My 1968 fj40 build called Mav. I bought the truck out of GA November 21, 2021. I spent almost 6 months working on getting it titled. I had a bill of sale but nothing else. Luckily the owner worked with me above and beyond with singing papers and all my crazy ideas. This was to be a long term project but. I am in the process of LS swapping my 85 fj60 and waiting on parts. I decided to start building my 40 in 40 days for GSMTR. This will be my 4th consecutive GSMTR even if I can get it finished.
Build Building my 68 fj40 in 40 days!
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So I pulled the motor transmission and transfer case out of my donor truck. My 1985 Fj60 with 400+ miles.
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Next thing was brakes i really didn’t want to use the stock drums. I really wanted to SOA and use a Fj60 front and FZJ80 rear. I also have a set of Tons that had been shortened and converted to 6x5.5. But I have less than a month so my good friend Matt convinced me to keep the truck stockish for awhile. So I will be keeping the front housing. And using all fj60 components and brakes. And then using a rear fj60 axle.Well I have a matching set of Fj60 axles on my white trash axle rack so I didn’t need to go far. I kinda feel bad but I stole the knuckles, arms, hubs, and birfs so I can run 60 brakes. I went ahead and resurfaced the stock rotors because well budget. And then I went on Rock Auto “ I personally like factory Toyota parts but again budget. I grabbed a set of 94 4runner calipers, new rear drums, shoes, parts kit, seals. The front rebuild kit all provide by Cruiser Matt’s offroad. So new brakes and increased track width check!
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So I have never seen brake drums grooved so bad. I’m almost sure this poor axle never was serviced. So more parts to add the e brake cables were complete gone. Toyota wants $40 each dam. So I would rather shop local I called up Cruiser Matt’s and had them same day.
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Then I wanted lockers obviously but well the budget so I could rob them out of my 60 or I could barrow some for my buddy. I chose option 3 I did what anyone would do I welded the spider gears! I sprayed the gears with degreasers I like the 88 brand. Then I used a can of brake clean and I preheated the oven to 350. I put them in an aluminum bread pan and waited 30min. I welded them one by one approx 5min to weld one. Then back in the oven while I started the next. Once I was done I cut the oven off and let them cool. A hour or so later I cleaned them up with a flap wheel and installed them back in the carrier. I did not decide to weld all the corners. They have a nice smooth action how you see them.
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I had to move the throttle cable down 1/4”. Because it was hitting the back of the booster. So I drilled the spot welds off the mounting tabs and moved them down 1/4”. Then I filled the original 3 holes and used the pedal stop tab from inside as a guide. Now it clears and will work good.
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In
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Ehhhhh
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Yea yea I know!
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I assume you mean locker as single, just in the rear? Would never weld a front diff spider gears. But would never weld a rear either. My 68 has Lock Rights front and rear. Front will come out and limited slip if anything. Matters in the back are bad enough. Couldn't imagine how it would handle on pavement with the rear locked up all the time.
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So tonight’s task because I got a late start is cleaning up the front axle. I need to clearance the knuckles for the fj60 birfs. I already remove the short and long side shafts and added the fj40 shafts to the 60 birfs. But I looked for a little bit can’t find where to clearance the housing so I will wing it. And I’m adding some front diff armor I had laying around. I believe it was for a Toyota 8” axle so we shall see. Then paint the housing and get it under the truck.
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We’re gonna make it!! 
This brings me back to when I first got into cruisers and guys did builds like this all the time.
This brings me back to when I first got into cruisers and guys did builds like this all the time.
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To each their own, it’s going to be awesome. I said what I said lockers. The only reason I’m on the fence about welding the front spider gears is the manual steering on 33 or 35s. I have the parts but not the time to convert to power. And in my opinion lock right, spartan and Aussie are all trash. Do they work yes are they cheep yes but come with costs, loud, and prone to failure. Not to mention the toll they can take on your internals. I would never run a ratchet locker in the rear. You are just asking for problems if your tire size is over 37s and you have some power. These diff are temporary and budget friendly. The spiders can be removed really easy nothing is permanent. I will be use if the FJ60 3rds I have on the shelf at a later date re-geared and locked.
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So lemme get this straight, you have the power of a mid 90’s Honda Accord and double locked? The drift Fj40 has entered the chat, this is going to be excellent!
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Ok so last night I was able to get the fj40 housing knuckle ball shaved down so the fj60 Birf would slide in. And I painted the housing and got the new to me 4” lift springs installed. New bushings and I have to say they did not want to go in. I had to make the hangers wider and trim the new bushing. The springs were donated by my buddy 6640Chad!
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A
Ok so thru the week I made some progress. Huge thanks to my buddy Matt. We pulled a late night at the shop. I mostly provide the pizza and cleaning the old parts but he built Frankenstein splitcase for my 40 build using stock gears from my 60 case and hard parts from other cases. He had a damaged case from a Columbia truck that needed almost everything fixed. He welded up the case as I heli coiled almost every hole.
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I got the transmission installed. But it has to come back out! I used my fj60 clutch fork and ran it out the passenger side. I removed the factory linkage off the bell housing and a salve bolt right up. But I don’t know if it’s going to work. So back to Cruiser Matt’s endless parts pile. He gave me a fj40 clutch fork and I will run it out the drivers side of the bell housing. Also left with a bed full or parts like radiator, wheels and tires, and tools to make all new stainless steel brake lines.
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Alright took the transmission out and changed the clutch fork from my fj60 to cruiser Matt’s Fj40 one. Then I built a bracket for the slave cylinder. I could not find any really good pictures of the stock bracket. SoI just made one and use the lower hole as the attachment point. I need to get a return spring mount and spring.
