Great! The body I was most worried about as it looks as wide as the face plate and the opening is so small in the cruiser.
Build New here, no idea where to start.
- Thread starter Nader
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Great! The body I was most worried about as it looks as wide as the face plate and the opening is so small in the cruiser.
- Thread starter
- #162
Still waiting on some mounting brackets I ordered for the radio. Just got a speaker, too, to go in the stock location. That will need some slight modification as well to make it fit.
In the meantime, actually for the last few weeks, I've been slowly piecing together a tool kit for this truck, tool by tool. Went as far as England for the adjustable wrench, that I scored for about $20 shipped. I think I'm in this for about $100 total.
It's not perfect (rather it be a correct zippered bag), but it's all period-correct OEM Toyota and pretty complete, and I'm satisfied with it. Still on the hunt for the elusive jack cranking handle...
In the meantime, actually for the last few weeks, I've been slowly piecing together a tool kit for this truck, tool by tool. Went as far as England for the adjustable wrench, that I scored for about $20 shipped. I think I'm in this for about $100 total.
It's not perfect (rather it be a correct zippered bag), but it's all period-correct OEM Toyota and pretty complete, and I'm satisfied with it. Still on the hunt for the elusive jack cranking handle...
- Thread starter
- #163
Okay, finally got to work on the radio/CB installation. I really agonized over this, never installed a radio before, much less in a vintage vehicle not already set up for the intended unit. I couldn't find a reasonable way to mount the radio in dash, so I ordered a mounting kit that should have worked. Thinking that this would ease the process, I set out to mount a 3.5" speaker in the stock position. Not pictured is the perforated metal speaker guard that covers the speaker in the glovebox.
- Thread starter
- #164
Got the antennas situated, and all the wiring for the antennae and speaker set up. Thinking this is just going to be plug and play.
Well, the mounting kit wouldn't work, it's too wide for the opening in the dash. So I poked and prodded at the radio and dash, imagining some crazy cantilevered bracket setup using steel and aluminum strap. As I poked around some more, I realized that the radio mounting tabs on the dash were still there, just folded all the way back onto the inside of the dash. I unfolded them, and bent them out straight figuring I could use them to mount the radio head-on.
It took some cutting and drilling, it wasn't pretty, but I got 'er done. Breaker-breaker, good buddy! Now I need to come up with a good CB handle.
Well, the mounting kit wouldn't work, it's too wide for the opening in the dash. So I poked and prodded at the radio and dash, imagining some crazy cantilevered bracket setup using steel and aluminum strap. As I poked around some more, I realized that the radio mounting tabs on the dash were still there, just folded all the way back onto the inside of the dash. I unfolded them, and bent them out straight figuring I could use them to mount the radio head-on.
It took some cutting and drilling, it wasn't pretty, but I got 'er done. Breaker-breaker, good buddy! Now I need to come up with a good CB handle.
- Thread starter
- #165
Since I'm on a roll...
Remember that gaping hole in the dash left by the ill-mounted auxiliary fuel gauge, the gauge I deleted and whose signal I rewired into the stock gauge? I thought I'd install a block-off plate over it and put the CB mic hanger on it. Then I had a better idea. Whats the one useful instrument missing on the FJ40 dash, that a vintage radio also doesn't supply? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Yeah, a clock. But I got a little nutty, and put in an aircraft clock!
Remember that gaping hole in the dash left by the ill-mounted auxiliary fuel gauge, the gauge I deleted and whose signal I rewired into the stock gauge? I thought I'd install a block-off plate over it and put the CB mic hanger on it. Then I had a better idea. Whats the one useful instrument missing on the FJ40 dash, that a vintage radio also doesn't supply? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Yeah, a clock. But I got a little nutty, and put in an aircraft clock!
- Thread starter
- #166
Finally found the last piece of the toolkit puzzle. These jack handle cranks are proving pretty hard to find on their own. Been looking for months. When I saw this pop up on my eBay alert, I snapped it up. Embarrassed to say how much I spent, but it's the last piece and the patina is good match to the rest of the kit. Already have the rods, they're mounted in their clips out back.
Yeah, not much of an update, but I think this marks the end of the parts collection phase of the project truck. Now it's just a matter of making it all solid and a little less ugly. That'll have to wait until this summer when I have good enough weather to weld in panels and paint it all. See you then!
Yeah, not much of an update, but I think this marks the end of the parts collection phase of the project truck. Now it's just a matter of making it all solid and a little less ugly. That'll have to wait until this summer when I have good enough weather to weld in panels and paint it all. See you then!
- Thread starter
- #168
All was well until I snapped half the rusty fasteners with the air impact gun. While drilling out the screw heads for the rear gate thing (which happens to be at crotch level), a drill bit snapped under heavy drill pressure, and got to my pants in the crotch area. I nearly castrated myself. Or at the least, almost gave myself a low cost partial vasectomy. Damn! This could have been a trip to the emergency room.
Didn't get to the skin, bit if it did, it wouldn't be the first time I've sought medical attention for FJ40-related injuries; I've had 2 eye injuries, despite religiously wearing eye protection. I've had both a corneal abrasion and a case of iritis after getting bits of metal in my eye from grinding rusty metal on the Land Cruiser on different occasions. Why can't this truck just love me? I'm going to shop Amazon for athletic cups before I work on this rig again.
Didn't get to the skin, bit if it did, it wouldn't be the first time I've sought medical attention for FJ40-related injuries; I've had 2 eye injuries, despite religiously wearing eye protection. I've had both a corneal abrasion and a case of iritis after getting bits of metal in my eye from grinding rusty metal on the Land Cruiser on different occasions. Why can't this truck just love me? I'm going to shop Amazon for athletic cups before I work on this rig again.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #169
Getting serious about rust repair. Here's the new sill, and some patch panels. Old sill looked like something brought up after decades on the ocean floor.
Old metal fence stake (with welded extension) to hold the quarters together.
Old metal fence stake (with welded extension) to hold the quarters together.
- Thread starter
- #170
Here's that old sill, nearly unidentifiable.
Nice work on the rig. Always good seeing non-metal getting replaced with metal. 
Also amazed at how many pictures on Mud I see of guys wearing flip flops or tevas and shorts and short sleeves while working on their rigs. Expect injuries.
Also amazed at how many pictures on Mud I see of guys wearing flip flops or tevas and shorts and short sleeves while working on their rigs. Expect injuries.
just spent my sunday morning with a cup of coffee reading through the whole post and the history of your rig - great progress and great info along the way!
Keep at it!
Keep at it!
- Thread starter
- #174
Thanks! I would spend entire mornings reading other peoples' build threads, as well. Gives inspiration and motivation. Hope I can do the same.
But I need to correct the part where I THOUGHT I fixed the auxiliary fuel tank sender's readout to the stock fuel gauge. My potentiometer experiment didn't work. It's not a linear relationship between Full and Empty that a simple pot could fix. Will need a $120 electronic adapter to fix it, versus the more difficult process (but more elegant result) of going into the aux. tank to rig up a stock sender in there.
And yes, kids, wear proper safety gear. It's always when you think it's a small task that doesn't need protection, but then gets you! Though I'm also the same guy who wears a tank top and sandals on the motorcycle because I'm just going down the street to pick up some beer.
- Thread starter
- #175
After several hours of tremendous effort, copious home-brew penetrating fluid (ATF+acetone), some blue wrench, and negligible injuries, I managed to remove 11 of 12 rusty bolts to remove the running boards. I'm impressed how strong these fine-pitch fasteners are; I put a lot of force on a 1/2" breaker bar and even destroyed my neighbor's HF ratcheting box wrench in the process.
What kind of reward is customary for this kind of success? I'm taking the rest of the day off and may imbibe something fun. I'm eyeballing the wife but I don't think she's as impressed with my efforts as I am...
What kind of reward is customary for this kind of success? I'm taking the rest of the day off and may imbibe something fun. I'm eyeballing the wife but I don't think she's as impressed with my efforts as I am...
Nice. The wife needs to understand the rewards required for such fine efforts. It should be in the manual.
- Thread starter
- #178
Never
Never
Never ever
Tell your wife or girlfriend how much things really cost for this rig... no matter what...
Always cut the number in half then round down
You will see.
Friend, you're preaching to the choir. Wife and I have an agreement. She doesn't question what I spend on this heap, and I don't question (much) all the organic food and mountain of crap that she buys for the kids.
And what goes better with some cold beer, or Cranberry & Grey Goose? Well some pizza dipped in PB Blaster and rust, of course!
Nice work on the 40!
Last edited: