just bought my 1st FJ40, 1975 barn find

[Alaskan Redneck]

(edited 1/18) Recent barn find. It started easily, idled, accelerated, turned, stopped… appeared to be in great shape, but was told it was parked far more often than driven for at least 10 years. What’s not original: front bezel is from late 60's, hardtop is off a more recent model, bumper is angle iron, and the tail lights are not the correct year. Fair amount of rust in the usual places but the frame is solid. Seats are original and in good/decent condition, door panels are in really good shape and still has the factory floor liner front and rear so I think the odo is correct at 42,000 miles.

I just moved to a place off the road system in Alaska so I had it barged. There’s only about 5 miles of roads in any direction and there’s no off roading here because it’s mostly marsh. So this will be my daily driver and factory original is fine with me for now so I just want to make it reliable. Might as well make simple and inexpensive upgrades while I’m at it.

I don’t have the skill or temperament to be a mechanic but I enjoy body work so I’m going to have all the mechanical work done before I start on the body. I told the mechanic to assume it’s been sitting for 10 years and to go through everything so I need to order parts. I’ve edited this from the original posting so I’m responding to a later post. Someone said not to replace everything because “they are only original once, don’t replace what’s working.” But I don’t want the headache of having it towed to shop then wait a month for parts. I’d rather replace those things that are likely to fail. I just don’t know what those are since I’m not a mechanic.

Turn signals don't work so new ones are on the way so I’m hoping that fixes it. I just put new tires on it. Do I go with the HEI distributor or just new cap, rotor, wires, plugs and PerTronix with coil? Am I right that its either one or the other? Add starter, alternator, voltage regulator, coil, mechanical fuel pump, wheel cylinders, shoes, radiator flush, front and rear ends, transmission, transfer case. So do I need gaskets for those? What fluids? Do I need to do anything for the PTO winch? It has a new water pump. Forums said to get Keyster Carb rebuild kit. What else? Is there any advantage to sourcing original air cleaner? I know many of you have owned numerous FJs throughout the years and have already been through this so I’m hoping you can save me another hundred hours of reading forums. TYIA

 

[Ming89FJ62]

nice find - congrats and welcome to the madness

 

[brian]

the hardtop is off a later year...75s dont have the vents.

if it still has its original dissy....it's vacuum retarded, not advanced.
i would go with one of city racers 3f dissys and a pertronix...although ive heard decent things said about the later style points.

 

[FJ40 MNTCRZR]

Congrats and Welcome to Mud - The Official Welcome

Start with the basic stuff since it’s been sitting. I’d start with Brakes then on with engine part’s replacement, belts, hoses, ignition stuff… it needs to run and stop before any upgrades.

 

[fyton2v]

Be gentle with those floor mats. They can’t be replaced by new Toyota mats and have value even in that condition.

 

[Green Bean]

As others have said, very nice barn find. Welcome to the madness.

 

[Pura Vida]

If it’s been sitting for a while, I’d also get new tires. I’d say they are just as important as having good brakes safety wise. The old tires are probably dry rotted

 

[Alaskan Redneck]

I was really impressed with the the test drive. It started, idled, accelerated, turned, stopped... Put it in low range. Everything worked great. Since then its just been sitting in the driveway Since August because I just moved and it wasn't the top priority. But when I cranked it up last week to take it down to the shop for new tires, it ran terribly. Very limited power. Had to downshift and floor it to get up a hill. Had the mechanic give it the once over and we both knew the next step was belts, hoses, dizzy... That's why I got on here to ask the question. Since I'm taking it in to have all of that done, and he's already under the hood, what else?

 

[Pura Vida]

I was really impressed with the the test drive. It started, idled, accelerated, turned, stopped... Put it in low range. Everything worked great. Since then its just been sitting in the driveway Since August because I just moved and it wasn't the top priority. But when I cranked it up last week to take it down to the shop for new tires, it ran terribly. Very limited power. Had to downshift and floor it to get up a hill. Had the mechanic give it the once over and we both knew the next step was belts, hoses, dizzy... That's why I got on here to ask the question. Since I'm taking it in to have all of that done, and he's already under the hood, what else?

I assume you already did a complete fluid flush of everything with the mechanic? I bet the fluid on anything hasn’t been changed for decades

 

[pb4ugo]

No need for alt starter and such unless they're bad. They're original once. Save your pennies, you'll eventually need them.

 

[71cruiser71]

Perfect starting point

 

[LakeLaurashawn]

Love the tail lights!

 

[Chilkoot]

I remember seeing that one on FB marketplace. I’m on the Kenai peninsula. Glad that you found your way to here so I can follow along!

 

[Ming89FJ62]

purchase a silver or gold star so you can add photos and edit

 

[RodrigzCrzr]

Congrats on the purchase.
I would say is to baseline it and get it Dailed in. you would be surprised after a little tic on the motor and tuned up how well they will run.
also as someone else said make sure it stops.
looking forward t your progress.

 

[Alaskan Redneck]

Be gentle with those floor mats. They can’t be replaced by new Toyota mats and have value even in that condition.

I'm inclined to sell all of the floor mats if anyone is interested. We spend 5 months below freezing here so I plan to put in insulating mat and carpet to hold in the heat. I don't know what kind of shape they are in.

 

[Alaskan Redneck]

purchase a silver or gold star so you can add photos and edit

Thank you. I upgraded today and modified the original post for clarity.

 

[Alaskan Redneck]

Congrats on the purchase.
I would say is to baseline it and get it Dailed in. you would be surprised after a little tic on the motor and tuned up how well they will run.
also as someone else said make sure it stops.
looking forward t your progress.

Would you mind re-reading the original post since I updated it today? Perhaps you'll have some sage advice.

 

[Alaskan Redneck]

No need for alt starter and such unless they're bad. They're original once. Save your pennies, you'll eventually need them.

I'd take this advice if I were on the road system in the lower 48 and parts where easier and faster to get and I was doing to work myself or had several shops to choose from. But out here in the Alaskan bush, we've only got two mechanic's shops and they are often over booked. And it's ridiculously expensive and time consuming to get parts out here, even more so if you want them fast. The vast majority of eBay sellers will not ship to Alaska, and there's a massive amount of stuff on Amazon that wont ship here. Nothing with a battery or aerosol will ship because its flown in. Living out here presents some special challenges that I never dreamed of after living in Mississippi for 50 years. Its a different world in many aspects. Pros and cons though, we love it.

 

[pb4ugo]

When you own a 40 you will eventually learn how to work on it. If you replace a good working part with a new one, be sure to keep the old one as a spare.
40's have a tendency to lighten the wallet.