Arizona: 1977 FJ55

[riderjgs]

Means we’re getting ready to sell. After 13 years and every western state except Oregon and Washington the Pig deserves a better fate than sitting in the garage for the last six months. Life happens. New chapter.

 

[Pigeaten]

Sorry to hear this, but understand, I looked in mirror the other day and thought, you better get some stuff wrapped up!

 

[MacDaddyRabbit]

Exactly.

 

[J Mack]

every western state except Oregon

We pasted through Oregon on our way to the Magruder Corridor and I thought you were on that trip..

 

[riderjgs]

We pasted through Oregon on our way to the Magruder Corridor and I thought you were on that trip..

Well then, guess it's been in every western state except Washington. Thanks for the reminder. Perhaps my favorite Pig Party trip along with the North Rim, where your dogs helped drive the Angry Pig.

 

[MacDaddyRabbit]

Arizona is sold and headed to North Dakota... Thank goodness she has two zone AC... LOL....
Any sty members in ND you gotta welcome him ... spoke on the phone post sale and he's happy to get her...
Oh well..... new chapter...

 

[Ol Yeller]

Arizona is sold and headed to North Dakota... Thank goodness she has two zone AC... LOL....
Any sty members in ND you gotta welcome him ... spoke on the phone post sale and he's happy to get her...
Oh well..... new chapter...

We are just caretakers, hope the next one gives as much care as you did

 

[scrapdaddy]

We are just caretakers, hope the next one gives as much care as you did

I'm running mine into the ground before I give up.

 

[Ol Yeller]

I'm running mine into the ground before I give up.

That old saying about playing with your toys instead of worrying about them staying new…yup

 

[riderjgs]

I'm running mine into the ground before I give up.

Impossible unless you let it rust away.

 

[scrapdaddy]

I'm not as pretty as I once was and neither is the Mud Hen, we'll go out together.

 

[Hank Tank]

This is an interesting topic. How long have you guys had your pigs? It's been 8 years for me.
@riderjgs That North Rim Pig Party was one of the best trips I've taken in my life. The people and the friendships made on that trip surpassed the natural beauty.
@MacDaddyRabbit Congrats on the sale. I've been fortunate to have some pretty great rides but I've never regretted selling any of them. I used them, played with them and then passed the caretaker role to a new person. The memories and experiences I keep.

 

[Megadoomer]

I'm running mine into the ground before I give up.

Seemed like you were trying in Georgia. Sry, couldn't pass up a ribbing.

 

[scrapdaddy]

Yeah, you're right, we both took a beating on that trip. To answer Hank's question, my first pig was bought in @ '86 along with a ton of parts from my buddy. Somewhere @ 2000 I sold my 40 and the 55 along with all the parts. Then in 2010 the bug bit again and I bought the Mud Hen and instantly regretted selling all my parts.

 

[PabloCruise]

About to follow in your steps after 13 years, 50,000 miles and too many memories and new friends to count. Times, needs and priorities evolve. Hoping you get a strong finish tomorrow. We’ll all be watching.

um, what does that mean exactly?

Yeah, uh, what?!?

 

[PabloCruise]

So I've had this 77 for 3 years now....update time...
Beyond the JimTLC carb rebuild (may thanks), front axle rebuild, body repaint, some engine compartment pieces powder coated, new windshield gasket, tailgate gaskets (thanks Slocruisers), new suspension (FJ75 upfront, mixed pack of 60 and original 55's on the rear), rebuilt door hinges (thanks midgainc) shocks, tires, wheels, front OEM bumper (thanks Pigeaten), etc, etc, (many others to thank), she's made two trips to Arkansas, and one trip to NC Uhawrrie NF.. Mechanically sound all three trips....
I'm documenting my Feb 2022 purchase of Sophia, another 77 FJ55, green and white, out of Wyoming, and thought I best update the red/white.. I crawled up under her today and just laid there a bit appreciating my 5K budget...
She's good.. when I bought her she was fairly/mostly complete, but among a couple of things was she did not have a heat shield over the muffler. The other three smaller ones are.. To compound things, when I had the new exhaust pipe added (from the headers back) I was told I had to have a catalytic converter albeit she had been desmogged some years back... So to counter the heat transfer from the exhaust to the cabin, I decided to use some DEI products available via EBay.. where the catalytic converter is I strapped three panels, then covered that with what you see in the pics.. Very happy with the results... I can actually place my hand on the top most layer after a good long drive.. and I get the benefit of my AC (dealer installed in 77)..it's a Clardy system w a front and rear blower box... Above the muffler itself, I made a heat shield, double layered, and screwed them together as well as trimmed the cut edges out w material from McMaster/Carr.. I like the trim, so I've got more ordered ad will trim the outer heatshield above the catalytic converter as well..
A note, when they did the catalytic converter install, it was placed adjacent to the tranny/transfer case. That's why I 'wrapped' it... I ended up reading a bunch of threads on insulating headers, and finally decided to loosely wrap the downpipes to the collector pipe in the insulated aluminum... Heat transfer to the cabin is minimal ... View attachment 3108684View attachment 3108691View attachment 3108692View attachment 3108693View attachment 3108694

Not sure how I missed this, and water under the bridge now, but I am not sure how the exhaust shop got away w/ requiring you to have a cat on a '77 Pig?
AFAIK our Pigs followed the 40 emissions path for US, so '79 and '80 Pigs got cats, but not '77.

 

[PabloCruise]

I used this chart I saved that someone else posted, which was in a thread from a couple of years ago, to have some basic understandings of springs for the pig... Tons more options out there of course since this was created, but it helped me understand and provided a starting point...
Nothing new here, but worth posting again for someone..

View attachment 3143661

Gold...

 

[PabloCruise]

Well, saying goodbye to Arizona tomorrow... She's currently on BaT and am expecting the sold hammer to come down around 2:00pm Saturday...
Thanks to all the support I got getting her on the road and travelling... Voodoo Cruisers, Bobm, Scrapdaddy, Pigeaten, wngrog, Wadesters, Patrick at Bowfin,
and everyone at the Carolina Relic Run and of course the Southern Swine Soiree attendees in 2019.. What a great memory for me. Thanks..

Gotta get green and white some attention....

Wow - significant moment!
Documenting for history sake: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1977-toyota-land-cruiser-fj55-9/

 

[PabloCruise]

Arizona is sold and headed to North Dakota... Thank goodness she has two zone AC... LOL....
Any sty members in ND you gotta welcome him ... spoke on the phone post sale and he's happy to get her...
Oh well..... new chapter...

The Dakota Territory Cruisers (DTC) have some members in ND.

 

[MacDaddyRabbit]

Wow - significant moment!
Documenting for history sake: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1977-toyota-land-cruiser-fj55-9/

Thank you sir... I think the buyer has had a lifelong 'need' to get a pig...