CruisD64's FJ62 Thread (1 Viewer)

[CruisD64]

Been a while since I've posted but let me say the quarantine has been good for the cruiser. I have a lot to post and I probably wont get it all done in one shot but here we go.

First one is it getting a new bumper. I picked this one up from a fellow mud member for $150. What a deal and it looks great!

Had to put a little American pride on the cruiser. Subtle but nice

Leaks were an issue so I took it to San Jose Steam Cleaning to get the entire undercarriage cleaned. It was pricey but in the end very worth it because I've cleaned the under side of a nasty cruiser before and let me tell you it isn't fun. It became time to tackle the leaks as I had a few. The results of the steam cleaning speak for themselves.

 

[CruisD64]

Decided to take the Cruiser up to Bernal Heights in SF and get a couple of glamour shots in. Hadn't taken any yet. At this point I'm beyond stoked to be driving it and a million ideas are running through my head.

Ocean Beach shot

A shot of downtown SF as seen from Potrero Hill

Driving around in the Russian River area.

 

[CruisD64]

Time to install the White Knuckle Off Road Rock sliders! Check out dad's sweet ass 40 in front of my 62!

DIdn't have much time so the other one I installed at my place. The quality of these is top notch. Everything fit beautifully and are awesome jack points.

Originally I was planning on putting BMW seats in but decided against it. Something about the interior on these things that make it so beautiful. I sourced a set of seats that were in much better shape (drivers at least. my passenger seat is just fine) and took it to an upholstery shop to fix the crack in the vinyl. Ended up using leather and glued another piece where it cracks for added reinforcement. Below is the original. Below that is the final product. New seat foam as well.

Amazed at how closely it matched. Mike at Val's upholstery in SF was apologizing that he couldn't match it exactly. Made me laugh. And only $75!

 

[CruisD64]

Admiring while waiting in a COVID induced line.

 

[Advent]

Nice looking rig!

Man, I’m jealous of all you guys finding ’good body, bad engine’ 60-series ‘cruisers! Around here it’s all the other way ’round.

 

[CruisD64]

Weeping knuckles are a no no. These things were crying like they just got cheated on. Was going to replace the tierods but they seemed to have been done at some point and didn't have any play so I left them.

Back together!

 

[CruisD64]

Nice looking rig!

Man, I’m jealous of all you guys finding ’good body, bad engine’ 60-series ‘cruisers! Around here it’s all the other way ’round.

Thanks! I was very lucky finding this rig. I was looking for the right one for several years now. Just ask KMonty He was helping me in the hunt.

 

[CruisD64]

FJ62 stock sound systems suck. I used to be a hip hop producer so a little "thump" was in the works. I used 3 way Kicker 6.5 inch compenent speakers in the front with tweeters mounted to the tops of the door panels and 2 way's in the back. They sound great and no amp necessary.

Sony Xavax 100 deck which I picked up for cheap on eBay and wired in a backup camera. Never had one before but now I can't be without one. Hands free calls as well.

Next was the subwoofer. My dad gave me a sheet of 3/16 inch aluminum plate which I used to create a mounting plate for my sub. Originally I had no idea how I was going to put a sub in the cruiser but upon further research I found some low profile, self contained, and amplified subs out there. I went with a Cerwin Vega due to its small footprint but it had a 10 inch woofer. Anyone considering an audio upgrade should look into this. Cerwin Vega model VPAS10.

It worked out perfect. Passenger seat is now a massage chair and it provides just the right amount of bass. Not license plate rattling but punchy and rumbly. Cannot beat it for under $200!

Here is a shot of the underside once it was installed. Ground point is the seat mount.

 

[Advent]

Thanks! I was very lucky finding this rig. I was looking for the right one for several years now. Just ask KMonty He was helping me in the hunt.

First I need to convince my wife that we need one to keep

 

[CruisD64]

Time for new shoes and a lift. The suspension on this thing was shot! I felt like I was driving on a water bed. Headed over to Mudrak's to get some new tires and pick up the new OME suspension. I went with 33x10.5's KO2's on the stock rims. Eventually I plan on the 16 inch steelies from City Racer but this round of tires it wasn't a priority. Below is a picture of the 33's under the stock suspension. They honestly fit better than I thought. Only rubbed when I was turning on bumps at the same time.

Next came the suspension installation. I completed it over 2 nights. I work until 7PM Mon-Thurs and started the installation on Tuesday night getting the front done and finished it on Wednesday night.

 

[CruisD64]

Glamour shots post OME install. Very happy with the results. The difference is night and day and I'm so glad I did this sooner than later. Bernal Heights again.

 

[CruisD64]

Took my brothers 40 for a spin. Took me 2 years to fix all the rust and get it going again. Was worth all of the work!

Here's how it sits today.

 

[CruisD64]

The following are the most recent shots. I'm up in Truckee now spending the rest of the quarantine in beautiful nature and will FINALLY take it on some trails. Will post some action shots soon

Snow in June? Wtf. I guess it happens from time to time. /shrug

Donner Pass Road on the way to the summit. The Lake pictured here is Donner Lake. Anyone who knows the area knows this lookout. Unbelievably beautiful!

 

[CruisD64]

Ooooh! Forgot dent repair! I bought this $28 dent pulling kit on Amazon to work on the rear dent. It was pretty bad. I think it turned out great! However, don't slip and allow the back of your arm to hit an AC adapter. You'll get the biggest bruise you've ever had. My mom said I was lucky I didn't get a blood clot. She's a nurse so I must've been lucky.... eep!

Before

After

 

[CruisD64]

First I need to convince my wife that we need one to keep

You should take your wife on a "vacation" to CA and accidentally buy a cruiser? I think that might work

 

[CruisD64]

Saw this sweet 62 on my bike ride around the local lake today! Don't know whose it is but it sure is sweet!

 

[CruisD64]

So I'm not the best photo documenter but some other things I've done...

1. Changed oil pan gasket to fix a leak. Worked out great and only took about an hour!
2. Put in Shell Rotella T4 Diesel oil. This stuff is great! The engine is so much happier now.
3. Put in rubber mat's from Spector. Pricey but no musty smell!
4. Changed all fluids obviously. The brake fluid was black and the pedal didn't feel right. Also changed the soft lines. Now all is good.
5. Put in 70 series visors. My original ones were sagging and weren't worth fixing. I just had to swap the visor arms and everything else fit great!
6. Replaced AC condenser and converted to R134. So nice to have AC. I drove this thing to Tracy 2 weeks ago in 92 degree heat and it was miserable. Now it blows ice cold. Thanks Mudrak!
7. Repaired 4 wheel drive system. Had a broken hub and a non functioning vacuum actuator.

Plans while in Truckee...

1. Install JW Speaker headlights. Stock FJ62 headlights SUCK BALLZ and driving around here at night made me realize it to the fullest. Low beams arrive tomorrow and high's on Monday. I'll post some pics once they're swapped.
2. Replace passenger side fender. Driving into Reno this weekend to pick up some paint. I brought my paint gun and will probably just spray it outside. I don't know how it will turn out but I figure I can wet sand out any imperfections. 3 coats minimum of single stage paint.
3. Tint the windows. I hate to do this but in SF it is a must. Windows are constantly broken and not having a tint makes it that much easier.
4. Sound deadener in all doors and the rear quarter panels. While I'm at it I will regrease all of the electric window motors. Mine roll down OK but why not since I'm already in there.
5. Replace door panels with uncracked ones. The vinyl on mine are cracked and I sourced a great set in near perfect condition.
6. Build custom roof rack. I was going to buy a gamiviti but I watched a video that inspired me to build my own. I will take the ideas from this video and improve upon them. Link:



Ummm...that's where I'm at right now. As of right now future plans are

1. 4x4 labs rear bumper with tire swingout and ladder
2. 4plus front bumper with some winch. Maybe the new Harbor Freight winch. I saw a video on it and it seemed quite nice.
3. Callapsable awning
4. Roof top tent. I dunno which one yet.
5. Dometic fridge
6. H55F conversion. I REALLY hope my auto lasts for a while longer because I'm not ready for this purchase yet. The auto is nice but is such a dog behind the 3FE. You all know.

I'm hoping the updates will be more frequent and inline with when these things actually happen. Thanks for tuning in!

 

[CruisD64]

Put on the low beam JW Speaker headlights today and maaaaan are they nice. I've noticed that they shut off when I turn on the high beams so I'll need to figure that out eventually but I rarely use high beams anyway. The JW Speaker high beams are arriving Tuesday now so I'll post again afterwards.

The picture below shows the original halogen on the left and the JW speaker on the right. I had to swap the black and white wires on the JW to get it to work.

Both installed

Finally dark so I got to test. VERY happy with the results. These things are pricey but I was able to get all 4 for ~$750 on Amazon. Quite a bit cheaper than JW's website.

Oh look! A bear!

 

[CruisD64]

So my windshield had a bunch of scratches in from the wipers from the previous owner. I used an Eastwood windshield scratch remover and the results were quite good! Whadya think?

Before:

After:

 

[CruisD64]

Hey all! Been a while but a lot has happened since my last post.

Next was the window tinting. I ended up going with full limo tint for all behind the driver and pass doors. Very happy with how it turned out. The driver and passenger are 70% and all block 99% UV. The car stays very cool and paired with AC is very comfortable.

Driving up to Tahoe is rough in this thing. If anyone has gone through Auburn up to Truckee in a 3FE with 33's you know all about it. Put this guy on so maybe people are less dick...y?