My 40 - The Beast - 1979 Non-USA

[cuencanolenny]

The Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 experience began in December 2012 with my purchase of a 1970 FJ40. It failed inspection the next day and took 15 months to get registered and on the road. That old "F" car was hard to get parts for, lots of them from the USA. At the time my Seattle Seahawks were the dominant team in the NFL West with a running back Marshawn "Beastmode" Lynch running the ball. You could hear the crowd down close to the end zone, "Unleash The Beast." He could go through anything, so that is where the name for my rig(s) originated. I found a mechanic a few days too late (had already bought it) that has experience with full on restorations of LC's, as well as Jeeps and Land Rovers. To say the wiring had been cobbled together and not worth repairing gives what was there too much credit. But, while waiting for transmission parts it came home for a few weeks in late 2013 for new wiring. Much easier to do with a big hole in the floor. Mark A is correct, "Your 40 won't keep out a dense fog." So true. Taking the roof off for a new gasket didn't solve the problem which was between the rain gutter (excellent condition) and the roof. Found that out too late.

 

[cuencanolenny]

I liked the pictures of the dashbox on the internet. Too expensive to ship down here. Having spent my career in tooling I've developed some skills for design, fabrication. So I mocked up a dashbox and built it. With that done and unable to come up with a good cylinder head for the "F" we traveled to Quito, Ecuador to buy a "completely rebuilt" 1983 FJ60 2F. Have you hauled one of these in the back of your 40? You haven't lived until you are driving through the Andes above 12,000 ft with no guardrail and can't see the road.

 

[cuencanolenny]

The early 40 has some shortcomings with regards to a daily driver. The driver has to open and close for passengers. The 60-40 seat doesn't work well for my height. But the new motor was great. So after some research I closed a deal on the '79 40 in Quito. The engine was on par with the old "F", it got swapped out shortly. The second time around for flooring was more challenging, but I had some experience from the first go. The shop that does my "tapiceria" (upholstery) couldn't sew the heavier fabric doubled over, so it is done by hand. While Coen Wubbels of "Land Cruising Adventure" has a roof mounted rack, it is a longer vehicle, more supports. Maybe it was the pictures of the Gobi rack tilted that caught my eye. Once again, too expensive to ship and pay customs on. Out came the pencil and paper again, plus a wooden mockup. Then I built a jig that could be used for the frame, the front mount, the rear supports.

 

[cuencanolenny]

I haven't seen a TIG welder guy down here, with MIG you get to do lots of weld cleanup, but it is strong. Jose worked hard doing a good job, he bent the corners to my jig(s), it was a challenge. Ever used your 40 to haul lumber and plumbing? Handy. The only good thing I can say about the hinging rack is that it makes it easier to wax the roof, unless you have a garage where you could pluck the sucker up under the rafters. Otherwise it HAS to be frozen from Fore/Aft motion. Ask me how I know. So in December 2017 it was off to Quito for bodywork and paint. Gutted to the bare minimums. What to do while it is gone? My passengers start moaning about their butts aching after about an hour. So I designed a new fold and tumble seat, with nothing to go by but the floor mat I had made.

 

[cuencanolenny]

It came out okay. I've had passengers back there on two occasions, once for about three hours, they said it was much better than the previous setup. From a practical standpoint I like the sideways seats better. More room, allows easier storage of my tire change bag, two tool rolls, but then again I don't ride back there and as it is I have plenty of grocery storage. Mudders convinced me that the knuckle job was within my ability considering I'd have to work from ground level. Nastiest job I have ever done on a car. The Selectro hubs that came on the '79 would not fit under my new Ion center caps. So I bought a pair of Aisin hubs down here for 3 Benjamins.

 

[cuencanolenny]

I have to admit that I stumbled on bleeding the brakes. I told the wife it was a one hour job. Four days and nearly eight quarts later I was no further than after one hour. So with the shoes buttoned up tight I crawled around the corner to the brake shop. They didn't like the thickness of the new (surprised to find them!) front shoes which are the larger/wider FJ45 models (USA models got discs up front) and nothing for the rear!?! So he relined the old shoes (rears were also relined) and had it ready for pickup 24 hours after dropping it off (World Cup games and all). I had no problems with my wiring for 2 1/2 years, and then it went to the body shop. I left Quito at 2:00 on 13APR18 facing a nine hour drive to Cuenca. I made 7 1/2, the final 1 1/2 on a tow truck. Killed the battery, took 36 hours to charge it at 6 amps. Took me eleven days, with some help from Rudi (FJ40Green) to get it sorted out. So I guess I got two more months out of it, but it died quickly over the past weekend and after I dropped The Beast off for brakes on Tuesday I caught a taxi up to the East side for a new battery. The engine was completely rebuilt, including camshaft and all the trimmings, late last year. You saw the picture of it gutted, that was just a couple of weeks after getting it back from four months in the shop, then four months in the body shop. So it has been a long year. It runs smooth as silk and rides good, on smooth roads. And we have a good ten miles of that around here.

 

[cuencanolenny]

So the next thing is the roof rack, after I get my registration renewed and color change noted. Yes, they keep track of that along with frame number and engine number. And this big, powerful, efficient tractor motor of 4.2L size gets me the privilege of paying $683 annually for license. Plus the change in color and a new matricula to show that the color is changed. Such is life. So I'm looking at late August into September for our trip to Peru. I should mention that after I "froze" the roof rack hinge my daughter and husband came down and I had two "Keeper" Roof Bags with two suitcases in each up top side, along with a three step folding ladder thing and we had zero problems with that and of course it provided more room in the back without wrestling with bags. I'm sure their tushes would appreciate the new seat.

I would like to give a shout out to the people who have helped me throughout this Land Cruising Adventure (sorry Coen);
Cool Cruisers Of Texas (Cindy and Mary Beth); Cruiser Corps of OKC; Lakeland Toyota (FL); MAF (6-1 Header); Performance Coatings in Auburn, WA who ceramic coated the header (as they have done on numerous motorcycle projects); Sonny at FJ Parts in the LA area; SOR for some engine gaskets (local pickup by Al who had me send him a new Aisin carburetor); Rock Auto; Advance Auto Parts in Fenton, MO; Expresito Carga in NYC, they shipped a LOT of stuff down to me; Gracellen Ledoux Wamsley, my #1 daughter who put so many packages together for me; Jose at AutoTec who did all the heavy lifting with engines, transmissions, etc.; Kurt and Bryce at Cruiser Outfitters, those guys really know their stuff. Yeah, they sent a few parts that go into my ever expanding box of stuff that doesn't fit or get used, but they sent me everything I needed; Central California Part Slingers that provided all the rubber brake hoses, wheel cylinders and master cylinder (that didn't work out for me, not their fault) in Raybestos brand; Superior Engineering in Australia (where your US dollar goes a lot farther and there are no customs fees into the USA for their outstanding rear shackles that my mechanic wanted to know all about; Carlos 1 & Carlos 2 for their fabrication and welding; Fausto and Riccardo here in Cuenca that helped so much with Toyota parts; and of course to all of the good folks on Mud that offer advice, technical assistance, humor and rib poking. I appreciate the efforts on the part of you all. Thank you.

 

[ColoradoFJ40]

Great job. It looks awesome .

 

[daner]

That's a good looking, clean rig.
Is rust an issue down there?

 

[cuencanolenny]

Yes and no, age plays more into the game. Of course there is no salt used on roadways, at least below 18,000 ft (so probably not at all as the roads above that level are not paved). So roadsplash can get trapped anywhere. The body shop cut out both floorboards and substantially re-fabricated the left side panel, minor on the right hand panel. There had already been a very poor repair done to the bottom of the right hand door, aluminum and pop rivets. So that was cut out and replaced with steel and welded. Same for the lower edges of the back doors. So not as substantial as pictures I have seen of North American rigs. My experience (two months) in CT many years ago was that cars last about three years and they are just eaten up. Thanks for the compliment. This new motor is just breaking in and running smoother everyday.

 

[doraexplora]

looks a lot like mine from venezuela! love how clean and shiny it is!

 

[cuencanolenny]

Looks good, any history on how it ended up in the USA? Pretty much impossible to get one from the USA into Ecuador, violates the 3 year old limitation.

 

[doraexplora]

no clue how it got here, i bought it from an auction in miami florida. it still had trash under the seat form venezuela! Im assuming some govt official was starving to death in ven and snuck it over somehow.

 

[cuencanolenny]

I have heard horror stories, over forty years ago, of servicemen trying to bring their European purchased cars into the USA and the stuff they had to go through to get them legal. I know that here in Ecuador there are many versions of cars for sale that are also available in the USA, but they are not the same and don't have the features required in the USA. Was it a big headache to get it registered? Twelve years ago I bought a Ford Ranger I found on the side of the road, "Missing title needs oil pump." It was a V6, 5spd, 4WD, for $275. I gave the guy $50 to drag it to my home. I bought a manual and an oil pump (Haynes said the pan could be pulled with the engine in car, wrong). So then I pulled the engine, rebuilt it and while at the machine shop addressed the minor stuff. Truck was actually very straight. Once complete it was off to the Highway Patrol for inspection. Had to send a letter, signature required to the last registered address and then obtained registration but had to wait two years to get the title in my name.

 

[doraexplora]

Im in oklahoma; our vehicle registration laws are ridiculously light. file for a lost or stolen title is a 30 day process. also we haveno vehicle inspections at all. theres some things on our roads that you wouldnt think would even be able to drive. we have the highest car insurance rates in the nation... hmmm wonder why??!

 

[cuencanolenny]

Been across OK many times, as well as OK Turnpike and Will Rodgers. Bought a dog near Blackwell in the early eighties. Worked in nearly every aircraft factory in the USA, at least once. So that included Tulsa, Ft. Worth, Wichita, all around you. Ate rattlesnake in Alva, OK during the annual hunt. So of course I have to ask you what the people in Oklahoma say. "Texas blows and Kansas sucks."

 

[doraexplora]

yeah damned turnpikes here, we still are paying for them, they havent paid them off yet! and yeah the ole okie joke, ya know why its so windy in oklahoma!!! ???

 

[cuencanolenny]

yeah damned turnpikes here, we still are paying for them, they havent paid them off yet! and yeah the ole okie joke, ya know why its so windy in oklahoma!!! ???

In July 1967 I was put on a bus from St. Louis to San Francisco, I was 17. It was night when we left Tulsa and while I don't know how long the Will Rodgers had been open, the memory of the black highway and crisp white and yellow line and 1/10 mile markers are etched into my mind. The restaurant over the highway was so spectacular, at 17.

 

[troy scott]

I haven't seen a TIG welder guy down here, with MIG you get to do lots of weld cleanup, but it is strong. Jose worked hard doing a good job, he bent the corners to my jig(s), it was a challenge. Ever used your 40 to haul lumber and plumbing? Handy. The only good thing I can say about the hinging rack is that it makes it easier to wax the roof, unless you have a garage where you could pluck the sucker up under the rafters. Otherwise it HAS to be frozen from Fore/Aft motion. Ask me how I know. So in December 2017 it was off to Quito for bodywork and paint. Gutted to the bare minimums. What to do while it is gone? My passengers start moaning about their butts aching after about an hour. So I designed a new fold and tumble seat, with nothing to go by but the floor mat I had made.

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your (cardboard?) mock up models are great ive never seen that done before real neat and awesome fab work

 

[cuencanolenny]

In the old days, before I retired, I would mock stuff up on the computer to validate geometry. Friends tell me I can still do that, but I prefer to sit at the drafting table in the shop, listen to tunes, throw darts while I sort stuff out in my head. Usually I use masonite, but I also used cardboard (dash box) and corn flake boxes for some templates (hinge for new fold and tumble seat). It helps me visualize what it is before cutting metal.