Help me evaluate with 40

[cadeucsb]

Help me evaluate this 40

Been looking at this 1976 fj40...could probably get it for around $2k.

Its pretty rough and has rust, but supposedly runs pretty reliably. I want a bit of a fixer, but I am wondering if this thing is a lost cause even at $2k. This is all assuming it runs well for me, 4wd works, tracks straight etc....if any of those go wrong, its off the table

let me know what you think

Pictures by cadeucsb - Photobucket

 

[AKA DUKE]

I can not see the pic's as I am at work and it will not let me at that site but.....
Its all what you are comfortable with spending. I bought mine (77FJ40)about 4 months ago, looked a little rough on the outside, only had one seat and it wasnt worth a ****. Had no rear brakes,, as in no rear brake parts period, or brake lines for that matter. Was setting on 33x12.50x15 and had a SBC. Picked it up for $1500. fixed the brakes, installed the front drive shaft and been doing things a little at a time since. I drive it every chance I get. People here have been very helpful so I thannk you for that, And they are so right when they say its an addiction. LOL
I didnt take many pics(2) when first got it or many as things were being fixed as I didnt know about this site and just didnt think to take pics. But have since started and am going to try to load some soon.

 

[cadeucsb]

Nice, thanks for the tips. I am comfortable with the price but I knew rust is an issue but wasnt quite sure how bad is bad kinda thing...

Even though this fj is relatively cheap, I wouldnt want to waste even a $1 on something i would regret later.

Anyone else have thoughts?

 

[jkl72-40]

Love

Like Duke said, Its all in what you think you could be happy with... It doesnt look to bad but I'm not there to see it in person 2f, front disks, the seats would be an easy fix. look under the floor mats, look for rust and paint bubbles. Really look at it before you buy. If its what you like then go for it.

 

[cadeucsb]

Thanks guys, hard to evaluate things without much of a frame of reference. I have been looking for a cheap fixer than runs reliably and isn't on its deathbed with rust.

The running part I can figure out in person, but eyeballing rust I wasn't sure what I should be measuring against in terms of what is too much.

 

[AKA DUKE]

just make sure you look at it during the day so you can see everything. Crawl underneth and look close.
Its all a judgment on what your willing to fix or have fixed and what you want to do with it. Like I said I picked mine up for 1500 and have spent about another 4000 so far. Bit its coming along nice and Its a blast to drive, I get lots of stares and thumbs up, people walk up and starting asking about it everywhere I go. Now if those darn J**P would just stop waving LMAO

 

[cjgoode]

Its all relative, in some areas of the country fj40's are very few and far between. Look for rust, you will find it. If you do not find rust holes then it would be a bargain to me at that price. With todays rust converter products, rust encapsulators etc rust is not a big deal to me. With so much flat metal cutting sheet metal and repairing rusted out pieces is fun, mig welding is easy to learn. I did a cj8 and had no clue what I was doing and it turned out pretty good, now I have an fj40 to start doing it again.

If you buy it prepared to do a lot of work on it you will not be disappointed, and if it turns out to not be that much work you will feel even better.

 

[cadeucsb]

Its all relative, in some areas of the country fj40's are very few and far between. Look for rust, you will find it. If you do not find rust holes then it would be a bargain to me at that price. With todays rust converter products, rust encapsulators etc rust is not a big deal to me. With so much flat metal cutting sheet metal and repairing rusted out pieces is fun, mig welding is easy to learn. I did a cj8 and had no clue what I was doing and it turned out pretty good, now I have an fj40 to start doing it again.

If you buy it prepared to do a lot of work on it you will not be disappointed, and if it turns out to not be that much work you will feel even better.

Thanks, sounds like there are no major objections...I look at the undercarriage pics and see rust, but wanted to make sure it wasnt deal breaker bad...ill go check it out, give it a drive and see how it feels...

 

[albee]

I would take the diamond plate off the corners and have a look. Rust is a deal killer for me.

good luck
Albee

 

[cjgoode]

I bet the current owner is not going to let you pull off the diamond plate. You will have to assume it is rusted out pretty bad under them. You can look under the back to see what you can see. Very very very few people put diamond plating on for the fun of it, 99.9% of the time is to cover up some rusted out areas. I am no expert but from what I have seen I am not sure you can get a rust free cruiser for 2k or less without a lot of luck.

 

[Seth_O]

The frame looks like primarily surface rust - from what can be seen in the pic's. The diamond plate would make me nervous, really only one reason to put that on, and it doesn't do good things once it's there.

The carpet would also concern me, pull it up and take a good look underneath. Check the normal rust spots well: underneath the door panels, the rear sill, and check the inside of the rear qtr panels where the C-channel connects, etc.

 

[cadeucsb]

Yea I made the rust assumption with the diamond plate...I have no problem replacing those panels (fenders) under the diamond plate. I would look under the carpet for sure, but so many of those panels are replaceable...it might not be too big of deal given the price point. If that frame rust looked bad (which it sounds like it doesnt), that would be a little tougher to fix than just replacing a panel.

I am hoping to make this a winter daily driver this season...so assuming it runs reliably and 4wd works, aesthetics can take a back seat and get everything replaced slowly then paint the whole beast.

 

[Weedhopper]

Tell him it's a $500. cruiser with the bezel upside down.

Plan on a major tub rebuild or replacement. If the frame just has surface rust and it drives well you might have a winner.

I am at the other end of the spectrum here concerning rust. I bought a rusty 78 for twice what you are thinking about but it runs like a top. The rust on the tub I can deal with, bad carbs I cant.

Pick your poison.

 

[Ron B]

You can look at it this way too.... Theyre not making them anymore and how long before you find another one. Here in the southeast that would be a great price.

 

[lostmarbles]

I don't like the "feel" of it.

Mismatched wheels, diamond patch-plate, G-clamp holding a panel-joint together, panels clearly having originated from a different vehicle, mechanical parts (spares or bits from dodgy repairs?) lying around inside it, etc.

It is something I'd have a "gut feeling" to steer clear of - no matter what the price is

The state of the vehicle often says a lot about the owner. (You see something done roughly - It's best to assume there is a lot more hidden stuff that's also "rough/dodgy".)

Better to to get a wagon that has simply been neglected than to get one that's been cobbled together just to get rid of it.

(All .....in my opinion....of course).

 

[cadeucsb]

I don't like the "feel" of it.

Mismatched wheels, diamond patch-plate, G-clamp holding a panel-joint together, panels clearly having originated from a different vehicle, mechanical parts (spares or bits from dodgy repairs?) lying around inside it, etc.

It is something I'd have a "gut feeling" to steer clear of - no matter what the price is

The state of the vehicle often says a lot about the owner. (You see something done roughly - It's best to assume there is a lot more hidden stuff that's also "rough/dodgy".)

Better to to get a wagon that has simply been neglected than to get one that's been cobbled together just to get rid of it.

(All .....in my opinion....of course).

I hear you completely...my thought is that at that price, if it ran fantastically and doesnt have any major glaring flaws, I can fix/restore the cobbled together factor. A lot of that stuff I would be repairing/replacing anyway on most vehicles due to surface rust etc.

I will base a ton on how it drives. This is a winter car and if it cant start/run reliably, I dont favor going out in snow storm only to have it not start.

 

[cjgoode]

I payed a 1,000 for mine, already taken apart, body has major rust wholes and problems, no usable seats, may or may not run, may or may not have all the parts. The PO says it did run, and all the parts are there. He seamed very organized, honest and trust worthy. Maybe I paid to much, maybe I did not, bottom line is when I see that I have an fj40, even though it is a rusty pile of parts right now I am thrilled. Cant wait to start restoring it this fall. I paid as much as I possible could, its all I could afford. I could not afford many others near my house that have come available. So all that matter is I have one in my garage. My frist car was a fj40 back in the early 80's, so to have another is awsome. All you have to do is make sure once you buy it you are thrilled with it and it brings you joy, so if you do buy it, dont look back and just enjoy moving forward.

 

[BDSeff1fitty]

i paid $2400 for mine (then shipping), ill admit i rushed into it but none were for sell with in 500 miles from me at the time that were any better. it didn't run since PO didn't finish hooking up the 350 (when i bought it i wanted a 350, but decided a month later i wanted a 2f), i just bought tons of new metal for all the rust (bud built quarters, CCOT rear sill, rocker panels, wheel well supports, Paco wheel wells) but the rest of the body is solid. the big plus for me was it already had SOA, but i had to have it all re-done cuz the PO couldn't fab worth a dam. when i first got it, i thought it was a decent deal, but the more i have thought about it since buying it, it wasn't, i should have just bought one closer and dealt with it, but it is what it is now and i wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

if its the one you want, i say go for it, just dont buy the first one you see because your excited. ( i actually bought mine and i had never seen a 40 before)

 

[GarageRat]

It's all in what you want from what you're buying and what your skill level is in my experience. I bought my '69 for 1600 with nothing more than typical rear sill rust through and very slight rust through on the rockers (literally a 2"x3" patch panel and a 4"x2" patch panel), the rest was cherry, ran when the alternator was replaced, and bone stock. I only wanted the body and frame given my plans so I considered it money well spent. However my dad just bought a '74 for 1500 that desperately needs much more sheetmetal work and was the cheapest I'd seen since mine had gone up for sale, it already had a small block conversion and some hackjobbed mods that the PO slapped together. If it's more than you think you can take on then I'd say steer clear, it doesn't hurt to wait.

 

[D'Animal]

It looks like in the pics that the rear 1/2 of the tub is shot.

Looking at the top rear section of the inner fender wells, the rust looks heavy where it meets the quarter panel. Rear quarter panels would be the easy part of the repair.

I can't tell if it is carpet or a liner of some sort in the front floor boards.

I would take the diamond plate off the corners and have a look. Rust is a deal killer for me.

good luck
Albee

Two rear quarter panels.
Innner fender wells
Rear sill

are just a few of the peices/ panels I see that need replaced.

If you are comfortable with it, buy it.