How can you tell if it's a '25?

[nuclearlemon]

Look just above the reflector...................sure looks like the wing window of a door to me

good eye. so both doors, one side panel (looks like rh maybe), and rear bifold. all you need is another side panel and fiberglass. and a front end, and a powertrain, and all the stupid lite stuff that's missing. but if it's a 25, it's worth the rescue.

 

[Rigger]

I'll attempt the rescue. Wish me luck.

(Uhh, how much is too much to pay for this thing?)

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

I'll second on the locking gas cap...Hey Archie, you got 16" rims...you don't really need this old cap do ya

Just wishful thinking…great to hear that you'll give her a go

As for price...let’s start with, “what are they asking for it?”...it may actually be less than you'd offer

 

[Living in the Past]

Rib on the dash would make it pre 68 High pillar on bsck of door opening make it pre 64 round wheel opening would be a FJ25. Bad news on the gas cap it may not be original. Would have to see a better picture to be sure. The filler neck should be a 90 degree elbow, this one looks like just a short piece.

A few things that would make it a FJ25 no holes in the back of the frame to mount tail lights. Instead there will be two holes on bottom of the tub in each corner for the tail light bracket. dash will not be cut for the colunm just the steering colunm. The FJ25 and early 1961 FJ40 have a bracket on the front of the rear wheel well to attach the front arm of the rear seats.Better pictures of the steering wheel and turn signal would tell if their origianl FJ25.


John

 

[67azcruizr]

I thought the 25's also had a hump in the rear of the front doors similar to the CJ5's?

I beilieve that would be soft top only?, my '62 FJ40 FST has that door opening your referring to.

 

[Living in the Past]

I beilieve that would be soft top only?, my '62 FJ40 FST has that door opening your referring to.

You are correct. I do like the early style soft top better than hard tops. But it is easier to install a later OEM doors, top and bows on the hard top models. I'm sure your getting an idea of how hard it is to find factory doors for your early soft top. The early canvas is a whole other story. If you buy a Paki top it is not going to fit your rig and he has no plans to make them. Phil (FJnotCJ) has the canvas top off of a origianl FJ25, it's back east right now trying to be reproduced right now. Last I heard it is not going well. It really needs to be in the southwest, I think we could get it done here cheaper than the northeast.

John

 

[JohnnyC]

need a frontal pic to get the definative ans...you must have one...i think he knows it is...but he's holding out

 

[JohnnyC]

You are correct. I do like the early style soft top better than hard tops. But it is easier to install a later OEM doors, top and bows on the hard top models. I'm sure your getting an idea of how hard it is to find factory doors for your early soft top. The early canvas is a whole other story. If you buy a Paki top it is not going to fit your rig and he has no plans to make them. Phil (FJnotCJ) has the canvas top off of a origianl FJ25, it's back east right now trying to be reproduced right now. Last I heard it is not going well. It really needs to be in the southwest, I think we could get it done here cheaper than the northeast.

John

is that the canvas the fox has with his at badger?

 

[Rigger]

need a frontal pic to get the definative ans...you must have one...i think he knows it is...but he's holding out

It'd be a natural tendency, I guess. To "hold out" and keep the secrets, and protect the identity of the thing so no poachers get it before I get it.

But Johnny, my lack of a front end picture is not about anything like that. It's just like I told you. The front end is gone. There's a majorly stupid 4" diam pipe front bumper on it. I'd like to slap whomever did that.

Here you go:

 

[Rigger]

I bought this dash tag off of it. It is about 3.5" wide x 1.5" high. I've never seen one of these before. (Not that I'm a Cruiser expert, or anything.)

 

[JohnnyC]

It'd be a natural tendency, I guess. To "hold out" and keep the secrets, and protect the identity of the thing so no poachers get it before I get it.

But Johnny, my lack of a front end picture is not about anything like that. It's just like I told you. The front end is gone. There's a majorly stupid 4" diam pipe front bumper on it. I'd like to slap whomever did that.

Here you go:

hay your right i missed that post you had about the friont being gone ....sorry...i'm glad to know you werent holding out LOL

my 2C...definatly a 25...here is a good pic of what it should look like if the front end was on it...if this is anybodys pic...my bad...and i'll give you credit

 

[Rigger]

I'm keeping the location a secret, but I'll tell the rest of the story. You guys are educating me, and I thank you much for that.

My '40, and other 40's I've seen, have a vent on the cowl, and none on the windshield. This rig that we've been discussing, and the pic you posted here Johnny, have the vent on the windshield frame. Is a windshield frame vent uniquely a '25 thing? Or did some '40's have that, too?

 

[Rigger]

Oh, nice rig you posted there, Johnny. I'd love to find one of those!!

 

[nuclearlemon]

I'm keeping the location a secret, but I'll tell the rest of the story. You guys are educating me, and I thank you much for that.

My '40, and other 40's I've seen, have a vent on the cowl, and none on the windshield. This rig that we've been discussing, and the pic you posted here Johnny, have the vent on the windshield frame. Is a windshield frame vent uniquely a '25 thing? Or did some '40's have that, too?

early 40s also had the w/s vent

 

[Living in the Past]

Here is a link to a tread that has a FJ25 sitting in a field along with some other cruisers. This 25 still has the 16" wheels and front end. Looks like it's not to far from you.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=22325&highlight=greystone


The green hard top came from AZ and moved to ID only to be sold to Phil and is now in Montana.

John

 

[67azcruizr]

You are correct. I do like the early style soft top better than hard tops. But it is easier to install a later OEM doors, top and bows on the hard top models. I'm sure your getting an idea of how hard it is to find factory doors for your early soft top. The early canvas is a whole other story. If you buy a Paki top it is not going to fit your rig and he has no plans to make them. Phil (FJnotCJ) has the canvas top off of a origianl FJ25, it's back east right now trying to be reproduced right now. Last I heard it is not going well. It really needs to be in the southwest, I think we could get it done here cheaper than the northeast.

John

Don't know about the price but there's a shop here in Tucson that does excellent work and are friends of my inlaws. I've talked with the guy in charge who's been doing interior/tops for high-end collector cars for years and assured me it would be no problem at all to generate a fully functional top if he had something OEM to work off of. He said it would probably have to be taken apart though.

If no Oem/template was availabe, it's still do-able just a little more involved.

 

[67azcruizr]

This baby is mine. I'm just trying to figure out what to do with it.

By the way, don't tell me you stumbled upon this great find looking for that horn button

 

[Living in the Past]

I bought this dash tag off of it. It is about 3.5" wide x 1.5" high. I've never seen one of these before. (Not that I'm a Cruiser expert, or anything.)

This a a dash from a FJ25 only, the high/low transfer shifter was in the way on the FJ25. Foxfab has reproduced this and still may have some for sale along with the transmission shifter plate.

Here are a few things to look for when looking at a FJ25. If it doesn't have them there are going to be hard to find.

Front bumper - changed to the later style by the 62 FJ40

Gas cap and fill neck - change to smaller style by 62 FJ40

Wheels - 16" skinnies FJ25 only

Rear license plate bracket and light - FJ25 only

Rear tail light brackets - FJ25 only

Front seats - driver's seat is the same until 64, passenger's seat is close but floor changed a little

Rear jump seats - tall arm rest front and back, the 61 FJ40 had front and back arm rest but lower

Rear bench seat - FJ25 only, very few were ever imported most were jump seats

Steering wheel and turn signal switch - FJ25 only, the steering wheel is close to the mid 69 FJ40 but is thicker in the base with a pin to cancel the turn signal switch

Soft top doors and bows - A style imported until 1960 after that B style only and they are the same as the FJ40 until 64

Four speed transmission and transfer case - FJ25 only

axles - centered diff on the rear carried over until the 64 FJ40, the long pinion centered diff were a FJ25 only

Brakes and brake drums - FJ25 only, even if it has them a upgrade is probably going to be needed.

Front grill - FJ25 only, original parts hard to find but has been reproduced using other parts

Emblems - Tbird on hood has been reproduced but the Toyota on the 58 and earlier hasn't. Toyota emblem on soft top tail and 58 and earlier has beem reproduced in a very small run. The emblem on the arpons on the 59 and laters is the same as the FJ40 thru the mid seventies

PTO box - FJ25 only

I'm sure there are more but this is good start. Based on how many of these are there will help me decide how much I would pay for one. Rust is also a big factor

John

 

[Rigger]

By the way, don't tell me you stumbled upon this great find looking for that horn button

That's pretty much how it happened! I can't get one past you, can I?

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Sorry, I didn't read the whole thread, I'll be studying it later on.........

Yes, it is most definately a 25. John covered the telltale signs, there were a couple that lept out at me in the first pic...........namely the high rear quarter after the wheelwell, springs/perches and bump stops.

It's probably not a "restoration" candidate, it would be a perfect "resto-mod" candidate if you were to go that route, in which case all you'll need is a bib and hood emblem to complete the look.

You're dealing with a junk yard, it's pretty picked over. I'd start with scrap value $150+/- and work from there. Don't let them know it's rare, it's a 25, rarity does not equal value.