Builds Lake Norman's '79 FJ40 Rebuild (1 Viewer)

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HARDTOP - Talk about a PITA
- primed the top with epoxy primer; shot the perimeter of the roofcap with off-white epoxy paint (spray cans...from Lowes...appliance spray paint)







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- leather straps for door limiters

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Nice! :clap:

My hardtop has been refurbished with a fiberglass gutter from CCOT, but is unfinished. Can you provide more details on the epoxy primer and paint you used? No clearcoat?

Also, any details on your door limiters?

Again.. looks sweet! Love that color.. Thanks.
 
Finally installed the NOS Con-Ferr roof rack that's been hanging on my garage wall for 2+ years. It involved a little more than just bolting it on:
- fabricated rack floor from heavy gauge sheet aluminum; secured aluminum by bolting it down w/ 100+ stainless bolts)
- located 8 rain gutter mounts (Quick-N-Easy brand...from Nantahala Outdoor Center...cheapest solution I could find)
- fabricate my own cross-bars from square steel tube (FYI the front one is slightly shorter if you install a full-length rack)
- installed Hi-Lift mounts to use as surf fishing rod holders
- installed Camping Labs small awning

Of course we had to put that rack to good use...actually a 5 day camping trip to North Carolina's Outer Banks prompted the rack installation. It was a LONG (6+ hours), hot (no A\C) drive with all 5 of us in the FJ40. The back seat earned it's stripes as the 3 boys sat and slept on it the whole trip. We were loaded to the gills with ALL of our food and camping gear for a self-contained trip...had to remove food from the shopping bags and find nooks inside the FJ40 to store canned food.

Who needs roads?

Camp site:
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..it's definitely part of the family.

what a great write-up, and awesome pics! My other hobby is photography, and I am enjoying your photos. I plan on mainly using my rig for weekend (or longer) family camping trips, as my 3 kids get older. I was thinking it would never work to take my family of 5 camping & fishing in the FJ40, but your post gives me hope! I have a '71, with a Bestop rear bench. How did you fit 5? (mine are all small, 6, 4, and 2 year-olds)

Is the rack steel? Heavy? I am looking for a lighter roof rack option, just because I have all fiberglass gutters & hardtop. Was looking at 8 Quick-Easy mounts also. Any closer pics of your fishing gear and hi-lift mounts? How was it driving/camping on the beach? Did you need to air down on the sand? That camp awning looks cool also.

I may PM you to pick your brain about FJ40 beach camping tips. Keep the terrific posts & pics coming!:clap:
 
Hey ARC...just noticed your post....thanks for the compliments. Answers to your questions:

My hardtop has been refurbished with a fiberglass gutter from CCOT, but is unfinished. Can you provide more details on the epoxy primer and paint you used? No clearcoat? The primer you see is actually a top coat of primer-sealer over the base self-etching primer. Just primer alone doesn't keep grease, dirt, etc. from being absorbed into the primer...but primer sealer has properties that seal the base layers of primer and give it a nice smooth finish. All the primers I used can from NAPA. The roof cap perimeter was shot in epoxy appliance paint in biscuit color from Lowe's. This is all simply to make do until I can have the top professionally painted like the rest of the truck.

Also, any details on your door limiters? They were used by British sports cars back in the '50s and '60s and can be found at places like Moss Motors...also kit Cobras use these straps too and can be found (cheaper) at websites for kit Cobras like FactoryFiveRacing. If you post in the kit Cobra wanted classifieds (FFCobra.com) you can probably pick up a set for less than $20.

How did you fit 5? We had 3 boys ages 9, 8, and 5 sitting side-by-side on the rear bench seat...almost too cozy but we managed for 6 hours with only a few complaints and a few stops along the way...would have been very roomy for just 2 kids. There's no way without a lot of gear on the roof and the cooler on the rear rack could we have taken 5 people along for the trip. We had so much weight I think the rear springs lost some of their arch...

Is the rack steel? Heavy? Yes, steel frame and cross bars with aluminum floor and gutter mounts...and it is HEAVY...takes 3 people to lift and place on top of the FJ. You can really feel the weight (UNLOADED) up top when cornering...loaded with gear requires you to really take things slow around corners. Really wouldn't suggest full length racks for others with lifted FJ40s...maybe stick with a half-rack and try to keep it all aluminum... There's no way I'd do anything more than easy trails with the roof and rack on my truck...even with 33x12.5s on wide wheels I don't get a sense of off-camber comfort...always feels tippy...and I've literally had people hanging off the side to keep it from tipping over on one occasion. Moving forward, I'll pull a small trailer behind me with most of the camping gear and just keep lighter items like the tent and sleeping bags only on the roof rack.

I am looking for a lighter roof rack option, just because I have all fiberglass gutters & hardtop. Was looking at 8 Quick-Easy mounts also. Really not sure I'd clamp a roof rack down to fiberglass gutters...these things hold a lot of weight and do you really want to risk cracking the gutter and making it leak? I'd get a good rear tire carrier and fab another rack over the top of the spare and/or plug a receiver carrier into the hitch if you aren't doing anything hardcore off road.

Any closer pics of your fishing gear and hi-lift mounts? This is probably the only other one I think I have...the mounts are specifically made for the Con-Ferr rack.
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How was it driving/camping on the beach? Awesome. If you have access to a beach that allows driving it's a great way to explore the coastline. Like any beach or desert activity, sand gets everywhere. If you go early spring or early fall the temps are not bad and combined with the constant breeze makes it a really great time for all.

Did you need to air down on the sand? Absolutlely. In retro spect I should have gone down to ~15-18PSI...think I stayed in the range of ~23PSI and only found it difficult one time doing a tight u-turn in deep loose sand (and I covered over 75 MILES of beach driving on this trip). Just stay out of the surf but near where the sand is packed and it's not hard driving at all...just don't go faster than 25-30 MPH.

That camp awning looks cool also. Thanks. Camping Lab makes a great product and reasonably priced too.

I may PM you to pick your brain about FJ40 beach camping tips. Anytime...
 
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Time for more updates...been a while since I've had the chance to work on the truck, but have been working on:
- Paki Half Doors
- Extended Cage
- Family Top
- Infant Seat

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The Paki Half Doors have been a ton of work...I bought them second-hand from someone and I think the doors were in the infamous "broken crate" from Pakistan that got sea water inside during transit as these had a ton of rust. So I had them media blasted and found out they had a bunch of filler (more than skim coat) to smooth out the sides. So I had to fill, block and sand them again. The inner panel and door handle was some ugly maroon color, so I had to paint these black. The doors fit "OK"...I've got to elongate / drill out my hinge holes to give me more range of movement for the door...in the meantime I just used washers to space the striker over more. The window frames had to be sanded and painted...new vinyl is getting sewn later this week. Door straps are the same leather ones from 1960's British sportscars.

As far as the extended roll cage, I used an extra main roll hoop tied together with a couple of straight tubes. Fairly easy and no drama. Need to pull it off the truck and paint it...

The Family Top was from SOR.
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For the money, it would have been nice if it would have fit properly, but I guess there's no way to know with all the various styles and sizes of roll cages. Had to take it to a boat interior shop to get it shortened at the rear b/c I couldn't get the top to fit tight and properly.

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Lastly the infant seat. It took some work (surprisingly) and had to buy a generic seatbelt that allows for adjustment, otherwise the buckle would sit in the child's back. Now I can literally shake the entire truck from the car seat, so I think it's secure. The little munchkin loves riding around with us!!

More updates soon when I get the door tops back from the interior shop...

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what boat shop did you use? I want to have a rear bed cover made.
 
Josh - Here's a link to the boat cover shop -> Howard & Sons. They did a really good job on the Family Top...you cannot tell it's been cut and re-stitched. Not cheap but I like their work, so I'm bringing them the canvas half-door top sections and at some point bring them my Bantam T3-C trailer and have them make a cover for it too.
 
Awesome truck! You have great taste!

I love Aqualu tubs and can't wait to build another.

-Stumbaugh
 
Nice Rig: Question for you

I too am in Charlotte...a long while back I recollect someone saying there was a shop "not too far away" that worked on cruisers. My 76' needs a tune up...and I just don't have the time to work on it. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks,
 
Navi - I think you are referring to Toyota Techs down in Fort Mill, SC? Haven't used them but that's where most Charlotte area guys take their 40s...

Here's some more FJ40 excursion pics. Always get a chuckle when someone asks if I drive it off-road...

Another OBX trip this year...no top and drove it 5.5 hours only stopping for gas which was often b/c it had no problem staying at 65-70MPH...home-made tarp strapped to roll cage
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Surf-fishing at sunset
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Incredible shot before sunset (NOT Photoshop edited)...but that's about right as I've got a pot of gold in the restoration :rolleyes:
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The FJ40 was about the same length as the post office!
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What happened to my photos??? Not sure I even have all those build photos saved offline.

All I can get to quickly are mostly finished photos and have put those in my album until I can locate the older photos. Will link the album back to this thread when I can...
 
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Thanks for reviving this thread. Lots has changed over the years...2 sons has now turned into 4 sons and a daughter. And have since owned and sold a 100 series, an 80 series, and a 60 series.

This summer I bought my 3rd 60 series:
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And with the family expanding completed my Bantam trailer last summer:
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All the kids love this old 40 series. Here's a pic of son #2 just sitting in it for no reason eating a snack...LOL.

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Can't say I ever completed this 40 series build....top is still in primer...heater fully restored but not installed. Already had to re-powder coat the rear tire carrier.

What else...added a fuel can carrier to the spare tire.

Will work on getting the photos replaced in the thread. But the 40 is very much still a part of the family!

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Thanks for reviving this thread. Lots has changed over the years...2 sons has now turned into 4 sons and a daughter. And have since owned and sold a 100 series, an 80 series, and a 60 series.

This summer I bought my 3rd 60 series:
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And with the family expanding completed my Bantam trailer last summer:
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All the kids love this old 40 series. Here's a pic of son #2 just sitting in it for no reason eating a snack...LOL.

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Can't say I ever completed this 40 series build....top is still in primer...heater fully restored but not installed. Already had to re-powder coat the rear tire carrier.

What else...added a fuel can carrier to the spare tire...and most recently scored these:

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Toyota OEM replica steel wheels from Australia! And they are widened to 15x8 inch wide! Yeah they are still white wheels but look much more OEM than the wagon wheels currently installed.

Will work on getting the photos replaced in the thread. But the 40 is very much still a part of the family!

looking good Drew!
let me know if you're ever back in Charlotte. Now that our son is 15 he's taken a sudden interest in cars, so i've finally had the motivation to work on our FJ40, thinking about an Aqualu tub also.

Faron
 

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