About my 25- please give me feedback.. im new

[nfalcone]

I wanted to let you guys know about my cruiser, and promise to post some photos this weekend or monday.

1960 FJ-25
My grandpa bought it in 1965 and put a hard top on it from a 1965 FJ-40, but I still have the cage for the original soft top. I plan to get this put back together one day so I can have both.
I am not sure what color it was originally, because I havent taken the time to look at the plate and figure it out, but it currently is the traditional red with a white roof.
The neat thing is that it only has 47000 miles on it and runs great. I just had a mechanic rebuild the brakes and all lights work too. I am still trying to get all the gauges working, but I am definately not complaining.
The only rust it has is in the rear quarter panels, and a very small amount on the undercarriage. I attribute the lack of rust to spending most of its life in the hot and dry san fernando valley.
It has solid doors, i think they are aluminum and they have plexiglass windows in them... I dont know if this was stock or not. The rear door folds in half horizontally and lifts up. I havent seen any other cruisers with this type of rear door.... does anyone know if this was a feature on the 1965 fj 40 (since that is what year i believe the hard top is from)?
It has the original wench still, but I havent been able to get it working (in time i will). I know a guy who works on wenches and he knows he can get it working. It is just locked up from sitting for years.

Lastly, I just want to say, I am proud to be apart of such a small group of owners. I have to thank my family for holding onto this treasure for so many years. Your right ... we dont need no stinking bezels!!!

Ask me questions

Nick

 

[zebrabeefj40]

Welcome Nick! Sounds like a great truck...got a couple pictures you can post up of it?


Nick

 

[my64fj40]

Cool

I don't belong over here but I can still dream can't I


Can't wait to see some pics

 

[cruiser88]

bezel hater .oh yea welcome get those pictures

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Wow Nick, I like to hear about them staying in the family.

The soft top bows are impossible to find, don't lose them.

The '65 hardtop was the last year for the bifold fold-up door in the back.


Color? You had your choice of Green, Red, White, or a funky Grey. Look inside the glove compartment, under the dash, or under the truck....the frame was painted body color, there was a yellow zinc primer under that.

If you've got an original PTO you're talking a real rarity. I think that would make five of us. The winch itself is the same as the later rigs so don't worry about that.

I'd be willing to bet that you've got original doors that are covered in sheet aluminum. They had plexiglass slide up windows originally. Here's what the door looks like from inside:

 

[foxfab]

Whadda ya mean funky grey?

 

[nfalcone]

You are exactly right Jim, that is what the doors look like.

Pictures are going up tonight, I promise. Thanks for the feedback guys. Keep it coming. I want to learn more about this rig.

Nick

 

[Living in the Past]

Color? You had your choice of Green, Red, White, or a FUNKY GREY. Look inside the glove compartment, under the dash, or under the truck....the frame was painted body color, there was a yellow zinc primer under that.

Just because one of your hoard of 25s isn't grey doesn't mean it's funky. When is the last time you seen a FJ40 in factory grey. One place I look for the original color is on the inside of the door hinge.

The wheels for this old things seem to be hard to find. On the four FJ25s I've bought one had four with no spare, the rest all had aftermarket wheels. They are around just hard to come by.

I might try the early hard top on one. I have one that has a later hard top on it but it would look better with an earlier top. Post some more pictures or Email them to Jim (Cruiser_Nerd). Here's a link to a picture of that hard top.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=27164

 

[nfalcone]

Just because one of hoard of 25s it's grey doesn't mean it's funky. When is the last time you seen a FJ40 in factory grey. One place I look for the original color is on the inside of the door hinge.

The wheels for this old things seem to be hard to find. On the four FJ25s I've bought one had four with no spare, the rest all had aftermarket wheels. They are around just hard to come by.

I might try the early hard top on one. I have one that has a later hard top on it but it would look better with an earlier top. Post some more pictures or Email them to Jim (Cruiser_Nerd). Here's a link to a picture of that hard top.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=98428

I cant find that hardtop

 

[Living in the Past]

Sorry about that. I fixed it. I posted it in a hurry yesterday just before I went home from work and found the wrong link. This should be the right link. Maybe I really just wanted to post the pictures of my wheels again. The tread about too much chrome was just Cruiser_Nerd trying to liven up the 25 forum. Those wheels are not for sale.There is so few of us 25 owners that our forum goes stagnant because we our all pretty busy most of the time. That tread was just Cruiser_Nerd way of making sure we were still around. Oh by the way welcome to our group. The best way to find your parts is in this forum. The wheels in the picture I got off of somebody three miles away from my home. There from a 25 that I would have never found out about if it wasn't for this forum.

John

 

[nfalcone]

Sorry about that. I fixed it. I posted it in a hurry yesterday just before I went home from work and found the wrong link. This should be the right link. Maybe I really just wanted to post the pictures of my wheels again. The tread about too much chrome was just Cruiser_Nerd trying to liven up the 25 forum. Those wheels are not for sale.There is so few of us 25 owners that our forum goes stagnant because we our all pretty busy most of the time. That tread was just Cruiser_Nerd way of making sure we were still around. Oh by the way welcome to our group. The best way to find your parts is in this forum. The wheels in the picture I got off of somebody three miles away from my home. There from a 25 that I would have never found out about if it wasn't for this forum.

John

Well, You are pretty blessed to have found that much "bling". I can only imagine what they look like on a 25

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Nick, I was squinting at your pictures, you've got some good stuff there like the original front bumper, took me a long time to get one. John has wagon wheels on his white 25, they must have been a real small offset. I can check mine but I need about a 1/2" spacer to be able to fit 40 wheels on mine.

Looks like your battery moved to the engine compartment, what's under the seat? What's the big round red thing under the hood in front of the battery?

I always like checking out pictures of 25's, we always find something new.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Maybe I'll start checking my mail before logging in here..............
I've got a bunch of questions, but time for bed.

 

[nfalcone]

Nick, I was squinting at your pictures, you've got some good stuff there like the original front bumper, took me a long time to get one. John has wagon wheels on his white 25, they must have been a real small offset. I can check mine but I need about a 1/2" spacer to be able to fit 40 wheels on mine.

Looks like your battery moved to the engine compartment, what's under the seat? What's the big round red thing under the hood in front of the battery?

I always like checking out pictures of 25's, we always find something new.

The big red thing contains spare bulbs and fuses. The top flips open and it has a headlight surrounded by smaller bulbs and fuses in some sort of foam. There is still a battery under the seat, the one in the engine compartment is for auxillary power.

Keep me posted on those wheels.

After all my bragging about how well it runs, I almost died tonight. I lost all my brakes.... aahhhhh, but by the grace of God, I am safe. I have extra master break cylanders... i think the old ones finally gave way. Oh well, I am here and more importantly, the cruiser was unharmed.

 

[wesintl]

That's a neat old 25. Thanks for sharing.

 

[cruiserman]

Those brakes belong in a museum. Upgrade to dual circuit.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Those brakes belong in a museum. Upgrade to dual circuit.

They do. Makes me feel like a teenager.........living dangerously.

Nick, what's the name on the top of that can of bulbs? I thought it was a toolkit. Looks like your grandfather did a lot of practical modifications and really used that 25.

Do you still have vacuum wipers and generator? Just wondering, because he seemed to like the electric gadgets.

Looks like the original front bumper and PTO..........nice. Cutlass Hubs.

What's the thing before the fuel pump where the filter usually is? A fancy filter or an old electric pump?

Very neat truck, I'd leave it just the way it is.

 

[nfalcone]

They do. Makes me feel like a teenager.........living dangerously.

Nick, what's the name on the top of that can of bulbs? I thought it was a toolkit. Looks like your grandfather did a lot of practical modifications and really used that 25.

Do you still have vacuum wipers and generator? Just wondering, because he seemed to like the electric gadgets.

Looks like the original front bumper and PTO..........nice. Cutlass Hubs.

What's the thing before the fuel pump where the filter usually is? A fancy filter or an old electric pump?

Very neat truck, I'd leave it just the way it is.

Yes the wipers are still vacuum and it is the original PTO wench.

About the thing before the fuel pump, I am not actually sure what you are referring to. If you are talking about the blue plastic looking thing, that is a view window to see if there is fuel in the carb. The big black thing is an air filter, but it has a line on it that says someithing about "oil level", so maybe it has another purpose. Your guess is as good as mine. The fuel pump is electric, and you can actually flip a switch on the dash and pump fuel into it. Not sure what the purpose of that is.

My grandfather was not the clever guy, it was the guy he got it from. Ha ha. My grandpa just drove and maintained cars, he was never into any sort of modifications. A simple guy really, but smart as a whip (as shown by hime getting his hands on this sweet machine.)

The red can is really cool. It can be removed for transportation. the name on the top is Anthes.

You really would just leave it alone? I am tempted to do a frame off resto, but I am getting the idea from you guys that that may be very very difficult when it comes to parts etc. Give me some pointers. What is a good place to start.

 

[Living in the Past]

The oil line on the air filter is how high the oil should be inside, that does not have a paper element inside, the inside with have a metal screen instead. That is called a oil bath air cleaner. It's an option but most seem to have had it. Can't tell from the picture but does the standard fuel pump have a rod with a ring on top? That was one of the standard fuel pumps. You can use the rod to prime the carb. I use it all the time since mine sits for long periods with no used. Does the same thing as the eletric pump fuel just not as easy as turning on a switch.

The factory PTO is cool. I know Cruiser_Nerd has one, Paul Decker has one on the one he bought from Eric (Cruiserman), Marv at Specter Off Road has one on his white FJ25 and some other guy has three of them. I had a chance many years ago to pick up one but didn't because I didn't have a FJ25 at the time.

We would like to see some more detailed picture of the inside and back. Does it still have the original license plate bracket on the back, tail lights?

I wouldn't say it's impossible to do a frame off resto, just not cheap. I have four of these things and I'm one of the lower count guys compared to some others. I now probably have enough to do two original soft tops but that's after four vehicles, four plus years, a few trades and a lot of parts buying. Your rear veiw mirror doesn't look original, one was just on Ebay but was listed as a 64 mirrior. I didn't watch it that close but it looked like it was going to sell for over $50. That will give you an idea of cost of things. That being said I think your 25 would be one of the easier 25s to restore since it looks like more stuff was added than taken off. Post some more pictures and this group can tell what should be there, would shouldn't be there and what is missing. then you can decide which way you want to go.

John

 

[FJnotCJ]

I'd drive it like it is for a looong time, get very familiar with it by doing lots of PM, cleaning, and wire labeling...collect parts you know you are going to need, and tools too! Try to eliminate as many "gumption traps" as possible while still enjoying it, brakes for example...then tear it apart if you want to.

That's what I'd do, but none of mine run...they came to me tore apart