Builds Lemonade - 1967 FJ40 (2 Viewers)

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S4Cruiser

SILVER Star
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
Threads
169
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5,366
Location
Durham, NC
First things first...title has zero to do with Beyonce :flipoff2:

As the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make...

I'm wrapping up the build on my '70 40 series (Project - Not so Nice) and have been planning on another truck. Wanting to go big...linked rear, SOA or linked front, lm7/auto/atlas, 60/14 bolt, sawzalled, tubed frame, blah blah blah. Posted a few 'Wanted' ads and was close to pulling the trigger on a couple of trucks but fpr some reason or another they didn't work out. I was looking for cheap, cheap, cheap or some sort of solid platform to start with. I actually wanted rust as I was gonna just get cut out anyways.

Then, a lead on this '67 popped up a couple days ago. After a few phone calls, text messages and luck, I brought her home yesterday. She was stashed back in the woods behind a mechanic in NC where it had sat for over 6 years. One of those stories where the PO had big plans but life ended up getting in the way and there it sat mostly forgotten.

With the help of the guys who run the shop, we drug her out like a dog...4 flats and 1 tire pretty much torn off the rim. Trees attempting to box her in and a bunch of other auto carcasses making the extraction a challenge we were forced to spin the truck 180 in the mud. Amazingly, once we got her to the front of the shop, the other 3 tires held air! (no pics so you'll have to use your imagination)

After cautiously guiding her down the hill and across the street (4runner in the front and rear), we winched her up onto my trailer (using a snatch block)...this all done with no brakes on the truck (not even brake lines lol). Couple hand shakes and paying a minimal storage/extraction fee (on behalf of the PO) I was on my way!

So...lemons...when a super solid survivor (after sitting in the woods for 6 years no less) falls in your lap, you aren't well served to cut it up...you keep it true to form (make lemonade)...and this bitch is yeller!



 
WTF. How you pull off that score in under 5 days is beyond me.

Congrats. And looking foward to following along another Mabe bulit ride.


So still looking for a crawler platform?
:lol:
 
I'm betting this truck was on the verge of 'rust free' when it was dropped off at the mechanic as it's still astoundingly very very clean.

It appears to be fairly stock (I'm not as up to speed on the older trucks) but with a few pieces of random weird s*** going on...one of the worse saginaw pwr steering conversions I've ever seen...it doesn't even have a pwr steering pump lol. Actually disc brakes up front with what looks to be a ball & claw to birfield conversion and literally zero brakes of any kind on the rear axle.

Complete with hardtop...but no jump seats with a later model 40 series roll bar added. The heater looks to be a early '70s vintage and some douchebag cut a small rectangle out of the dash (actually should be fairly easy to patch if needed).

Still 3 on the tree with the stock engine and all it's glory (oil bath and air filter that has steel wool / motor oil for filtering). Does not have the stock carb, but a rochester in it's place.

Does not currently run but like all old cruisers...did so when parked!

Haven't totally decided on my path forward but I will not be doing much. Either staying stock or a very mild lift and tires. First things first, get her running and some brakes!

Couple more pics... and here for a s***-ton more lemonade

















 
Can't wait to see the creation of this fine piece of lemonade:rofl:, Subscribed!
 
Absolute beauty!

Subscribed.
 
Man that thing looks super nice. Solid rear seal, straight rockers, and original documents in glove box. Score man!
 
Damn John that’s a great find!
 
I’m going to overnight some of my rusty metal so that it feels more like a 40.

6F4EA6E3-4DA0-4A33-A455-2A7E79E59C35.jpeg
 
Don't even wash that thing. Now I'm really hating I couldn't meet up with you yesterday. Would've loved to have seen the extraction.

Oops. I pwr washed the s*** out of it yesterday...there is yellow paint literally all over my backyard lol. It actually looks better now, a bunch of it came off and is showing the what I think is factory color.

Mo pics in the morning!
 
I can’t wait to see her come back to glory!
 
Couple fresh pics after doing an initial cleaning. I still can't tell what the original color is. Maybe horizontal blue? But then there is red showing underneath....possibly primer? Fortunately (or not) the way this was most recently painted should show original color behind emblems, weatherstripp etc.











 
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Cool Jon, way to adjust your plan on the fly based on the condition of your find. Love it man and can't wait to see the transformation.
 
Here is my plan (subject to always change):

Small lift - shackle or 2.5". Thoughts?
Oem steelies w/period correct replica hubcaps
31" or 33" x 10.50 tires. Likely bfg ATs or wrangler duratracs
4x4 labs Saginaw pwr steering (front crossmember is already cut). What pwr steering mount will work on the f145? I've got a bill dorry style mount on the shelf.
Is there a vendor that sells a shaft kit? I used Luke's on my other truck and I'd prefer going borgeson type joints for this versus as beef as his kit
Need new carb and distributor - any help here is greatly appreciated.
Might convert to paper element filter vs oil bath
New plugs/wire - still available new OEM?
Hoses and s***
New weatherstripping for every piece I can find
Brakes / axles - swap in newer s*** or run what's there?
Naval jelly the s*** out of it...don't plan to paint just slow down / stop the rust

Open and welcome any feedback on the above. I do not plan to really wheel this just enjoy it putting around town and the like.
 
Here is my plan (subject to always change):

Small lift - shackle or 2.5". Thoughts?
Oem steelies w/period correct replica hubcaps
31" or 33" x 10.50 tires. Likely bfg ATs or wrangler duratracs
4x4 labs Saginaw pwr steering (front crossmember is already cut). What pwr steering mount will work on the f145? I've got a bill dorry style mount on the shelf.
Is there a vendor that sells a shaft kit? I used Luke's on my other truck and I'd prefer going borgeson type joints for this versus as beef as his kit
Need new carb and distributor - any help here is greatly appreciated.
Might convert to paper element filter vs oil bath
New plugs/wire - still available new OEM?
Hoses and s***
New weatherstripping for every piece I can find
Brakes / axles - swap in newer s*** or run what's there?
Naval jelly the s*** out of it...don't plan to paint just slow down / stop the rust

Open and welcome any feedback on the above. I do not plan to really wheel this just enjoy it putting around town and the like.


I love the look of skinny 33's on a 2.5 lift. :D

T1-(Jul_10,_2014_09-48_AM)SAMSUNG_SCH-I545(4128x2322).JPEG


Other random opinions ... Rebuild your existing axles/birfs but plan on serious brake upgrade .... dual circuit, front disks, with a booster.

As for paint .... because it is Jon and not some jackleg "That's good enough" dude and because it would result in another 40 being brought back to glory, frame off that mother with your usual measure of amazing detail.
 
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I love the look of skinny 33's on a 2.5 lift. :D

View attachment 1596999

Other random opionions ... Rebuild your existing axles/birfs but plan on serious brake upgrade .... dual circuit, front disks, with a booster.

As for paint .... because it is Jon and not some jackleg "That's good enough" dude and because it would result in another 40 being brought back to glory, frame off that mother with your usual measure of amazing detail.

I'm honestly not even sure if the fronts are ball and claw still or birfs. Can you tell by just looking at them?

Running a booster with this year is a pita right? Because of the firewall rib?

Also...while I do really enjoy nice s*** and a frame off would be cool, I really don't want to be doing tedious s*** for the next 14 months.
 

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