Grandpa's 1973 FJ 40 (1 Viewer)

[MicahMan]

Nice Cruise. Stick with Kurt for parts and service,unless you need an hour explanation on how to put a bolt through a whole.then go to the other guy.Hope to see your rig around.

It should be up soon! I'm having a hard time finding a mechanic I can trust with it. I've had some electrical demons that two different shops couldn't help with. Any direction would be great.

Unfortunately Kurt's shop is still in ashes and he's working on getting up and running again. He's still got all the parts.

I checked the fuel pump and its flowing so it might be the carburator that "Mechanic Man" rebuilt. With my luck they left out some of the parts from the rebuild kit

 

[MicahMan]

Good News Update

So I found the problem. My vacum advance on the carburator has a control arm that allows it to be controlled with the choke. THe C Clip that was holding it in was nowhere to be found. So the guy who rebuilt the carb probably forgot this minor detail. I fashioned a clip and got it set up.
Advanced the timing and it is running like a champ!

Got new tires on it and also got the baby in on the party. Thanks for all the support and advise from the forum. I've been driving the "Coyote" around for 5 days so I couldn't be happier!!!!!

 

[Rockets2000]

Something tells me that your 40 will never leave the family again..............

 

[My71FJ40]

Awesome! My 12 y.o daughter learned to drive my FJ40 this summer, she actually did pretty good, better than my 15 y.o. son
Keep up the posts and the pics, Nice story and cruiser!

 

[handcannon]

Daughters tend to listen better than the "know-it-all" sons do. Have one of each so I'm well experienced. In my opinion, she's still a safer, better driver. She's cautious.

Don

 

[dx379]

Very cool thread. Congrats on finding this family heirloom and getting it back on the road
Jonny

 

[MicahMan]

Getting to Work!

So the FJ has been running for 8 days in a row! Amazing!!!!
We decided to put it to work, but of course we needed to take the doors off!

We used it to pull out a bunch of old bushes in my parents front yard, Good practice for when I need to pull out all those jeeps here in Utah.

We then had to rent a chipper and get all the bushes mulched up. So we went down to Dill's rental and got a bunch of funny looks pulling out with this hooked on behind!

Its good having the Toy back out there.
Next on the list power steering.

 

[thecrazygreek]

I just noticed thats a factory softtop model. Maybe you should go back to stock with the white paint and a new softtop from OCD. Nice story, good to see another one back on the road...

 

[huminajumina]

Looking good!! congrats on finding it!!

 

[MicahMan]

New Eyes

So my headlights are a little dim. They don't get too dark at idle
thanks to a new alternator and voltage regulator.
So I of course called up Kurt at cruiser outfitters to see
what he had. So here is the write up.

So IPF inserts with new lights. Here we go.
Its pretty simple just like replacing the stock sealed beams.


Plug new lights in and all set!

Here it is in the dark.... Or should I say not in the dark ha ha.

Don't worry I made sure my bezel was fat side up!

So after this I had a light that was out, so I checked inside to see what was up.
This is what I found The joys of owning a 40 right!

SO again! Kurt to the rescue. New OE replacements.
Just had to hack away and get the old ones out of there.

Fist side with some rust brushing and rust fixer with
a new coat of rattle.


I got a little crazy and just sprayed the rest of the bumper,
but it looks a lot better. So now I can see and be seen.

So a $10 dollar flasher replacement turned into a decent
project, But then again thats why we have a 40!!

 

[MicahMan]

Thanks!

And now a second to say thanks to the lady thats
letting me play with the Toy all the time!

Here are my sweethearts having a good time staying up late.

Here is my Beautiful Wife out to dinner for Valentines.
Thanks again my sweety and I think I'm
done playing with the Coyote..... For a while at least

 

[imagirl]

So I found the problem. My vacum advance on the carburator has a control arm that allows it to be controlled with the choke. THe C Clip that was holding it in was nowhere to be found. So the guy who rebuilt the carb probably forgot this minor detail. I fashioned a clip and got it set up.
Advanced the timing and it is running like a champ!

Got new tires on it and also got the baby in on the party. Thanks for all the support and advise from the forum. I've been driving the "Coyote" around for 5 days so I couldn't be happier!!!!!

[/QUOT
This is so awesome. Love the story. I enjoy driving my two boys to school (7 &11) and letting them shift the gears. When we tripped the odometer back to 00000, I made sure they were in the car. Better than any New Year countdown and I'm sure they will remember it forever.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Great seeing you today Micah!

 

[MicahMan]

A Day for Guy Stuff

So I thought I'd post some of the pictures and Carnage that was had. We have a place called Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. They have ton's there from midget racing to drifting courses. I was completely unaware of all that they have out at the park. It was Awesome.

Kurt is one of their Driving Instructors and he and CruiserDave set up a Local Club Run.

Wasatch Cruisers Representing well!
Me with the Coyote

Pops getting Ready

Gang Gets Going

This got a little tricky

There was a casualty though. Troy's Lexus had some really good runs, but then there was a pop and grinding. This is what had happened

Ever seen the inside of a Birf that is not happy

Good thing there was an overabundance of knowledge on hand. My dad and I were no help so we sat on our ammo can seats and ate lunch.

Thanks to everyone for setting this up and coming we had a blast. Dave's Cruiser makes me Jealous. The Tacos flew. Jason I hope to get me a 4runner like yours for everyday. Scott your 40 is inspiring. I know I can get my looking like that soon. Good luck with the new motor and let me know about the pump and bracket. Next week I'll start installing my stereo with the Drain Plug speaker boxes. This is an Idea from Scott in the club. The 4 inch PVC caps are the perfect size for a speaker and they fit in the cavity by the kick vent. Completely out of the way letting the vent still work. They just sit in there and are removable!

It was great to meet the club members finally! I appreciate the smiles, teaching, advise, and good times. Also thanks to the encouragement from the Mudders. All is going well and the Resto is rolling!

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Micah, where are the pics of the airborne Cruiser

That would be the last time my dad drove my Cruiser, something about driving it like he stole it

 

[majojo4]

Is that the same Birf that I watch get changed out while on the Rubicon Trail? Your and animal Troy!

 

[MicahMan]

Stolen Cruiser

Micah, where are the pics of the airborne Cruiser

That would be the last time my dad drove my Cruiser, something about driving it like he stole it

Thats no Joke Kurt,
I don't think he'll be invited as a driver anytime soon ha ha ha!
He's beaten that thing up more than my grandpa did. Maybe it does have to do with not owning the vehicle your driving.

Oh well. I think my springs need replacing. OME hear I come!

 

[MicahMan]

Go Aggies

Cool pictures and nice cruiser. I'm currently an Aggie myself.

Are you going to school up there? What do you drive I've probably seen it around.

 

[MicahMan]

To cut or not to Cut

So I've got a dilema. I'm trying to decide if I should cut my rockers and rear flares. I'm putting in sliders but my rockers are pretty rusted so I need to take a bit off or reweld a sheet of steel in. The sliders will be homemade out of some 2x3 square tubing.

Well I'd like to hear opinions if you liked cutting or if I should stay stock.

Oh Well. I'd love to hear input.

 

[skidplate]

My advice...keep it just like it looks in that pic when you were 3.
I run points in an early vac advance dizzy in my 69...it works more than fine.

I installed the Crane elec. ign. in my '75. A few years later I had several months of weird starting and running problems, finally got so unreliable I was afraid to drive it. Put the old points in and it's never run better. I'm sure the pertronix is a better unit, but I too am sticking to the original points. Cheap, easy, and gives me a reason to tinker with it. Good luck.