78' FJ40 rebirth (1 Viewer)

[jacket78]

Hey guys. So here is the deal. I just got a free 78' from a lady I am working with. I really want to bring this thing back to life. She told me I could use her shop and she has every tool known to mankind. I am very capable of doing all the work, but when it comes to vehicles that have been sitrting for a while I do not even know where to start. The 78' has been sitting for about 5 years now and hasn't moved. The lady's husband told her he had to do some work on the carb, but soon after got very sick and passed away. So The thing has been sitting in her Barn. It is a beast. It has an 8 inch lift and is sitting on 39 X 18.5 X 15 inch Mickey Thompson Baja's. It is a straight 6. So where would you guys start on it? and selling it is not an option

Thanks! oh and here is a pic of it I found that he put up a while back on another forum. It still looks just as clean as it did then.

 

[jacket78]

well, here is a link to the pic. for some reason it didn't come up when I posted it.

 

[bikersmurf]

Here's the pic...

I'd start by planning what you want it to look like at the end of the day.

Then see if you can get it to run, and address safety issues. Closely examin steering, brakes, and tires(dry rot).

Congratulations, I think you've got a nice rig there... I'd be inclined to go back to 35s and possibly lower it a tad.

 

[antFJ]

awesome truck!

PS that body is not from a 78!


(and flip your bezel!)

 

[bikersmurf]

Check that all the paperwork is in order... That tub and cowl is early 70s.

You don't want to have problems down the road.

 

[jmdaniel]

So here is the deal. I just got a free 78' from a lady I am working with.

It wasn't this lady, was it?

 

[jacket78]

Thanks guys! yeah I will double check all the paperwork to make sure.

So the thing isn't a 78? I will have to check it out a little bit more before tearing in to it. The lady who gave it to me is a little older and has no idea what went into it, so I am shooting in the dark on a lot of this stuff. I will have to give it a closer look later on. I just saw it for the first time yesterday for a few minutes but I haven't really had a chance to mess with it just yet. I'll check the papers on it when I get home.

My goal for it is to make it back into a vehicle that can be a daily driver. I want to put something in the neighborhood of 33's back on it and drop it down a couple inches. I'll probably start with all the fluids first, drain the gas tank and put some fresh back in, new battery, spark plugs, hoses, anything else i should look into before even trying to crank it?

 

[jacket78]

It wasn't this lady, was it?

No that's not her. I don't think your mom is that generous.

 

[kling-on]

Make sure the vin plate and frame number match I bet someone did a body swap for rust

 

[jmdaniel]

No that's not her. I don't think your mom is that generous.

Or alive, for that matter.

 

[jacket78]

Or alive, for that matter.

noted.