My TLC experience (2 Viewers)

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sogncab

SILVER Star
Joined
Apr 7, 2021
Threads
14
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1,405
Location
Minnesota
First, and introduction. I'm Karl. I'm a cabinet maker, I own a small cabinet shop in Minnesota. I grew up with a 47' CJ2A. It's what I learned to drive on when I was probably about 8 years old. That gave me a love of this style of vehicle. If it's boxy uncommon/weird, sign me up.

I've thought Land Cruisers were cool for quite a while, but I really hadn't been actively searching for one until about five years ago. It didn't become a must have toy for me until a couple of years ago. A dude in town owns a brewery. About five years ago he had a 70's 40 sitting out front for sale for the better part of a summer. That thing was HAUNTING me. I drove by it every day. At the time I was pouring dumptrucks full of dollars into putting up a new building for my business. I could've afforded to buy his, but it would've been really stupid. I chased him down and told him he needs to sell it, before I do some thing stupid and buy it.

A few years pass, and I don't really have any spare cash, but two(ish) years ago I started hunting for the right project. I'd love to plop down $200k and get on the list with Icon or FJ Company, but that's just not possible and still have a place to sleep at night for me. It seems that Land Cruisers for sale exist in an almost binary universe.
1. "Here is a dumpster full of rust we swept up, it doesn't have a title, hasn't run in 20 years, have fun with the raccoons. $5000.00"
or
2. "My son and I lovingly restored this FJ40, which my wife and I conceived him in it, in high school. He's battling leukemia, and my wife passed last fall from rabies. $95,000"
So you're either bying some badges, or something somebody really doesn't want to sell, and has a ton invested into it.

I had been scouring Craigslist, Hemmings, and a few other places when recently somebody turned me onto this forum, and I found this 1976 FJ40. It was, for me, the perfect project. It needs very little sheet metal repair. It's mostly there. So I grabbed the skidloader trailer, a fist full of Franklins, and headed to the Nebraskan prairie.

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My plan for this is to make it into a nice daily driver. (As nice as a 45 year old more or less tractor can get for a driver) Not in the winter though, it's Minnesota, the chemicals that get used will rot this thing out pretty much instantaneously.


My first "phase" will be to go through the driveline. I pulled the fill plug on the transmission, and immediately I got the treat of being full of water.

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So I pulled the plug, full of metal.

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At least the oil wasn't orange because it was full of rust along with the water. The inside of the cases were actually pretty clean.
 
I don't know what I'm doing inside a tranny or transfer case, but a local does, and he's got the tranny and t-case right now.

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Tranny dude got the rebuild kit for both, but is waiting on a replacement 5th gear. From Australia..... It'll be here between May 12th, and June 25th. Allegedly.... The idler shaft in the t-case was freaking chowdered, flat spots at the needle bearings, and a small chunk missing. I'm hoping I'm shocked how much quieter it will be going down the road.

Oh yeah, fun note, it has an H55F transmission, and a split case. I'm super happy about that, because the long term goal is a diesel swap.

New clutch should be sitting on my doorstep when I get home today, and a buddy who works at a clutch & U-Joint shop has the flywheel and drive shafts. The driveshafts are getting checked for run out and balance, also getting new U-Joints. The flywheel will be surfaced.

I've have a Old Man Emu 2" lift on order. I'm surprised that isn't here yet.

I ordered new fronts seats, but I'm waiting on the seat brackets. I have new covers for the jump seats. I think I'm going to pull the frames and have those powder coated before recovering them.

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The dog doesn't know what to think. The little Hungarian princess is accustomed to sitting in a nice cushy one ton with leather and heated seats. The rattle and noise is a bit unnerving for the pooch.

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The wife is just happy I finally got my Land Cruiser.

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Phase two for my rig after getting the driveline, suspension, and steering back to as good as can it can be is the engine swap. I'm hoping this winter, 21/22. The R2.8 seems like the best fit. I got a quote to have it done, and I need to talk to them again. I was in for what they said over the phone, but after sending pictures, it went up significantly. I need to talk to them again, and see what can be done to trim costs, and if they are willing to do that. I get not wanting to cut corners, but I think there's some things that aren't needed. Like fastener restoration. Not a huge line item, but that stuff adds up, and honestly I don't know if I can justify dumping that kind of money into anything without the blond above permanently locking my gentleman bits in her purse.

Phase three will be the body. I want to do a full disassembly, and repaint of everything. I've got a powdercoater real close, and that will come in handy for things like the chassis, and basically anything that will end up black. It's not going to stay green. I don't hate the green, but I'm not a fan. I'm in lust of the Pollux Orange FJ40's. Such a cool color. I will urea coat the entire underside, including the underside of the hood and probably both sides of the firewall. The entire inside of the tub so it's easy to clean too. You never know when the dog will puke or take a dump in the back. Then again, you never know when I'm going to puke, or take a dump in the back.... I like the bedliner stuff. One, to protect and preserve the sheet metal. Two, to quiet the thing up. I plan on owning this until I'm bored with it. That might be 5 years, (doubtful), or that might be until I'm dead. Which may be inside of 5 years, who knows? Paint and body work, I'm hoping can happen over the winter of 22/23.


Then there's all the little things. I'm planning on new front and rear bumpers. The rear will have a tire carrier, possibly the ability to add another swing out for a basket to carry things like fuel can's or whatever. That one I would like removable. I haven't started putting any work in on that yet. I don't like the tire carrier hanging off the tub. Seems like a lot of potential for problems with it mounted like that. Plus I know one of my idiot friends will whip that tire open and dick my tub. I'd like that to swing open and have cable stop or something to prevent the tire from hitting the body.
 
I say "Welcome with open arms" and you need to have an open wallet :hillbilly:

No kidding on the open wallet part. I haven't done much and I've already spent a hair over $6k.....

I'm keeping everything in a spreadsheet, mostly because I like solid verification of my stupid....
 
Let me know if you end up building that bumper! I'd love to see how it looks on a cruiser.
 
Great sense of humor in your posts, and a very cool FJ40 find. You will make a great FJ40 owner.

I would not worry about the tire carrier swinging out and damaging the tub - nearly FJ40 owner has accidentally left the tire unlatched and had it swing open. There is a fair amount of friction in the factory hinges so its motion tends to be slightly damped.

I have no idea how long I thought I would own mine, but it's been since Oct. of 1990 and I still like the way is stares back at me my in my garage. I suspect you will find it the same.
 
Let me know if you end up building that bumper! I'd love to see how it looks on a cruiser.
The plan is to build it! I want to get my rear bumper idea pieced together and have both done at once.

Thanks again for your help, seeing it in a rendering really helped me wrap my brain around it. I might try and do the year in my cabinet software, then mock it up out of wood again.
 
The plan is to build it! I want to get my rear bumper idea pieced together and have both done at once.

Thanks again for your help, seeing it in a rendering really helped me wrap my brain around it. I might try and do the year in my cabinet software, then mock it up out of wood again.

Let me know if you want me to play around with the rear bumper. I get bored easily.
 
Great sense of humor in your posts, and a very cool FJ40 find. You will make a great FJ40 owner.

I would not worry about the tire carrier swinging out and damaging the tub - nearly FJ40 owner has accidentally left the tire unlatched and had it swing open. There is a fair amount of friction in the factory hinges so its motion tends to be slightly damped.

I have no idea how long I thought I would own mine, but it's been since Oct. of 1990 and I still like the way is stares back at me my in my garage. I suspect you will find it the same.

Great. Leaving it unlocked, something else to have anxiety about. 🤔 😬

I'm pretty in love with this little vehicle, coolest rig I've ever owned.
 
Only one problem with this picture do not think the Toyopet or Land Cruiser started until 1958. Even then the Land Cruiser was the FJ25. Besides most of those being FST with different front door opening they also had round wheel wells. The FJ40 didn't make it here until 1961. That style hard top until 1965. Maybe they meant 1967.

Great. Leaving it unlocked, something else to have anxiety about. 🤔 😬

I'm pretty in love with this little vehicle, coolest rig I've ever owned.
Welcome, Looks like you found a nice one at an affordable price.

At least you don't have to worry about not latching the hood down and watching it fly up while you're going down the road. Earlier models didn't have a safety catch.
 
Karl welcome to mud! Your assessment of what is out there and what people want is pretty darn spot-on for a guy new to Landcruisers. It made me laugh!!! Your rig looks pretty solid and a great starting point. Awesome community here on mud with loads of helpful like minded folks. Keep the pictures coming👍
 
Karl welcome to mud! Your assessment of what is out there and what people want is pretty darn spot-on for a guy new to Landcruisers. It made me laugh!!! Your rig looks pretty solid and a great starting point. Awesome community here on mud with loads of helpful like minded folks. Keep the pictures coming👍

I've been watching the market for a few years, things are getting a little out of hand.

I was in high school when the Supra was a bad ass car. I've always wanted one. A clean specimen now is $100k. Screw that nonsense. It was a cheap lump the day it left the line, and you can buy a lot more performance for a lot less money.
 

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