How Long Did It Take You To Build Your Cruiser? (2 Viewers)

[Wildman]

i think that the most important thing is too keep the truck running in between mods. other wise you cant go out on the trail and learn the truck.

I totaly agree with this statement but more because without USING it I find that I get tired and bored of the projects. My 40 is still in pieces as thats the way I have bought everything for it. I am still hoping to have it beach and road ready this spring.

My mini truck is wheelable, but there was a time about 2 years ago when it didnt move and I almost sold it off because I was only wheeling 1-3times a year. I think without having one rig to wheel (even though its 2X as much work mechanic/welding wise) I would sell everything and buy a quad;p

 

[JJS]

I totaly agree with this statement but more because without USING it I find that I get tired and bored of the projects. My 40 is still in pieces as thats the way I have bought everything for it. I am still hoping to have it beach and road ready this spring.

My mini truck is wheelable, but there was a time about 2 years ago when it didnt move and I almost sold it off because I was only wheeling 1-3times a year. I think without having one rig to wheel (even though its 2X as much work mechanic/welding wise) I would sell everything and buy a quad;p

If you change your mind, I'll trade tubs.

 

[jake604]

Wow, started this thread back in 2007 . I started ,doing the rebuild myself and found I had run out of time, expertise and a garage close,enough to me. my FJ40 was the bane of my existence. A little backstory, ,y dad bought me a beautiful 82 blue FJ40. It was in great shape and was my first car when I turned 16 ( bad idea dad) . I tore that thing up on any and everythingmimcouldmdrive over through or into . Went in the Marines and had it shipped to Hawaii where it rusted out but still handled well as my beach surf mobile on the weekends. Ok, the rebuild, finally pulled the trigger in June and should be done any week now. I shaves pent way too much money on it I, but the guy looks like he is doing a great job thus far. I'm super excited about getting my first car all back together again and in one badass driving driving machine. Will update with photos later.

Bought the 82 in 93 and has been with me ever since.


Jake

 

[jake604]

Wow, started this thread back in 2007 . I started ,doing the rebuild myself and found I had run out of time, expertise and a garage close,enough to me. my FJ40 was the bane of my existence. A little backstory, ,y dad bought me a beautiful 82 blue FJ40. It was in great shape and was my first car when I turned 16 ( bad idea dad) . I tore that thing up on any and everythingmimcouldmdrive over through or into . Went in the Marines and had it shipped to Hawaii where it rusted out but still handled well as my beach surf mobile on the weekends. Ok, the rebuild, finally pulled the trigger in June and should be done any week now. I shaves pent way too much money on it I, but the guy looks like he is doing a great job thus far. I'm super excited about getting my first car all back together again and in one badass driving driving machine. Will update with photos later. Bought the 82 in 93 and has been with me ever since. Jake

 

[jake604]

Wow, started this thread back in 2007 . I started ,doing the rebuild myself and found I had run out of time, expertise and a garage close,enough to me. my FJ40 was the bane of my existence. A little backstory, ,y dad bought me a beautiful 82 blue FJ40. It was in great shape and was my first car when I turned 16 ( bad idea dad) . I tore that thing up on any and everythingmimcouldmdrive over through or into . Went in the Marines and had it shipped to Hawaii where it rusted out but still handled well as my beach surf mobile on the weekends. Ok, the rebuild, finally pulled the trigger in June and should be done any week now. I shaves pent way too much money on it I, but the guy looks like he is doing a great job thus far. I'm super excited about getting my first car all back together again and in one badass driving driving machine. Will update with photos later. Bought the 82 in 93 and has been with me ever since. Jake

End insight

 

[JohnnyC]

I had seen the end before... A few times... Too bad the end reverts back to the beginning after a few years

 

[Ambrew]

My frame off took 2 years, 10 months and 2 weeks. +1 on keeping it running between fixes. It was hard on the motivation at times not being able to enjoy it.

 

[PRFJ]

4 years and counting

 

[DSRTRDR]

holy thread revival batman

bought the 40 in December of 2004, installed the front disk brake conversion that Christmas, spent the summer of 2005 going through it and "making it mine" (rewiring and creature comforts ) and installed the rear disk brakes the next Christmas

I wheeled it for all of these years (including Easter Jeep Safari 2005 on bald/dryrotted BFGs - even before the refurbish ), addressing what what broke and what I mangled - but really wheeling it as often as possible

and this July, 2013, it finally went under the knife for well-deserved upgrades that had been in the planning for a while . . .

still in the Spa, and even when it's out of there, I will have to install new sound proofing, new carpet mats and new anti-rattle devices (pipe insulation foam on softtop bows and such )

I expect many years of more wheeling and fun out of it

so I guess what I'm saying is that I prefer intense-attention-for-a-limited-time-wrenching to drawn-out-seemingly-permanently inop projects

 

[bikersmurf]

22 years and counting...

 

[broth9640]

2yrs &4months.......still going, but nearing completion.

What the Truck?

 

[addicted56]

FEB 2009 is when I found it. 15 months later it made it into country. I flew home for my sisters wedding and it was the first and last time I ever drove it before tear down. That was in September 2010. As of now it is in a million pieces and I still don't even have a running engine for it.

It is hard to dump 10's of thousands into a car that you never drive and never see.

Here is to hoping for a Feb 2014 completion date. That would make it a 5 year Resto. To make it worse it is on the other side of the country and I only see it every couple of years except via pictures.

 

[Chamba]

FEB 2009 is when I found it. 15 months later it made it into country. I flew home for my sisters wedding and it was the first and last time I ever drove it before tear down. That was in September 2010. As of now it is in a million pieces and I still don't even have a running engine for it.

It is hard to dump 10's of thousands into a car that you never drive and never see.

Here is to hoping for a Feb 2014 completion date. That would make it a 5 year Resto. To make it worse it is on the other side of the country and I only see it every couple of years except via pictures.

Better than taking it to Georgia to rust! Leave her out west until you can get transferred and that way you won't have more work fixing rust

 

[thecrazygreek]

10 -12 months is my average.

 

[cjgoode]

I wish I knew, but there is a difference between building and it sitting in the garage. I am at 4 years, but this that and the other thing always prevent me from actually doing any work on it. But just seeing it my garage as I pass it by still brings me great joy. I have to finish the 1962 in the next 10 moths because I am moving to a house with no garage here, and it is staying in Fl, I already moved the 1980 up to NC where I now have a house with a garage, that one has been 5 years and have not done much to it at all, but I am exited to be able to work on that without the heat.

 

[Pighead]

26 or 27 years and counting (I forget exactly), But it's a daily driver and weekend wheeler too.

 

[Hugh Heifer]

Better than taking it to Georgia to rust! Leave her out west until you can get transferred and that way you won't have more work fixing rust

Not many rust issues in GA unless tou are on the coast...I guess I am going on 6 years.

Heifer-net

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

The advice in this thread harkens back to what I was told - "drive it, don't buy it and rip it apart."

Bought it in July of 2012 - got it running and through inspection in about 2 weeks. Been sporadically fixing what I can afford to fix, driving it short distances, and fighting the urge to just gut the damn thing and rebuild it from the ground up...

Right now I'm focusing on getting it mechanically sound. This means unless I have the wheels off, the carb out, the steering disassembled, the transfercase out, etc. it is "driveable" but I don't trust it much more than 10 miles from home yet. In fact, all in all, I've only driven it about 250 miles in the past 14 months of ownership...

The real test will come when it comes to body work. How I'm going to paint/de-rust this thing without taking the tub off remains a great mystery to me. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it...I just hope I get to it before all that surface rust becomes cancerous rust...

 

[jake604]

Yes I know, wanted to do it myself. My wife got tired of me fretting over it and it was either push it in the pond and forget about it or throw money at it. I ended up throwing money at it (she's not happy about the cost) Satisfaction won't be completely the same as doing it yourself, but I'll be happy to cruise in it again and have some bells and whistles I didn't have before. Towed it to the restorer in June hing to have it back soon.

 

[jake604]

Sad thing is I tore mine apart in 2000. Relieving to hear about everyone's work in progress. It's a never ending money pit keeping these things a piece of rolling history. I will be forever known as the guy in high school who had and awesome big blue off road postal looking truck.