Builds - Freda the 40 (2 Viewers)

[GWizz]

Hello All,

Introduction to our first Fj40.
I bought this Cruiser for my wife's 25th birthday and kinda a late graduation gift for her achievements. She had mentioned the Toyota Land Cruiser as always being her dream vehicle. I am certain she meant something in much better condition but this is what we ended up with.
The LC is registered in 1971 and honestly, I don't know much more about it. I believe this Cruiser has spent the majority of its life in the same county we live in but I'm not certain if it's an original Texas vehicle. I am fairly certain this has been a Frankenstein build as there are obvious signs of respray and indications of mismatching colored parts.

This 40 series is no longer driven by Toyota but is now powered by a SBC 305 mated to the factory 3spd. I am unsure if I will keep this motor and transmission setup in the vehicle or swap it over to something else in the near future. I was able to get the engine running after it had sat in my field for 2 years and who knows how prior. I am torn about the direction I should take with this build.

The end goal would be a frame-off rebuild with moderation. I know that is often easier said than done. Part of me wants to disassemble right away and begin to restore individual pieces. The other side of me wants to get the vehicle moving under its own power and restore it in sections or categories. Who here can give me insight?

It looks much better in the photos than it does in person. Since I have owned the LC I have taken off the doors, hard top and a roll bar that was not true to the year ( I believe ). I removed the fuel tank to find some unexpected rust and a ruined fuel tank.

Here is the current state:

I recently graduated from college and having free time again has been an eye-opener. Very excited to get moving on this project but I am a bit hesitant as to where to begin. I would love to hear your thoughts and always appreciate your lessons learned!

Here's to another Toyota Fj40 Build. I will without a doubt have more questions and be sure to update the progress.
Cheers

 

[RevISK]

Looks like a great starting point. My advice, as I'm sure others will agree, is to get it running to a safe degree and go straight to the closest place you can swap those wheels out.
But seriously, get it going and enjoy it, than start messing with it.

Oh, and flip your bezel.
welcome to mud

 

[sogafarm]

X2 on getting it running first before an extensive multi year multi dollars resto project. See what you have vs what you don’t have and enjoy the slow process of getting her exactly as your wife wants it(heehee)! Ps I bought my better half a new air compressor for the shop, lol! The down side is that now she wants a 70 series!

 

[RevISK]

check this thread out if you want to be proactive and get real excited about your 40 real quick for cheap.

Preserving Patina - How To Tips and Tricks

Before we address the patina on this rig, let's start with some good 'ol Windex! LOL No, that is a vintage tint on those windows! ;)

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[GWizz]

Looks like a great starting point. My advice, as I'm sure others will agree, is to get it running to a safe degree and go straight to the closest place you can swap those wheels out.
But seriously, get it going and enjoy it, than start messing with it.

Oh, and flip your bezel.
welcome to mud

I knew it was a matter of time before the hate on these Sequoia wheels started coming in. These freebies are uglier than sin but hey they hold air.

Many officers of the Bezel PD have informed me of this violation I should have noted it has since been corrected.

 

[RevISK]

I can get behind that.

Do the patina preservation thing on your rig and you’ll be kickstarted.

 

[archie73]

I wouldn’t really classify that gas tank area as rust personally. Patina- yes. Treat the surface rust and move on.
As to tearing it down, get it running first. Make sure you like driving it before you dive into a resto(mod?). These trucks have a certain flavor and until you drive one for a bit, you won’t know if you like it. That being said, I pulled the 1f for a 350 for a 5.3 in mine. Each step has been better. On the other hand, some people love their F motors. The choice is yours.

 

[pb4ugo]

They're easy to take apart, putting them back together requires a hefty bank account. It looks like a solid starting point. It actually looks pretty solid. It might be a 70, but parts of the tubs are not. A 70 didn't have a fuel door and a 1 piece hood, but the rest of it looks close. I'd get it safe, running and stopping
As others have said. enjoy it b4 ripping it apart. Then see what's left in the account. Once it's running you can figure out what's next. In the meantime, clean it up and pick your battles. I'm a fan of sbc's, imo your #s are right but they're in the wrong order. If it runs good, run it.

 

[GWizz]

They're easy to take apart, putting them back together requires a hefty bank account. It looks like a solid starting point. It actually looks pretty solid. It might be a 70, but parts of the tubs are not. A 70 didn't have a fuel door and a 1 piece hood, but the rest of it looks close. I'd get it safe, running and stopping
As others have said. enjoy it b4 ripping it apart. Then see what's left in the account. Once it's running you can figure out what's next. In the meantime, clean it up and pick your battles. I'm a fan of sbc's, imo the #s are right but they're in the wrong order. If it runs good, run it.

Good to know about the fuel door and hood! I am sure many of the panels are pieced together. Honestly would not be surprised if the vin plaque has been replaced. I am not too concerned about keeping this build original but I would at least like to know what parts to order. My main concern is the mating of the hardshell to the tub.

How can I find more information about what I truly have?

 

[igotta40]

Good to know about the fuel door and hood! I am sure many of the panels are pieced together. Honestly would not be surprised if the vin plaque has been replaced. I am not too concerned about keeping this build original but I would at least like to know what parts to order. My main concern is the mating of the hardshell to the tub.

How can I find more information about what I truly have?

I learned a lot about different year models from thumbing through the Specter Off Road catalog, but now you have to do that online. This forum has a boatload of information.

 

[pb4ugo]

We need more pics of what you have. Looks like the top is not seating on the tub. There's a horizontal bolt in the b pillar that may be stopping the poles of the top from seating on the tub. You gotta figure out what it takes to get running b4 getting parts. Order up some Air, fuel, spark.

 

[GWizz]

I scored some parts on local marketplace over the holiday. This entire bundle cost me less than the price of the new fuel tank (I believe metal tank is from Cool Cruiser). No need for a few of the items but I couldn't pass up the deal. OEM Door Seals

I am currently working on replacing sketchy wiring in the ignition system and replacing dry rotted batter cables.
My next task is to figure out some sort of seat fabrication or replacement. I like the idea of going back to the factory bench-style seats but I am not opposed to an aftermarket bucket. Problem is that I cannot find factories anywhere.. I am not huge fan of the Pro-Car style seat. I have thought about using Can-Am or RZR side by side buckets as they are relatively cheap, available everywhere, and able to withstand the elements. Any ideas or recommendations for other factory takeout seat options that provide comfort and durability??

Here is the current seat support setup that I bolted back up. I am 6'1 and my wife is 5'4 so I will need to consider seat adjustments. I am not afraid to ditch the factory bracket and fabricate new a support system if needed. Any recommendations or leads on some seats would be great!