FNG intro….. (1 Viewer)

[RotDorn]

Well, I’m not so new to the web, however I am new to FJ40’s. Allow me explain, I was very active on firearms boards for about 20+ years. I was one of the founders and owners of “The AkForum”, back in the day. Life and interest changed and I have moved on. I have done a few frame off restorations in my day, the most tedious was a ‘71 Porsche 911S, from a total loss to this:

…as with the firearms, life and interest changed and about a year ago I finished this:

This is “The Beast” a 1983 CJ7 with a 4.7 FI stroker, NV3500 and 4.88 gears …… and as my past is coming out again, I want to create something in between the two. About a month ago, I acquired this:

It’s a ‘77 unmolested rust free tub. My goal is to take it back pretty close to stock, and make it a dependable driver. My goal for joining here was to gain knowledge from people a whole lot smarter than I am, and if possible maybe I can share some knowledge from mistake I have made in my life.

 

[B y r o n]

Looks like you have a good starting place!

 

[AntFarm]

Looks like a great start! 77 is a great year to start with. You’ll find Toyota fit, quality and overall design philosophy to far exceed AMC’s. Welcome to Mud. Lots of good people here. Love the Porsche.

 

[1969FJ]

You now have found the best of the lot, FJ40.

 

[RotDorn]

Thanks for the welcome all! The Porsche is no longer around, someone in Modesto, CA wanted her more than I did. That was 15+ years ago. The CJ is still around and I honestly can’t imagine life without owning at least one Jeep. The FJ has long piqued my interest. I spent my misguided youth racing and repairing Japanese 2 stroke motorcycles in the mid to late 70’s. I found the FJ just to be an expanded version of a MX bike. I’m very comfortable with metric tools! The FJ is simple, straight forward, and if there isn’t a purpose for it, it’s not on there!

 

[TheHardWay]

Great rig to start with - desert beige or white?

 

[RotDorn]

Great rig to start with - desert beige or white?

White code 031. Somewhere in its life somebody dropped a ton of cash into it. Then I’m assuming the next owner, rode it hard and put it up wet. It has some slight repair with filler to the corner of the hood and rt front fender. They filled it with bondo and “smoothed” it down with a rasp file. For touch up paint, they used a paint brush.

To do this vehicle properly it needs and deserves a rotisserie frame off. I’m just not sure at my age if I am that guy.

 

[airon23]

Great looking start, and you've come to the right place when it comes to all things FJ40/Landcruiser/Toyota. This community has gone through and solved any issue you may find along the way so ask and you'll see exactly what I mean. Good luck and I'll look out for you future build thread to follow along with your progress.

 

[DPV7070]

Welcome to Mud. Get plugged in to a local cruiser group and have at it. I was born and raised in Memphis, live in Birmingham now though.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Greetings...Welcome to the menagerie. The patients are running the asylum, you'll like it here...

 

[fajitas21]

Any updates on the FJ40? I know you were on the fence about working on it just curious if you decided to do it or not.

 

[RotDorn]

Thanks for the poke. Well, the answer is Yes, No, Maybe…..
I started bleeding the brakes, and the bleeder pump burst, and on a 100+ degree day covered me with brake fluid. F’ it day over. The following Monday, I took it to a friends shop that specializes in brakes. I told him, it was no big hurry that I was super busy at the office, and really didn’t have spare time at the moment to work on it. It’s still sitting there. I have purchased a set of hard doors for it, the correct factory air cleaner and the adapter to mate it to the Webber that is on there. I have been researching soft tops, factory rims and skinny tires.

 

[fajitas21]

Thanks for the poke. Well, the answer is Yes, No, Maybe…..
I started bleeding the brakes, and the bleeder pump burst, and on a 100+ degree day covered me with brake fluid. F’ it day over. The following Monday, I took it to a friends shop that specializes in brakes. I told him, it was no big hurry that I was super busy at the office, and really didn’t have spare time at the moment to work on it. It’s still sitting there. I have purchased a set of hard doors for it, the correct factory air cleaner and the adapter to mate it to the Webber that is on there. I have been researching soft tops, factory rims and skinny tires.

Lol I'm originally from SE Texas and this weather is a lot like the weather down there right now. Very demotivating in this humidity and heat. I heard rumour it might rain tonight, but then again I don't' think it's properly rained in like 2 months, so we'll see....

 

[secretsquirrel]

Welcome I like where your heading. You can find almost anything you want to know on this page.

 

[FJBen]

Welcome! I know a few run Weber on here , but most like the OEM carb much better. There are a few great rebuilders on here.
JimC, marks off-road to name a couple.


Or…if you want to modernize a little, go holly sniper. People have had great luck with them on here.


If you are around Memphis, get with @FJ60Cam and Mosley motors for a killer sniper setup, built cop motor (built 6cyl) and some questionable ETAF alien stuff.

@wngrog is an Instagram model, influencer, full time ih8mud poster, dive restaurant seeker and I think he has a job? , actually he’s an OG and isn’t far away and builds a lot of cruisers and uses Mosley a bunch.
Check a few of his threads out there for ideas some great stuff there.

Welcome to the madness

 

[middlecalf]

…actually he’s an OG…

Well that required another google search.

Gangster fits .

 

[wngrog]

White code 031. Somewhere in its life somebody dropped a ton of cash into it. Then I’m assuming the next owner, rode it hard and put it up wet. It has some slight repair with filler to the corner of the hood and rt front fender. They filled it with bondo and “smoothed” it down with a rasp file. For touch up paint, they used a paint brush.

To do this vehicle properly it needs and deserves a rotisserie frame off. I’m just not sure at my age if I am that guy.

I would get the frame off off the brain. That’s usually a rabbit hole most Cruisers come out of.

Put it on a lift and clean it up good. I’ve done quite a few that look new in the end and they don’t come all apart.

 

[GA Architect]

Put it on a lift and clean it up good. I’ve done quite a few that look new in the end and they don’t come all apart.

 

[cruiserkev]

Agree with no frame off. Can't use it if it's a pile of parts. Fix what needs fixing and drive it.
Seen too many 40s torn apart with good intentions only to get lost and sold for parts whenever money, time or interest goes away.
27 years of driving the same 40 for me and no plans to ever tear it down to the frame.

 

[RotDorn]

Thanks to all for the wise counsel! The 911 pictured above, I tore down completely and did a tub up resto. “The Beast” I purchased has been a personalization project over the last 4 years. I tore it down as you guys have advised, and after I put the newly fab’d dash I will be finished. I might not do a frame off on the FJ, but am seriously considering a color change so I will have to tear it down far enough for that to be correct….I am too anal retentive.

I am currently reading the “what have you done to your FJ40 today thread”, yes all 1,500+ pages of it. I’m here and lurking/learning one day in the hopefully not too distant future I’ll have my very own build thread!

ETA…Wow! Mosley is only a couple miles from my house.