My mid-life dream revival FJ40 resto-mod build

[Wheelytech]

Hello folks! WiL here, I'm a noobie here from NW WA. I'm starting the adventure of a frame off resto-mod build.

I fixed and owned a 78 fj40 in high school and 30 years ago as a broke collage student the local guy that stopped by my dads and beg to buy it won out.
I always dreamed of building one and doing it right this time.

So I found myself shopping for a 40. I found what seemed like a fair deal a meer 6hr drive away. I've never minded driving it's just part of the adventure. So I loaded up the truck and my dump trailer. One last check in with the seller to make sure there's no surprises before the drive. Everything sounds good.
At this point I'm excited, I'm already designing the build in my head, already shopping for parts (I enjoy researching and finding things). Even found a nice con-ferr rear bench Local to the 40 I was going to. Happened to be a

here . so I lined that up as well.
I make the drive and meet the seller and the 72. And it didn't take 5 mins to see there were more holes in his story than there was in tub of this old girl. A junkyard small block dressed up for prom. The master cyl was literally welded to the firewall and someone must of got a good deal on trailer wiring because the whole truck was wired with it.

Needless to say I passed and gave the guy a little of my mind as well.

I stopped and looked at a 9/73 soft top on the way home that was a little rough but nothing hidden and price reflected it.. Story was family was selling cause dad died 2 years prior. Been sitting for 20years on a fresh 2f engine rebuild. And came with a pile of body parts to assemble a hard top.

Well I brought her home and started ripping and tearing..

I won't say I'll give the best build reports and this build will take me years but here I am.
I'm always open to advice. I do enjoy thinking outside the box and doing things a little different.

 

[Wheelytech]

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Welcome! Many here to help! Found that using Google to search MUd info is more fruitful! Nice rig!

 

[Wheelytech]

While unpacking the truck I found this box of “stuff” that the lady loaded that I never got a chance to look through.
Well it look like her dad had bought every gasket, weather strip, bolt, latch, and even the headliner. All new in the bags from sor dated 20 years ago. Well over $1000 in parts. Score!!

 

[Wheelytech]

I meant to say that was every part to build a hard top

 

[Wheelytech]

Spent some time cleaning out. Removing parts. Selling what I won’t need and organizing what I will keep.

Trying to uncover the rust so I can see what I’m dealing with. 2 layers of outdoor carpet over shag was a surprise installed under the rollbar.

 

[Pighead]

Bezel.

 

[70fj40]

One thing about these trucks is they turn into bigger projects than what we ever thought when we first bring them home. From my own experience I would recommend not throwing away or selling any parts off the truck at this point. You absolutely will want something and have to buy it back that didn’t seem important in the beginning. Your ideas for the build will evolve as you go. Welcome to the neighborhood.

 

[cruiserboy14]

I second that! I sold so many parts that I shouldn’t have sold, and some I sold for pennys that I later learned where hard to find parts

 

[Biscuit]

The corollary to selling parts and regretting it later is not buying parts from the smaller businesses when they are available. You never know what parts may only be made in a single batch or if the current offering become the last run of that part ever.

 

[JohnnyC]

Looks like a fst truck … tailgate and hardware … but somebody replaced the door hinges with hard door hinges … can’t tell if the tailgate is original because somebody plated over where the barn doors would have mounted

Used to have the old style kayline doors with the snaps on front of door it looks like

Could very well be a hard top truck po converted to fst

Your id plate if it says fj40L it is a FST (left hand drive)

if it says fj40LV it was a hardtop (V=Van) (left hand drive)

9/73 would make it a 74’ model fj40… taillights are tell tail sign … your engine vin number if it starts with an F would make it the F and a half engine that was u pique to 74’ if it has the oil filter mounted on block pass side … starts with 2F … would be a 2F

Engine vin number is mounted on a cast ledge above and forward of the starter

 

[Living in the Past]

Looks like a fst truck … tailgate and hardware … but somebody replaced the door hinges with hard door hinges … can’t tell if the tailgate is original because somebody plated over where the barn doors would have mounted

Your id plate if it says fj40L it is a FST (left hand drive)

if it says fj40LV it was a hardtop (V=Van) (left hand drive)

Second picture can see the spot of the A pillar where eyebolt for the safety straps clip to. If that is in fact that is a threaded hole.

Not sure how many FHT VIN plaques actually had the V after the L stamped in. My 73 is a FST so it wouldn't have the V. My 68 and 70 FHTs do not have the V..1/75 on the VIN plaque were accurate.

 

[JohnnyC]

The fender tag Id plate would say LV or L for 74’ model

Yes I noticed the dash holes for the eyelets … part of my hardware comment lol… like the lower bow support at the rear top of the wheel well… I figured they removed them when he went with the hard doors ( if that’s what he did)

One thing I do not see is the darth vader light … I would think it would have been there or at least a big hole

 

[Wheelytech]

I second that! I sold so many parts that I shouldn’t have sold, and some I sold for pennys that I later learned where hard to find parts

Thx. I’ll take that advice under consideration.

 

[eaj71]

You should sell all the parts at a steep discount to mud members.

 

[Wheelytech]

Looks like a fst truck … tailgate and hardware … but somebody replaced the door hinges with hard door hinges … can’t tell if the tailgate is original because somebody plated over where the barn doors would have mounted

Used to have the old style kayline doors with the snaps on front of door it looks like

Could very well be a hard top truck po converted to fst

Your id plate if it says fj40L it is a FST (left hand drive)

if it says fj40LV it was a hardtop (V=Van) (left hand drive)

9/73 would make it a 74’ model fj40… taillights are tell tail sign … your engine vin number if it starts with an F would make it the F and a half engine that was u pique to 74’ if it has the oil filter mounted on block pass side … starts with 2F … would be a 2F

Engine vin number is mounted on a cast ledge above and forward of the starter

Thanks you guys are great.
I didn’t even know there was a fender tag.
Located it, it’s fj40l so soft top.
Engine on block is 2f
But is it normal that the fender tag says engine model F?

 

[Wheelytech]

Well I learned my first restoration lesson today.

Lesson #1 ( of many to come)

Don’t be lazy.

I saw that my drop down tailgate hinges were welded on so I just figured I’d buy new/used ones.
I posted in the classifieds and was quickly shown the link to new set and got a little sticker shock. Quickly went to the shop and ground mine off and decided with an hour or so of clean up work I can reuse mine. And that’s really the journey right? Putting in that sweat equity. Plus it leaves more parts out there for others and more money in my pocket for my screwups down the road.

 

[diesellibrarian]

Thanks you guys are great.
I didn’t even know there was a fender tag.
Located it, it’s fj40l so soft top.
Engine on block is 2f
But is it normal that the fender tag says engine model F?

View attachment 4210399

View attachment 4210400

View attachment 4210401

A 1974 FJ40 would have come with an F engine. If your engine is stamped 2F, then it was swapped in at some point.

 

[Wheelytech]

A 1974 FJ40 would have come with an F engine. If your engine is stamped 2F, then it was swapped in at some point.

Interesting I thought somthing wasn’t adding up. So a 2f wouldn’t have a 3 speed behind it would it ?
I guess I have a different engine.

Funny the story the lady gave me ( I believe she is telling what she knows to be true) was 20 years ago she drives on the freeway in low and smoked the engine. She said they “ rebuilt” it. I’m guessing maybe they swapped it.
And then it was parked almost 20 years waiting for her dad to restore it.

 

[FJ404345]

Welcome to the madness !