My 1960 Fj-25 build thread, in Mexico (1 Viewer)

[Erabago79]

hey there, finally I started today my FJ-25 resto-mod, I bought this after years looking for an FJ-40, I didn’t knew much back then about early models, I didn’t imagine I could find one in Mexico, much the less locally, I found it online after a few very spaced searches, it’s like it appeared that day on my Pinterest, and decided to look one up on eBay Mexico, and like magic one appeared!!, and yes, locally, just a 10 min drive from home!!. So I thought this was some very good serendipity and gave the seller a call the next morning.
It turns out this is a very rare find, not only because it’s a FJ25 but because it has all its original invoice from the dealership in Mexico, up until that day, I thought Toyota didn’t sell cars in Mexico until early 21st century, but after reading in Toyota’s History, they did sold from year 1960 until 1964, when the government came out with some law that forbid selling cars if you didn’t manufacture in the country. So it turns out to be true that this was sold in Mexico City, and in my very good luck the invoice number for this car is 001, can you believe this?, so not only a very rare model but also very rare to be originally sold by a Toyota dealership and very well might be the first Toyota sold by this Mexico City dealership, which I’m gonna search more into it but it might also be the first Toyota ever sold in Mexico! At least I hope so
It doesn’t have the original motor in it , not ever i have seen another car like this here so parts would be very hard to find, and I don’t have much cash to spend, I do own a metal laser cut and fabrication shop with powder coating, so I have many of the tools required in my shop, thinking investing in a car lift but cash short right now, tomorrow I plan to tear it all apart and sandblast it over the next week, my goal is to find a cheap crashed newer Toyota 4x4 and source many parts from there, I have my eyes on a 2005 4Runner V6 4x4 with automatic tranny, not the ideal since Fj25 has a manual shifter, but has disc brakes, modern transfer case, modern everything, and the axis and suspension of mine look very rusted.

 

[Erabago79]

I would love to hear your comments, inputs or critics, since for me looks very hard to do an original resto, I decided I want to use this to go off-road, so my best bet is to update to parts I can really get, I’m planning to powder coat not only chassi but also thinking in body, put a powder primer, powder base and a good shiny powder clear, but first all the sheet metal work has to be done perfect, If powder is to be used, not much body filler is allowed, maybe tin filling needs to be used, and have no idea how to do that, but it’s a good challenge for me and my shop to try.
I might spare many if not all the underbody parts that still has, not sure if the manual transmission is a Toyota, because it actually has a GM in-line 6 cyl now, I would like to trade some parts for other needed body or trims. So this looks to be a good adventure, it’s my first build so wish me luck!!! Thanks

 

[Bear]

It's your vehicle, so do what you wish. However, there are many people in the small FJ25 group here that will be very disappointed to see such a rare truck be so severely modified. Perhaps someone here might contact you about a trade or purchase and then attempt a proper restoration.

If you could post a few more photos and give a bit of time, you might hear from one of the interested guys. How about posting the serial number and some more details about your "find."?

 

[HelloKitty65]

Incredible bragging rights if you restore it period correct.

 

[Splangy]

Build it the way you want to and sell me all the original parts!

 

[daner]

Welcome to the IH8mud forum, and thanks for sharing your pictures and story of your FJ25. It is a beautiful truck. I understand how difficult it is to get parts in Mexico, and that you want to get it running. I normally am open-minded about resto-mods, but with this rare and special of a truck, I believe a proper restoration is the better solution.

I hope you continue to post progress on your truck.

 

[Erabago79]

Hi, and thanks for your coments, I would love to have a full restoration to original state, and I believe we can do it right, but since I don’t have the original motor, nor the money to get one, I figure it’s about 4-5 thousand usd for a good complete F engine, but current transmission is (I think) beyond saving since its rusted inside, so water made its way in trough the shift stick and it looks bad, there’s not many body parts needed, but underbody looks very rusted, they told me it was underground (under 6 ft of sand) for at least a decade, don’t know if this helped preservation or made it more rusty. It was desert sand, no close to the sea at all, We will see details soon when I start to sandblast it completely, my plan is to use it, not to have it on a museum, that’s why I want to use modern parts, don’t really know how much would cost to place all new parts underbody, for example disc brakes, newer axles, booster pump, Efi probably, from a newer Toyota 4x4 like a 4Runner. For sure I will save all the original parts for trading or selling once we have a better look of the project. Will post more pics tomorrow

 

[Erabago79]

Hey y’all, here are some pics of the advance so far, we are almost done with the tear apart, we are ready to sandblast all the body

 

[Erabago79]

Some more, hope they’re not too heavy

 

[Erabago79]

Here is the tricky part, we have a GM engine in it, planning to put a Toyota V6 1GR-FE motor, with two options, one is to try and rebuild the current and rusted shifter and transfer case, and the adapt it to the 1GR-FE engine (From a 2004 4Runner) or change engine from the 4Runner together with automatic tranny and electronic transfer case from it, don’t really have an idea if it can be done old shifter with newer engine, but for sure we can use everything out of the 4Runner with some tweaks.

 

[Erabago79]

Here are pics of underbody and old motor

 

[Splangy]

I couldn’t imagine mating a stock FJ25 trans and transfer to a 1GR-FE. In fact, I couldn’t imagine mating any early Cruiser trans to that engine. If you’re going to modernize the engine, modernize the trans too.

 

[Archie 1962 FJ25]

I will too vote for changing everything with modern outfits, if 1GR-FE is your desired choice. Also I can see it and understand going stock from here is going to ba a massive challenge but can be done with years of wait & patience for sure.

If you decide to part with parts than I am putting my first dibs on front bumper & it’s mounting plates and fuel tank & cap.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Settle on an approach to your project. If you are truly on a budget the modifications you just outlined will never be completed and you will end up passing an unfinished basket case on to someone else at a significant loss.

There is no reason that you can't restore that as a driver with the existing pieces. Every original FJ25 part that's present and the GM engine can be rebuilt locally. A used F135 could be sourced in the US for less than $1,000. A period Chevy 216 or 235 would bolt right to the FJ25 tranny. And look right at home. All of those pieces can be fixed by locals, they are a resourceful bunch, I suggest talking to the old guys.

It is way easier and cheaper to keep a mostly stock bolt together truck than to go with creating a modified mess with modern parts. This applies to any rig not just this FJ25.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Oh yeah, I see no significant rust on that rig even the rotted floor is pretty solid.

 

[Archie 1962 FJ25]

Settle on an approach to your project. If you are truly on a budget the modifications you just outlined will never be completed and you will end up passing an unfinished basket case on to someone else at a significant loss.

There is no reason that you can't restore that as a driver with the existing pieces. Every original FJ25 part that's present and the GM engine can be rebuilt locally. A used F135 could be sourced in the US for less than $1,000. A period Chevy 216 or 235 would bolt right to the FJ25 tranny. And look right at home. All of those pieces can be fixed by locals, they are a resourceful bunch, I suggest talking to the old guys.

It is way easier and cheaper to keep a mostly stock bolt together truck than to go with creating a modified mess with modern parts. This applies to any rig not just this FJ25.

Every word is a wisdom here.

 

[Bear]

Just a word of caution: you mentioned "sandblasting." If whoever does the blasting uses sand, or slag, Green diamond, etc., and is not experienced or is over-enthusiastic, you can seriously warp the body panels. Check on the availability of something less aggressive like walnut shells and make sure the operator knows what he's doing. Sand has its uses on some parts, but it pays to be careful.

 

[Erabago79]

I couldn’t imagine mating a stock FJ25 trans and transfer to a 1GR-FE. In fact, I couldn’t imagine mating any early Cruiser trans to that engine. If you’re going to modernize the engine, modernize the trans too.

Will do, it was just a thought, old tranny is very rusted inside, it would requiere a lot of work to make it work again, the problem is the modern motor has an automatic tranny, and haven’t found yet any info on using that motor with a manual shifter or 4x4

 

[Erabago79]

I will too vote for changing everything with modern outfits, if 1GR-FE is your desired choice. Also I can see it and understand going stock from here is going to ba a massive challenge but can be done with years of wait & patience for sure.

If you decide to part with parts than I am putting my first dibs on front bumper & it’s mounting plates and fuel tank & cap.

Not really sure what you mean, you mean trading parts?, for example front bumper still in the project, and I don’t have fuel tank or fuel cap.

 

[Erabago79]

Settle on an approach to your project. If you are truly on a budget the modifications you just outlined will never be completed and you will end up passing an unfinished basket case on to someone else at a significant loss.

There is no reason that you can't restore that as a driver with the existing pieces. Every original FJ25 part that's present and the GM engine can be rebuilt locally. A used F135 could be sourced in the US for less than $1,000. A period Chevy 216 or 235 would bolt right to the FJ25 tranny. And look right at home. All of those pieces can be fixed by locals, they are a resourceful bunch, I suggest talking to the old guys.

It is way easier and cheaper to keep a mostly stock bolt together truck than to go with creating a modified mess with modern parts. This applies to any rig not just this FJ25.

Great to hear all opinions, and all are welcome, I googled f135 engine and only found jet engines, by the F in the F135 does this mean it’s a Toyota engine?, I’m no purist but would like to at least try to keep most of the rig with Toyota parts, just read here that maintaining an FJ original it’s like owning an old Ferrari cause the parts are so expensive, and this particular one is rare, specially here in Mexico, all other Fj 40 I have seen are imported, and they should since Toyota closed its dealerships on 1963 due to import restrictions. As for restoring the GM engine, I have a video of this one running, the previous owner started it about a year ago, and it sounds powerful and solid, but don’t like the idea of running this rig on a GM engine, I was thinking on a Toyota Diesel, but those engines are rare here in Mexico. So I have a friend with the crashed 2004 4Runner, V6 and 4x4 with low milleage, crashed only at the front and a little on the roof, all undercarriage look solid, this sales for 1800 usd, so it’s a lot of parts for a fair price, I have a cousin that has a professional scanner for all brands, and he says would be no problem to bypass or deactivate most systems on the electric side, so only engine and transmission work on the rig.