got my self an FJ40! (1 Viewer)

[toypu17]

Well I went to Gary's place today to pick up the FJ40 that he had for sale. It runs and drives and I got it up for a great price. It needs work but my plan is not to restore it but just make it into a fun daily driver/mild trail rig. All I need to figure out before I get it through inspection is where the fuse for the taillights/license plate lights is but I have yet to find a diagram of the labels and I believe that the cover that usually has them on top is gone. After I get it through inspection I plan to swap in power steering and disc brakes for the rear and then just work on cleaning up the body some. Here are some pictures if you have not seen it yet...

79 FJ40 pictures by Toypu87 - Photobucket

I would love any advice or suggestions that you guys have!
-Chris

 

[76FJ40]

Congratulations on your new ride.

 

[kb3gun]

Congrats Chris! Welcome to the madness!!

 

[land cruiser kid]

Congrats Chris! John M has my 40 right now and they both are 1978's but I believe the first fuse, a 15a is for the tail lights and license plate lights. What's the poblem? check all your fuses but most likely it's a rust issue and not a good ground if you don't have lights. Steve

 

[toypu17]

Thanks guys! my parents told me I can not work on it until I am done school because I only have 8 days left and have a couple of finals to get ready for. As soon as summer starts I will get started and will definitely have a lot of questions. Does anyone have a picture of their fuse box they could post for me? is their only one or is their one in the engine bay too?

 

[land cruiser kid]

Chris,
Almost all year 40's have the tail lights and license plate lights as their first fuse, a 15A. It's not that hard to check every fuse in your fuse box. You can check just about any aftermarket vendor for a fuse box cover which will show you the 79-84 fj40 but I'm sure it's the first one. Steve

 

[land cruiser kid]

There's only one fuse box, it's at the drivers kick panel

 

[toypu17]

awesome thanks Steve. Looked under the carpet and the floor pans in the front are rotted through, the back section behind the seats does not look too bad. I found that floor pans are very expensive, is this because they are the original design? I feel like it would not be to bad to make some but am I wrong?
-Chris

 

[campoj2]

Pictures??

 

[toypu17]

There is a link in my first post to photobucket with just two pictures of the truck. As for pictures of the floors, I am back at college now until next tuesday. When I get home again I will definitely post some more pictures up.

 

[land cruiser kid]

Chris,
They're expensive because of the original stampings. If someone knows what they're doing they can make them out of 16 or 18 gauge sheetmetal but what you weld them to has to be solid. It takes some fabricating but just about anything can be done

 

[zucruisers]

what powersteering are you planning on running?...i have a push pull minitruck box if you're planning on going that route, i also have a pair of chevy rotors and calipers that are the ones everyone uses for rear disc swaps

 

[toypu17]

I have not done much research on power steering yet but I know that there are a few options. I will let you know if I decide to go that route. How much would you want for the rotors and calipers?

 

[zucruisers]

I have not done much research on power steering yet but I know that there are a few options. I will let you know if I decide to go that route. How much would you want for the rotors and calipers?

$60, the rotors are already machined out to fit over the toy axleshafts, they're used, but barely...they just have a little bit of surface rust, the calipers were pulled from a running vehicle but i cant guarantee they're good, they'd be at least good for cores to buy reman ones from napa

 

[toypu17]

sounds good I wont be ready to buy anything until I get out of school on the 12th but I will send you a PM then.

 

[Wayneraintree]

Congrats Chris! Just start saving for a tub and beat that one off the frame on the trails....

 

[toypu17]

That is the plan right now Jeff! I think that I will probably end up doing saginaw p/s because eventually I would like to run a 35" tire and from what I have read that would be the best route. Anybody have any input on this p/s swap? can anyone give me what kind of price I will be looking at for the swap? any other swaps I should look into that could handle 35's?

 

[kb3gun]

Depends how you want to set up the saginaw. I'm currently installing it in mine now. Plan on running 35's or 37's. Gearbox from Napa was $150 + $50 core. 4x4 Labs high steer setup was another $550. Hoses were about $40. I have a stock P/S pump but will probably go with a GM pump for the higher flow. Now, you can get the gearbox used from a auto pick-n-pull yard for between $25-$75. I got the steering shaft and coupler joint for about $50. You can either buy or fab the frame mount for the gearbox and you'll want a 3-1/4" dia piece of pipe to weld into the crossmember after cutting the hole.
You can spend more or less depending on how solid you want the system.

 

[toypu17]

Thanks Bill, I have not decided yet if I am going soa or leaving it sua but if I leave it sua I will not need a high steer set up correct?

 

[kb3gun]

Correct. In most cases. you don't "need" the high steer even with the SOA. It's just added protection in that it gets the tie rod up and away from the rocks.