Introduction - Toyotero w/ 1974 FJ40 (1 Viewer)

[El_Toyotero]

Hello LSLS-Austin,

I'd like to introduce myself, my name is Gene. I'm not new to the group; I've been a TLCA member for a couple of years and I've owned Toyota 4WDs for almost 20, but I'm new to owning '40. I bought my first FJ40 on Monday, a 1974 . It had sat since ~1996 so it needs some TLC. It's remarkably complete though and not too rusty. I plan to do kind of a resto-mod of it... keep the paint/patina, get the engine/electronics running reliable, put disk brakes on the front then drive it everywhere. :-D

I live south of Austin btw.

Cheers,

Gene


Extracting it from where it's sat for years.

At home, starting cleanup.

 

[davegonz]

Congrats. Looks solid. Where'd you did you find it?

 

[aljollano]

Very nice. Welcome!!

A.J

 

[Sea Knight]

Great find. Paint the bezel, keep the patina.

 

[meatloaf]

Nice truck! What part of S. Austin are you at? I am in San Leanna

 

[El_Toyotero]

I'm just north of Buda, off Old San Antonio rd.

The LC was sitting in a neighbor's yard, as in the first photo... I'd had my eye on it for years and would walk by there in the happenchance that I'd catch the owner outside doing yard work. Last Saturday that happened; first I chatted about a couple of old chevys in his driveway, then I asked, "Is that a Land Cruiser over there?" and within 30 minutes we had agreed on a price and shook on it.

Yeah, the bezel needs to be painted. I think someone painted the roof and the bezel black. It must have been hot as heck in there with a black roof and no AC.

I pulled the seats and gas tank to hydroblast out all the spilled sodas and rat nest mess out of it... the floors are very solid, I'm really pleased.

So far, I'm missing:
- carburetor
- passenger wing window
- mirror glass
- I'd like to get a new windshield eventually, this one has 3 large cracks.





I think it has the original spare tire on it.

The tire code indicates it was manufactured in the 34th week in the 3rd yr of the decade... definitely not 2013 or 2003, nor 1993, unlikely 1983 so I'm thinking it was August 20 - 26, 1973... The LC's VIN plate indicates it was manufactured Sept 1973 that all lines up.

 

[meatloaf]

Nice find! Glad to hear that truck is pretty much solid...

I have a few friends near you in Manchaca. I also drive up/down Old San Antonio Rd on a daily basis. You are not too far from me.

 

[davegonz]

Nice score.

 

[patride71]

Nice...I have a 74 also. Let me know if you have any interest in selling the top or parts of it (in the event you go with a soft top or bikini) as I'm trying to cobble together a hard top for mine.

 

[El_Toyotero]

Nice...I have a 74 also. Let me know if you have any interest in selling the top or parts of it (in the event you go with a soft top or bikini) as I'm trying to cobble together a hard top for mine.

@patride71 Did you see the hardtop & ambulance doors for sale on craiglist?

 

[patride71]

No, but that is off of a 78, so won't fit a 74. Technically the fiberglass cap would will some slight mods, but the remaining wouldn't. thanks for the heads up though!

 

[davegonz]

@patride71 Is it because the 74 had a lift up hatch and the 78 has ambulance doors?

 

[patride71]

@davegonz yes and the profile of the hard doors are different as well as far as how they close IIRC. I've got the hatch and sides. Just need the fiberglass cap and rain gutter. Hard to find someone just selling that piece is the issue.

 

[warpdriv]

I'm down the road off 1626. Welcome!

 

[El_Toyotero]

Some updates... I bought a second one last summer, a guy's frame-off restoration project he had to sell. The price was right, and engine, trans, xfer, & axles had all been rebuilt already, and it came with a lot of boxes of parts, restored/recovered seats, new soft top, new rims, new tires, spare doors, etc, etc...

The seller said there was an issue with the wrong spacers under the crank main bearing caps, and the engine felt nearly seized, so my friend and I disassembled it to check all the specs, cranks journals, tope end, everything. It's just about perfect, but it looks like axle grease was used instead of assembly grease and indeed the crank main caps need thicker shims. Those things are hard to find (only F had them, 2F didn't)... Toyota has them listed as parts, but they've been discontinued for probably 10 yrs. Fortunately, SOR has reproductions of them, and I received them yesterday, along with a gasket kit, so it's almost time to put the power mill back together. Then on to the body, I plan to do a complete frame off and paint job in the original Freeborn red (adiós patina). So it's coming right along...

That 46 mm crank nut was interesting, I didn't know that the FJ40 could be started with a hand crank :-D (I've since bought a 46mm socket in preparation for reassembly http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01N0NP5TV/ref=pe_825000_114717100_TE_item

 

[El_Toyotero]

Crank main bearing shims. If these reproductions weren't available, I'd be sanding down the bearings!



If only Toyota had them :-;

 

[ClassicYotas]

Welcome! Great FJ's! Make sure to come and join us at our monthly meets!

 

[jmdaniel]

Good to see you're doing a repaint. Patina is overrated...