'71 FJ40 Need Houston Body Shop

[gapa04]

I just purchased a 1971 FJ40. The original owner stored it in a barn on his property in Louisiana for the past 40 years. It has some minor rust.

Can anyone recommend a body shop in or around Houston, Texas that is familiar with Toyota Landcruisers? I want someone who will be as particular I am am about restoring my FJ40 with stock FJ40 paint, parts, weather-stripping, etc.

 

[fj404life]

Welcome to the forums! Great looking old cruisers you got!
Dont be in too much hurry to tear it apart! It looks good from here!
They are only original once! Clean her up, make her safe and drive her for a while!
Ohh and post more pics!

 

[78crzr]

Not sure about one that is familiar with Cruisers but can recommend two good shops, one of which I have used for about 15years. The issue I have found with auto body shops in that they are so busy with insurance work on every day vehicles that restoration work comes at a high price when displacing "normal" work. Finding a shop that does great work at a reasonable price on a classic vehicle is no easy task.

Rosehill Paint & Body: Our family has used them on many occasions for everything from BMW's to Tahoes. Very particular about their work, easy to work with, and most important, honest as the day is long. Small family shop owned by Fred and Trena Harmeier. Not cheap, but quality is top notch. Doesn't look like much when you pull up to their building, but don't let that put you off. Located West of Tomball.

Phil Baumann: friend of mine used them to restore his Mopar, and they did an awesome job. Website is Phil Baumann's Paint & Body

You could also contact Javier's Autos Unlimited at 713-461-5595 as he may know of someone that specializes in Cruiser restoration in Houston. Javier is one excellent mechanic and a true Cruiserhead.

 

[UZJ40]

Nice looking 40! Where in Louisiana did you get it? I don't see many down here when I'm working in Lafayette and Lake Charles :-/

 

[BDSeff1fitty]

PM pistorman on here. He's local and had a shop do most of his work IIRC. His is looking amazing so he'd be a good person to get in communications with.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/334539-pistormans-1970-fj40-build.html

 

[gapa04]

Two more pictures

Since first photo, wheels have been sandblasted, primed and painted. BF Goodrich tires taken off my Dad's 1983 FJ40 (his in restoration process, going to get new tires). New bumperettes. Took off front bumper yesterday (not pictured). OEM bumper in the mail from Specter Offroad.

 

[gapa04]

PM pistorman on here. He's local and had a shop do most of his work IIRC. His is looking amazing so he'd be a good person to get in communications with.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/334539-pistormans-1970-fj40-build.html

I just looked at Pistorman's thread. Very impressive, but more than I'm interested in doing to this one at this point. I'd like to keep it as stock as possible.

It has very little rust, but very little rust in Southeast Texas or Louisiana can become very much rust in little time. Fortunately the original owner never drove the car, never took it out of the barn, so the only exposure to moisture it got was the humidity.

I'd like to find someone who knows Landcruisers to blast, prime and paint the body in stock colors to eliminate the rust before it can become a problem. Engine doesn't need to be rebuilt. Odometer reads 1250 original miles, but odometer is broken. Based on tread depth from original tires and known history of car from owner's family, car has <5000 original miles. The car seems mechanically sound, but I'm sure surprises await me in the upcoming months.

 

[gapa04]

Nice looking 40! Where in Louisiana did you get it? I don't see many down here when I'm working in Lafayette and Lake Charles :-/

It was in a barn in Covington, Louisiana in my parents' neighborhood. My father knew the original owner who passed away this past year. The owners' family sold it to me as they were selling off his estate. The original window sticker, bill of sale, and owner's manual were in the glove compartment, though damaged by 40 years of humidity. It wasn't running when I bought it, but my Dad had seen the owner get it to turnover two years ago. I had it towed to the local Toyota dealership. The owner of the dealership owns a restored FJ40. No fewer than six people tried to buy it from me while it was there. Dealership replaced gas, oil, all fluids, spark plugs, distributor cap, etc and got it running within 24 hours of it's arrival.

I drove a yellow 1979 FJ40 in high school. I spent a lot of time tinkering with that one as a kid. I've always wanted another one. I love the 1971 even more than my old 1979. The '71's bench seat, shift on the column, hood ornament, lack of a roll bar or jumpseat seatbelts, and canvas Toyota tool bag are all such cool details that the more modern 1979 lacked. Love it!

 

[gapa04]

Not sure about one that is familiar with Cruisers but can recommend two good shops, one of which I have used for about 15years. The issue I have found with auto body shops in that they are so busy with insurance work on every day vehicles that restoration work comes at a high price when displacing "normal" work. Finding a shop that does great work at a reasonable price on a classic vehicle is no easy task.

Rosehill Paint & Body: Our family has used them on many occasions for everything from BMW's to Tahoes. Very particular about their work, easy to work with, and most important, honest as the day is long. Small family shop owned by Fred and Trena Harmeier. Not cheap, but quality is top notch. Doesn't look like much when you pull up to their building, but don't let that put you off. Located West of Tomball.

Phil Baumann: friend of mine used them to restore his Mopar, and they did an awesome job. Website is Phil Baumann's Paint & Body

You could also contact Javier's Autos Unlimited at 713-461-5595 as he may know of someone that specializes in Cruiser restoration in Houston. Javier is one excellent mechanic and a true Cruiserhead.

Thanks, 78crzr. I will follow-up on your recommendations.

Of the three that you've recommended, which one would be your top choice? Rosehill?

 

[BDSeff1fitty]

I'd like to find someone who knows Landcruisers to blast, prime and paint the body in stock colors to eliminate the rust before it can become a problem. =.

In Houston, that's not going to happen.

I can recommend a blaster that i used who seemed to be about 1/2 the price of every one else i talked to who did an awesome job on mine with a quick turn around time. Located in Spring. No recommendations for paint though.

Theres a good mechanic (scotia on the board) that i'd recommend and that's pretty much it also located near spring.

 

[78crzr]

Thanks, 78crzr. I will follow-up on your recommendations.

Of the three that you've recommended, which one would be your top choice? Rosehill?

Rosehill for the body work. Javier only does mechanical but may be able to recommend a good body shop. He had (and may still have) a really nice Blue 40 that someone obviously did a lot of work on about 6-7 years ago, so he may be a good resource. I haven't talked with him since I sold my '78 about 6 years ago. He is the man for mechanical work in Houston.

Another body shop in the area is Johnny Bang's. Don't have first hand experience with them, but have heard good things.

 

[davwil02]

Rosehill for the body work. Javier only does mechanical but may be able to recommend a good body shop. He had (and may still have) a really nice Blue 40 that someone obviously did a lot of work on about 6-7 years ago, so he may be a good resource. I haven't talked with him since I sold my '78 about 6 years ago. He is the man for mechanical work in Houston.

Another body shop in the area is Johnny Bang's. Don't have first hand experience with them, but have heard good things.

Javier is definitely the man for mechanical work and fabrication. He can do simple body repair too. I know he has done a ton of rust repair on cruisers. If he's not the guy for your job, he can probably recommend someone. Here's his place:

Javier's Autos Unlimited

 

[Pistorman]

I live north of Houston, I took my car to Dallas and obtained a much better deal. Look at my rebuild thread. I'll be happy to recommend you with a paint and body person that can likely do as good as the work done on mine for much less.

 

[gapa04]

I live north of Houston, I took my car to Dallas and obtained a much better deal. Look at my rebuild thread. I'll be happy to recommend you with a paint and body person that can likely do as good as the work done on mine for much less.

It would be great if you could recommend a paint and body person. Who did the work on your Landcruiser? Is there someone else that you'd use if you could do it all over again?

 

[78crzr]

Did you end up selecting a shop?

 

[gapa04]

Not yet. Still just tinkering with it. It runs well. Has little rust, most of which I've gotten under control at this point. Biggest issue right now is the breaks. I tried adjusting them, but was unsuccessful. Next step is replace all the break lines and break shoes and see if that improves things.

 

[SouthBostonFJ40]

Not yet. Still just tinkering with it. It runs well. Has little rust, most of which I've gotten under control at this point. Biggest issue right now is the breaks. I tried adjusting them, but was unsuccessful. Next step is replace all the break lines and break shoes and see if that improves things.

I wouldn't spend a ton of money fixing the drum brakes. I would invest in a front disk conversion.

 

[DSRTRDR]

X2 for the disk brakes

 

[multimediasmith]

Hi, I live in Covington too... Wish I'd known about this one... We should talk about local resources for projects... I Just bought a 79 FJ40 that was restored by CCOT and then shipped to Minnesota where it lived in a garage at a lake cabin and saw use only in the summers for short runs... it has 57K miles on it (sweeeet).

I'm trying to find localk help with adding AC and PS... don't want to go to the dealership though.
If you've visited the Covington Trailhead museum, I made the film that runs there and did the exhibits on Covington's history.
Dale Anthony Smith

 

[Okie Cruiser]

Hey... if you would be game for shipping/driving it just a bit north here to Oklahoma City, Mike Denison and the boys at Dent Depot did an awesome job on my '71 FJ40. (Mike is also the owner of the website Cruiser parts site Cruiser Corps.) Mike and the guys do super work, know FJ40s backward and forward and are a hoot to deal with. You can reach him at 405-848-9404. They are superb at FJ40 body work, but they also did my drum brake rebuild and some other mechanical monkeying that I needed done. It's handy that they have Cruiser Corps two blocks away for parts...no waiting on most stuff. Even if I lived in Texas (which I used to), I would take my FJ40 to Mike any day of the week. Good luck... rig's going to be great!