Inherited 71 FJ40 - what’s your next move?

[anthonyc]

My grandfather passed down his FJ40 to me. He was the only owner and took decent care of it to keep it running/driving, but it sat in the CA desert sun and is a bit tired. It only has 25,000 miles.

Given everyone’s expertise here I’m curious what you would do next.

Personally, I love things super clean and running really well. I’m the kind of guy who would frame off restore the whole thing, but I don’t have time now in my life (38 with two kids and a business). I’m thinking of more of a “frame on” type situation.

Drop the rear and, clean, paint rebuild. Then the front end. Disk brakes. Strip engine down but leave mounted, complete clean and paint engine bay, all new accessories and wiring etc. trying to get anything mechanical to new working order, but leave the body patina etc as is.

 

[JohnnyC]

1 fix bezel

imho get oem floor mats… do a headliner … enjoy it for a year and see what it needs

If you’re driving it a lot … 4 wheel disc

Drive it and enjoy it

 

[charliemeyer007]

I would just drive it. Change all the fluids and filters.

 

[charliemeyer007]

I would check/adjust the valves and then do a dry then wet compression test to see how the engine is doing. Check the plugs and wires. Check/adjust the timing. Then check and adjust the brakes.

I would plumb in a Vacuum gauge - helps with gas milage and might save your engine from vac leaks in the system such a brake booster or 4WD

I would also do a direct read oil pressure gauge add on.

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Factory service manuals (FSMs) for your Toyota Land Cruiser ! From the 1950s to the present!

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[devo]

It would be a shame to do anything to it

 

[cruisermatt]

Wow! Looks like a really clean original example. If that is original paint it is really rare to find them in that good a shape.

71 is a good year with the power brake booster and 2 barrel carb, they drive pretty well bone stock if you keep small tires on it.

How about some engine bay pictures?

I’d get a new dash from Toyota and send the steering wheel to @Birdhead for a restore. And drive it!

 

[cstav86]

Get the correct wheels for it, Toyota still sells them new, hubcaps, tune up with valves and replace all fluids, adjust carb and drive it. Then start fixing things as they pop up. You’ve got a great rig, I wouldn’t mess with it too much. Certainly wouldn’t touch the paint other than preserve the patina.

Thread 'Preserving Patina - How To Tips and Tricks'

Oct 18, 2018

I keep retyping my “formula” for old Patina preservation so I decided to make a thread so I can just link my response to how I preserve my old Land Cruisers the way I do.

For the last 3 years I have been learning how to preserve Land Cruisers in their original state. Protecting their original finish where able to let the worn paint and dents tell the story of the vehicle.

It all started when I found this 1968 FJ40. I immediately fell in love with it and wanted to keep it as close to the same as I could yet build a “sleeper” interior and drivetrain that made it a true driver as well...

• wngrog
• Replies: 981
• Forum: 40- / 55-Series Tech

• 

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Enjoy it.

First and foremost.

 

[anthonyc]

Get the correct wheels for it, Toyota still sells them new, hubcaps, tune up with valves and replace all fluids, adjust carb and drive it. Then start fixing things as they pop up. You’ve got a great rig, I wouldn’t mess with it too much. Certainly wouldn’t touch the paint other than preserve the patina.

Thread 'Preserving Patina - How To Tips and Tricks'

Oct 18, 2018

I keep retyping my “formula” for old Patina preservation so I decided to make a thread so I can just link my response to how I preserve my old Land Cruisers the way I do.

For the last 3 years I have been learning how to preserve Land Cruisers in their original state. Protecting their original finish where able to let the worn paint and dents tell the story of the vehicle.

It all started when I found this 1968 FJ40. I immediately fell in love with it and wanted to keep it as close to the same as I could yet build a “sleeper” interior and drivetrain that made it a true driver as well...

• wngrog
• Replies: 981
• Forum: 40- / 55-Series Tech

• 

I have the original wheels, just missing the hub caps.

 

[anthonyc]

Wow! Looks like a really clean original example. If that is original paint it is really rare to find them in that good a shape.

71 is a good year with the power brake booster and 2 barrel carb, they drive pretty well bone stock if you keep small tires on it.

How about some engine bay pictures?

I’d get a new dash from Toyota and send the steering wheel to @Birdhead for a restore. And drive it!

Yep original paint! It had this dusty coat of oxidation on it that I think helped preserve it. We used a paint restoring wax and it shined right up. This thing sat in the middle of the Mojave desert never stored inside, only on a concrete driveway, its entire life. It’s a miracle it’s not in worse condition. The fiberglass roof is prob the worst thing on it. And all the window seals need replacing.

 

[anthonyc]

The running boards are not factory. The originals were stolen off of it around 2005, and my grandpa and I put those cheap ones on back then.