Best Resto-Mod Modifications?

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Flipper1938

Flipper1938

10 Year
Joined
Sep 30, 2014
Threads
17
Messages
428
Location
Kentucky
I know there are a lot of you guys that think FJ40s should be left as the guys at Toyota built them, but there are others out there have modified them to make them "better". My daughter's FJ40 project is no longer original, so I think we are going to work in some subtle modifications.

What mods do you love?

What mods do you hate?

Anything about a FJ40 that you think needs to be fixed, but you haven't figured out how to do it yet?

Pictures would be great.
 
I'm one of those traditionalists, I guess ... having said that its a dogma that can get expensive, as OEM 40 series parts become more scarce ... for that reason alone I'm for a resto mod, but trying to stay as true as possible to Toyota i.e. 60 series axles maybe, 60 series or mini truck power steering, disc brakes all around, etc ... I have an OME lift on my truck and when the 2f goes, I'll seriously consider a 1HZ diesel ...

To each their own ... I understand the Chevy small block thing and upgraded aftermarket drivetrain ... when the only thing on the truck that's Toyota is the bezel and the bib that's gone too far in my view ...
 
Jerry D. said:
Take a look here to get started: https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=36084&highlight=mod

This is in the FAQ above,

Enjoy,
Jerry D.
Click to expand...

Jerry D,

Thanks for pointing me to the link.

Most of the suggestion in that link were for the big stuff (SBC, disc brakes, power steering). I should have those covered when I swap in FJ60 axles and FJ60 power steering (rig had a chevy motor before i got it).

I guess I should have been more specific, I'm interested in finding out the smaller mods that are farther down the list that really make a FJ40 nicer to drive in the real world (different steering column?, different defrost vents?, different windshield wipers?). The kind of stuff that evolves when a crafty person owns a vehicle for a long time.
 
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BMW front seat swap is nice. I haven't done it yet, but its on my list. I've sat in a few and they were more comfortable, adjustable, and heated which was cool. LEDs in the dash since my lights were dim. Locking storage since the 40 without a top on has none.
 
Personally,my best mod to make my 40 more comfortable to drive (for me anyway) was to unbolt my seat from the seatframe,and redrill the holes further back,so my seat slides back further than most 40s..for taller or long legged 40 drivers,this is a great mod :)
 
Flipper1938 said:
...My daughter's FJ40 project is no longer original, so I think we are going to work in some subtle modifications.

What mods do you love?
Click to expand...

For a daughter to drive, disc brakes on all four wheels would be the first thing I would do (have done this on mine and love it).

Some will probably say power steering, but mine is still manual steering and my wife and girls drive it, plus I have taught several other teenage girls (friends of the family) to drive in my 40, and they've all done fine with manual steering.

One thing that makes mine so easy to learn to drive in is the H41 transmission with its 5:1 1st gear; it's so low that it's hard to stall it when they're first learning to drive a stick. I put in the H41 for wheeling though; it may not be worth the coin to you just to make it easier for your daughter to drive, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway. The H41 and Orion 4:1 transfer case are definitely in the "mods I love" category.

If she's going to be driving it at night, I would upgrade the instrument cluster lighting, so she can actually see the gauges. I used a kit from mud member amaurer in mine, that uses electroluminescent wire for this purpose:



For safety's sake, I would consider a good roll cage. I used a MetalTech "Jackson" cage in mine that retains the stock look but adds A pillars and a full cage for the front:



Again for safety's sake, consider some upgraded tail lights. I used these LED ones from Australia that look stock but are about 100X brighter:



Again for safety, I upgraded my headlights with a new harness and Roundeyes lights. A major improvement over stock.

I've done a number of other mods to mine, but these are the ones I would recommend for a daughter to drive.
 
All the above, disk brakes for sure.
You don't mention the model year, but with 2003 BMW seats in mine, the passenger side sits a bit high with the gas tank under it.
Teenage daughter = good stereo.
Rear view mirror doesn't give good view out of a hard top, may need to lower it with a mod.
With later style hard top you can get power window conversions for them.

A teenage daughter driving a FJ40 is a teenage boy magnet, install passenger side ejection seat button.


Jerry D.
 
Jerry D. said:
A teenage daughter driving a FJ40 is a teenage boy magnet, install passenger side ejection seat button.
Click to expand...

Most of the young ladies I have taught to drive in my 40 were very proud that they could do something that the majority of boys in their high school could not - drive a stick shift. They were not above throwing it in the boys faces either. :smokin:
 
Manual for a teenager is a good idea u cant mess with the cellphone as much while you are driving as with an automatic.
 
Heck , they can't even hear the thing while driving a Cruiser , parental control is built in ...
I've taught a lot of youngsters how to drive a stick , both in the Cruiser and my previous Samurai . My one young sister-in-law is the only person to ever damage anything during lessons - she killed a dual-friction ceramic clutch as well as the starter in the Sami - with a 4.16 low range and 4.56 gears , too . I've never seen anyone try to get off a clutch that fast , including door-slammer drag racers at the bracket races . Both trucks did survive and their boost to self-esteem was well worth the cost and effort .
Sarge
 
Fj60 column wiring harness... eliminates switches on the dash and tilt column.

Pwr steering, sm420 or sm465 swap. Cage bumpers etc..

Who ever mentioned parental control on the cell phone.. thanks no sound deadner in my daughters fj40....
 
I'm still inching closer to getting a 76 FJ40 that has been torn apart since the mid 80's back amongst the living.

That said, I don't think I'll ever regret taking the time to scrape the P.O.'s rattle can undercoating off and have the underside Line-X'd.

I can say for sure the meager $20 I payed to Mud for a Silver Star has been money well spent. This site has kept me going and the Silver Star eliminates Pop-Up's.
 
hsv587 said:
Personally,my best mod to make my 40 more comfortable to drive (for me anyway) was to unbolt my seat from the seatframe,and redrill the holes further back,so my seat slides back further than most 40s..for taller or long legged 40 drivers,this is a great mod :)
Click to expand...

^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^x a bajillion. The stock driver's seat now sits basically at the wheelwell. Between that, the re-angled front shackles and the 2F, it has the edge on comfort over the 45, even though the 45 has been modified with a 4 speed and power steering.
 
This is for a young lady so.
Side step to allow wearing if dresses to clime on and out.
BMW sun visor with built in mirror and light to refresh appearance and leave the damn rear view mirror watching traffic as it should.
A lockable area for handbag, laptop, tablet shoes extra change of clothes etc.
Roll cage yes, disc brakes yes, sturdy sway bars for the novice, all suspension bushes and tie rods.

Temperature comforts, heated seats a great idea.
Good stereo
Reverse camera and park distance control.
Advanced drivers course.
 
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