Help: Someone to look at a 40 for me...

[hman913]

I'm looking at buying a '78 40 in Old Saybrook, Connecticut... https://forum.ih8mud.com/vehicles-trailers-sale-wanted/419229-1978-fj40.html

There's no shortage of rust on/in the body, but what concerns me is the condition of the frame since it's been a northeast vehicle for (I believe) its whole life. Surface rust is unavoidable, but I don't want to be able to put a knife/screwdriver through the frame. It's going to be restored enough to be a safe trail rig, not a street queen. The seller is sending me some pics of the frame tomorrow.

Would someone be willing/able to look at the 40 for me and get a good handle on the frame? It would be a 7+ hour drive for me to get out there.

Thanks in advance.
Chris

 

[foxfab]

PM me with an address. I drive through there on my way to/from work.

 

[fogblanket]

man is that a blast from my past. I brought that 40 back to life the first time. over the 9 years I owned it. 1993-2002 that was my first 40 and I was young and learned alot but messin with it.my engine skillz were not the best so I was surprised to see that the original 2f is still in man that is kewl.
I am half tempted to by it back my wife almost said yeas. whoever does buy it is getting a ruck with an amazing saginaw setup. I put the OME suspesion on in 2000 soyou can see it has sagged a bit but would be great on he trail.
the Body.... is solid very solid so solid in fact if you rolled it it would not loose shape. the sides are skinned with 3/8"s diamond plate the top of the wheel wells I made templates and had galvanized peices made up. as wells as fit in patches of galvanized steel all over the place. I did not know about welding then but its still standing so there is that.
I put the family bar in and the bestop would strech over it int he back when I bought it it only had the bestop and soft doors. I had gotten a hardtop and hard doors for it don't know what happened to them.
it had frame scale but no rot when I had it don't know what its like now.
man I have day dreamed about getting that 40 back.... oh well

 

[foxfab]

I do see some Peters duct tape on that thing