Builds Found an Arabian FJ40

[Honger]

Hijack over and back to clean-up on the 40...

1. I pulled the radiator overflow bottle for clean-up. I "oxy-cleaned" the tank and wire-brushed/painted the bracket. Went ahead and cleaned the hose as well and the rubber under the grime is still nice and supple.

2. I pulled the coil for clean-up as well. Wire-brushed/painted the bracket. I was going to repaint the whole coil a nice shiny black but somehow the character of this particular 37-year-old part seemed too perfect to paint. So I cleaned it really nice and left it's character in place. Slapped some dielectric grease in the plug socket and reinstalled.

So while working on the truck a few days ago the boys had gone quiet (always trouble). Then I heard the eldest, then youngest, talking with some sort of echoing/resonating sound. I walked around the 40 to find them speaking into the exhaust pipe (Praise God it was cold!). They were well pleased with themselves and posed for this one...

I hope ya'll don't mind me sharing so much of my boys. Owning this 40 and sharing it with my young boys is just a complete picture for me. My dad taught me to wrench and I have always desired to pass that on... and I'm thoroughly delighting in this now.

 

[Bear]

Thanks, Honger, for the explanation of the pavers--very interesting.
I hope you got those two jokers cleaned up before their mom sees them.

And keep up the good work on your project--with more photos of course !

 

[Chungas Revenge]

في شرفة لطيف للغاية FJ40. I was amazed at the number of quality salvageable "LC's" in the Middle East and North Africa, from abandoned relics to restored jewels...Incredible find....! Nice work also..!

 

[Honger]

The front emblem was barely hanging onto the grill when I bought it. Upon trying to secure it a bit better the whole emblem snapped off. It just doesn't seem right not having the front TOYOTA up there.

So I bought a new emblem.

But it didn't seem right to put a new emblem on the old, weathered grill.

So I tore the front end apart and refurbished the grill.

While I was in there I also replaced the headlights with some Hella H4 units.

I've got a new bumper sitting here ready to be installed. New signals would also help the front end a bit.

A nice view in my driveway...

 

[Honger]

It's been stinkin' hot here all summer... no surprise really. That being the case I've dug into some work that made the 40 somewhat undriveable. Refurbishing the air cleaner and the rear license plate holder.

The air cleaner actually had a nice crack in it that needed attention.

So I lovingly nudge it back into position and brazed it shut.

Painted it back up...

And reinstalled it with some fresh hardware and a new hose to the valve cover (the clips are annoyingly not fresh).

 

[Honger]

Wire brushed the license plate holder as well and painted it up.

The light hoods cleaned up really well.

Went ahead and painted the lamp receptacles and put some braided loom over the original wires.

And reinstalled... though the lights work intermittently so I need to go back and see where I've interrupted the ground path.

Also got some manuals printed up.

 

[JohnnyC]

Looking great

I bet you love those Hellas .... It was night and day difference when I switched (18+- years ago)

I got copies... But... Still VERY good lights

 

[Racer65]

Wire brushed the license plate holder as well and painted it up.

And reinstalled... though the lights work intermittently so I need to go back and see where I've interrupted the ground path.

The paint may have interrupted the ground. I ended up adding a separate ground wire on mine.

 

[78fj40mg]

The paint may have interrupted the ground. I ended up adding a separate ground wire on mine.

I did the same on mine, separate ground wire and now the lights work great.

 

[Honger]

Looking great

I bet you love those Hellas .... It was night and day difference when I switched (18+- years ago)

I got copies... But... Still VERY good lights

The Hellas are a LOT better. Next trick is to put them on a relay circuit so they run straight off the battery.

Incidentally, I got these for free. A buddy here bought a Jeep and bought the Trucklite LED headlights. Upon removing these units he asked if I wanted them. Initially I balked... until I noticed they are Hella units, made in Germany. I won't put a Jeep part on the 40... but these technically aren't Jeep parts. =)

 

[Honger]

The paint may have interrupted the ground. I ended up adding a separate ground wire on mine.

I did the same on mine, separate ground wire and now the lights work great.

Incidentally I saw this coming... and scuffed the paint off wherever I thought contact was necessary. In retrospect, the ground wire was the smart idea.

Where did you mount the wire? ie. where did you originate and terminate the ground?

 

[Racer65]

Incidentally I saw this coming... and scuffed the paint off wherever I thought contact was necessary. In retrospect, the ground wire was the smart idea.

Where did you mount the wire? ie. where did you originate and terminate the ground?

If you look at the license plate light, there is only a single wire for power. That means it grounds through the body of the unit. I connected a wire (with spades) from under one of the mounting screws on the light unit, and routed it inside the same wire wrapper that sends the power wire through the door grommet into the inside of the back door. You can terminate it at either some metal part of the back door, or connect it to one of the ground wires.

If you're going to take the thing apart again, I'd also suggest swapping out the license plate lights with LEDs.

 

[jgeoffr]

Alternative would be to purchase the new-style license plate lights that have two wires (positive and ground). 87270-60091, still available from Toyota USA, which likely means in GCC as well. $25 and change each. You then add the ground wire to the wiring harness and bring it back to a proper ground. Similar to adding the ground wire to the front turn signals.

-Geoff

 

[78fj40mg]

I ran two separate ground wires one from each light to the inside....

...and connected them to the ground wires as shown here.

 

[Racer65]

Alternative would be to purchase the new-style license plate lights that have two wires (positive and ground). 87270-60091, still available from Toyota USA, which likely means in GCC as well. $25 and change each. You then add the ground wire to the wiring harness and bring it back to a proper ground. Similar to adding the ground wire to the front turn signals.

-Geoff

That is a good call! I didn't know about this. Just a correction. The part # is 81270-60091.

 

[jgeoffr]

My bad... fat fingers and not taking time to check...

-Geoff

 

[mosalf]

Honger, I was practically hanging on every word and picture of this build. Wow, great work. I believe the DB workshop is something special for you. I will start using them in the future. Great truck and the way you have built it. Am still looking and hope to be able get hold of one of these.

 

[hecrod]

This picture is priceless!!!

So while working on the truck a few days ago the boys had gone quiet (always trouble). Then I heard the eldest, then youngest, talking with some sort of echoing/resonating sound. I walked around the 40 to find them speaking into the exhaust pipe (Praise God it was cold!). They were well pleased with themselves and posed for this one...

I hope ya'll don't mind me sharing so much of my boys. Owning this 40 and sharing it with my young boys is just a complete picture for me. My dad taught me to wrench and I have always desired to pass that on... and I'm thoroughly delighting in this now.[/QUOTE]

 

[JohnnyC]

@hecrod

X2 on a great shot

When I read it I immediately thought of....

Does anybody else yell recola thru pipes? .... I'm thinking it might just be me lol

 

[Honger]

Time for a front axle overhaul and disc brake conversion! Nothing new here, done plenty of times and documented well.

There’s the @1973Guppie thread… I pasted the whole step-by-step into a document and printed it for myself.

I also found the line up of parts done by @RWBeringer4x4 to be very helpful.

I decided to replace the brake master cylinder at the same time. I periodically have to drain fluid from the rear reservoir and relocate it to the front reservoir… a sign of obvious problems.

I found a few threads very helpful in planning for the brake work…

Non US front Axle conundrum
Brake master cylinder w/front discs - valve or no?
Proportioning Valve Yes or No
Proportioning Valve Question
Saudi Arabia 1982 FJ45 Troopy (front disc conversion)

I then put together a master source of all the items I’d need.

• Axle overhaul kit with Koyo bearings (Cruiser Outfitters)
• Aisin Master Cylinder (CruiserParts.net)
• Brake proportioning valve (Racer65)

I went ahead and did new TRE’s, relay rod, tie rod, and drag link as well. Got those locally through the parts network. Bought the steering arm TRE shims from Kurt as well.

The fun part was finding the disc brake knuckles, hubs, and backing plates. I’d snagged a set from a junk yard up north but, believe it or not, one side was stolen out of my driveway! Fortunately @maxofarabia found a slick spot in Sharjah to pick up a whole axle. That would yield me the calipers as well as new hubs and outer axles. So I took a day off work, rented a trailer, and went hunting.

The breaker yard was a treasure-trove of JDM cruisers imported for parts. Many of them quite low mileage. I thought you all might like a bit of a tour.

I found the axles… mine was three-quarters of the way down in one stack. =)

They had a few 1HZ’s on hand…

Power steering boxes anyone?

Or how about a OEM winch?

I grabbed myself a 60-series booster/master/proportioning valve. They only sell this as a unit… not piecemeal.

The one I ordered from Racer65 had gotten lost in the mail. He handled it well and refunded me immediately while he sorted things out with the shipper. He didn’t have any more in stock in time so I thought this salve valve would help me sort things.

Oh, and here’s my axle loaded up.

Took it back to Abu Dhabi and dumped it at the workshop that’s letting me squat… and helping me with some work.

I dismantled the axle… then they cleaned all the parts and repainting the knuckles, hubs, backing plates, and calipers.

I cleaned up the 60-series prop valve and bracket

And then look what randomly showed up on my doorstep…

So I paid @Racer65 again… =)