Builds New here, no idea where to start.

[thebigredrocker]

Looks to be the OEM MasterVac booster, that's cool. I've read that guys will pull the booster check valve and stick a long zip tie down inside the booster to check for brake fluid. Apparantly it's a common cause boosters going bad. I've thought about using thin wire with something like a gun bore cleaning patch twisted on at the wire end.

I think Cruiser Outfitters has rebuild kits if you want to try your hand at refurbising you brake cylinders. There's posts on mud about that.

Have a good beefy shouldered 10mm line wrench to break loose your brake fittings. I found it helps to heat some of the brake fittings with a small butane torch. Obviously don't overheat the rubber hoses. I had one pop on me

Looks like some sorta relay hanging off your heater blower. Maybe winch or lights?

 

[gator25]

Welcome That's supposed to be the mud greeting, man you going to learn a lot here. Have fun and don't keep up with the money you spend on it.

 

[Nader]

Hey, thanks for the welcome. I'm off to a good start, financially. Fella at the local O'Reilly's auto parts store, whom I'm getting to know because of my other odd cars, spotted me an 8" length of fuel filler hose for free (normally $17/ft), so I can repair that auxiliary filler neck that was torn out by the shredded flat. I also got this vintage '77 Hayne's manual for $8 at the local used book store.

 

[shawnfj40]

Welcome and your gonna need the FSM at some point.

 

[tls3601]

Yes the FSM is "the bomb" so to speak. Welcome!

 

[Downey]

Comments on your rusty rear tank:
(1) Many guys use a rear aux. tank as there one and only tank, it holds more gallons, and it allows you to mount a set of front bucket seats lower (ideal for tall guys).
(2) Your tank looks like the one that has two bolts going through tubes welded into the tank, and up into the rear sheet metal floor to mount the tank, I suspect this since skid plate does not lay directly against the bottom of the tank, no doubt laying against the heads of the bolts. Problem with this design is eventually the weight of the fuel cracks the welds holding the tubes into the tank, then you have a leaker- - -have to hope this does not happen out on the trail.
(3) Your tank has a bad departure angle, hanging down so far below the frame. Look at the 6th photo on ebay #252797662512, it has a good departure angle.
(4) When on that ebay page, note the nylon tank is tested tougher than steel, does not rust, and has a righteous sunken filler neck that makes that corner of your sheet metal even stronger..

 

[UltraFJ40]

You've got a really nice rig. I'm jealous as most of the junk around here is way overpriced or been converted to a swmp buggy ride.

 

[Nader]

Instead of getting this rig roadworthy, I decided to fix up the gun barrel clips. I put heatshrink tubing over them so they won't mar the barrels.

 

[Nader]

A coupla ways to transport a coupla rifles:

 

[allan man]

Welcome aboard! That looks like alot of work ahead of you...but fun! Nice 40 btw...

 

[caladin]

Hey man,

Couple good links for you, I'm on my first cruiser, also an early 76, so this is stuff i found handy, (start with the faq, even before these, just browsing the article titles so you know what is there already) the vast majority of what I've done is because of folks here kindly helping.

1975 to 1980 FSM new on amazon $16 , Prime...
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/1522939245/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Color Wiring diagram for 75-76 fj 40 $17, this one is laid out like the car, unlike others and is handy.
Amazon.com: 1975-1976 Toyota Landcruiser FJ40 11" x 17" Color Wiring Diagrams: Automotive

Goto this page, it's FULL of FJ40 wiring diagrams, search for "1976FJ40" there is a wiring diagram and Pictures of the entire wiring harness for a 76 out of teh car... so so so handy. has the FSM and Haynes diagram
Coolerman's Electrical Schematic and FSM File Retrieval

Vector Color wiring diagram for a 78, not every wire is identical, but i have it printed huge and on my garage fridge, right above the other diagram,
http://www.globalsoftware-inc.com/c...ics/FJ40/1978FJ40/1978fj40_wiring_diagram.pdf

This is my favorite, its a 78 wiring harness, all stretched out and when you click on a number it zooms in on that plug of the harness and tells you what it is... (Open the very large version for zoom, and reference the plug by # in the thread)
The thread
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/fj40-wire-harness-reference-september-1976.430560/
FJ40 Wire Harness Reference - December 1978

Next to last is a bit of advice I wished I'd followed faster (even though i did it pretty early)
Pull all the fuses from your fuse box, sand all the clips in the fuse box shiny with some reasonably fine sand paper , and put in brand new fuses... solved about 80% of my electrical issues in one go...

And lastly, if you have an electrical problem after that, assume it's a ground, and run a jump wire from the neg post of the battery straight to where you are working first to test that...

Good Luck !

Cal/Eric-

 

[Nader]

Cal/Eric: Thank you sooo much. That advice and those links are pure gold. Everyone here is very encouraging and helpful, glad I joined up!

 

[caladin]

Your winch question got a burr in my brain, found this...
Warn 4-pin controller?

I'd ask someone to double check the plug is correct, but it looks right,

One guy said he rewired his with a plug for the new controller, might be a better option...

 

[Strait Cruisin]

Hey Washingtonian! Mine's a 76 too, sn 22232x, made in April so next month it'll be 41 years old. Mine doesn't have any paint on it right now though.

 

[Nader]

I went to the big 4x4 swap meet in Puyallup, WA today. FJ40s were underrepresented. But I did score a couple of small things. Like this cracked rear lens that was less broken than what came with the car, er, truck. Here's my super slo-mo restoration, before and after:

 

[Nader]

At the swap meet, I saw a '70 FJ that had a lot of work done to it to make it reliable including engine rebuild and new wiring harness. It needed paint, but the body was solid. Didn't cost much more than mine. I'm kicking myself a little right now for being impulsive and buying this rusty hulk. To make matters worse, I degreased the engine yesterday, hosed it off, and now it won't start. Coil and distributor are dry. Starter fluid makes no difference. Makes me sad. But on the bright side, I did win a raffle at the swap meet for an ARB Twin Air compressor. Mmmm, onboard air. I wonder what that's like. Maybe I should get some air lockers... Maybe I should get the engine running, windshield replaced, and the rust fixed...

 

[Nader]

I've isolated my no-start issue to lack of spark. I shouldn't have hosed off the engine like that, I thought the rig was robust enough to shirk a little moisture. Anyway, what I notice is that with the ignition on, this white bit above the coil starts to smoke. I'm guessing that's not normal. I don't even know what this is. Any ideas what's going on?

 

[mtquivr]

That's a ballast resistor. The smoke may be the degreaser burning off? You need to use a meter to see if you're getting voltage to the coil.

 

[Nader]

...And lastly, if you have an electrical problem after that, assume it's a ground, and run a jump wire from the neg post of the battery straight to where you are working first to test that...

Good Luck !

Cal/Eric-

caladin was absolutely correct; check the ground. After a couple hours of poking and prodding the engine bay, mentally preparing myself to sell this heap at a loss, I remembered his advice to check the ground. I unbolted it from the body, took a Scotch-brite pad to it and the lead, reconnected it, and crossed my fingers. The engine sprang to life before it even turned a complete revolution.

 

[DTSkyCop]

Here is a GOOD SPOT to get Field Service Manuals for a VERY SPECIAL Price... Try this..:

For Sale - 40, 50, 60, and 80 series FSM for a hell of a price.