New Poster, not new to FJ40's (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Threads
14
Messages
123
Location
Near Omaha Ne
I bought my first FJ40 in 1976, it was a 67 soft top. I owned 2 more through the 70's and early 80's, until I bought my 3rd in the late 80's and for the first time actually did a rebuild. Somewhere I have pictures of that rebuild. I just bought my 4th one, after many, many years: A 1976 cruiser, painted orange. Its been close to 30 years since I owned my last one, and I have both forgotten a lot and things have changed a lot. There were bulletin board servers like Prodigy and Compuserve but the Internet was still a ways away. So some of my questions will be where do you get parts at and in at least a couple questions are of the what would you recommend variety. My initial needs or wants are:

  1. Mirrors. The Cruiser has factory original small round and won't stay adjusted type currently.
  2. Seat Belts. Only 3 point. The lap belts are there and work, so if I replace them I want 3 point belts.
  3. Weber Carb. It's a new electronic choke carb. Warm weather its fine, cold weather the choke doesn't really work.
  4. Exhaust system. Previous owner put on custom headers (standard 2F engine other than the carburetor) and a glass pack muffler. It end underneath the front seats of the vehicle. Anything I need to be aware of/should ask for or about?
I already kind of cheated and have been looking on this board, the blinkers didn't work when I got it. Usually (experience with my other 3 FJ's) its a ground problem. This time it wasn't, although the ultimate reason as to why the blinkers didn't flash was the same. The bulbs in the blinkers were all 10 watt, they didn't pull enough current for the flasher to work. I was looking for electrical schematics and found links here but I really didn't need them, as I decided to check everything before trying to chase wires and grounds everywhere, and found the bulbs weren't right.

I will probably get more specific with the questions above in individual posts, especially the Weber Carb. I need to see if I can find a model number on the carb, or if there is paperwork about it. The previous owner gave me all of the paperwork he had, I haven't gone through it all yet.

Hope to own this one forever. I always regretted selling the other 3, pretty much from the day I sold them.
 
I remember the pre internet days when you ordering cruiser parts was a huge hassle. Now I use Cruiser Corps, Specter Off Road and Cool Cruisers of Texas for the majority of my parts needs. Post up some pictures of your 40. We love pictures. 1976 is the best year too. 👍
 
Welcome to Mud!

The three screws on the choke housing, with the electrical spade, loosen. If you rotate it, it will change your choke setting. If your choke breaker (vacuum actuated diaphragm on the end of the choke) is leaking, then you will not get enough air after you get vacuum. Post up pics of the carb. Is it not fully closing, or is it not opening?
 
I remember the pre internet days when you ordering cruiser parts was a huge hassle. Now I use Cruiser Corps, Specter Off Road and Cool Cruisers of Texas for the majority of my parts needs. Post up some pictures of your 40. We love pictures. 1976 is the best year too. 👍

I've got a few pics but none of the interior. I'll take a couple more including the inside and post them all soon.....
 
Dizzy correctly describes the choke adjustment in his post. It is a very simple system so don't hesitate to make some adjustments yourself.
I got a lot of info from the Carbs Unlimited website about how Webers work. They are very adamant about keeping the fuel pressure below 4 psi.
 
Welcome from Reno, NV. For mirrors, I have the type that mount to the windshield hinge and they don't stay adjusted if you open the door too far.
 
If don't have three point seat belts up front probably a pre 1/76 production 76 model. I have a 10/75 76 model. It currently only has lap belts. Debating using a 77 hard top I have that has the brackets for three point seat belts or use a 2/78+ roll bar that has the brackets to mount the three point seat belt at the base of the main bar.

For mirror believe replacement mirror are still available. Been using them on different cruisers since 1974 and can't complain. The 9/76 plastic head crack at the mounting point and hard to keep tight.
 
Any pics of your previous 40s? I'm on my 2nd 40, and I'm trying to tell myself that the next 40 will be a 55.

Yes, and no. I have pictures of them but they were taken with a 35 mm film camera and the pictures were never put into a photo album. They got packed away when we moved (needing money for the new house was the reason I sold my last Cruiser in the early 90's) and although I'm sure they are still around I haven't unpacked a lot of things from that move or the move I made just 6 years later. When it comes to personal items, don't procrastinate, catalog it soon afterwards. Especially since its much easier to do now than it was then. We've actually started unboxing stuff and scanning it onto a hard drive, but I don't know when I will come across those particular pictures.
 
Welcome from Reno, NV. For mirrors, I have the type that mount to the windshield hinge and they don't stay adjusted if you open the door too far.

Thats good to know. I don't remember if the larger square mirrors on my previous 77 Cruiser were were mirror or door mounted. And if door mounted, an independent mount on the door or using the door hinge. That was the one that I did a pretty complete rehab both body and engine with. I did the engine/clutch/drivetrain work myself but had a body shop do the bodywork. No bondo, all metal and the rear tub was bought from Japan and spliced in. I was very happy with how that one looked and took a lot of pictures of the body tear down, painting and re-assembly. And when I find them I will post some of them, even though the work was about 35 years ago.

The other, earlier Cruisers I owned were fix only as necessary because I didn't have money to do a lot. Land Cruisers were still expensive then but no where near what they are now if they are in decent shape. And they were still making new ones in the very early 80's so there were more of them available.
 

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