9-14-2025
I drove my FJ60 back home after purchase. In hindsight, I should have brought a trailer. Things started well even if I had to pump the clutch a little. Leaving my foot in the right position alleviated this. I wanted to see what would happen during the 100 mile drive.
The first observations were at the gas station. We were on a slight incline and the FJ didn’t roll. I’d noticed earlier that the hand brake was not working. Turns out, the bell cranks were frozen. Anyhow, with a slight nudge, the rig began to roll on it’s own. Also, the brake lights didn’t work but we had a chase vehicle. We kept going.
We made It to the next town and stopped to eat and buy a fire extinguisher. A P.O. had replaced the carb. with a Weber 36 and poorly installed an electric fuel pump and regulator. I figured the fire extinguisher was prudent.
A little further on, the temperature gauge began to creep up and we stopped at a park to let her cool down. I shut her down and she dieseled for a while before gasping and expiring. After a while, I removed the goose neck thinking I would run her wide open. The thermostat was already gone. She was running rusty water but didn’t loose much. I added straight coolant and we resumed. We took it easy on secondary roads.
The next problem was the charging system. We pulled into the next town on reserve power. By this time we were 20 minutes from home and I inquired about an alternator. No luck. I purchased a battery and we drove home on reserve power. Turns out, the alternator may be OK.
We pulled onto our street and I noticed the brakes had gone soft but still worked. I got it parked and climbed out, chuckling and relieved to have gotten away with it.
More to follow.
I drove my FJ60 back home after purchase. In hindsight, I should have brought a trailer. Things started well even if I had to pump the clutch a little. Leaving my foot in the right position alleviated this. I wanted to see what would happen during the 100 mile drive.
The first observations were at the gas station. We were on a slight incline and the FJ didn’t roll. I’d noticed earlier that the hand brake was not working. Turns out, the bell cranks were frozen. Anyhow, with a slight nudge, the rig began to roll on it’s own. Also, the brake lights didn’t work but we had a chase vehicle. We kept going.
We made It to the next town and stopped to eat and buy a fire extinguisher. A P.O. had replaced the carb. with a Weber 36 and poorly installed an electric fuel pump and regulator. I figured the fire extinguisher was prudent.
A little further on, the temperature gauge began to creep up and we stopped at a park to let her cool down. I shut her down and she dieseled for a while before gasping and expiring. After a while, I removed the goose neck thinking I would run her wide open. The thermostat was already gone. She was running rusty water but didn’t loose much. I added straight coolant and we resumed. We took it easy on secondary roads.
The next problem was the charging system. We pulled into the next town on reserve power. By this time we were 20 minutes from home and I inquired about an alternator. No luck. I purchased a battery and we drove home on reserve power. Turns out, the alternator may be OK.
We pulled onto our street and I noticed the brakes had gone soft but still worked. I got it parked and climbed out, chuckling and relieved to have gotten away with it.
More to follow.
