My TLC experience (3 Viewers)

[sogncab]

Whoa. That was unpleasant. 1 down, 3 to go.

The front bushing was seized onto the pin. I wailed on that thing with a 2# maul and could not get it to budge. Properly equipped, it would've been a cake walk, but I've got the most basic of mechanical tools. Finally clipped off the edge of the spring and the bushing off with a death wheel. Had everything gone well, I would've gotten the rear done tonight.

I'm shooting tomorrow, if it looks like rain I might just work on this instead.

Two bushings were seized on this corner, if the other three are in the same state, I'll bet the ride will be much improved. All the bushings are rotten, that can't be helping anything.

Super nice having the tranny and t-case out. Plenty of room under there

 

[sogncab]

On the forward end of the spring, there's a plate that bolts to the mount. Those bolts are too long and hit the spring now. I either f'd up, or it's different than the original.

Anybody else experience this?

My first thought is to either replaceI them, or cut them down, but just wanted to make sure I hadn't done something incorrectly first.

 

[Dizzy]

Those two screws are probably too long. They might be intended for a different spring? Just shorten them with the cut-off wheel, and create a taper with a file. Just make sure that the spring pin mounts don't have any sand or rust to bugger up your new hardware. I ran a tap thru some of mine.

 

[1969FJ]

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.

I certainly somewhat feel the same , but, please take a look at the past. Moses Ludell wrote a book and remembered the 1960's as a entry level service station attendant. Also he was a car enthusiast. When Toyota was bringing the FJ40 , he said the US was looking at them as "beer can quality". Well , looking back , how wrong we were. Since the timeframe, the assembly in Japan, they exceeded our USA quality. Many people here bought Japanese cars as if they were endless. They hacked and modified FJ40's as if they were tin toys when America was making budget cars that rusted out. Let us just say that anything in design is timeless , especially when the generation that were involved making them are long gone.
The FJ40 deserves 100K plus because of all it is. Some people complain because of timing. Actually , timing is everything. I could have bought bitcoin for 30.00 and now is over 50,000.00 . Of course bitcoin is cyber and FJ40 is not. Also , performance is subjective. I like the FJ40 because of durability. A muscle car would never go where I needed a vehicle to go.

 

[sogncab]

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.

When I was about 21 I taco'd a hood on an S10. Scared the crap outta me. I was filling the washer fluid, forgot I needed to do something, ran into the house then back out and took off. About 45 mph, the wind grabbed it. Dented the roof, the hood was a write off, hinges were fine, but it took me 8 months driving around looking like I forgot my helmet with a ratchet strap holding my physics modified hood down.

Never again.

 

[KimoTheBJ40]

mostly because I like solid verification of my stupid....

I no longer need verification...

 

[sogncab]

I certainly somewhat feel the same , but, please take a look at the past. Moses Ludell wrote a book and remembered the 1960's as a entry level service station attendant. Also he was a car enthusiast. When Toyota was bringing the FJ40 , he said the US was looking at them as "beer can quality". Well , looking back , how wrong we were. Since the timeframe, the assembly in Japan, they exceeded our USA quality. Many people here bought Japanese cars as if they were endless. They hacked and modified FJ40's as if they were tin toys when America was making budget cars that rusted out. Let us just say that anything in design is timeless , especially when the generation that were involved making them are long gone.
The FJ40 deserves 100K plus because of all it is. Some people complain because of timing. Actually , timing is everything. I could have bought bitcoin for 30.00 and now is over 50,000.00 . Of course bitcoin is cyber and FJ40 is not. Also , performance is subjective. I like the FJ40 because of durability. A muscle car would never go where I needed a vehicle to go.

Timing is everything. And hindsight is always 20/20. I wish I would've bought one 20 years ago. When they could be found in nice condition, and for reasonable prices. 20 years ago though, girls, drinking, and motocross were the only things I cared about.

I ordered my pickup in 2018. It's a 3500 with a Cummins and a standard transmission. One of the last built I bet. I hate that thing. Terrible mileage and gutless. I had an 01' 2500 before that, I wouldn't say modified, but it had some bolt on stuff, and programming. That pickup ripped, got excellent mileage, and had hardly any problems in 300k miles. I feel ripped off with my current pickup.

 

[sogncab]

Those two screws are probably too long. They might be intended for a different spring? Just shorten them with the cut-off wheel, and create a taper with a file. Just make sure that the spring pin mounts don't have any sand or rust to bugger up your new hardware. I ran a tap thru some of mine.

Those are the bolts that came out of those holes. I'll measure the thickness of the plate, maybe there's that much of a difference, but I feel like that isn't the case. Could be they just cleared the factory springs. There's a lot more steel in the new ones.

I hit just about everything a week ago with penetrate, and it came apart nicely. I didn't feel the need to clean up the threads.

 

[1969FJ]

Timing is everything. And hindsight is always 20/20. I wish I would've bought one 20 years ago. When they could be found in nice condition, and for reasonable prices. 20 years ago though, girls, drinking, and motocross were the only things I cared about.

I ordered my pickup in 2018. It's a 3500 with a Cummins and a standard transmission. One of the last built I bet. I hate that thing. Terrible mileage and gutless. I had an 01' 2500 before that, I wouldn't say modified, but it had some bolt on stuff, and programming. That pickup ripped, got excellent mileage, and had hardly any problems in 300k miles. I feel ripped off with my current pickup.

I agree. I also own a 1999 Dodge Cummins and have followed the issues that Cummins has to deal with on the newer models. Diesels were a great idea until Gov/Money got involved.

 

[sogncab]

You might be hardcore Toyota, but are you Toyota floor jack hardcore?

 

[sogncab]

Lift is in. I'm pretty happy with the stance.
I failed to measure the rear, but the front is 2" on the seeds higher.

 

[sogncab]

Here's where I'm probably going to piss off some purists.

I really like the Pollux Orange. The only other color I'm interested in is a non Toyota color, and that's a BMW color called Nardo Grey. It's a beautiful grey, but I'm kinda over grey.

I want to put a more modern wheel on, but something simple. FJ Company uses a similar wheel, and I think it's sharp looking. The problem is these wheels only come in a 4½ setback. I emailed Method this morning to see if they'd send me a dxf cross section of the wheel so I can cut out a template on the router and check clearance. My gut says it won't work without going to a 17" wheel. I'm not sure I want to go to a wheel that large as I'm currently not planning on putting a tire larger than a 31".

I don't like idea of spacers, but I haven't ruled it out. My question is, could the steering arms be shortened without completely hosing the Ackerman, or making it very physical to steer? I do plan on adding power steering, but I wouldn't want the strain on the components to be excessive and cause issues. Option 3 is to find another wheel.

And since I'm crapping on purists, I really like Icon's door mount mirrors, but $1k for mirrors is out of my budget. I ordered some mirrors from Kubota. I'm skeptical they'll achieve what I want, and I'll have to machine out a different mount to attach it to the hinge. But the mirrors that are on there currently are fricking terrible.

 

[DangerNoodle]

Nardo gray is realllyyyy nice though.

I'd keep the patina though. A color change is a lot of work.

 

[sogncab]

Nardo gray is realllyyyy nice though.

I'd keep the patina though. A color change is a lot of work.

This thing is on the edge of a precipice. If preservation doesn't happen soon, it'll slide off that edge, and start to rot out. It needs to be stripped, and protected.

 

[sogncab]

Nardo gray is realllyyyy nice though.

I'd keep the patina though. A color change is a lot of work.

And I agree, nardo grey is awesome. Just not sure this is the project for that color, for me

 

[middlecalf]

Are you talking about the hood and fenders (at least passenger in picture) being on the precipice? They are not anywhere near the precipice of rust rot. If you want to stay patina’d, those are in perfect shape for that. Search the patina thread, it’s full of good info on keeping the patina. But if you do want to paint your rig, that Pollux orange is totally tripendicular. But no bumper tits .

 

[JMZ400]

Congrats on your new 40. What makes the automotive world go round is our individualized tastes and mods to our vehicles. That said, I seem to have a tough time accepting colors that were never used during a certain time period regardless of car brands.

Having bought my 40 and immediately tore it apart for a color change which I enjoyed, there are now days I wish I'd kept it white and enjoyed whatever patina came my way. It will only be original once. No pressure!

As for the methods I'm a fan as I run them on my 4runner, however I cant say the finish on the machine color has held up very well.

 

[Dizzy]

If I knew anything about chemical stripping paint, I'd go exhibitionist / steak with a 40, proudly showing the spotwelds, rust, manufacture tooling stresses, bad bondo, etc. Until then, I have black and white camera settings, and rust.

Boeshield it, then use the foam sponge that comes with a can of Mequires auto paint wax, after it turns chalky looking, about a week or two later. I personally spend zero time on rust and dirt/oxidation removal, from this point forward, I'm over that already. You can also use straight paraffin wax on a super hot day, or on parts that won't matter if they get exposed to a tiny bit of propane from a soldering torch. Just paint the rear flares, and the steel spokes, probably a primer grey (flat or gloss) and it will look great.

Or, paint it. Pollux, whatever. I got really close to buying a 40 in flat grey primer, I like that look too.

I'll buy your old leaf springs, if they not scarred from the cut-off wheel; are they for sale?

 

[badsamaritan]

Great thread! I started out in a 46 Willy's flat fender that's still sitting in front of my parents place. I've tried for years to get them to let me take it home, even repented for all my childhood sins and no dice.

 

[sogncab]

I'll buy your old leaf springs, if they not scarred from the cut-off wheel; are they for sale?

No mas on the springs.