SOLD '78 FJ40, Survivor from NorCal (1 Viewer)

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Year
1978
Vehicle Model
  1. 40 Series
Location
United States
Mileage
75000
Color
Olive
It's got matching olive doors on it now, more rusty around the bottom than the green doors, you can have either set.

All new OEM Toyota parts within 5k miles:
  • Steering except for the box (could use a seal).
  • Brakes, all components and hoses (DOT 4 fluid), booster from a 4Runner
  • Clutch, master, slave and all soft lines
  • All coolant lines, thermostat, water pump, original radiator disassembled, core rodded out
  • Front end rebuild including e-locker and rare long-body Asco hubs.
  • Seat covers and better, original seat bottom foam.
All original including most of the bolts. I have turned almost every bolt in 12 years and drilled and tapped quite a few. Almost all are OEM and correct.

I estimate it has about 75000 miles on it, but that cannot be confirmed. The PO swapped out the cluster at some point. I would estimate that I have about 10000 miles on it between '06 and '10 and about 500 miles since then. It's in the garage and has been for 3 years.

It has a tool bag with the jack crank, but no other tools, original jack and rods where they are supposed to be. I have the original window sticker and tons of receipts from the original owner. There's even a picture of him in my ROTW thread. It was originally sold in Walnut Creek and lived in Livermore until 2006 when I bought it.

The front two 33x9.5 BFG ATs I bought new right around when they stopped making them, maybe 2013? The other three I pieced together from various places. All are almost full tread. One was flat for awhile and has some sidewall cracking, not the newest ones though. I've been driving around on it. :meh: (Date codes on the oldest two, the rears, is '97) The big tires stuff nicely off-road with just a tiny bit of rubbing on the tub in the back at full flex. It runs 65 to almost 70 on the freeway pretty nicely due to the big rubber. It will also come with an old pair of Big-O brand 33x9.5s for spares.

The original-paint olive doors are rusty around the bottom. I have a pair of green barn doors that are very straight and mostly rust-free, if you would prefer.

You can compare the rust from the original thread I posted back in 2007 to the pics I took in 2018. The hood has plenty of surface rust and one hard top side has some bubbling rust. The patches I did in the rear sill need a do-over and the sill needs to be replaced eventually. In the pic of the driver's rear tire you can see some rock damage to the area behind the running board, but you could get it perfect with a hammer and some dollies. There is a crack in the windshield frame above the hinge on the driver's side. Looks like the PO was pulling himself in by the windshield top. It hasn't gotten worse since I've owned it.

The rear step and the other running board are now installed. The plastic mirror heads could use to be replaced. They don't last very long.

It has an e-locker in the front. The bump stops are extended by about an inch to keep the e-locker actuator from contacting the oil pan. I always intended to install a cable-locker conversion kit. It has a lock-right locker in the rear. It's ok on the street, but noticeable. Awesome off road. The e-locker switch is an oem-style knob on an original flasher switch in an original hole by the lighter. I made the controller from relays from a circuit diagram found on the forums.

It has an h-41 and a 3-speed case, so 4.92 x 2.12 x 4.11 = 42.87 vs 3.55 x 1.95 x 4.11 = 28.45 final drive ratio stock. That's right about a 1.5x lower ratio than stock as it sits. 1st gear is very short when driving it on the street, just enough to get it rolling. I don't mind it. The 3-speed case is a bit whiny, but not bad. It has one of Georg's t-case savers on it that you can see in the ROTW thread and it has the 2wd-lo mod which is great for backing out of the garage.

It has a tach in the dash which is the biggest sin against bone stock. It's well done and in a good spot. The AM radio worked and I'm pretty sure still works. It may have a fuse out. The antenna needs replacing. The dash pad does not have any cracks. It is the original. The door limiters are perfect and have all the original hardware. The doors have bronze bushings and the spare tire hinge plastic bushings have been replaced with OEM parts. The window felts need to be replaced.

As far as I know the wiring harness is perfect. Every circuit works, including the carb cooling fan. The exception is the seat belt buzzer. I recall it worked before, but it isn't working right now. It needs a new motor for the washer pump to work as well as tubing and the hood squirter.

The seats are recently recovered over very nice original foams. All the belts are OEM and nice. The jump seats need attention. One needs a hinge welded, but it's not broken yet. The headliner has been out of it since I have owned it. It never bothered me. There's a pic of what it looks like in the ROTW thread.

The lights are all Hella brand with regular bulbs. The driving lights are not hacked into the harness. They are wired with a relay to the high beams with no switch in the cab other than the normal high-beam switch.

The '78 2f will pass CA smog. It's not the original motor, but is bone stock and lower miles than the body. It has the CA-only TR manifold.

I have clean title in my hand. If you love it, make me an offer. I want it to go to a good home.
The one on the left is for sale. The one on the right is not. :)

IMO, the perfect patina of the front bumper is worth the price for just that part.

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Before and after a cloth wipe and some paste wax of a quarter-panel to show how the paint can shine up:

S'matterwitchu, huh? It's d@mn near perfect as-is! You must be knocking $500 off it's value each time you take wax to it! Stop that! :slap:
 
Would you be interested in cash and an OK fj62?

It totally depends on how much cash. With $20000 cash, I could get that to pass CA smog and still come out about where I want to be. :)

Seriously, the GF wants something she can drive, not something for me to work on. It would have to be a somewhat pristine fj62 to fit the bill. She's seen too many nice 2006-7 100 series.
 
I enjoyed the mud buy/build thread. It looks like you have spent a lot of time working on this girl and have had some great times. I’m hoping to find a 40 my 4 year old boy and 18 month girl will have great memories of!
 
Your first post said a built 80 but from your last post it sounds you want something cushy for your girlfriend. Are you still interested in a built 80?
 
Your first post said a built 80 but from your last post it sounds you want something cushy for your girlfriend. Are you still interested in a built 80?

The right one, yes. It has to be nice, not built then beat, if you know what I mean. Hit me with some pics.

The ask has evolved a bit as she looks around. Snorkels are apparently somewhat offensive, come to find out. :rolleyes:
 
I know how that goes, mine is in decent shape but it is a diesel with a snorkel and 4" ironman lift so definitely not approved. My wife isn't fond of it either.
I do have a princess special, a GX470.
 
A diesel will probably not fly in sunny CA unless it's already titled here. No sense of humor down there at the DMV. Which diesel?

There's an hdj-81 (1HDT) down by San Diego that is our favorite. Can't deal with another vehicle until we thin the herd though.
 
A diesel will probably not fly in sunny CA unless it's already titled here. No sense of humor down there at the DMV. Which diesel?

There's an hdj-81 (1HDT) down by San Diego that is our favorite. Can't deal with another vehicle until we thin the herd though.

It is a 1996 so exempt and it was already titled diesel in California. Vette60, who is still on mud, from placerville built it. George at Valley Hybrids did the transfer case and possibly some of the other bits.
 
The only serious interest I've had is from Cesar from Oaktown. I'm keeping it warm for him.

Trying to decide between a hundy and a 4runner. 1000 extra lbs and overly-complicated AHC may be the deciding factors.
 

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