Model year vs Production Date For fJ40's

[Living in the Past]

My august of 95 80 series is a 96, so they did it til the modern age.

My 10/76 40 is a 77

This has been going on for as long as remember. Not just Toyota either. All manufacturers start the model year ahead of the calendar year. Believe May 90 started the 80 series and titled as 91model. Same with the Tundra, May 99 titled as 2000 model.

 

[TacoJonn]

I am guessing that in '78 Toyota had a surplus of parts they needed to rid of before the updated '79 entered into production (The '79 had significant parts changes) . That meant building 78's late into '78 instead of switching over in September or October.

 

[brian]

More than likely it was to allow for start up production from vendors of the different items.

 

[OlyTacoma173]

So is it safe to assume that the 40 I recently bought with an 11/73 production date is actually a 1974 model year, and if so, are there substantive differences between parts for the two years?

 

[thecrazygreek]

Big changes in 9 of 73.
Roll bar, Short jump seats, rear cross member were some big changes. I believe the 4 speed also was introduced at that time.

 

[OlyTacoma173]

Big changes in 9 of 73.
Roll bar, Short jump seats, rear cross member were some big changes. I believe the 4 speed also was introduced at that time.

Ahhhhh, that's feeds into another question I had. I noticed my transmission hump has holes for the shift/selector knobs. I thought the 3 speed was a 3 on the tree. So, my 11/73 would have had the 4-speed transmission?

 

[Mace]

Later 3 speeds were floor models. I believe after 72 iirc

 

[pb4ugo]

My 72 40, oct of 71 was a floor shift 3 speed

 

[OlyTacoma173]

My 72 40, oct of 71 was a floor shift 3 speed

Ok, so not to thread hijack, but can anyone tell me if the holes in the trans hump are in the same location for the 3 and 4 speed on the floor?

 

[Living in the Past]

72 had a floor shift. Not 100% if all had the floor shift. A floor floor shift transmission was always a option on the three speed, just rarely seen installed at the factory in the US market prior to the 72 model. Almost all seen today were added later.

The 74 model started out as a three speed and changed to a four speed. Same with the rear license plate bracket. Started as the single lamp and then switched to the two lamp style. Seen pictures posted of 74s that had a four speed and the single lamp licence plate bracket. Four speed added before the two lamp license plate bracket? Roll bar, short jump seats, tail lights plus new heater, new plastic emblem in the grill and F155 with improved oiling system were there for the entire model year.

 

[Living in the Past]

Ok, so not to thread hijack, but can anyone tell me if the holes in the trans hump are in the same location for the 3 and 4 speed on the floor?

No there not. beside a little different location for the transmission the boot was completely different same with the transfer case.

 

[tlc762]

The 74 model started out as a three speed and changed to a four speed. Same with the rear license plate bracket. Started as the single lamp and then switched to the two lamp style.

Correct. Both my '74s were 10/73 production with 3 speeds and single lamp license plate lamps... Also have late style rear crossmember and tail lights, bucket seats without headrests, roll bar, and short jumpseats. Used to cause me grief everytime I called $OR to order something based on the production date of what was supposed to be on my truck.

 

[Living in the Past]

Correct. Both my '74s were 10/73 production with 3 speeds and single lamp license plate lamps... Also have late style rear crossmember and tail lights, bucket seats without headrests, roll bar, and short jumpseats. Used to cause me grief everytime I called $OR to order something based on the production date of what was supposed to be on my truck.

Curious did your seats have the posts to install headrests? My 73 has headrests and seats I bought from a 74 back in the early eighties had the posts with plugs.

 

[tlc762]

Curious did your seats have the posts to install headrests? My 73 has headrests and seats I bought from a 74 back in the early eighties had the posts with plugs.

My seats have the holes in the top of the seat backs for posts but did not have the headrests. They also have after market blue vinyl upholstery over the original grey which covers the metal seat backs. I think I am the third owner since 1987...

 

[Living in the Past]

My seats have the holes in the top of the seat backs for posts but did not have the headrests. They also have after market blue vinyl upholstery over the original grey which covers the metal seat backs. I think I am the third owner since 1987...

By the order I bought parts for my 68 believe I bought these seats prior to 83. Probably the reason the plugs that were installed when the cruiser didn't have the optional headrest were still there. When I bought my 76 all it had was a empty holes. What I know of the back ground of these cruiser I'm betting the plugs were popped out and got lost. Not sure when the headrest starting being standard, 79? But my thought that is why there are more surviving bucket seats then headrests. The plugs do not snap in but just rubber plug easily removed which explains why they are long gone on most seats. Here are some pictures I found of my plugs.

 

[tlc762]

Now that I reread your original post I think I have the plugs in the holes in the seat back. I was thinking you meant the posts attached to the head rests. Will have to check- those seats are now in my 69FST at the ranch as the bench seats were trashed after years of weather exposure-serious rust damage. My avatar pic was from what I found last time I dropped the skid plate in that cruiser.You know the story...

 

[Rainman]

Back to VIN numbers...

What are the odds that a vehicle with -22803 VIN numbers (which falls in falls in Jan 1964) would be titled in 1966?

That seems impossible but that's what I have. I even found the T-66 copper tag! What gives? I don't have plates that go with the vehicle to verify.

 

[JohnnyC]

@Rainman More possible than you would imagine....

there is even a 65' with a reg in 67' ... fj25's there are examples of three years

 

[JohnnyC]

just pulled a few eamples for ya...

3-fj40-20067 tag65
1-fj40-10892 vin63
2-fj40-15666 vin64
2-fj40-15958 reg64
3-fj40-20067 tag65


early one registered later than later one:
4-fj40-20392 reg65
4-fj40-21239 reg64

1965 frame fj40-36530 reg in 67

after 66' discrepancies disappear


fj25's are all sorts of messed up with registered vs build dates... we just list them build date

 

[Rainman]

Ok. It's FJ45-22803. I don't have the ID plates. Frame matches. Title matches. Chart at the beginning of this thread suggests Jan '64. Title says 1966. I only know about the brake line change dates. The only thing that changed in the 60's was the center rear diff until '64. This truck has the off set. I'll guess it's original only because it has the same patina as the rest of the truck. But then again, it's over 50 years old.

Any idea of any items that changed between '61 and '66? I doubt I'll have any problems but don't want to find one and not know the source.

Thanks.