My first Cruiser Build (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Threads
3
Messages
5
Location
Spanish Fork Utah
Hey Guys!
I'm new to the forum but have become and addict the last couple of months and it has given me lots of ideas for things I want to do to my 40.

So here is the deal with mine. It's a 1971 fj40 with 43,000 original miles. It had only been on the road for 4 years when it was t-boned and flipped on it's side. Then my grandpa bought it and it was parked for about 6 years. When my dad was about 14 he and my uncle got it running and ran it around the hills of Virginia for about 5 years. Then it was parked in the car port where it had been sitting for about 20 years.
Now my grandpa loaded it up on his semi truck and brought it to Utah for me from Virginia.
All of it's rust is just surface rust. There isn't anywhere where it has rusted all the way through. It doesn't have a top but my grandpa has a 1972 fj40 that I am going to use the top and doors off of.
I am only 15 so this is a project that I am going to do with the assistance of my dad. I would really like to keep it as close to stock as possible with the exception of wheels and tires and maybe a little lift.

I have started working on it today and this is how far I've gotten-

I took off the radiator and am going to take it in to be rebuilt
I took off all the front body panels
I took out all the seats
I took off wheels and tires and put it on jack stands

Any advice would be a ton of help!!:)
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That is Awesome!!!! I got my grandpa's cruiser as well! They are a blast. I'm working slowly but surely and have a ton to do still. The guys here are great though!!!
 
Great Project! I bought a 42 when I was your age, same sort of deal but waaaaay more rust, Im 25 now, still driving them! This will be an awesome project for ya! Good Luck, persistence is your friend!

Regards

KB
 
Cool, seems like a good starting point... I've had mine for near 20 years and 90,000 miles. It's got 215,000+ miles on it.:D

These days, many new rads are cheaper than having the old one recored. Mine was close to $400 to get it recored.

Consider discs rather than rebuilding the stock drum brakes.
 
My advice: Thank your Grandpa, then thank him again. Take your time with the rig, enjoy everything you learn along the way, visit the Mud forum as often as you need to - there is no better collection of Cruiser info anywhere. Most importantly: NEVER SELL IT. You'll be somebody's Grandpa some day too. Have fun!
 
My dad got me a wrecked 1967 VW bug when I was 15. We built it in to a Baja Bug together, it was a great Father/Son project, and I learned a lot too. Consider yourself lucky, enjoy the project and time with your dad.
 

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