New FJ40 owner

[HodTay]

I was just gifted an inoperable 1971 FJ40 from the estate of my deceased uncle. I'm in the planning stages of how to get the rig back on the road as my daily driver.

The rig is without an engine and was last registered in 1992. All associated power train parts including the transmission/transfer case, bell housing, flywheel, drive lines, radiator, fan shroud are stored in back of the rig. It looks as though my uncle was possibly planning an engine swap. The rig is lifted with rear fender skirts and has what I think is a Saginaw steering box conversion (the steering box mount bracket looks suspect). There is an auxiliary rear fuel take. The body has minimal rust.

I'm looking for experienced opinions of how I might proceed with an engine conversion. I live in the Placerville CA area and I think 1971 is smog exempt. What engine should I consider? Should I reuse the three-speed on the tree transmission? etc., etc..

I'll mention that I visited a land cruiser restoration specialist that recommended an aluminum tub and a turn-key restoration but my rig has very little body rust compared to the in-process jobs he showed me so I think I could start with just getting the rig operable so the DMV will complete the vehicle registration (DMV needs to see an operable vehicle to issue new plates and the registration). I would proceed with additional daily driver conversion activities going forward.

I'd welcome any comments or suggestions. I'm recently retired and able to do the work myself. I bought a new Land Cruiser in 1976 and eventually rebuilt and installed a 350/four bolt main engine in it. Frankly it's exciting to be a Land Cruiser owner again.

Thanks.

 

[greenbeast]

Must show some pics or it didn't happen!!! Congrats sounds like a great project. More then a little experience with these matters on mud.

It always starts with one, then the addiction get's ya! Welcome!

 

[HodTay]

Some photos of my '71 fj40.

 

[FARMAN33]

Very nice dry looking 40. If I was gifted this... I would source a 2F and it's 4 spd trans. Everything else looks really good. Nice that it is already lifted and has an appropriate tire / wheel combination. Believe it or not you are pretty far ahead of the restoration game with all you have here. Welcome to MUD!!!

 

[78fj40mg]

Very nice rig!
Welcome to MUD!

 

[ColoradoFJ40]

Lucky you are.

 

[Uzjgaspowered]

Welcome a board! Whatever you do make sure enjoy your time with your cruiser!

 

[sggoat]

If you fix the bezel, it will prob fix itself---'cept for the engine, of course--Ha!

 

[ginmtb]

Wow what a beauty! Great starting point - sorry you got it the way you got it.

Love the not for sale sign...

 

[Franz]

What FARMAN33 said. Absolutely no need for a new tub!

 

[skidplate]

Never seen a "not for sale" sign. Must of had a lot of guys asking "Is that for sale?"

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

what do you want to do with it? SBC is a great option (lighter, better mpg, lower costs of ownership). Or even a better question - what do you enjoy about the '40? if you want to drive it a bunch, dynamat, and any of a bunch of diesel options... truly the world is your oyster.

 

[winnie]

wow, you have a survivor there ... I'm in the restore/refurbish, keep it Toyota camp and assuming the body/tub is as good as it looks in the pics I'd be tempted not to even paint it ... it depends on how much time/money you want to spend and what you want from the truck ... welcome to the Forum ...

 

[DSRTRDR]

blue is faster

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

It's true! All of my blue FJ40s had 302 Ford motors in them, all my tan ones had straight 6s. (2 blue, 6 tans). If his rig had been tan, well, then stock is the right option

 

[philthyphil]

Mine looked a lot like yours when I bought it except I had a motor and stock suspension. As others have said, yours is in very good condition. I'd put a 3FE in with a H55F transmission. That keeps it all Toyota and gives you the modern convenience of fuel injection. At least that's what I did. Purists might say to stay with the carb but it's about what you want. I'd be in no hurry to paint it and if you want to just protect the body from rusting from DD'ing it, rattle bomb it. Mine took 6 cans of Rustoleum red and from a distance you can't even tell. It's faded a bit over the years but to me it looks like it should vs. nice and shiny, and it touches up easy after wheeling trips when necessary.

Day I brought her home.

After I cleaned her up.

Stunk up the block for a couple days and I had red boogers...

 

[HodTay]

I'm driving 500 miles north to valley hybrids in Stockton to a swap meet where I'm to test drive a 74 fj40 that is scheduled for an engine/transmission conversion. I may buy the stuff that will be taken out for the conversion. I think the donor transmission is a 4 speed and I think the newer engine may have design improvements over the engine that came out of my uncle's rig.

Looks lIke my rig may be much closer to being back on the road after tomorrow's test drive.

 

[handcannon]

The 74 motor should be what is called the transition year motor. Still an F motor(displacement), but with the 2F oiling/filtration system. The 1971 F (what mine is) had the oil filter bolted to the side of the intake/exhaust manifolds. The 74 will have the filter on the passenger side, and mounted directly to the block. The 71 head received oil through a copper tube that comes up from the lifter galley, through a hole in the head, just like a lifter pushrod, and attaches to one of the blocks that hold the rocker shaft, and then through the shaft to oil the rockers. The 74 is a much simplified system with all the oil passages cast/machined into the head that direct oil to the rockers.

The 74 is the first year of the four speed transmission, I think. Big difference between the three and four speed transmissions. The three is non-syncro in first, while the four is syncro in all four gears. I've only driven one with a four speed, and it was smooth shifting.

I hope all the 74 driveline is in good shape as I think you'll be happy with it.

Don

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

A 2f and 4speed would be perfect for what you have there. A diesel would be cool as well but a 2f and 4speed would be my choice if it was me. I don't know anything about diesel motors but if you do that might be something you want to look into. You could always run the 2f and build a diesel motor for it if that's your fancy.
That is a great looking 40. My eyesight is poor though so don't call me out if I missed some fatal flaw. But that looks like a sound 40, I don't see rust in the common areas that they normally have and that is a cool color blue. I would keep the blue.

The swap meet sounds cool, I've read many good things about that shop, if I wasn't across the country I would check it out.

Don't rush your decision but it does sound like your headed in the right direction, like someone else said try to keep it Toyota parts if you can. They are legendary for a reason.

Also before you leave for the swap meet flip the front grill bezel like mentioned about then take pictures to show off the cool cruiser you got. If you show up with an upside down bezel that's the first thing your going to hear from everyone that sees it.

I have to ask Is that thing forsale?

 

[HodTay]

I just figured out the upside-down bezel comments. I've been so excited I didn't even notice.

Thanks for the explanation of the 1974 transition engine. Would I be smarter holding out for a later F2? Somehow testing the running gear and a shop doing the drop out seems like a very good option to get the 40 back on the road and back on the DMV's books while I see where I go from here.

For the interested ones I'll take a few photos of potential donor 40 and I'll probably have more questions.

Thanks