FJGuy Intro

[lurch]

Also, those fender lights are a mis-match for 1973.

Pablo was a machinist at UNM and he actually made those front turn lights on the fender. In fact the adapter plate for the SM465 to the 3speed t-case was his creation as well. I remember he stayed late after work a lot fabricating parts for the cruiser.

I figured someone around here had to know this rig. Any history you can give me on it would be appreciated. The guy I got it from said that it was from Socorro where a rancher had it. He gave it to his grandson who did all the modifications. Grandson was subsequently arrested and went off to jail/prision. The cruiser was left in a trailer park where the guy I got it from filed for title as an abandoned vehicle. The seller told me he had it for about a year and a half.

Anyone know if this is true?

The seller feed you a line of BS!!! Pablo bought it in 2002 from a guy here in ABQ located somewhere around Eubank and Lomas. It was completely striped down no turn signals front or back, head lights didn't work, no windshield wiper motor, no doors, hardtop or tail gate. Basically when Pablo got it the drive train and what was left of the body was stock but the roll cage, heep tail lights and that stupid gas tank were added. We thought the old owner just wanted to use it as a trailer-ed rig and parted it out to pay for mods.
The motor that should be in it now is a rebuilt motor that was put in after the original motor died (the distributor was not full inserted) The suspension upgrades are OMU 3"-4" lift springs along with OMU shocks. He made the entire dash and cluster and locking glove dept door...I don't think it had a single switch or gauge in it. He then moved to Santa Fe and sold it to a guy in ABQ sometime around 2005.
The wiring had always been a problem it was a constant source of head ache. On a trip to the Jemez the tail light wire had melted and i think we used bailing wire and electrical tape to make a new connection so we could get back at night

Thats kind of a short version for the most part it was a project vehicle that was worked on more it was driven. At least when Pablo had it it was loved, cared for, and well maintained.

 

[FJGuy]

Whoa, that is awesome! Thanks for the heads up on that. I am glad that I got some history on it. It had been around here too long for someone not to know about it. Mechanically I knew it was sound (compression is great, doesn't burn oil but does leak a bit from the adapter plate). Any idea how many miles were on it when Pablo sold it?

I am going to sell the cage tomorrow (it is too much for what I need). I am going to looking at source3's seats out of his 73 so I can reinstall the stock fuel system (My offroad travels should consume more than 5 gallons of gas - Can't even take it fishing!) I am going to have a new exhaust built for it Monday. I also hope to get the transfer case adapter build so that I can reattach my t-case lever (not having 4wd is killing me).

Up after that: I am going to check with the wallet (ie, the lady of the house) and order up a set of VDO guages and an EZ wiring kit, along with waterproof heat shrink tubing and marine grade switches. At some point, someone decided toggle switches were the way to go. The only thing I hate more than toggle switches is diamond plate.

Stage 3 - paint and body, metaltech cage and patching the hole in the floor where the fuel cell went.

This isn't my primary car, but I did buy it with the intention of fixing it up and being able to take it camping and wheeling.

 

[FJGuy]

Pablo was a machinist at UNM and he actually made those front turn lights on the fender. In fact the adapter plate for the SM465 to the 3speed t-case was his creation as well. I remember he stayed late after work a lot fabricating parts for the cruiser.




The seller feed you a line of BS!!! Pablo bought it in 2002 from a guy here in ABQ located somewhere around Eubank and Lomas. It was completely striped down no turn signals front or back, head lights didn't work, no windshield wiper motor, no doors, hardtop or tail gate. Basically when Pablo got it the drive train and what was left of the body was stock but the roll cage, heep tail lights and that stupid gas tank were added. We thought the old owner just wanted to use it as a trailer-ed rig and parted it out to pay for mods.
The motor that should be in it now is a rebuilt motor that was put in after the original motor died (the distributor was not full inserted) The suspension upgrades are OMU 3"-4" lift springs along with OMU shocks. He made the entire dash and cluster and locking glove dept door...I don't think it had a single switch or gauge in it. He then moved to Santa Fe and sold it to a guy in ABQ sometime around 2005.
The wiring had always been a problem it was a constant source of head ache. On a trip to the Jemez the tail light wire had melted and i think we used bailing wire and electrical tape to make a new connection so we could get back at night

Thats kind of a short version for the most part it was a project vehicle that was worked on more it was driven. At least when Pablo had it it was loved, cared for, and well maintained.

I would love to hear the long story sometime. Gimme a call 505-750-3438

 

[alia176]

for those of us who don't know the 40 series, where is the Bezel that's upside down?

 

[pappy]

for those of us who don't know the 40 series, where is the Bezel that's upside down?

The bezel is the part that surrounds the headlights. There is a thick section and a thin. The thick section should be up or the bezel police will get you.

 

[pappy]

for those of us who don't know the 40 series, where is the Bezel that's upside down?

The bezel is the part that surrounds the headlights (painted black here). There is a thick section and a thin. The thick section should be on top or the bezel police will get you.

 

[sirenmoses]

I got to meet FJGuy this morning, before he went wrenching. While I cain't remember his name (altho he told me 3x), he seems a stand-up guy, and he very much found a deal in this 40, despite the diamond plate /toggle switch/ roll bar sillyness. That stuff is even worse when seen in person.

Great to meet ya, glad you got the cage sold, look forward to seeing ya out there!

 

[DanS HJ-45]

I got to meet FJGuy this morning, before he went wrenching. While I cain't remember his name (altho he told me 3x), he seems a stand-up guy, and he very much found a deal in this 40, despite the diamond plate /toggle switch/ roll bar sillyness. That stuff is even worse when seen in person.

Great to meet ya, glad you got the cage sold, look forward to seeing ya out there!

Did you see the wiring? The wiring prowess of a PO exceeded their welding ability even! Example: there is no fuse box--at all. There are three (maybe four) fuses sort of stashed around the engine bay, but that's it...

It was good to meet you this morning. Did you get home allright? Leg sore from the throttle return spring yet?

Dan

 

[FJGuy]

Ha! Today was a super productive day. On my way out the door, I mailed my High Desert membership app to Jon.

I was way out of it this morning when I met Sirenmoses (Not a lot of sleep last night - too busy cruising MUD for parts). She was working near my place and she hooked me up with a really cool NOS tilt-o-meter and took a look at my rig. Awesome! I have some cool plans for that meter.

After that I met up with Stage3 (Super nice guy and owner of an even nicer truck) and went out to Dan's - what a cool place! I learned a ton about my rig (FYI I have two steering stabilizers - how many rigs to do you know have that many?) and figured out what I needed to do asap. Stage3 hooked me up with his stock 73 seats which should clean up great. As I was leaving Dan's, my carb spring got stuck and he came to the rescue with a quick fix using a brake spring from Stage3. The pedal is crazy but after driving by 4 cops on the way home, that stiff pedal keeps me way under the speed limit

After that I got the top off of the rig (of course it has to start raining as soon as I do that) so I could take the cage out to sell to Irbrito.

I recruited my buddy and my parents to help get the top off. The weatherstripping had broken down and become super glue but in the end we won.

The cage came out next

That diamond plate is a sight to be seen. What a mess. I need to find someone to recut it in aluminum. My skills are limited in that area. Dan is right, I think we counted two fuses and a fusible link. There is about a mile worth of wire loom, no fuse box, and a ton of crimp connectors (Home Depot must have been having a sale). Heat shrink seems to be used as an afterthought where the previous tech ran out of electrical tape. Needless to say, an EZ wiring kit will be ordered shortly as well as a complete set of VDO gauges.

Irbrito came over and mentioned that he had a complete fuel system for his truck which he is swapping a 3fe into. Bing! Trade was made. My 5 gallon fuel cell will be gone and replace with a very nice looking stock tank and system. My buddy Chuck (who is my chauffeur and wrench assistant) and I went over to Irbrito's and he let me at his old engine. In short order, I had the carb and manifold off to replace my leaking header so that Jim's 66 can fab up something. I needed the linkage off of the carb as mine is held in places with bailing wire - a common theme on my truck. I also got a nearly new fuel pump, air cleaner assembly and some other odds and ends.

40 Parts!

In all it was a good day. Thanks to everyone that I met today. I have belonged to other car and motorcycle owners groups/forums in the past, but never have they been as cool or diverse as this group. Thanks everyone!

FJGuy - Nate

 

[FJGuy]

The bezel is the part that surrounds the headlights (painted black here). There is a thick section and a thin. The thick section should be on top or the bezel police will get you.

There is no greater sin for a 40 owner than to be busted by the bezel police. They are ruthless

 

[sirenmoses]

Good score Nate (now I won't forget anymore: had mental block due to shared name w/co-worker). Look forward to watching you resto this back to near stock. And the price, oy vey!! Definately keep your eyes peeled for me, please.

Did you see the wiring? The wiring prowess of a PO exceeded their welding ability even! Example: there is no fuse box--at all. There are three (maybe four) fuses sort of stashed around the engine bay, but that's it...

I was afeared to look under the hood, based on what I could see in the body. Plus I still had station chores to do...

 

[alia176]

There is no greater sin for a 40 owner than to be busted by the bezel police. They are ruthless

I'd definitely leave it upside down since it seems to irritate those 40 owners so much

 

[alia176]

And the price, oy vey!! Definately keep your eyes peeled for me, please.

Yeah, like you need another one! Let's see you finish the 60 project first, you slacker

 

[FJGuy]

I'd definitely leave it upside down since it seems to irritate those 40 owners so much

I thought about it - maybe I will flip it upside down again at some point. My luck, it would catch fire and the last pics of it burning up on the roadside would be the upside down bezel staring at me. I will add some fuses to the rats nest of wiring to make sure she doesn't go down in a blaze of glory like that.

 

[Cruisergreg]

The bezel is the part that surrounds the headlights (painted black here). There is a thick section and a thin. The thick section should be on top or the bezel police will get you.

What Pappy is not mentioning is that the upsidedown bezel is often used to indicate a V8 under the hood. It's that false advertising that police will getcha for.

 

[marcfj60]

Nate - your chauffer and wreching assistant is awfully nice to let you put your dirty cruiser parts in his clean-looking car without a hundred yards of plastic wrap to protect stuff.

 

[FJGuy]

Nate - your chauffer and wreching assistant is awfully nice to let you put your dirty cruiser parts in his clean-looking car without a hundred yards of plastic wrap to protect stuff.

ahah, thanks. He is a great friend and budding screwdriver operator. I just helped him buy his first car this last week and taught him how to drive stick. I call him my chauffer because I have him drive me around and I give him pointers on driving. He has mastered first gear and getting through the gears on the highway. We are still working on starting in 1st on an uphill slope. Up next is double clutching, clutchless shifting and the Scandinavian flick.

It should be a requirement that you should be able to drive a standard trans around a corner while downshifting, eating a sammich and talking on a cell phone. Real men can do it. Bonus man points if you can do it with a welded diff on an icey road.

 

[SteveLCetc]

I had some pics of that rig from about Nov of 2002 but can't find them now. We went on a run to Cedro (Pablo, Steve, and I). One of the posts from the old Yahoo group (#4976) reads:

"just ran down a guy in a tan FJ40. Names' Pablo; he knows Brandon. he's undoing
some of his P/O's functifcations, like an 8-gal. fuel cell under the back bed
(only tank). He has parts to sell and wants to find some.
David"

 

[FJGuy]

Seems like Pablo and I are on the same page - although I think the fuel cell might have gotten smaller between the time that he had it and the time I got it. I can only get 5 gallons in the thing

Any pics you can find of it would be awesome.

Thanks!

 

[BionicCruiser]

oddly enough, I think Pablo bought a stock fuel tank from me for it. I know he got windshield wipers. now my memory isn't so good.