Hello everyone!
My name is Carson Hoover, and I am 18 years old. I am currently going to college to become an engineer. I am a relatively new member to mud, but have been on it quite a few times in the past few years. Well I decided to start a build thread for my dad and I's 1977 Fj40. Here's a little back story...
My dad's second "car" in high school was a 1977 FJ40. This was in the late 70's that he got it. He did minor modifications to it; extended shackles, bigger tires, new white spoke wheels, ect. He was part of a 4x4 club in town and did trail rides, but mostly mudding because there aren't many rocks here in Lincoln, Ne. He has told me stories of him winning mud drags, and beating big V8 trucks. He later sold it after college once he started his own construction business. Here are some pictures of it (yes, that's a Charlie Daniels Band plate). One was after a mud drag we won.
Fast forward to April 2014. My mom's friend from high school had a 1977 Fj40 that he had out at his acreage just to putts around in. My dad asked if he would sell it, and he said yeah. So we picked it for $7,000 with 113,000 miles on it. Our plan is to do a frame off resto.
With in 2 or 3 months we completed the "frame off" part, then it just sat in pieces... After a year my dad got motivation again and bought a saginaw power steering kit and a new rear cross member, which also sat. My dad and I talked every now and then about starting it again, but it never went anywhere. We debated on selling it a few times, even had ads on craigslist but no one wanted to pay what it was worth. Now it is Oct. of 2016 and I finally got my dad to commit. My sister is getting married next summer, and my mom said she would like it done by then.
So this is just the beginning of a long process. I just ordered a half tub, front fenders, and rocker panels from Cool Cruisers. There is a lot of bondo work from previous owners, so thats why we just went with a half tub, instead of working on it ourselves or sending it to a body shop. The plan is to make it a restomod. I love the look of an all original landcruiser, but my dad and I want to build one that has our own touch to it. Here in Nebraska, I have only 3 other Fj40's besides the one we own. The whole town is covered with lifted jeeps riding around with their doors off like they are hot sh*t. Time to show them up
My name is Carson Hoover, and I am 18 years old. I am currently going to college to become an engineer. I am a relatively new member to mud, but have been on it quite a few times in the past few years. Well I decided to start a build thread for my dad and I's 1977 Fj40. Here's a little back story...
My dad's second "car" in high school was a 1977 FJ40. This was in the late 70's that he got it. He did minor modifications to it; extended shackles, bigger tires, new white spoke wheels, ect. He was part of a 4x4 club in town and did trail rides, but mostly mudding because there aren't many rocks here in Lincoln, Ne. He has told me stories of him winning mud drags, and beating big V8 trucks. He later sold it after college once he started his own construction business. Here are some pictures of it (yes, that's a Charlie Daniels Band plate). One was after a mud drag we won.
Fast forward to April 2014. My mom's friend from high school had a 1977 Fj40 that he had out at his acreage just to putts around in. My dad asked if he would sell it, and he said yeah. So we picked it for $7,000 with 113,000 miles on it. Our plan is to do a frame off resto.
With in 2 or 3 months we completed the "frame off" part, then it just sat in pieces... After a year my dad got motivation again and bought a saginaw power steering kit and a new rear cross member, which also sat. My dad and I talked every now and then about starting it again, but it never went anywhere. We debated on selling it a few times, even had ads on craigslist but no one wanted to pay what it was worth. Now it is Oct. of 2016 and I finally got my dad to commit. My sister is getting married next summer, and my mom said she would like it done by then.
So this is just the beginning of a long process. I just ordered a half tub, front fenders, and rocker panels from Cool Cruisers. There is a lot of bondo work from previous owners, so thats why we just went with a half tub, instead of working on it ourselves or sending it to a body shop. The plan is to make it a restomod. I love the look of an all original landcruiser, but my dad and I want to build one that has our own touch to it. Here in Nebraska, I have only 3 other Fj40's besides the one we own. The whole town is covered with lifted jeeps riding around with their doors off like they are hot sh*t. Time to show them up
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whenever i see a jeep whilst im driving my 45... "awe cute, its a jeep 
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Check out my build thread! (Link is in my signature) I'll definitely enjoy following along with yours. Where are you in school? We might have to meet up sometime when our Cruisers are done! And same, we're never going to sell this thing.
