72 fj40 revival after sitting for 41 years

[JohnMerk]

Well this will be my first fourm post so hopefully it's in the right spot. Some of you guys will of known my dad, v8fj4078 who has recently passed away but with that I have since inherited all of his toys. One of which is a tan 1972 fj40 that has an inspection sticker of 85. my whole life I've watched it sit in our shop and only once saw it drive. in my cleaning up and reorganizing it became a goal to get it going again and to be able to use it as a daily driver.

Since it sat for so long it just became a storage space for all of his spare parts. once I got that all cleaned out and managed to pull it out of its parking spot i started on trying to get it to run. I dumped some atf in the cylinders a gallon of gas in the tank and a squirt in the carb and to my absolute amazement it started. Dumped a ton of smoke out and was deafeningly loud. I had assumed the mufflers rusted out from sitting but after checking it simply didn't have anything past the headers.



Anyway it was significantly easier to get it running than I had ever expected, I do credit this to dad on the assumption that he had taken the time to put it away "correctly" because he was one to think ahead for stuff like that. As of currently I have it up on our lift so I can knock the surface rust off the bottom and get some spray paint on it till I can go over it more thoroughly.

I have some stuff in my Amazon cart to make up an exhaust but that will probably only happen after this holiday weekend

One of the reasons of getting it out is because I don't want to drive his yellow one a whole lot, he spent so much time on it that if something happens to it I would be incredibly sad. Much more fun to drive one that I don't have to worry about

 

[charliemeyer007]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[JohnMerk]

I will add that I'm also looking to go back to skinny mud tires on some stock steel wheels with chrome hubcaps because I found a box of his that is all new hubcaps

Sorry for your loss.

thank you I appreciate it, man upstairs always has a plan.

 

[Comet]

@JohnMerk condolences. You will have a lot of reminiscing to do while you go through the parts stash. I wish you happy memories and long dirt roads in your future. Drive the yellow one while you get this one up to speed.

 

[sogafarm]

What a great way to celebrate your Dad by bringing one of his projects to life! Will be following along.

 

[JohnMerk]

@JohnMerk condolences. You will have a lot of reminiscing to do while you go through the parts stash. I wish you happy memories and long dirt roads in your future. Drive the yellow one while you get this one up to speed.

I've only had it out 4 times so far but I do plan to take it out on occasion but it's just too nice, I've been driving his 1st gen 4Runner a lot tho they are super nice

matches the same rustic look as the tan 40!

 

[JohnMerk]

What a great way to celebrate your Dad by bringing one of his projects to life! Will be following along.

There is one more green one of his I have to pull out someday too

 

[brian]

nice to see another one in the county

 

[JohnnyC]

Omg I’m so sorry for your loss … I remember your dad for sure as his yellow 40 is a fst and we discussed canvas door screws … ironically I had just last night ordered some

My father as well just passed away may 30th … not having the best last six months and this was a capper on the bad… have not even thought about touching his 30’ model A … unfortunately I think I’m going to have to explain to my mother how it’s best to sell it

Just no room… I’m glad you have that space … he has a fantastic truck

We will help you get the 72’ going well

Yes atf will smoke for a LONG time… mufflers are still available from dealers … if it’s still setup stock but don’t think so with a v8

 

[JohnMerk]

Omg I’m so sorry for your loss … I remember your dad for sure as his yellow 40 is a fst and we discussed canvas door screws … ironically I had just last night ordered some

My father as well just passed away may 30th … not having the best last six months and this was a capper on the bad… have not even thought about touching his 30’ model A … unfortunately I think I’m going to have to explain to my mother how it’s best to sell it

Just no room… I’m glad you have that space … he has a fantastic truck

We will help you get the 72’ going well

Yes atf will smoke for a LONG time… mufflers are still available from dealers … if it’s still setup stock but don’t think so with a v8

another bit to add about his soft top and canvas doors shortly after he passed a brand new green soft top arrived in the mail! I messaged the guy that shipped it and he told me it was the same as the one that is on the yellow 40 so now I have a spare I guess. I don't think I really ever appreciated his attention to detail on that truck until I started to look closer, and to hear things like that about something as small as a screw on the door makes me happy that he was at least able to finish that project before he passed. I'm very sad he didn't have longer to appreciate all of his own hard work tho.

As for the 72, it is basically stock. I believe that the previous owner had been installing long tube headers and never finished it before selling it because there are not flanges at the end of them and they also dump as two separate pipes.

I'll look into what I can find new for mufflers but I will most likely just order some tubing to piece together into a dual setup

 

[JohnMerk]

nice to see another one in the county

Had you stopped by a house and asked about a red hardtop? I see there's a red one on your profile could just be coincidence. I believe there is a guy in Akron with a red one named Matt?

 

[RevISK]

What a great gift your father has given you, not the vehicles so much as the future memories.

Following along.

 

[brian]

i had been at his place, but it was in regards to a sears garden tractor.

 

[JohnMerk]

i had been at his place, but it was in regards to a sears garden tractor.

that's funny, but yea I believe it was Matt who had stopped to ask about buying the hardtop off of my red 77 i hadn't been home at the time and I'm still really quite new to the community so I'll have to learn who everyone is but it's a super nice welcoming environment yall got going here

 

[JohnnyC]

Sounds like it has a sor.com header … if so the mid pipe as well as muffler and tailpipe can all still be bought at sor … unless you go a cheaper route as sor can be pricey at times

 

[JohnMerk]

Sounds like it has a sor.com header … if so the mid pipe as well as muffler and tailpipe can all still be bought at sor … unless you go a cheaper route as sor can be pricey at times

They do look very similar, I'll add a picture of mine later tonight. They might of changed them over the years because mine exit the headers as 2.5in pipes not the 2 1/16

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Condolences and celebration of life at the same time. Glad he betrothed them to you. I think he would want you to drive them and not sit. Make new memories. I have a long journey with my boys and cruisers that is a bright spot in my life. If you have kids get them engaged. It’s worth every second. Sub’d.

 

[jfz80]

John. Certainly remember your pop’s truck, mud handle and the knowledge he shared here over the years.

Welcome to the 40 fold. I’m sorry it’s under such circumstances but couldn’t agree more with the sentiments shared here. Drive them. Enjoy them.

Working on them will be a constant reminder of the joy and the challenges he had with the same tasks at hand and prompt endless questions of what would dad do here …. And probably even some what DID dad do here.

Enjoy the journey and keep us posted on the progress. Lots of helpful folks here to get you going in the right direction when the path gets muddled.

 

[JohnMerk]

John. Certainly remember your pop’s truck, mud handle and the knowledge he shared here over the years.

Welcome to the 40 fold. I’m sorry it’s under such circumstances but couldn’t agree more with the sentiments shared here. Drive them. Enjoy them.

Working on them will be a constant reminder of the joy and the challenges he had with the same tasks at hand and prompt endless questions of what would dad do here …. And probably even some what DID dad do here.

Enjoy the journey and keep us posted on the progress. Lots of helpful folks here to get you going in the right direction when the path gets muddled.

There have been quite a few times where I've already run into things like "oh where did he put that part" and I go oh I'll just call him and ask... welp can't do that.

As for all the knowledge he has shared here over the years I am more and more surprised at how many people knew him, quite the popular guy!

 

[JohnMerk]

Fj got moved outside so I can fix my 4 runner, quite the surprise that it has disc brakes up front. Sadly means my 4Runner stock wheels don't fit on it. I ordered some wheel spacers to get them to clear the calipers tho. 2in in the front 1in in the rear. I also found a set of oem wheels that my hubcaps fit so eventually it'll get them