Building Colonel Rustard, My 1975 FJ40

[DailyDrive_FJ45]

Well I'm over working on the cruiser right now and it's definitely # 6 that's giving me the trouble. I loosened all the other rod caps and the pistons move freely, the cylinder walls look good l, even in # 6 except where I can't see. I am a little stuck now though because I can't get 6 to move at all. Rod cap nuts are loose and I'm using a dead blow hammer on a block of wood up on the piston. All I've succeeded in doing is bashing my knuckle on the oil pump. Any thoughts?

 

[DailyDrive_FJ45]

Nothing? Could really use some advice

 

[ScooterFJ40]

If it was a Unimog I could give you some advice, but my FJ40 knowledge is sub-par at the moment :whoops:

But I gotta give you props for the name! I love it.

Hope you figure #6 out.

 

[DailyDrive_FJ45]

Well, after MUCH cursing, hammering, breaker-bar-ing, rocking, and F%#@&ing CURSING! My father in law and I finally managed to bust #6 loose. To my surprise the cylinder wall looks fine. The ring was in pretty rough shape, but there does not appear to be any scoring or pitting on the wall.

Since I've got it to this point though, the block and head will be going to a machine shop for the proper treatment. I have too much blood and sweat into this engine to abandon it now! I doubt it will need bored, most likely just honed. Time will tell. I'm just glad to have all of that out of the way! Now I can concentrate on the other numerous issues on the cruiser.

 

[cult45]

I was gonna suggest a piece of 2 x 4 and a BFH but you've done it already!

Good luck man.

 

[DailyDrive_FJ45]

Bringing this thread back from the dead after 7 years I finally decided to try and do something with this.

Still going to be slow going, as I'm across the country from it, but have a clear plan now.

Nothing to update on the 45, but I did make it back out to the east coast to try and get my project 40 sorted. I abandoned it about 5 years ago when we moved to Oregon. I had started tearing it apart and had to leave it in my in-laws warehouse.

Today we did a little cataloguing of what was there and moved it to another garage so they can sell the warehouse.

I remembered it being in much worse shape than it actually ended up being. It was my first project vehicle at the time, and I felt pretty overwhelmed by it. Looking at it now with some more experience (and available $$$ haha), I have a better idea of how to attack it. It's actually not bad at all. Needs some body patches, sill, floor etc, but it's actually pretty good.

Having been through the 45 now I think I can make pretty quick work of this, when before I felt paralyzed by what seemed like a huge mountain of stuff to do.

Building Colonel Rustard, My 1975 FJ40

The 2F is toast, or at least not worth the trouble, so I'm going to do a 3FE swap and go from there.

Have renewed interest in getting this one finished, so will likely be making some trips back east as often as I can to keep the momentum up. View attachment 1950109View attachment 1950117View attachment 1950119

View attachment 1950120

 

[cbmontgo]

Awesome.

 

[DailyDrive_FJ45]

Revisiting this thread after 13 years (!!!) away, and god I was so f'ing stupid and naive back then.

Now with the experience of sorting out my early parts 45 into a competent, safe and mostly original driver, and more recent progress on the current 74 FST project I see just how unprepared for this project I was.

Now I'm prepared, and have a plan.

Luckily I still have it, and I didn't do anything too terribly stupid when I didnt know any better. It's about 3k miles away from me at the moment, but that will be changing, as we are moving back to West Virginia later this year (from Oregon and its plethora of rust free cruisers and parts).

Here's how the Colonel currently sits:

Lots of great parts, a relatively easily patched tub, a decent frame and a 2F begging for a rebuild. It will be my first, but I'm prepared and excited to dive in. Thinking sniper EFI on the 2F...

Unfortunately the hardtop was lost at some point so that will need to be sourced along with some ambulance doors (which I never had). But other than that it's complete, and just sitting patiently waiting for me to get my s*** together. It is now together and I'm coming back for it.