First 10 minutes with ‘new’ ‘64….and this happened

[sleepycruiser]

Thanks everyone for the advice/comments. The seller and I came to a mutual agreement that worked well for both of us. Looking forward to showing off the pics of it once I get it all cleaned up. It really is a beautiful ‘64 and it deserves to be taken care of….I’ve been wanting to jump into the FJ40 for a while. I’m sure I’ll be jealous of some of the newer FJ40s, but for what I will be using it for, my family will enjoy the heck out of it.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Thanks everyone for the advice/comments. The seller and I came to a mutual agreement that worked well for both of us. Looking forward to showing off the pics of it once I get it all cleaned up. It really is a beautiful ‘64 and it deserves to be taken care of….I’ve been wanting to jump into the FJ40 for a while. I’m sure I’ll be jealous of some of the newer FJ40s, but for what I will be using it for, my family will enjoy the heck out of it.

I am glad you worked somthing out.

Dont be jealous the older ones are under rated! I love my 1964. I think the earlier ones have a heavier gage steel for the body panels too. Somebody correct me if I am wrong there. I would not trade mine for a newer one. (maybe for a mint fj55 though)

 

[South Texas 97]

Someone much smarter than I on this forum posted a high level order of priorities.
1. Will it kill me? (Tires/lug nuts, Brakes, Steering, and perhaps suspension)
2. Will it strand me somewhere? (Fuel, electrical, and as you saw coolant, and perhaps some mechanical/electrical things)
3. Will it be frustrating/annoying, cause me to not enjoy the ride.

perhaps this list is not quite using the right words, but you get the general idea.
Personally, I replaced
1. all fluids, including Brake, Coolant (distilled water might be fine to start with) , Front and rear diff, transfer case, gearbox and engine oil)
2. All filters
3. under hood hoses including vacuum lines, coolant lines, and I did all the soft brake lines as well.

and take a good look at the wiring to make sure there will not be an electrical incident.

It's definitely a marathon and not a sprint. Enjoy the journey

 

[Chungas Revenge]

You mentioned your lower hose looks good and the leak appears to be at the bottom of the radiator. I can’t tell if your rad is OE. Look underneath and see if you can see a drain tube (petcock). While it’s cool see if that tube is loose. 2gal and going is a lot of fluid for a small leak.

Check along the bottom of the rad along the “seam” for any separation cracking etc. Old rads give up the ghost sometimes. Buy yourself a burp kit, you’ll need it..

Congrats on your purchase and welcome..

 

[sleepycruiser]

Someone much smarter than I on this forum posted a high level order of priorities.
1. Will it kill me? (Tires/lug nuts, Brakes, Steering, and perhaps suspension)
2. Will it strand me somewhere? (Fuel, electrical, and as you saw coolant, and perhaps some mechanical/electrical things)
3. Will it be frustrating/annoying, cause me to not enjoy the ride.

perhaps this list is not quite using the right words, but you get the general idea.
Personally, I replaced
1. all fluids, including Brake, Coolant (distilled water might be fine to start with) , Front and rear diff, transfer case, gearbox and engine oil)
2. All filters
3. under hood hoses including vacuum lines, coolant lines, and I did all the soft brake lines as well.

and take a good look at the wiring to make sure there will not be an electrical incident.

It's definitely a marathon and not a sprint. Enjoy the journey

Thanks for this list and exactly what I am planning on doing! I am looking forward to the journey. This FJ40 has great bones for a 64!

You mentioned your lower hose looks good and the leak appears to be at the bottom of the radiator. I can’t tell if your rad is OE. Look underneath and see if you can see a drain tube (petcock). While it’s cool see if that tube is loose. 2gal and going is a lot of fluid for a small leak.

Check along the bottom of the rad along the “seam” for any separation cracking etc. Old rads give up the ghost sometimes. Buy yourself a burp kit, you’ll need it..

Congrats on your purchase and welcome..

Great advice and I’ll check all of that!

 

[sleepycruiser]

I am glad you worked somthing out.

Dont be jealous the older ones are under rated! I love my 1964. I think the earlier ones have a heavier gage steel for the body panels too. Somebody correct me if I am wrong there. I would not trade mine for a newer one. (maybe for a mint fj55 though)

Thanks…I say that about the newer ones mainly in jest, but this will have everything we need. I can’t wait to get it baselined with fluids, etc and make sure I have a good idea of what it might need.

 

[docmel]

FJ -1
Me - 0

I’m just disheartened as it was sold to me as ‘ready to go’ and ‘wouldn’t hesitate to take it anywhere’. Meanwhile I literally drove it 50 feet. Blinkers don’t work (probably easy fix), brakes feel funny (drum brakes, felt iffy going down my driveway), it won’t ’turn off’ (ignition cylinder maybe?), and the radiator stuff. I’ll check everything out today under a (hopefully) less frustrated mindset.

I havent read all responses:

Dont be too dissapointed, and accept the fact it is a USED CAR..... Did you drive it before you purchased it? If you didn't, its a lesson learned

1. Get factory service manual. Haynes/Clymer will do, but a FSR is the best
2. Drum brakes: Remember, your vehicle is 60 years old: Who knows when the last brake job was done, and even then, most people dont know how to adjust them correctly
3. Radiator: the more old radiators sit, and the older they get, the most likely they are plain gunked up: Take it to a reputable rad shop, have them clean and check for leaks
4. Blinkers: Check all bulbs, and clean all sockets
5. Run on; It could be your ignition switch, could be worn out. You can get a replacement at any autozone. Very easy to replace

Somone mentioned PINK coolant: Will it work, I guess: Thats for alum rads mostly, or for newer Japenese imports: Regular green stuff is fine

You will most likley see more things the more your drive it. And be prepared to find allot of buggered up work done by previous owners over the last six decades. Most importantly, start getting a mechnical mindset. Its not hard to work on these vehicles

Dont be tempted to drive it unless it can stop, go, and not overheat: I have seen MANY FJ owners take shortcuts, and these vehicles can be death traps: There are no modern seatbelts or airbags, Be sure its safe to drive

BUT: You have a FJ40! And they dont make them anymore

 

[sleepycruiser]

I am glad you worked somthing out.

Dont be jealous the older ones are under rated! I love my 1964. I think the earlier ones have a heavier gage steel for the body panels too. Somebody correct me if I am wrong there. I would not trade mine for a newer one. (maybe for a mint fj55 though)

Since you also have a 1964….can you show me a picture of what your taillights look like? I have brake lights…are they one and the same? I have no other rear lights. None of my blinkers are working so I need to figure that out…found the relay and it is working…so might be a ground somewhere. Do they make replacement bulb ‘ballasts’ for inside the light housing? The first one I opened up was pretty rusty…that might also be the issue.

 

[Sky King]

A wise man once said " If it has t*ts or tires it will give you trouble". Welcome to the world of old trucks. Part of the satisfaction will be overcoming these obstacles and will actually add to your pride of ownership, trust me on this.

 

[middlecalf]

Congrats on the “old” cruiser. The only thing better than a ‘64 is a ‘65 and a ‘63, cuz that’s what I got .

Rear tailights, turn signal lights and brake lights are one unit on your rig. So check the connections and grounds like you said. Also, there should be a floor dimmer switch between the brake/clutch pedals. If it’s there check the connections on it, it’s notorious for bad connections because of its location. GL, post more pics when you can.

 

[sleepycruiser]

Congrats on the “old” cruiser. The only thing better than a ‘64 is a ‘65 and a ‘63, cuz that’s what I got .

Rear tailights, turn signal lights and brake lights are one unit on your rig. So check the connections and grounds like you said. Also, there should be a floor dimmer switch between the brake/clutch pedals. If it’s there check the connections on it, it’s notorious for bad connections because of its location. GL, post more pics when you can.

Ah got it. The brake lights work, but nothing blinks. I’ll check everything out. The dimmer worked on the front lights when I tested it. I assume I will need to wire in reverse lights to a switch?

Funny story…when I was younger in the 80s there was an old Willy’s Jeep next door to my family’s nursery. They had wires the floor dimmer as an ignition so you just pressed that and it started. Not sure if that was ever a common mod or even just how it was supposed to be actually.

 

[middlecalf]

I don’t think ‘64 came stock with a reverse light, so you’d have to wire in something aftermarket. Still have the 3-on the tree? You’ll have to wire in a switch to that, or go with a dash switch. But if your dash is pretty much untouched, it’s against the law to drill any holes in it, we’ll send out the PO (previous owner) police, and it gets ugly quickly .

 

[Jim S.]

IIRC a 39 Buick had a floor push to start Button. Growing up a neighbor had one and I got to ride in it a few times.

 

[sleepycruiser]

I don’t think ‘64 came stock with a reverse light, so you’d have to wire in something aftermarket. Still have the 3-on the tree? You’ll have to wire in a switch to that, or go with a dash switch. But if your dash is pretty much untouched, it’s against the law to drill any holes in it, we’ll send out the PO (previous owner) police, and it gets ugly quickly .

Was 3 on the tree, but converted to 4 on the floor.

I don’t plan on drilling any holes if I don’t have to. I don’t want to upset the herd!

Do you know what this knob is above the wiper knob? Also, what light is above that knob? It doesn’t work so no idea.

 

[charliemeyer007]

There were many rigs with the step on the switch to start it. More than one with push button shifters.

 

[middlecalf]

Originally that is the transfer case vacuum actuator for the front wheel drive (FD), and the light is the indicator that the front drive is engaged. Not sure though what that replacement knob is for unless it’s some makeshift thingy that still operates the vacuum system. The long pull lever next to it is for shifting the transfer case from high to neutral to low. Originally it would have pulled out the FD vacuum actuator when moving the lever to low. You could still manually pull out the FD switch to go from 2H to 4H.

Here’s a parts book (‘65) pic of the FD actuator

 

[sleepycruiser]

Originally that is the transfer case vacuum actuator for the front wheel drive (FD), and the light is the indicator that the front drive is engaged. Not sure though what that replacement knob is for unless it’s some makeshift thingy that still operates the vacuum system. The long pull lever next to it is for shifting the transfer case from high to neutral to low. Originally it would have pulled out the FD vacuum actuator when moving the lever to low. You could still manually pull out the FD switch to go from 2H to 4H.

Here’s a parts book (‘65) pic of the FD actuator
View attachment 3615960

Hmm…I have the pull knob next to the glovebox (to the right of the lever) that is for putting it 4WD HI. Is that different?

 

[middlecalf]

Yeah, that’s different. Post a pic of the engine side of the firewall.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Hmm…I have the pull knob next to the glovebox (to the right of the lever) that is for putting it 4WD HI. Is that different?

View attachment 3616101

I am curious to what you find out that does. I just have a pull switch next to the 4 low for 4x4. Do you have a winch or somthing? I am wondering if one of those is just not attached to anything.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Since you also have a 1964….can you show me a picture of what your taillights look like? I have brake lights…are they one and the same? I have no other rear lights. None of my blinkers are working so I need to figure that out…found the relay and it is working…so might be a ground somewhere. Do they make replacement bulb ‘ballasts’ for inside the light housing? The first one I opened up was pretty rusty…that might also be the issue.

They are the same. I am 99% sure its a ground issue. since I swapped my engine back I am having ground issues with mine and the blinkers are not blinking right now. I have seen people modifiy the lights to be grounded internally. I beleive that the rears ground to the frame back there. Make sure thats all grounded out and tight. What ever you do dont get rid of the rear lights. the earlier fj40s have smaller tail lights and they are difficult to find. It took me a few months to find them. The little cones for the rear tail lights are also unicorn dust. but 3d printed ones can be found at @Cruiser Cult site. Where I got mine. The brackets that hold them on are different too than the later ones. One of the many goofy parts on things prior to 1969.