know what, with all this free time I got, I should probably get a project car" ! ... if anyone is wondering what's taking me so long.

I know this has been discussed at length, but am curious to get some more opinions on the age old tale of "drums vs discs". Part of me wants to keep it stock. Part of me knows I will have my family in there eventually and that a conversion would be in my (and their) best interest.

Subtopic: If I am too impatient (or lazy) to wait for a newer front axle to pop up, has anyone utilized the Man A Fre OEM conversion kit? Sticker shock is real, but keeping Toyota stuff on the Toyota makes sense to me (although I've read some success stories with the Wilwood kits). Buy once cry once?

I'm only slightly scarred by working on drum brakes. I still remember almost losing an eyeball in HS when a spring when awry during a tune up.

Thanks again.

Cheers!

 

[pb4ugo]

It's your 40 you do what you want. A 40's old drum brakes are old and antiquated, and are a pain to work on. I believe having a brake system that works as a safety item. That kit appears to use the stock Toyota Land Cruiser parts, knuckles and fine spline birfields and outer parts, which is what you want. It is pricey. Typically, folks find and swap a complete front end or find the knuckles and birfs and outer componets from a Toyota front end, which appears to be similar to what is used in that kit. You will be buying some new parts when using used parts. I would stay away from bolt on aftermarket kits. You will find a knuckle rebuild is a messy big job, but not an overly difficult. You should probably get a knuckle centering tool. There are folks who will lend the tool out. You might want to look in the classified section for parts or axles. You can also put in a "wanted" ad. You should also look and post in the Clubhouse section for support and parts in your appropriate area.

 

[pb4ugo]

Build dates are important with FJ40's. Look on the drivers side A pillar for the specific date. Early 40's used ball and claw axles and then changed to coarse spline birfields. I don't know when that happened. Ball and claw axles housings can't be converted to disc's. @Living in the Past might know when that transition happened.

 

[charliemeyer007]

+1 for know your build date MM/YYYY when looking for parts - fitment can change in any month.

SOR.com catalogue has the dates for the changes, plus they usually have a good pic of the parts so you can compare to what you have.

 

[diesellibrarian]

My experience converting my '72 from front drums to discs:

- Sourced a complete 40 series disc front axle with 4.11 gears (not sure when they went to 3.70 but most mid-1970s axles should be 4.11)
- Left the OG axle housing in place, swapped in the "fine spline" axles/birfields and third member (you may not need a new third member; my diff was cooked so I swapped the new one in).
- Installed the disc brake knuckle assembly on the '72 axle housing
- Installed an FJ62 brake master cylinder and booster. The stock booster may work, but mine was in rough shape, so I chucked it. Needed a spacer behind the 62 booster. Other master cylinders/boosters may work as well but you want one designed for front discs.

Depending on which year of axle you end up with, the steering ball may need to be clearanced slightly, otherwise the birf won't fit. If you end up with an earlier "long birf" as I did, you should not need to clearance the ball. Later "short birfs" have a slightly larger diameter than the older one.

I'm happy I did the swap, but my next project is a '71 FJ40 that will be a period-correct restoration, and i'm planning to keep the drums on that one.

 

[Living in the Past]

Build dates are important with FJ40's. Look on the drivers side A pillar for the specific date. Early 40's used ball and claw axles and then changed to coarse spline birfields. I don't know when that happened. Ball and claw axles housings can't be converted to disc's. @Living in the Past might know when that transition happened.

Because of Toyota's decision to drop every pre 3/69 from the part system actually change over date are hard to know. Unfortunately I didn't grab a ton of microfiches when they were many for sale on eBay cheap. My 9/67 has odd pads on the hood. Mine are taller than previous pads. When the change I'm not sure. Few other things of an unknown date. One barrel carburetor to two barrel carburetor. Round front turn signals to rectangular. Tail light got bigger. Change in hub cap style. Did the A pillar start 3/69 or was it earlier. Unlike other parts Toyota shows a start and end dates even if it's out of the range your looking under. But parts that are know use on 69 and early just show 3/69 as the start date. I have order parts for my 9/67 using the 3/69 date because I know it was the same. Had the person behind the counter say you have one of the first Land Cruisers ever made. Next time that happens think I say mine it a very early 9/67 proto type but I know it uses the same part

 

[Pighead]

I know this has been discussed at length, but am curious to get some more opinions on the age old tale of "drums vs discs". Part of me wants to keep it stock. Part of me knows I will have my family in there eventually and that a conversion would be in my (and their) best interest.

I really liked my drum brakes. But I have a '74 with the dual circuit master cylinder. Do you have a single-circuit master?

 

[JohnnyC]

Drums work good when they work good … if your driving a lot they will not work good in three months

I was needing to adjust every three-four months … or you’ll be doing the mulit-pump stop

I almost ran into a car full of blue haired elderly and almost had it on two wheels … it was a close call… the seat vinyl I think is still puckered in my ares

Went to disc all round… well worth it if you plan on dd or a lot of driving when you don’t have time to keep crawling under to adjust

I do know guys with drums who drive a lot and love them and keep up with them … so it’s all a mater of preference really… your truck… do with it as you wish

Converting the front is easy if you find a donor axle

 

[Pighead]

I was needing to adjust every three-four months …

Yes, but...it only takes a few minutes.
I was very proud of my drum brakes, I spent some time doing a very good rebuild of every cylinder (anti-seize on the adjusters and everything!). Once they were nicely balanced all I had to do, every 3-4 months, was roll underneath and adjust every cylinder one click tighter. No need to jack it up for minor adjustments. When they were dry they worked great and I saw no need to change to discs. Until I went SOA.

 

[pb4ugo]

I personally would do discs all the way around and be done with it. It's easy to covert back if you're a glutton for punishment or a purist.

 

[Living in the Past]

Drums work good when they work good … if your driving a lot they will not work good in three months

I was needing to adjust every three-four months … or you’ll be doing the mulit-pump stop

Early drums are high maintenance. Work well as long as you remember your using brake designed over fifty years ago. While not an issue here in AZ for over twenty years drive thru water better drive with a foot on the brakes for the nest twenty miles to dry them out. Until then they are worthless

 

[Chamba]

- Sourced a complete 40 series disc front axle with 4.11 gears (not sure when they went to 3.70 but most mid-1970s axles should be 4.11)

1979 was when the NAS 40s (and all NAS 60 series) came with 3.70s. 1976 was when they got disc brakes. Thus '76-'78 axles will have 4.11 with disc brakes.

 

[Living in the Past]

1979 was when the NAS 40s (and all NAS 60 series) came with 3.70s. 1976 was when they got disc brakes. Thus '76-'78 axles will have 4.11 with disc brakes.

1/78-1/79 US market diffs were still 4.11:1 but pinion was fine spline. Wasn't until 8/88 that combo was used again in the US. Those the driveshaft flanges had changed.