I just bought my first car.. A 1972 fj40

[rustislife]

And i had no idea what i was getting myself into, although i am definitely excited for what is to become of this vehicle that is currently covered in rust. Internally the vehicle is in rather good working condition (considering that i have absolutely no idea what I am talking about) so what i decided was the first plan of action is to buy a rust free body tub, cowl section and hood. If any of you guys have any advice of where i should start looking for these things (that will ship to Hawaii) that would be extremely helpful.

 

[JohnnyC]

are you good with a welder?

 

[rustislife]

a good friend of mine is a decent welder and he knows he will be doing all the work on this vehicle.

 

[rustislife]

are you good with a welder?

a good friend of mine is a decent welder and he knows he will be doing all the work on this vehicle.

 

[Ambrew]

Welcome! and congrats on your new ride. Search is your friend. Look up some of the build/restore threads on mud and you will get an idea what you are getting into. Fixing the tub can end up as a multi-year affair so be prepared...

I suggest making it safe and driveable first! Being able to take it out for a spin is in my mind way more important that it being rust free. You can always fix it bit by bit when time and money allows. Good luck!

 

[winnie]

given where I'm from, the frame is the most important thing as far as I'm concerned ... if its sound, the rest can be fixed/replaced assuming there's a willingness to put in the time and/or spend the money ... shipping is a big factor here so I can imagine what it will be where you are, but you'd have closer access to what's available in Oz and Japan ... is it drivable ... change the fluids etc, get it roadworthy if possible and try to enjoy it while you're refurbishing it ... enjoy and welcome ...

 

[rustislife]

Thanks for the advice guys. Yes it is road worthy. It endured a 2 hour drive home after i bought it 3 months ago. I recently got the lights all working too. And its only late a year on backtaxes so i could get it legal any day now. I bought it to be used stricktly as my off road adventure vehicle. Frankly the entire body is rotted to s*** and a lot of it is being held together by spray foam (in other words it will start falling apart if i take it off road). My vision for the future of this vehicle is for it to have all the rusty body parts taken off and replaced with the minimum amount of body parts to make it legal to drive (only because i am on a rather tight budget). now im not sure if that last sentence makes much sense but thats what i want.

 

[Ambrew]

More pictures would help tell the story. Glad to hear you can enjoy it!

If it's a case of spray foam holding it together, then perhaps a new tub would be the way to go. I fixed mine, buying panels and doing the work at home but when you add it all up, It would have been close to the same money with way less hassle to get anew tub. Keep your eye out for a good used tub! And as previously mentioned, if you're frame is pooched then think about how much you are willing to spend and be realistic on what can and can't happen. More pics!

 

[rustislife]

Here are some more pics of the vehicle. Ive had a legit mechanic and also a welder look at the frame and both told me that it is in pretty good condition.

 

[rustislife]

So ideally the end product of this vehicle will look something like this, except w/o the lift and good enough to register and make street legal. any suggestions on how i should start doing this?

 

[47coeman]

It is often interesting how PO fix issues and keep the air out. Have fun with your new project you will be a master after you get done, good luck.

 

[TheHardWay]

Thanks for the advice guys. Yes it is road worthy. It endured a 2 hour drive home after i bought it 3 months ago. I recently got the lights all working too. And its only late a year on backtaxes so i could get it legal any day now. I bought it to be used stricktly as my off road adventure vehicle. Frankly the entire body is rotted to **** and a lot of it is being held together by spray foam (in other words it will start falling apart if i take it off road). My vision for the future of this vehicle is for it to have all the rusty body parts taken off and replaced with the minimum amount of body parts to make it legal to drive (only because i am on a rather tight budget). now im not sure if that last sentence makes much sense but thats what i want.

Heh heh heh, he's on a tight budget heh heh