Model year validation (1 Viewer)

[gottahot1]

I just picked up a new-to-me FJ40. My dad bought it in 1983 but it's been sitting in a garage since 1986. The VIN (on the engine bay plate and the frame rail) is FJ4053572.

Specter Off-Road - http://www.sor.com/vin.html leads me to believe that it was manufactured in Jan 1968 but it's titled as a 1969. Am I reading that chart correctly, or are there other factors to consider regarding the model year and VIN?

Thanks

 

[brian]

Pix

 

[AZMoonshadow]

Pix

My 1970 FJ-40 was manufactured in 7/1969. Manufactured date is for parts ordering and the stated year is for vehicle registration. Toyota somes changed parts in the middle of the year.

 

[rainingagain]

First off - dude looking at your joined date, you have to win the award for long time lurker first time poster.

Second - yeah, looks like jan 68. So a 69 title is a little odd but not unheard of.

Third - every single and I mean EVERY SINGLE time this question is asked, the poster is directed to that chart. And that chart does not list a source. I suppose I could call SOR and ask, but does anyone else have a source for this information? From Toyota?

 

[gottahot1]

Yeah, few things rank lower on my list than keeping my forum post count up I joined a long time ago because I have a M101CDN2 trailer that I was going to build up and there are some good threads here for inspiration.

I can understand a little bit of a delay in manufacturing vs model year, but Jan '68 titled as a '69 seems a bit excessive. I'm assuming there's some reason - I wish I could know what it is.

Anyway, here are some pics (@AZMoonshadow I'm in Tucson as well - let me know if you have a line on parts/service/meet-ups, etc.)

 

[Mark Jennings]

Mines a true 68, VIN FJ40-54800, it’s a February 68 build.

 

[Mark Jennings]

Another check would be the engine date code, early 68 F engine blocks were cast in November and December 1967. I would like to compare yours to my 2 F engine serial numbers. Both from early 68’s….

 

[Mark Jennings]

The biggest reason is that in the early years, depending on where it was sold, may have sat on the lot for a year or so….if it was sold in 69, that may have been the year titled. In 68, the FJ40 was still a virtual unknown…..I know in NM it was common to just enter the year sold as the manufacture date.

 

[3_puppies]

along with sitting on a dealer lot
it could have sat at the port in Japan, ship travel time, sit on the US port, delivery to a dealer
this was 50+ years ago,
it all adds up

 

[gottahot1]

Thanks, @Mark Jennings . That at least makes sense.

Engine code is F250675. How does that compare to yours?

SOR chart doesn't cover this number but it is definitely earlier than what they have listed.

 

[Mark Jennings]

My 2 68 blocks are F 253861, casting date 12/67. This is my original engine installed now. I picked up a second 1968 engine in 2018, F 250851, casting date 11/67. Yours is even earlier, so January 1968 is probably the correct build month.
Your block casting date is located on the drivers side of the block, near the front freeze plug. There will be 5 digits, first is the year, next two the month and last two are the day. The picture is the 253861 block. This was a February 68 build with the engine cast in December 1967.

 

[Mark Jennings]

What I’ve found, on and off discussions on Mud, and with other early FJ40 owners, original engines were generally cast several months before they assembled the truck. Engines without a serial number are replacement blocks with just an F or 2F stamp.
There may be a date code on the transfer case also. It’ll be on the casting nub on the passenger side and usually stamped in the aluminum. I think this is actually an assembly date code ….however, I’ve never been able to figure out the coding.

 

[gottahot1]

Ok, the casting date is 14Nov1967 which matches the build date of Jan'68.

I do not have a brass tag but I'm sufficiently convinced that it's a '68 sold in '69.

 

[mrboatman]

Hey @Mark Jennings my 69 is 57800 with a may 68 manufacture. Only 3000 apart

 

[Mark Jennings]

Hey @Mark Jennings my 69 is 57800 with a may 68 manufacture. Only 3000 apart

Cool Beans…..I’ve owned many many vehicles in the past 55 years, the FJ40 was the first I’ve owned with a double ‘Zero’…..now I know of two, yours and mine….how cool is that!

 

[Mark Jennings]

Based on what I can figure, there were approximately 10,000 68 FJ40’s, I know of 2 that were butchered, and 2 that were junked. Now, I don’t feel to isolated….there are still quite a few on the road.

 

[Living in the Past]

Back in the 1960s Toyota did not have clear model years. 68 was an exception. Certain safety changes were required. One that stands out is the upper and lower padded dash. This is how I know my 9/67 is a 68 model. It was purchased new in AZ and titled there since. The title shows first registered 11/67. Now sure about delays in shipping from Japan. Mine was built, delivered and sold in a two month period. Could be it sold second of 68. My 10/69 built 70 model was sold in AZ march of 1970. I have the paper work of the original sale from the original owner. Also have to remember this was well before computers and no digital records. Clerk at DMV could have hit a 9 instead of 8. During this time see vehicles called the wrong model year show up on mud. I have an 82 FJ40 that required a seventeen digit VIN CarFax only show one report. Vehicle was delivered to a dealer. From the dealer it spends it life with a shorter than seventeen digit VIN. I not sure how long I had it but sure by now the state's record of this vehicle have been purged. Any digital record can't be search without a seventeen VIN. Errors do happen.

 

[Mark Jennings]

Back in the 1960s Toyota did not have clear model years. 68 was an exception. Certain safety changes were required. One that stands out is the upper and lower padded dash. This is how I know my 9/67 is a 68 model. It was purchased new in AZ and titled there since. The title shows first registered 11/67. Now sure about delays in shipping from Japan. Mine was built, delivered and sold in a two month period. Could be it sold second of 68. My 10/69 built 70 model was sold in AZ march of 1970. I have the paper work of the original sale from the original owner. Also have to remember this was well before computers and no digital records. Clerk at DMV could have hit a 9 instead of 8. During this time see vehicles called the wrong model year show up on mud. I have an 82 FJ40 that required a seventeen digit VIN CarFax only show one report. Vehicle was delivered to a dealer. From the dealer it spends it life with a shorter than seventeen digit VIN. I not sure how long I had it but sure by now the state's record of this vehicle have been purged. Any digital record can't be search without a seventeen VIN. Errors do happen.

This is correct, 68’s were a first in many respects, 1st year padded dash and knee pad, seat belts….front bib reflectors. One of the things I haven’t been able to track down is when they started to install emission air pumps. Most of the early 68’s, no air pump, but in the parts manual, and as early as 68, air pump and manifold.

My early 68 had the 2 groove press on harmonic balancer and the port in the air cleaner for the air pump…. But no air pump.

Anyone have an answer here? Was it just a California thing, or was it just Toyota getting ready for the future emission changes.

 

[cbmontgo]

That is a very nice 40, @gottahot1.

 

[rainingagain]

Yeah, few things rank lower on my list than keeping my forum post count up I joined a long time ago because I have a M101CDN2 trailer that I was going to build up and there are some good threads here for inspiration.

I can understand a little bit of a delay in manufacturing vs model year, but Jan '68 titled as a '69 seems a bit excessive. I'm assuming there's some reason - I wish I could know what it is.

Anyway, here are some pics (@AZMoonshadow I'm in Tucson as well - let me know if you have a line on parts/service/meet-ups, etc.)

View attachment 3742519

Oh man what a beaut!