Another light restoration thread. 1978 Blue FJ40

[rabid]

This thread makes me feel like a hack. I am a hack, but this really brings it out.


Damn.

 

[Coolerman]

Nylon washers for the hinge slop? Another good tip to file away for future use.

Speaking of the yellow chromate. Would you consider acting as a middle man for your plater for a box of Cruiser parts? Or would they by chance work with me directly? No one here locally does it...

 

[PAFJ]

Amazing...truely. Great work on the cruiser!

 

[TEQ]

Kudos Shane. Very nicely done indeed.

 

[cruiserjunktion]

Inspiring Indeed......

uber awesome!!

 

[lockd-97]

How do you sell these 40's? Ebay only, word of mouth,....... Is it rude for me to ask an average price you get. It's ok if you'd rather not say.

 

[corsair23]

Well, whatcha think? besides blue look like sh!t in the sun with a camera...

Yep, looks like sh!t...LOL

And you got the wheels dirty

I don't know how you do it Shane! Truly amazing...BTW got the top hardware today in the mail I'm not sure how you do it as busy as you are but as always you are da man!!

P.S. I'm thinking between $30-$35K on this one....Guess we'll find out sooner or later

 

[Hugh Heifer]

Hey - is that the Mary Young State Park looking at the 205 in Gladstone??? THe truck looks beotchin'! I am envious.

 

[AATLAS1X]

My mind is still sleeping and I know there will be spelling errors! Woody, can we get a spell check please!

This thread makes me feel like a hack. I am a hack, but this really brings it out..

I doubt you are a hack!

ask and ye shall recieve...

Thats to cool! Thanks for posting that for all.

Nylon washers for the hinge slop? Another good tip to file away for future use.

Those are the original ones! But I have cleaned them well! The last white one I sold in the powdercoating thread, is rattles and squeeked like crazy!!! I had a tech lay in the engine bay to hear it and it would never make a noise. We tracked it down to be those hinges. I lubed them up and it was quiet from then out.

I do have new nylon washers under the hood pan screws, windshield latch screws and under the hood hooks. This heeps everything off the paint.

Speaking of the yellow chromate. Would you consider acting as a middle man for your plater for a box of Cruiser parts? Or would they by chance work with me directly? No one here locally does it...

Try doing a google or city search in your area. Look under platers. Portland is expensive and shipping would be nasty. Aaron in Spokane aka RIDDLER can get it done for half what I can and someone in TX was a fraction of that. Do a search here there is alot of info.

How do you sell these 40's? Ebay only, word of mouth,....... Is it rude for me to ask an average price you get. It's ok if you'd rather not say.

Both, after I sell one on ebay I gat emails from people watching the auction and did not act and I build a relationship with them and see if I get one that will work.

Yep, looks like sh!t...LOL

And you got the wheels dirty

I don't know how you do it Shane! Truly amazing...BTW got the top hardware today in the mail I'm not sure how you do it as busy as you are but as always you are da man!!

P.S. I'm thinking between $30-$35K on this one....Guess we'll find out sooner or later

Thanks!

I drove it today, for some of you know know me I am just doing this till me personal one is finished or I find a 79-83 that is equal to this blue one. Words cant be placed in any order to describe this one. My tech does not believe it has 58k on it.......He swears it has been towed, there is no bugs in the rad?? the engine bay is unbelievable clean. If anyone in the area would like to see it just let me know I am always up for coffee.......

Speaking of, I got up Tues at about 9 am, went to get the rest of the parts from dealer to powder and started on it hard at 5 pm with the got home. James my Toyota tech ripped the front end apart (sorry about not having C clip plyers for the hubs) I had all the front end componets ready to install. New tie rods, ends, hardware, rebuilt center link and arm, hubs, knuckle kits, steerinf shock and other bits. So that went real fast. Done by midnight and way to much energy and James has a half rack down and I dont drink at home. So I get to color sanding.........that went quick. wiped it all down and then used my 3" mini polisher from Snapon and did al the small areas and low speed over and around all the hinges and bolts. Knocked out all the flat area with a wool pad and 3m micro cut and then black foam pad with 30 micro polish..........laid down all the wac and worked my way around wiping small areas off and installing all the emblems, mirrors and latch's and stuff. install the original mat and the other seat and finished the interior off with all new hardware. Next was the bumper, gussets, plate holder and crack bracket (thanks FOXFAB!) Cleaned the wheels and installed the original hub caps...O yes, while taking off the wheels the back side was clean and black!

For those who don't know, I am not a drug user, just motivated.

Then it was like 7:30 and was gone to work and kids wanting to know why I was still up since they heard the radio all night. So I rolled it outside and installed the drivers door seal and let me tell you how quiet one half of this thing is now!

I still need to clean the glass and it is water spotted bad.

had it aligned and wheel centered for $40 at Firestone and new OE muffler installed.

 

[AATLAS1X]

Hey - is that the Mary Young State Park looking at the 205 in Gladstone??? THe truck looks beotchin'! I am envious.

Mary S. Young is the West Linn side, you are correct on location just this is Willamette park.

 

[Hugh Heifer]

Mary S. Young is the West Linn side, you are correct on location just this is Willamette park.

Cudos to me recognizing that all the way from Rome, GA!! Again, great work on the truck.

 

[AATLAS1X]

Cudos to me recognizing that all the way from Rome, GA!! Again, great work on the truck.

thought you were in Sherwood??

Yes Kudos!

 

[Hugh Heifer]

thought you were in Sherwood??

Yes Kudos!

Yeah, I lived in Sherwood about 3 years ago, then to Puerto Rico and now in Georgia. Getting around.

 

[Gotta40]

one sweet fj!

 

[stevek]

I just love a blue Cruiser!

 

[cruiserjunktion]

shane-

great work

one questtion

Have you considered painting/ powder coating the springs?

My ome springs started rusting month after I installed them.

I plan on pulling them and giving them a good coat of paint soon.

Your thoughts?

 

[Fireman]

Shane that thing looks incredible!!!!

 

[squeezer]

Shane,
I am in Portland and sarting a "driver resto" on a smurf blue 78. Would it be possible to get a CD of all the pictures you have of that thing... Or better yet let me come buy (or meet you someplace) with my own camera.

I have a car hoist in my garage if you want to document the undercairage.

Chris

 

[AATLAS1X]

Shane,
I am in Portland and sarting a "driver resto" on a smurf blue 78. Would it be possible to get a CD of all the pictures you have of that thing... Or better yet let me come buy (or meet you someplace) with my own camera.

I have a car hoist in my garage if you want to document the undercairage.

Chris

I would meet you anytime. I work in gladstone and just need a reason to go to Starbucks in O.C.

Heres a few random pics.

If you really look at this photo you will see alot. ie, The original alt, radiator even the horn connections look new................

 

[AATLAS1X]

shane-

great work

one questtion

Have you considered painting/ powder coating the springs?

My ome springs started rusting month after I installed them.

I plan on pulling them and giving them a good coat of paint soon.

Your thoughts?

Thoughts, I hate to paint anything for any reason, it creates doubt. Some guys out there just hose on the black paint and I personaly think it looks like sh!t.

The only two things I paint ever time is the front frame rails and cross member from the shock mounts forward and the rear frame where the tail lights and bumperetts bolt to.

It just makes the rig in my eyes! I always thought the rear was a semi gloss or a flat black. this one was gloss as gloss gets, but it needed to be refurbished to make perfect in my eyes.

The front, it just looks so much nicer when it painted. I do this in SEM trim black. Gloss does not look right and it makes the bumper better as well.

Because the springs are moving all the time I would think that powder would create a larger mess..........But plating and then powder might work???? Anyone done this before? Got some pointers?

Will I paint these? Nope. But i will be under there with hot water and a wash mitt on my next day off before I install the skid plate. <EDIT> I would only do it if they were apart and looked as new.

To see it through my eyes, I want these to look as new as possible but driven and very drivable without making them look restored if you get what I mean. My toyota store is just freaking out about this thing, they want to bring it to thier next event. They GM blurted out a big number today to buy it. It would buy most out there, but not this one........