My 1978 FJ40: Fixes, Mods & Trips (1 Viewer)

[NW40]

Since starting a West Coast Road Trip thread back in December 2012, which included some initial build info and road trip pics, I've decided I wanted a more long term build and trip thread for my '78 FJ40 rather than adding future mods and other trips to the West Coast Trip thread.

So to start this thread off from the beginning of my FJ40 ownership and have all the build info and history in one place, I'll copy my first build posts from the other thread down below. If you want to read specifically about the West Coast Road Trip, you'll find that thread linked *here*. I've only posted pics from the first half of that trip...I'll eventually get around to posting the rest!

So, pulling up a few old posts, here it goes from the beginning...

My wife and I recently purchased a 1978 FJ40 that’s been in her family for the last two decades. With the Land Cruiser in Southern California and us in Seattle, we had no choice but to road trip it up the West Coast, leaving our two young kids with grandparents and taking the longest way possible! (don't get too excited...it was still mostly on road)

Here's a couple photos from the day I bought the '40 from my wife's uncle, taken by him as I drove the Cruiser away as the new owner. I had that grin on my face for hours!

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-.../jwrgiAzF8Pk/s800/Just%20purchased%20FJ40.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-...jHLyX71Ls/s800/Parting%20view%20of%20FJ40.jpg

And a few more photos below of what the Cruiser looked like when I acquired it. Mostly unmolested, with original rubber floor mats up front, Toyota AM radio (turns on but no sound yet), and uncut fenders. Did have a repaint about 10 years ago, and there is a bit of rust in the usual places, but nothing that appears too bad. I'll soon mention a few mods I had done before leaving for the long road trip, but nothing that is irreversible. Wanted to maintain the ability to return to bone stock if later desired.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NrQeaXzZWDQ/UGxy_A-w8DI/AAAAAAAAAU0/Dz-Ic_TRWRQ/s640/IMG_8906.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Rp0UN4mX8iM/UGxy-4H7WZI/AAAAAAAAAUo/RZ-K90P5gno/s640/IMG_8908.JPG

 

[NW40]

So here we go with the maintenance and mods. Bear with me if some of the photos, commentary, or details make you yawn. This is my way of documenting, for my own future reference, all the maintenance, mods, and soon, the trips.

Prior to making the 1500 mile road trip from Escondido to Seattle, 1973Guppie here on MUD performed a bunch of maintenance and a few mods to the truck. As mentioned in the first post above, the truck has been relatively unmolested over the last few decades, so I generally went with modifications that were mostly reversible except for very few new holes, all the while making the truck more reliable and more comfortable for long road (and off-road) trips. And ultimately, I wanted to make the truck my own and to make it suit my family’s use of it. After all, I gotta enjoy it or what's the point?!

Maintenance and mods included:

• The usual maintenance, including new belts, hoses, fluids, side and valve cover gaskets, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, pcv, filters, valve adjustment, and timing adjustment.
• Installed a Trollhole carb.
• Desmogged the engine, which made use of FJ40Jim’s cap & plug set and EGR blockoff plate, found here.
• Replaced my charcoal canister, which had broke, with a suitable replacement (this Duralast VC120) that I found via this helpful MUD thread.
• Converted to Toyota Mini Truck power steering, including power steering cooler and MAF billet pulley for better belt fitment. And WHOA!, I had concerns that the Mini Truck setup wouldn’t be sufficient, but Noah was right: this is WAY more than adequate for 31” tires, and no doubt larger tires. Almost too effortless.
• Rebuilt steering linkages to clean up some steering slop and added an OME steering stabilizer.
• Installed a dual battery setup with Specter dual battery tray, Blue Sea 7622 Auto Charging Relay, National Luna voltage monitor, and opted for Costco automotive starting battery # 598178 and marine starting/deep cycle battery # 12852 to see how they meet my needs (can’t beat their cost!) before I dump a load of cash on some of the more touted deep cycle batts.
• Installed a Blue Sea aux fuse panel in the glove box and aux 12v outlet under the dash
• Replaced the rusted out exhaust system, everything aft of the stock manifold; used a Flowmaster 50-series muffler for just a bit of rumble, and routed the exhaust above the frame cross members for clearance.
• Installed an aftermarket windshield washer bottle from Specter since the stock bottle was cracked to pieces and need to be relocated anyhow to accommodate dual batt tray.
• Installed a Cool Cruisers HFS bumper and Warn 9.5ti winch
• Swapped out the 16" alloy wheels for the original 15” stock steelies, which I had powder coated at Olympic Coatings and wrapped in BFG 31x10.50 A/T tires. Would’ve preferred 33’s, but I don’t have the lift to accommodate them. Maybe next time!
• And no doubt other odds and ends that aren’t coming to mind.

Future to-do list:

• Install an inverter
• Install this rear Bestop fold & tumble bench seat for my kids
• Rebuild front axle
• Take care of some of the rust areas
• I don't have to tell you all that the addiction doesn't end, so I'm sure I'll come up with something else

Thank you, Noah, for your excellent work, great suggestions along the way, and attention to detail! Not to mention fitting in all that you did before I flew in to pick up the truck earlier than originally planned! The truck has definitely turned out as I'd hoped, runs waaaay better, and (spoiler alert) I made it home without a hitch! Feel free to add any details I left out regarding your work, Noah.

Now that the truck is home, I'll be tackling some of the remaining work myself, and some at Torfab.

If I haven't bored you yet, you deserve some photos:

Maintenance & desmog in work:

Noah prettying things up:

Engine bay now complete (you gotta compare to the BEFORE photo from the first post)

Original steelies waiting for powdercoating:

The stock steelies and hubcaps are original to the truck and came with it. They had been in storage for 10+ years, ever since the PO put on the alloy wheels shown in the first post. I had them powder coated at a shop in Escondido, CA called Olympic Coatings because they were super convenient at the time and came recommended to me. I also discovered when I dropped the wheels off that they had an enormous number of colors and finishes to choose from, which only made the decision more difficult! I think I changed my mind on color and finish about 4 times before I finally left. They weren't cheap, though, which I didn't know until I showed up. If I had had more time, I would've shipped them off to Les Schwab and gone with their standard grey. But I was on a tight schedule to get the truck ready for the road trip, so had to pull the trigger.

...and freshly coated steelies and hubcaps installed (I love the stock look!):

In work at the muffler shop:

Blue Sea aux fuse panel and aux 12v outlet locations:

Frame getting prepped for the HFS bumper and winch, followed by the job done:

 

[NW40]

The first day of our West Coast Road Trip, we met up with Greg Steffens at DiamondRax to pick up a DiamondRax 2nd Gen RTT basket rack, RotoPax gas and water cans (came in handy with the 40’s short range and long stretches between gas stations along our route), and CVT Mt Shasta roof top tent that CVT’s Bobby Culpepper had shipped down from Bend, OR.

Freshly installed…

This setup would provide my wife and me our accommodations for our 5-night road trip, and 5 nights provided us a thorough acquaintance with setting up & tearing down our new RTT. There’s a small learning curve with the RTT, especially when it’s recessed within a 6” basket rack on top of an FJ40 with a shovel and axe to work around on one side, but I had a 15 minute teardown routine by the third night, and it’s only getting easier. And that’s just me working the tent while my wife set up other stuff.

I can’t continue without mentioning how fantastic my experience with Greg and the crew at DiamondRax has been. They had the rack and tent ready for install when we arrived, and when we realized we weren’t going to make it down the mountain before dark, Greg went well out of his way to help us locate a suitably awesome camp site local to Lake Arrowhead for our first night in the RTT. Not only that, but he took time away from his busy schedule the next day to help us resolve some teething pains with the new RTT setup (a seriously stuck zipper…my own doing). I can’t say enough about how helpful Greg at DiamondRax was! It’s also been a pleasure working with Bobby Culpepper from CVT. Both great guys with awesome products.

 

[NW40]

That wraps up the old build posts from the original thread. I'll post some new stuff soon, and I'll try to wrap up the West Coast Road Trip thread soon, too.

 

[ARCTICMUTT]

Anxiously awaiting the trip details.

 

[1911]

My wife and I recently purchased a 1978 FJ40 that’s been in her family for the last two decades.

That is too cool, congratulations! I hope my 40 will stay in the family when I can't drive it any more.

 

[Chamba]

What a transformation! I am so happy this rig went to someone who returned it to its factory rim/hubcap glory; what a beautiful rig! What was your average fuel econ on the trip up de-smogged?

 

[Raddic]

Subscribed.


Ready for the rest of the story

 

[N919HJ]

Ready to read more!

 

[NW40]

What a transformation! I am so happy this rig went to someone who returned it to its factory rim/hubcap glory; what a beautiful rig! What was your average fuel econ on the trip up de-smogged?

Thanks, Chamba.

Despite de-smogging and a fresh tuneup, average fuel economy on the west coast trip wasn't economical at all, even for a '40, no doubt due to the huge rack and roof top tent. Averaged 10.3 mi/gal based on my odometer readings, although I must be getting slightly better than that since I'm running 31" tires. My odometer hasn't been recalibrated for the larger tires. My cruising speed was high 50's to low 60's on the flat sections, much slower in the mountains.

 

[Chamba]

Thanks, Chamba.

Despite de-smogging and a fresh tuneup, average fuel economy on the west coast trip wasn't economical at all, even for a '40, no doubt due to the huge rack and roof top tent. Averaged 10.3 mi/gal based on my odometer readings, although I must be getting slightly better than that since I'm running 31" tires. My odometer hasn't been recalibrated for the larger tires. My cruising speed was high 50's to low 60's on the flat sections, much slower in the mountains.

So that should be about 11.6 or so as your odometer should be 10 percent low IIRC. Still not horrible as you probably had some weight too.

I get about 16 with the 5 speed but I've not tested it yet with the new roof rack.

 

[NW40]

So that should be about 11.6 or so as your odometer should be 10 percent low IIRC. Still not horrible as you probably had some weight too.

I get about 16 with the 5 speed but I've not tested it yet with the new roof rack.

Yes, we were pretty well loaded down, much more so than we usually would be for a trip like this since we were hauling back all sorts of spares that came with the truck and that were left over from all the mods that were installed down there.

Please keep me posted on what kind of mileage you get with the 5-speed plus roof rack. If I could get close to 16mpg, I just might be able to justify a 5-speed!

 

[NW40]

My wife and I just registered for the Washington Overland Rally to be held next month in Plain, WA, June 27-30. It's put on by Overland International, the parent company of Overland Journal and Expedition Portal. If you're in the Northwest, be sure to check out the event details and think about going! I'm new to overlanding let alone the off-road scene in general, so looking forward to learning a lot in the workshops, going on the group trail rides, and meeting new people. So if you spot me there, be sure to stop by our campsite and say hi.

http://expeditionportal.com/overlandrallies/Home.html

From the website:

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in many exciting training classes and discuss all aspects of Overland travel, in a casual and relaxing environment. You will also have the chance to see new products, talk with manufacturers and get ideas and advice from follow travelers.

The Overland Rallies and Workshops’ regional four day events will have a limited attendance so register now for tickets and your on-site camping spot.

For those of you looking for a little challenge, make sure to participate in the Expedition Trophy. This is a great opportunity to test your skills and have fun!

This event is a great occasion to meet up with new friends who share a similar passion!

Event Features:

• On-site camping
• Local 4WD and motorcycle adventures
• Trip presentations by fellow adventurers
• Vendor exposition featuring retailers and manufacturers
• Featured vehicles
• Movie night
• Expedition Trophy (Test your skills!)
• Overland Workshops
• Overland chef demonstration and training
• Wilderness first aid training
• Vehicle preparation, driving and recovery training
• Trip planning course
• Photography and videography training
• Adventure motorcycle riding course
• Overland driving course
• Field recovery course
• International driving session
• Navigation (backcountry and international)
• Family adventure planning
• Communications and electronics
• Other workshops as requested by attendees.

 

[Chamba]

Yes, we were pretty well loaded down, much more so than we usually would be for a trip like this since we were hauling back all sorts of spares that came with the truck and that were left over from all the mods that were installed down there.

Please keep me posted on what kind of mileage you get with the 5-speed plus roof rack. If I could get close to 16mpg, I just might be able to justify a 5-speed!

I will. I keep track of every tank with an app on my phone but haven't done any highway driving since the rack. Around town it hasn't changed at all from 11.5 on the last tank.

 

[NW40]

Want to play in the snow this winter, so test fitted my tire chains today. (which, by the way, after a bit of research, I settled on the Security Chain Company QG3227CAM chains and QG20074 rubber tighteners.) Wasn't too difficult getting them on for the first time, but then again, it was dry, 50 degrees, sitting on concrete, and in broad daylight. Not in mud & snow, below freezing, and after dark.

Anyhow, had some questions for you guys. Based on the photos below, especially the 2nd pic, you think the chains will clear the wheel well cutout when my suspension is flexing? Don't want to mangle the body. Also concerned that I'll do some damage to the fender L-bracket support. See in the 3rd photo how my tire has rubbed a shiny spot on the support on the inner fender wall? The chains won't be so kind. And for the loose ends of the chain you see hanging down in the 4th photo, what works best to strap 'em down? Zip ties? Short bungee cords?

 

[climber8483]

I zip tie the spare links. Not sure about your other questions.

 

[CruiserStuff]

Chad - I'd clip off the extra links, but leave one or two extra on there (that will help when you are attempting to install them in bad weather/poor lighting). One or two extras hanging inside will present no problems. Use one of the hooks on the rubber tightener to hold the spare links on the outside in place.

You'll also find that after you install the chains and drive a bit, you'll want to pull over and tighten things up....the chains will tend to shift a bit and will loosen up some. You may get some rub on the inside of your fender and the support....I do, but not enough to cause much concern.

I plow a lot of snow each year and usually only put chains on the front tires. The weight of the engine really helps give traction and you maintain steering control. I've found, though, that the chains can snag the wiring for the turn signals, so make sure those are tucked up and out of the way.

Let me know if you have any other questions.....

Oh yeah, BTW, it looks like your chains are installed inside out. The closure with the hook goes to the inside, the closure that is the clasp goes to the outside. It is hard to see what the clasp looks like on the inside, but that's normally how they're made.

 

[Fast Eddy]

I don't think they'll clear the fender on the outside, nor the tub on the inside when flexed. You could lower the bump stops for the winter. Mark's Offroad has some drop brackets that make it easy.

 

[CruiserStuff]

Looking at the pics again, I realize I was wrong about the chains being inside out. Otherwise, the cams would be inside....and unable to be tightened! My bad...

 

[NW40]

Thanks for the advice, Greg and Eddy!

Hope all is well, Greg. I'm still loving my DiamondRax!