Builds Growing the Family: 1985 FJ60 Refresh and build (1 Viewer)

[JTU]

I started last week with no plans to buy a vehicle. Midway through I see an ad for a clean looking 60 series and it got me thinking; I have a 40 series, I have a 80 series so it only make sense that I need a 60 in the garage now. I run the classified ad by a friend and he says I should go checkout a 60 that is local that a guy bought and wouldn't mind letting it go.

It was all downhill from there and 2 days later I brought home this 1985 FJ60. The thing that sealed the deal was the 2F had a fresh rebuild a fews years ago and it had a H55 swap. 223K on the clock, 50K on the rebuilt 2F and H55.

It has the normal wear and tear to expect on a 30+ year old vehicle but the body is straight. The paint is the only cosmetic issue, the driver side has been repainted at some point in its life but the roof is the only major paint issue. It spent most of it life as a vacation vehicle at the original owners house on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

The interior is pretty good, the carpet is a little dirty but the seats are clean and mostly tear free.

 

[Ian Crawford]

Congratulations! That's a beautiful truck! The hard part will be deciding what to drive!

We're a (2) 60 family. I think I need a 40 for the weekends!

 

[JTU]

First impression from the 2 hour drive home: 30" tires and a 5 speed make the 2f feel way more powerful than it is and where are the cupholders?? I only assume Toyota didnt think people got thirsty while driving in the 1980s. I had not finished the drive home and I already had a CCOT console ordered.

I had some work to do out at the farm so I took my new 60 to get some dirt on its tires:

Hauling firewood

Scored its first recovery.

 

[JTU]

All the parts I ordered last week started to arrive at the end of last week so I had plenty to do in the garage. There aren't any major things it needed but the suspension was flat, all the plastic bottles under the hood were cracked and missing caps, the interior lights were out, and a few other small things.


CCOT console installed: I now appreciate all vehicles that come with cupholders and armrests

Dobinson 2" medium suspension

Started removing all the old suspension and giving all the bolts a healthy dose of PB blaster to soak over night

 

[OGBeno]

And some other parts showed up today as well.



Looking good JTU.

 

[Beams37]

Great looking truck. Welcome!

 

[JTU]

Finished up the suspension last night. Surprisingly all the old suspension came off easily, no rusted bolts stripped or broke off.

The 30" tall tires are now looking mighty small.

BFG KM2 33x10.5s showed up just in time

 

[SteveH]

Nice looking truck. I suspect you'll see a performance difference after installing 33s.

 

[JTU]

Nice looking truck. I suspect you'll see a performance difference after installing 33s.

I will for sure. The 30" tires I feel actually over gear the truck. With the h55 Im turning much higher RPMs than with 31s, 2700rpm at about 70mph. The lower first gear of the h55 will definitely help mitigate the power loss from increased tire height.

 

[JTU]

A few more small parts went on the truck yesterday. It received its first mail order @beno box of oem parts to start freshening up the few broken things.

New radiator reserve tank and cap:

New windshield washer fluid tank:

The original antenna was bent and rusted so picked up a aftermarket one front Cruiser Corps. I just installed it but didn't hook it up, I don't listen to radio so no use in pulling the head unit out to plug it in.

 

[gilamonster]

Those new tanks are purdy! Mind if I ask what they are going for?

 

[JTU]

Those new tanks are purdy! Mind if I ask what they are going for?

I'm not sure how much they are through Beno, which is where I got them; but Cruiser corps has the reserve tank for $80 and the washer tank for $115.

 

[Godwin]

I will for sure. The 30" tires I feel actually over gear the truck. With the h55 Im turning much higher RPMs than with 31s, 2700rpm at about 70mph. The lower first gear of the h55 will definitely help mitigate the power loss from increased tire height.

With the 3.7s in the diffs you may find that 5th with 33s is a little too high. 4.11s + 33s + H55F is the perfect combo.

 

[JTU]

@Godwin I’ve heard that. I’ve already contemplated going to 4.11s. Ideally I could find a FJ62 that’s being parted out that I could get the 4.10 thirds out of.

 

[umpqua]

1. Beautiful truck.
2. Wish I had your garage.
3. Anything over 2 cruisers puts you in the "you have issues" category.

 

[Godwin]

@Godwin I’ve heard that. I’ve already contemplated going to 4.11s. Ideally I could find a FJ62 that’s being parted out that I could get the 4.10 thirds out of.

Open 80 series rear diffs will also work, drop right in, and the driveshaft flange patterns will bolt up.

 

[cwwfj60]

Open 80 series rear diffs will also work, drop right in, and the driveshaft flange patterns will bolt up.

I'm pretty sure 80 diffs are 4:10, fj62 (And 40s) use 4:11.

 

[Godwin]

I'm pretty sure 80 diffs are 4:10, fj62 (And 40s) use 4:11.

That's correct but the difference is so small that it won't matter.

 

[JTU]

Got the new 33s installed and took it for a loop around the farm. The Dobinson's kit sits nice and level with just a slight rake, it rides stiff but not back breaking rough. The tire shop mixed up my request and put the white letters out, I'm still deciding if should have them flipped or not.

 

[Godwin]

The tire shop mixed up my request and put the white letters out, I'm still deciding if should have them flipped or not.
View attachment 1674997

Just leave 'em as is and let mud and dirt take care of the lettering....or black Sharpie .