CaliForty - New Member Intro (1 Viewer)

[CaliForty]

After lurking for a while (ok, for years) and shamelessly benefiting from the collective knowledge here, I've finally gotten around to creating a member profile. Name's Brian, late 50-something, happy owner of a 1978 FJ40 that gets more attention than I ever thought possible (or desirable, for that matter) from other middle-aged men everywhere.

About 15 years ago, I was lucky to find a low-mileage, nearly bone-stock FJ40 with almost no rust. Since then, I've addictively upgraded it with the help of mechanics far more competent than I. My general goal is to make it reliable for relatively light overloading trips, while keeping the truck relatively close to stock.

• Original 2F engine
• Original 4-speed transmission and transfer case (but considering conversion to H55 and split t-case)
• Minimal (not frame-off) body restoration and paint in original Freeborn Red
• Original hardtop, convertible to Aqualu half doors and family bikini top
• OME suspension lift
• ProComp black Rock Crawler Monster Mod wheels
• BFG All Terrain Tires 33x10.5R15
• 4 Plus Products reverse rake bull bar with winch mount
• Warn 9500ti winch
• FJ60 power steering conversion
• ARB compressor & front+rear diff lockers
• Baja Designs LED auxiliary lights front and rear
• SwitchPros SP9100 switch controller mounted under-hood on a PowerTray for a Tacoma TRD Pro, mounting modified for FJ40
• Pioneer DMH-WT7600NEX aftermarket stereo (gots to have my CarPlay) with JL Audio amp & speakers, Kicker subwoofer (installed where rear heater was removed), and Alpine backup camera
• Adventure Trailer camping trailer

Next up is an alternator upgrade to the 3FE 80A alt -- so if you've contributed to those threads (e.g., by warning my not to fry my ammeter), thank you!

 

[pjohnson]

Welcome to Mud!

 

[Slapshot]

I like your license plate!

 

[red66toy]

Welcome! Great looking truck!

 

[Paul_A]

NIce....

 

[CBFJ]

yeah well done all around! Love the stance.

 

[CaliForty]

I like your license plate!

View attachment 3321204

Thanks, Slapshot! Where are you in NorCal?

 

[CaliForty]

Welcome to Mud!

Thanks, PJ! I envy your FJ45 ... and your Idaho address.

 

[CaliForty]

Welcome! Great looking truck!

Thanks, Red. Appreciate the link to your website, too -- had some fun paging through the old owner's manuals.

 

[CaliForty]

NIce....

Thank you, Paul -- looks like you have a pretty clean '75 there, too!

 

[CaliForty]

yeah well done all around! Love the stance.

Thanks, CB -- how long have you been in CO? At the risk of reinforcing how old I am, Ron at Rocky Mountain Cruisers in Englewood did some early work on my truck before he retired and sold the business back around 2010.

 

[Slapshot]

Thanks, Slapshot! Where are you in NorCal?

Just up the road in Danville.

 

[CaliForty]

Just up the road in Danville.

Nice -- will let you know if I'm driving mine through the East Bay ... always fun to meet another '40 owner.

 

[Slapshot]

I’m working on a casual meet up in the near future. I’ll keep you posted

 

[60 40]

I’m working on a casual meet up in the near future. I’ll keep you posted

Welcome CaliForty!

Keep me in the loop, my 40 will probably not be operable for some time but would still be interested in meeting up.

 

[CaliForty]

Great -- look forward to it!

 

[65swb45]

For some reason, this particular truck reminds me of one that belonged to an old friend. Do you know the provinence/history?

 

[CaliForty]

For some reason, this particular truck reminds me of one that belonged to an old friend. Do you know the provinence/history?

Hi ... is it Mark? That would be crazy if you knew one of the PO's. I bought it in the 2000's from the second owner who lived in Wisconsin and kept it in his summer cabin in Michigan. He showed me records indicating he bought it from the first owner, who had used it sparingly as a farm truck on a property in Pennsylvania, if I remember right. With the midwestern/eastern provenance, you'd think it would be falling apart from rust, but in fact it was almost rust free (except for the rear sil, which I think was designed to rust if humidity exceeded 60% for two days, but I digress). The second owner said he only drove it a few hundred miles a year in the summer when he was at his MI cabin, and the first owner rarely drove it off his property. When I got it, the truck was nearly bone-stock and showed 13,500 miles on the odometer, which the second owner claimed was accurate and not rolled over. The only mod that had been done before I bought it was to swap the rims with white wagon-wheels ... second owner gave me the original rims he'd taken off, and they appear to have tires on them from '78 or around that time. (I know, I know ... sounds way too good to be true -- but a mechanic I had check it out, do compression tests etc., said he wouldn't be surprised if the story was accurate.)

Anyway, it looks a lot different now after the mods I did, so it would surprise me if you recognized it from the prior owner. Or maybe you and I are old friends, which would be even better!