I won a 40!!! Introduction (1 Viewer)

[jakeplus8]

Hey folks!

I have been visiting this site for a long, long time looking at Land Cruisers of all types. I’m guilty of being a TLC tire kicker (I’m so sorry Maryland HJ lady). My family has been a TLC family for years but we have never owned one. We have posters and tshirts from those giveaway sites where we have been trying to win land cruisers for years. I resorted to being just a Land Cruiser lover and not an owner at this stage in life as I just got too much going on. Well that all changed a week ago when I won a 73’ FJ40 in a local benefit raffle!! It’s truly unbelievable my family and I are so excited.

My wife, 7 kids, and I live in Montana where we own a small electrical contractor company and rental units. I grew up a Jeep guy but sold my built up XJ when my oldest was born. I’ve also been a lifelong old Chevy truck lover but, ask anybody and they will tell you I’m a Land Cruiser guy and now I’m a Land Cruiser owner like I always knew I would be.


73 FJ40
Chevy 350 TPI
NV4500
ARB comp and lockers (currently not working)
Ramsey winch
NV4500 5 speed full synchro overdrive trans
twin stick transfer case
4.88 gears,
Wilwood brakes,
power steering
a full cage
Driven 12,345 miles, 77,766 on odometer. Comes with a hard top, a bestop soft top and soft doors
New wheels and 35 in tires.

 

[Geezer Cruzzer]

Let me be the first to welcome you to the FJ40 madness. Beautiful family! Nice truck.

 

[cruiserkev]

What an awesome story and FJ40! I think you need to trade up to a troopy though, you look like you could use a little more passenger space! Welcome to Mud.

 

[V8FJ4078]

Congrats, very nice!
Did they give you a parts list?
Happen to know what upper radiator hose that is? That will save me time at the parts store looking at them all.
I also need a 90 degree like that out the front of the throttle body.

Thanks!

 

[peesalot]

Nice, put some fluid in the clutch master cylinder.
Thats cool, hope you have a lot of good times with the family, nothin better than a good cruiser trip.

 

[B y r o n]

Nice! Welcome to the site.

 

[77mustard40]

Cool story and great looking rig, enjoy the ride!

 

[3_puppies]

nice rig
where in MT are you located?
check in here at the local TLCA club:

MT- 406 Cruisers - https://forum.ih8mud.com/forums/mt-406-cruisers.88/

 

[FJBen]

Congrats and welcome!

 

[Living in the Past]

What an awesome story and FJ40! I think you need to trade up to a troopy though, you look like you could use a little more passenger space! Welcome to Mud.

First I thought of when I saw the picture of the family standing by the 40.

FYI that is not a full roll cage. The bars behind the pillar are there to support the main B pillar bar. Picture with everybody inside shows how unprotected passengers are in the back. A full cage height would be the same all the way to the back. For the safety of your family would get that done before you do any real off reading.

 

[estoltman]

I had 5 big guys, 3 dead hogs, and a dog in my FJ40 at once. The family will fit!

 

[Catching Neutral]

I had 5 big guys, 3 dead hogs, and a dog in my FJ40 at once. The family will fit!

No photo?

 

[estoltman]

No photo?

nope. still regret not having a photo. But here's my cape buffalo getting ready to go into a 70. If I remember, we had 4 guys in the cab, 2 up top, and 5 in the back along with the buff on the way back. Note the winch pivot pulley bar that could be attached so the front winch could work in the rear.

 

[Firemedic831]

9 people in a 40 That is just .

 

[jakeplus8]

What an awesome story and FJ40! I think you need to trade up to a troopy though, you look like you could use a little more passenger space! Welcome to Mud.

Oh I would love one, that may have to happen someday!

 

[jakeplus8]

Congrats, very nice!
Did they give you a parts list?
Happen to know what upper radiator hose that is? That will save me time at the parts store looking at them all.
I also need a look

What an awesome story and FJ40! I think you need to trade up to a troopy though, you look like you could use a little more passenger space! Welcome to Mud.

nice rig
where in MT are you located?
check in here at the local TLCA club:

MT- 406 Cruisers - https://forum.ih8mud.com/forums/mt-406-cruisers.88/

I’m in Billings. Awesome thanks! I’m still learning the site but I believe I’ll receive future notifications from the club if I click ‘watch’?

 

[jakeplus8]

Congrats, very nice!
Did they give you a parts list?
Happen to know what upper radiator hose that is? That will save me time at the parts store looking at them all.
I also need a 90 degree like that out the front of the throttle body.

Thanks!

Thanks. I read through every receipt I was given and can’t find anything with hoses or that 90. From what I’ve gathered, the guy who installed the crate engine owned an engine shop so he probably wasn’t concerned with keeping track of that stuff on his own rig. I don’t know if the engine work was done 3 years ago or 30 years ago. I hope to track down that info soon. I can get you measurements if needed.

 

[jakeplus8]

First I thought of when I saw the picture of the family standing by the 40.

FYI that is not a full roll cage. The bars behind the pillar are there to support the main B pillar bar. Picture with everybody inside shows how unprotected passengers are in the back. A full cage height would be the same all the way to the back. For the safety of your family would get that done before you do any real off reading.

Agreed. I wonder why the guy didn’t build more cage. Maybe it interferes with the hard top. I’m sure it would interfere with the Bestop bars. But yes, precious cargo. I just bought a 3rd lap belt yesterday.

 

[pb4ugo]

Congrats on the win. Looks like a pretty nice. The SBC/NV4500 is a pretty nice set up, I know I enjoy the heck out of mine. You have the added benefits of all the other bells and whistles that came with the 40. @Living in the Past comments about the cage is really just about semantics, you have a cage it's just not a family cage. You should be able to find somebody to add a hoop along with the proper tie ins at the rear of the tub similar to the B pillar to protect those in the rear. You most likely won't have a problem with interference with a top, whether it's a hard or soft. I'd also look to see if it's tied into the frame. You might want to pull the diamond plate off and take a look under it. D/P can promote rust, so any preventative maintenance and repair can go a long way in the preservation of the vehicle.

 

[Zjohnsonua]

Check the date stamp on those tires... Goodyear hasn't made that MTR pattern in several years. They're likely aged far past their use-by date.

Sweet truck. Y'all enjoy it.