Builds 76 Fj40 Face Lift

[Chungas Revenge]

Mule 2.0 it going next level, it may never see a bird field again. It will take its rightful place among Muds Elite. Relegated to the trap range and Sunday brunches, it will definitely fit in with the well heeled crowd.

It does have sliders on it….

Not without rust!

New Chapters…

The irony in the 2.0 build is I abused the $&@# out of Mule 1.0 early on. I don’t know if disposable hunting rigs are a thing in other parts of the country. Growing up here in the hallowed hills, most family’s had 1 vehicle. So thrashing the work truck, grocery getter, family go to church on Sunday vehicle was kinda frowned upon. Thus, the “Hunting rig” was born. Every Farm and country home had a “tarped up” wood shed rig with “Farm use” spray painted on the side.

The 1st dedicated hunting rig I remember tooling around the endless tracts of WESVACO property in, was a 60’s VW bug with no doors, windshield, heater, back glass or interior. A couple seats, out of God knows what, we’re bolted to a 2x4 frame and that was bolted to the remaining “good metal” on the floor pan. Two oversized “big mud tars” in the rear pushed it along with ease. It was a beast. I Dont ever getting stuck in it.

Over the years I’ve owned more Jeeps, jalopies, buggy’s and “last leg before the crusher” trucks than I care to remember.

Sooooo, the Mule was just another “lamb” in a long line of sacrificial 4x4’s.

I had it in places that a goat would think better of. The black DP that I put on, went on as more of an aluminum shield against Multi flora Rose, locust post, barbed wire etc etc than as a rust mask. It’s was in more mud, muck and mire (East coast) than I care to admit.

I started having trouble with the old Rochester Carb that it came with and found MUD while scrounging for parts. That’s right about the time I realized maybe I should look at the Mule through a different lense. So my approach changed to preserving vice abusing and a Honda Pioneer took over all Hunting duties assigned.

But you are correct. Im still going to bird hunt, hit range day and slip over to the DQ on a August afternoon as the opportunity arises. But, the days of “bird doggen’ goat paths through the multi flora rose are in the rear view mirror.

New chapters will be written. I get the sneaky suspicion the Mule is going to spend some time “wheeling” outside of the nail salon and “over landing“ to the hair dresser. I‘m OK with it…

 

[Green Bean]

I suspect that because of the utilitarian nature of these vehicles, that the majority of them didn't get the types of routine maintenance that one would typically give the family grocery-getter. So, things like oil changes, lube and whatnot just got kicked down the road. They were rode hard and put up wet. It is no wonder they rust and occasionally puke their bodily fluids on the driveway. In a way then it is a testament to the engineers at Toyota that these vehicles have managed to stay alive as long as they have.

 

[pb4ugo]

New Chapters…

The irony in the 2.0 build is I abused the $&@# out of Mule 1.0 early on. I don’t know if disposable hunting rigs are a thing in other parts of the country. Growing up here in the hallowed hills, most family’s had 1 vehicle. So thrashing the work truck, grocery getter, family go to church on Sunday vehicle was kinda frowned upon. Thus, the “Hunting rig” was born. Every Farm and country home had a “tarped up” wood shed rig with “Farm use” spray painted on the side.

The 1st dedicated hunting rig I remember tooling around the endless tracts of WESVACO property in, was a 60’s VW with no doors, windshield, heater, back glass or interior. A couple seats, out of God knows what, we’re bolted to a 2x4 frame and that was bolted to the remaining “good metal” on the floor pan. Two oversized “big mud tars” in the rear pushed it along with ease. It was a beast. I Dont ever getting stuck in it.

Over the years I’ve owned more Jeeps, jalopies, buggy’s and “last leg before the crusher” trucks than I care to remember.

Sooooo, the Mule was just another “lamb” in a long line of sacrificial 4x4’s.

I had it in places that a goat would think better of. The black DP that I put on, went on as more of an aluminum shield against Multi flora Rose, locust post, barbed wire etc etc than as a rust mask. It’s was in more mud, muck and mire (East coast) than I care to admit.

I started having trouble with the old Rochester Carb that it came with and found MUD while scrounging for parts. That’s right about the time I realized maybe I should look at the Mule through a different lense. So my approach changed to preserving vice abusing and a Honda Pioneer took over all Hunting duties assigned.

But you are correct. Im still going to bird hunt, hit range day and slip over to the DQ on a August afternoon as the opportunity arises. But, the days of “bird doggen’ goat paths through the multi flora rose are in the rear view mirror.

New chapters will be written. I get the sneaky suspicion the Mule is going to spend some time “wheeling” outside of the nail salon and “over landing“ to the hair dresser. I‘m OK with it…

I did the same things as you, except mine isn't a hunting rig, it is a driver/trail rig. At the time I was driving & wheeling it pretty much daily and going on east coast wheeling trips monthly to KY, TN, NC, Tellico, etc. I eventually dropped a solid mostly rust free tub on my frame and added protection by wrapping it in DP and a sort of exoskeleton around the top of the tub. The protection was designed so I could lean on trees and rocks and limit the trail rash damage. I'm one of the few on this site that doesn't H8mud and have become very proficient in dealing with it. I figured the body would last 10 yrs or so, that was probably 30 yrs ago and it's still going strong. I had witnessed what tight, slippery east coast trails can do over the previous 10 or 15yrs and knew how I wanted the 40 setup. Fortunately, I now have a second 40 and that is now dedicated to the street and light wheeling and will eventually be painted pretty .

I wheel with a like minded group when it comes to trail riding. To a person, each of us never want to be the one who broke down on the trail and waste others time and money on a trail ride. All our rigs were meticulously serviced, and mechanically spot on. When wheeling in the east there's usually a water or mud in front of the rock obstacles.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

I did the same things as you, except mine isn't a hunting rig, it is a driver/trail rig. At the time I was driving & wheeling it pretty much daily and going on east coast wheeling trips monthly to KY, TN, NC, Tellico, etc. I eventually dropped a solid mostly rust free tub on my frame and added protection by wrapping it in DP and a sort of exoskeleton around the top of the tub. The protection was designed so I could lean on trees and rocks and limit the trail rash damage. I'm one of the few on this site that doesn't H8mud and have become very proficient in dealing with it. I figured the body would last 10 yrs or so, that was probably 30 yrs ago and it's still going strong. I had witnessed what tight, slippery east coast trails can do over the previous 10 or 15yrs and knew how I wanted the 40 setup. Fortunately, I now have a second 40 and that is now dedicated to the street and light wheeling and will eventually be painted pretty .

I wheel with a like minded group when it comes to trail riding. To a person, each of us never want to be the one who broke down on the trail and waste others time and money on a trail ride. All our rigs were meticulously serviced, and mechanically spot on. When wheeling in the east there's usually a water or mud in front of the rock obstacles.

Testify…

I laughed when I read “trail riding” in your comment. 3” of rotting leaves on a wet clay base is definitely a ride. We called it trail Surfing. .

I remember pumping tadpoles out of my buddies wife’s new, 2nd day of ownership, Cherokee. I hear they’re getting back together for the sake of the children …

Kicking over ideas for something more akin to “Farm Use” for future endeavors…

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Third and final coat of UVP applied today. Quietly baking away in the shop.

Hit the go button at Overland Metric for an upgraded JIS kit.

Had a last chance discussion for changes on “color” this AM. Sticking to my initial choice and dancing with what “I brung”. Custom Mule Brown for the win.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

These “Easter Egss” are so cool . Boys at the shop kicked this one over the fence to me.

 

[archie73]

Better shot of the Tub/Cowl waiting in the bull pen for Round II.

View attachment 3546649

Am I the only one that finds the paint like this sexy? Oddly enough I’m kinda indifferent to patina builds, but I dig the look of the tub like this. Reminds me of King Ranch seats.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Am I the only one that finds the paint like this sexy? Oddly enough I’m kinda indifferent to patina builds, but I dig the look of the tub like this. Reminds me of King Ranch seats.

I’d drive it like this but, the guys at the shop have locked the doors from the inside and won’t come out…

 

[White Stripe]

Hope your recovery is going well. Surgery is never fun. You can clear bra the side of the 40 if you want to wheel it a bit more.

 

[21NDone]

Testify…

I laughed when I read “trail riding” in your comment. 3” of rotting leaves on a wet clay base is definitely a ride. We called it trail Surfing. .

I remember pumping tadpoles out of my buddies wife’s new, 2nd day of ownership, Cherokee. I hear they’re getting back together for the sake of the children …

Kicking over ideas for something more akin to “Farm Use” for future endeavors…

Farm use - this is my recent acquisition for farm use:

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Farm use - this is my recent acquisition for farm use: View attachment 3548796

I'd rock that. Straight sleeper.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Farm use - this is my recent acquisition for farm use:

I‘d DD that till the wheels fell off..

 

[Chungas Revenge]

One final wet sand and the Mule is headed to a date with destiny. A mule Brown destiny..

 

[waiting for time]

Better start shopping for a new 40 as HER car wil be going in the Barbie garage soon. Ain’t no way you ever get to make it dirty again.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Better start shopping for a new 40 as HER car wil be going in the Barbie garage soon. Ain’t no way you ever get to make it dirty again.

Do you think I would stoop so low as to use the Mule as a pawn in the “twenty years” garage war(s)? Only to acquire a second Mule more callused, gritty and less gentrified than the original Mule 1.0…

Preposterous idea…

What do you think SBC soft top????

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Hope your recovery is going well. Surgery is never fun. You can clear bra the side of the 40 if you want to wheel it a bit more.

Thank you!!! The surgery was almost a nonevent compared to the nasty little “bug” that followed me out the door.

It probably seems like a “gentrification” project and to a certain extent that’s partially true. I still plan on using the Mule for “light” hunting duty. We just cut a road into the hunting camp, cleared the mirror beaters and felled a few trees to open up the clay loamy ground to some sunshine. 3 1/2” aggregate and a crushed run cap rolled in. It’s like a highway now. Gratuitous pic included. So, “getting there” is pretty easy. I usually park and walk into the small trout streams we fish. Bird hunting is 100% cleared hot. We park and walk in. Hardly get the tires dusty.

Now there is a rumor, circulated amongst a nefarious inner circle, that a dedicated Frankenstein build is in the horizon. No telling how this chapter will turn out.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Garage Gremlins…Never let the guys in the garage have beer after midnight.

You really can’t dangle on the lip of the rabbit hole to long without tossing a back flip with a half twist into the abyss.

Back from media blasting, hung and ready, 1st coat and drying.

 

[middlecalf]

I prefer a cannon ball into the rabbit abyss, might as well take out as much fodder as I can. Belly flops are the problem.

 

[70fj40]

That cabin and the road going in is certainly Mule2.0 worthy.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

That cabin and the road going in is certainly Mule2.0 worthy.

The Mule has a lot of history on that hill.