Builds 1960 FJ28L - Project Lara (2 Viewers)

[bhsdriller]

What did it end up going for?

 

[scoobiedubes]

$50k... I view it as an investment, it’s a lot more fun than stocks and I think a better long term parking place than stocks too. I like having physical things vs numbers on a computer. Of course its not a good investment if you never sell it

 

[JLawson]

Sounds like a pool. You pay a lot for it but you don't get anymore for the house when you sell it? But hey, you had a lot of fun over the years just floating and drinking the summers away! Got to be worth something?

 

[pardion]

Congratulations on getting this piece of history. Will enjoy following your build. You can recoup some of your spending by selling those fender mounted turn signals. HA Ha John

 

[scoobiedubes]

Here's my preliminary list of questions for the FJ25 community, thanks in advance for everyone's help! I'm sure I'll have a LOT more.

1. The most fun question - what color?! And should it be two-tone with white like the LV, or single color? The colors in those brochures leave me confused. In the black/white ones it looks like a solid color, but then you've got the one color brochure that shows the 2 door version in yellow and white. And it does not seem like GIFU had the same colors as Toyota used, based on the LV vs the FJ40. So I kind of feel like I don't have to stick to the 25 colors. My initial thought is to go with one of the 1960's pastels and the toyota cygnus white. But this is something I don't need to decide on for a while so give me some good ideas... I've always loved the sulfur yellow and nebula green (though that's a 70s color).
2. It appears to me that from the firewall forward it's all the same as the FJ25. What are the differences between an FJ25 and an FJ40 forward of the firewall, aside from the grill?
3. The headlights and bezels are in pretty rough shape, one of the bezels can probably be saved. Any source for these or will we probably have to have one made?
4. The rear license plate bracket and light are missing, it's got a tail light and some home fab bracket on there now. Since this is on the GIFU side of the truck I guess I can do whatever but if anybody has any idea of what it should look like let me know. I haven't seen any 28 pictures of the rear. Otherwise we will probably use a 1960 bracket and light.
5. I'm hoping we can save the front fenders and aprons, they're mangled a bit but may be salvageable. If not, are those fenders the same as a 1960 FJ40?
6. Any good source for weather stripping on the windshield? I think I'm going to attempt to use the same weather stripping on all the side/rear windows as we used on the LV - worked pretty well.
7. What kind of heater (if any) did the FJ25 have up front? This one doesn't have anything, not something I really need in phoenix but to do it correctly this is something I need to decide if I'm going to try to source and add.
8. I'm quite certain the bench seats in this truck are not original. I'm thinking the front seat I'll model after the FJ25, and the rear bench after the FJ45LV. However I'm wondering if the rear bench in this one was fixed - unlike the LV which flipped forward on a front hinge. Reason being that there's that cage in back. Thoughts? Fabbing a fixed one would certainly be simpler. Any ideas on building/sourcing the FJ25 front bench?
9. What did the FJ25's have for an inspection lamp socket (if any) and where was it located? Was there a vader light (I hope not!)?
10. What did the FJ25's have for a tool kit or tool box, and where was it located?

I also need a name for her, any suggestions?

 

[scoobiedubes]

Congratulations on getting this piece of history. Will enjoy following your build. You can recoup some of your spending by selling those fender mounted turn signals. HA Ha John

One of the first things i'm going to pull off! Begs a question though did the 25s not have front turn signals at all? Or did they use the front torpedo marker lights as turn signals?

 

[pardion]

One of the first things i'm going to pull off! Begs a question though did the 25s not have front turn signals at all? Or did they use the front torpedo marker lights as turn signals?

Yes, front bib lights are parking and turn. Double filament bulb.

 

[JohnnyC]

I know of at least one more in Venezuela ... Henry C @Exiled had found ... the pic made its rounds as the only one known for a great number of years

I will have to check my pics... know I got it

Have some other pics ... but... probably ones you had seen

 

[JohnnyC]

henry's pic:

 

[JohnnyC]

the one not a 28.... but... for color pic

 

[JohnnyC]

i do like the way the colors are on the yellow pic.... a lil better than the painting of the panels.... why did it post so many of the same pics lol

 

[JohnnyC]

looks like the tail lights were the round

 

[JohnnyC]

this one was also a 60' ... do not care for solid color lol

 

[JohnnyC]

1. The most fun question - what color?!

I like two tone .... not solid... a somewhat bold color to go with the white

1. It appears to me that from the firewall forward it's all the same as the FJ25. What are the differences between an FJ25 and an FJ40 forward of the firewall, aside from the grill?

yes same as 25 .... there are quite a few differences from a 40... fender bolts with only 3 scresws to the fender .... not 4 hole placements different.... and they are beafier lol

1. The headlights and bezels are in pretty rough shape, one of the bezels can probably be saved. Any source for these or will we probably have to have one made?

the bezel i had seen willys bezels used... and looks genuine or at least closest you'll find easily

1. The rear license plate bracket and light are missing, it's got a tail light and some home fab bracket on there now. Since this is on the GIFU side of the truck I guess I can do whatever but if anybody has any idea of what it should look like let me know. I haven't seen any 28 pictures of the rear. Otherwise we will probably use a 1960 bracket and light.

i will see what other pics i got of the tail area and see if anything could have been or even a pic of one

1. I'm hoping we can save the front fenders and aprons, they're mangled a bit but may be salvageable. If not, are those fenders the same as a 1960 FJ40?

no .... see above

1. Any good source for weather stripping on the windshield? Weather stripping windshield?

IDK lol

1. What kind of heater (if any) did the FJ25 have up front?

early cruisers used box heaters... before it was a factory thing.... see this thread: Early Box Heaters

1. I'm quite certain the bench seats in this truck are not original. I'm thinking the front seat I'll model after the FJ25, and the rear bench after the FJ45LV. However I'm wondering if the rear bench in this one was fixed - unlike the LV which flipped forward on a front hinge. Reason being that there's that cage in back. Thoughts? Fabbing a fixed one would certainly be simpler. Any ideas on building/sourcing the FJ25 front bench?

may be original.... and just reupolstered .... dig into it will tell if the frames are at least original most likely

1. What did the FJ25's have for an inspection lamp socket (if any) and where was it located? Was there a vader light (I hope not!)?

IDK

1. What did the FJ25's have for a tool kit or tool box, and where was it located?

located under the seat.... the tool box is able to find these days... and there is a repro for the tool roll... they came with either one depending

I also need a name for her, any suggestions?
Gertrude .... why? IDK looks like one

 

[JohnnyC]

inspiration picture.... your 1960's replacement... the 1960 FJ35V ... Auto show 1960

 

[pardion]

this one was also a 60' ... do not care for solid color lol
View attachment 2185789View attachment 2185790

I don't care for the T-BIRD upside down. post #33

 

[JohnnyC]

prototype fj25 ... earlier that yours by 5-6 years.... but an idea .... plate under bumper

 

[Landpimp]

Congrats, thats an amazing cruiser....glad you ended up with it.

 

[scoobiedubes]

Thanks for the pictures! I had seen some but not all of those. Most of them are 2 door, the 4 door pictures are harder to find. But i think the 2 door should be similar enough that should help us figure out how she should look. I wonder what the interior seating layout was? The frame on both my bench seats looks brand new, so unless it’s the only thing they restored, it doesn’t look original.

Do you think those tail lights on the one in Denmark are original? Interestingly the quarter panels seem to have a welded patch about the same size as the trapezoidal LV combination lights. I’ll get some pictures next week and see what everyone thinks. Could just be coincidence.

So if the fenders are different, anyone ever modify 40 fenders for a 25? Maybe I can find a way to salvage them, but I’m not hopeful.

 

[scoobiedubes]

I think I’ll paint it this way... not necessarily red but I feel like it should be different than the LVs were painted.