Builds Crusty - 1976 FJ40 (1 Viewer)

[camino70]

I recently purchased my first 40! It's spent the past 20 years in south Georgia as a boat slip and hunting truck. It hasn't run in awhile, I was a little apprehensive and uneasy loading a non-running truck on the trailer. It's a little rough around the edges and will probably stay that way.

At some point the PO rattle can primed over the yellow, he was also a UGA enthusiast:

Home '76

• camino70
• Nov 25, 2018

What appears to be the original spare, date code 016, would love to get some stock wheels and some ko2's at some point:

Original spare

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

I haven't found the date code on the 31's, but they're probably pushing 20yrs old now.

Some of the crusty goodness:

Driver door

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

Corner

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

Top

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

Hood

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

Inside rear

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

Under 1

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

Under 2

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

Under 3

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

Under 4

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

I happened to have a few 1976 GA tags in the garage and added one, I will register it with the tag eventually:

Rear door

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

The SBC, a new cheapo mechanical fuel pump and we were back in business:

Sbc

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

The transmission shifts all four forward and reverse, 2 wheel, 4 wheel high and low are all operational!

I attempted some rattle can paint removal via can of cheap oven cleaner, it may work with the real stuff, hoping to get to see the factory finish:

Yellow

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

The interior needs some attention, some jeep seats were thrown in at some point, the jump seats aren't in great shape, will need some welding at some point.

Inside

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

Built in Feb 76:

Plate

• camino70
• Nov 30, 2018

I'm hoping to spend some time with my girls working on it. I'm slow and have a few 100's that need attention too.

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Nice looking project

 

[Kleatus]

Looks solid! There is some great info on here from the patina crowd on safely removing old spray paint, she might clean up better than you imagine!

 

[cbmontgo]

Nice 40 there with lots of potential!

 

[Dizzy]

Try acetone on the paint. Be upwind. Wear dishwashing gloves, not thin nitrile. Cover the acetone-wet paint with aluminum foil sheet to slow evaporation. Use worn-out, or soft, Scotchbrite.

 

[TCEd]

A good power washer may remove a lot of that spray paint.

 

[camino70]

Thanks guys. I hadn't tried pressure washing yet. I have a small/cheap electric, so not exactly what I would consider a "good" power washer, but I'll give it a shot. Hopefully it's good enough to get rid of the mud dauber tunnels covering almost the entire under carriage

I tried non-acetone nail polish remover first, because that's what was in the house, it didn't do anything. I moved on to acetone from the dollar store and got some red transfer to my rag, but very little. It evaporated so quickly, but I'm nervous to cover it, I'd like to keep an eye on it.

I picked up some oven cleaner with lye in it on the same trip to the dollar store. It softened up the red quite a bit, but all I was using was a rag.

After pressure washing, I'll start my testing process over with a scotchbrite pad.

 

[scoutingranch]

Although I'm a stock vehicle only guy, I see a very good project. I think you "done gooood"

 

[TCEd]

Thanks guys. I hadn't tried pressure washing yet. I have a small/cheap electric, so not exactly what I would consider a "good" power washer, but I'll give it a shot. Hopefully it's good enough to get rid of the mud dauber tunnels covering almost the entire under carriage

.

I had previously suggested pressure washing to another member here and it worked fairly well plus you're not messing around with chemical removers. ed

 

[camino70]

It's been raining all day, I'm going to need to address weatherstripping sooner than later, I'm seeing water inside.

 

[Dizzy]

Look at the epoxy seal between the fiberglass top and the drip rail. Do you have a couple of tubes connected to the cowl vent drains that go thru the cab to the bellhousing? That is a notorious offender because it destroys floorboards. Rain gets thru Cruiser hood vents. You may want to use a PTFE wrapped bolt as a seal on the windshield washer nozzle to keep the distributor and starter dry.

 

[camino70]

Thank you dizzy
My cowl drain tubes are toast:

Plugged drain

• camino70
• Dec 2, 2018

Split drain

• camino70
• Dec 2, 2018

I have a few different sizes of clear tube in the garage, but not the right size. So I'll be heading to home Depot if anyone needs anything.

My dog ran away too:

Missing dog

• camino70
• Dec 2, 2018

 

[camino70]

Fifteen minutes with easyoff and scitchbrite:

Easyoff

• camino70
• Dec 2, 2018

 

[camino70]

Are these tires from 1980?
Edit: I was originally thinking 2280 was the date code, but after some additional reading, I think 076 is the correct date code, similar to the oldie spare. This is probably Feb 1996, as they used the last digit as the year in the decade through the 90's.

Old tire

• camino70
• Dec 2, 2018

 

[Dizzy]

5/8" heater hose from the auto store will fit on the cowl drain, IIRC. A p.o. used some approximately 5/8" O.D. PCV hose to go into the OEM tube and grommet at the floor on my rig, so, I just connected the new heater hose to the deteriorated end of that. This might work on your driver's side after you clear out the compost.

 

[Dizzy]

Sorry, it is 3/4" heater hose. I just checked.

 

[camino70]

I just picked up some clear 3/4 from the hardware store, it's tight. Any advice on loosening it up? A little heat?

 

[Dizzy]

At this point, it is worth a try.

 

[camino70]

I feel like an idiot, I couldn't get the drivers side drain on there tonight and I didn't even get the passenger side apart. Do I need to pull the heat apart to get to it?

 

[Dizzy]

Don't feel bad, anything behind the dash, or the cab side of the firewall is really challenging on any vehicle. My heater box is in there when I did it, but I can't remember if the air ducts were in place or not.