New to FJ55s. . .

[Tom FJ55]

Hello -

I am in the early stages of learning about "Pigs" and am hoping to find some evaluation help from you guys. Maybe smack me back into reality. I am looking for a winter project and may have the opportunity to pick up a '72 (I think) FJ55 from a friend.

I found this forum through some web searching and from suggestions from another car related forum I frequent. . .

Just like all projects, there's some good, some bad etc.... It currently does not run but was driven to where it's currently "resting". It's been parked and non-running for a bunch of years - maybe 8+? I went to take a look at it today and have some pics to share - see below.

The roof is munched in, but it's still dry inside as far as I can tell. I honestly don't really know what I'm looking at or for, but it seems pretty stock and complete to me. Most of the "little things" seem to be present.

My main question is what do you think it'll take to get it drivable? I do realize that's a very open ended and hard to answer question as everyone has a different idea of what "drivable" is. Mine would start with safe. All the critical systems must work - brakes, lights, steering, tires etc... and be safe. Other than heat and defrost, creature comforts are not that important. Cosmetics, beyond being "safe" and not about to disintegrate due to rust, are not that important. Patina is good in my book.

I would be doing much if not all the work myself, so parts cost only, labor is free. How much might I need to put into it to get it on the road? $2K, $3K, $5K? and would I likely be able to sell it for what I'd have into it a year or two from now?

Here's some info from some of the tags I found on it:

April '72
FJ5527633
Model FJ55LG
Engine F
odo reads 33,300 (not that that means much)
3-speed trans.
has overdrive (is this stock?)
has AC (is this stock?)

I am not new to working on older cars, but this a departure from what I've had most of my experience with. My other (love) has been a '74 Porsche 911 that I've basically rebuilt/upgraded/replaced every system on. A "Pig" is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from a small, light, quick car! That's OK though - I'd have my bases covered with both and living in Idaho, I'm sure I'd get a lot of fun use out of it.

My primary concern is rust - aside from everywhere, are there some specific place I should look that might help determine if it's worth the effort to get it back on the road? I'm not scared of having to do some welding, but doing a frame off restoration is something I'm not looking to bite off at the moment. . .

What's it worth as it sits now and what might it be worth in running condition?

Thanks so much for your input.

Tom

 

[Tom FJ55]

I've got a bunch more photos to upload, but I think due to being a newbie, the system won't let me. . . hmmmm

Tom

 

[romegadave]

Welcome Tom!!!! You'll really enjoy Mud and find a lot of useful info here. Great folks too! Maybe after 10 posts you can load more pics (BTW we love pics) or spend the $20 and buy a silver star which gives you many perks. I've got to update my membership soon.

Can't wait to see more pics of your rig

 

[uglyoinker]

Welcome sir. That pig looks to be in pretty good shape! Also looks like you'll have to move quite a bit of crap to get it out. More pictures please. Also explain the overdrive? Not stock. As far as a budget goes those things are rarely useful. Whatever number you set the pig will stray from it.
Jake

 

[Pighead]

overdrive was not stock, neither was the air conditioner...

 

[Pighead]

If the F engine was running when it was parked, it will start with moderate coaxing. They are not finicky at all. There are many threads here about bringing one back to life, I'll not repeat them here. '72 brakes are all drum and will need work. Probably best to plan on discs all around, not difficult at all. Steering could be brought up to good as new fairly easily, but power steering is also not too difficult. improved headlights and headlight wiring harnesses are easily had. They are very, very simple and modern components are easily added.
The overdrive is probably a Fairey unit. very few parts remain in circulation.
Worst place to have rust, IMO, would be the roof. They all rust in the front fender, behind the wheel. also the rocker panels under the doors. Tailgate corners, rear sill, just to name a few. Floor boards and body mounts can rust, these are replaceable. The type and amount of rust usually depends on what part of the country the Pig lived in. Sheetmetal in the earlier Pigs was thicker than the later Pigs and may withstand the rust better, then again, they're older.
Hard to tell by those pics of course, But I bet you could get it started and running pretty cheaply. You can do 4 wheel discs for about a grand ( does the '72 already have the dualcircuit M/C?) which would make you get new tie-rod ends. and stuff.
You could probably get a safe runner if you threw 2 grand at it, but budget for 3 to start. You will never be able to sell it for what you put into it. You makes your monthly car payment one way or another.
It doesn't look bad, need more pics.

 

[MiniPigg]

Pighead gave you some good info... I did not see the stick for the overdrive. Would you be able to post a photo of the shifters or the item that was said to be an overdrive.

I had a Fairey OD on my first FJ55. It came from the prior owner. The OD grenade'd and took out the transmission. He bought all the parts to repair the Fairey but never installed them and left the Fairey in a box after he got the transmission rebuilt. That was the '74 55, and it already sports a four speed. Sweet on the '74 being the first year FJ55 to have a four speed and still have the transfercase gearing from the '73. Personally I've read some bad reviews on Fairey. It's a good novelty item but I think it would be better to just convert to a four speed.

I have yet to have an FJ55 with the factory engine fail to start after sitting for years. I bought one that had been sitting for years in a field. I cleaned and gaped the spark plugs, checked the points and did a static gap, sprayed some carb cleaner in and around the carb. Just to simplify things also spray down every hole you can see inside the carb... change the fuel filter... adjust the valves if you have time, good battery.... check fuses.... Fresh gas...

Mine started right up and I actually drove it home. I did all this because there was no history on the truck and something as small as adjusting the valves turns into a big issue with the way the engine runs and over heating.

 

[Tom FJ55]

Hello and thanks for all your replies. . . I just browsed the forum rules and it looks like I need to have 10 posts for my attachment limit to get bumped up, so I guess I need to start posting. . .

I think my next move is probably to take a friend down there to help evaluate it w/out the "fun project" goggles I am currently wearing (kind of like beer goggles, but I'm not much of a drinker so I have a pair of "fun project" goggles).

I'd like to drag it out of where it's sitting to get a better look - the driver's door was the only one I could open as it's backed right up against the corner of a retaining wall.

I am familiar w/project money pits. My other "fun project" car is a massive $$ sink hole. I could never sell it for what I have invested. . . but that's not really the point either. I could swing a few grand to get this running, safe and functional, but much beyond that and it'd be tough to justify for me. I have an awesome wife who puts up w/my "project goggles" - at least this one could be used to take the whole family into the mountains for fun exploring etc....

One more quick question - is this the best subsection to have a thread like this? The other, more main one looked filled more FJ40 stuff. I know there are lots of similarities and parts that cross over but. . . this seemed the best as it was dedicated to Pigs. . .

Time to start posting so I can upload more photos.

Thanks again and I'm sure I'll asking more questions soon!

Tom

 

[Tom FJ55]

Still getting upload errors when trying to upload pics. . . I think I read that my noobie status is evaluated/resets at 2AM. I'll try to post a few more times today so hopefully by tomorrow I'll have 10 total and can post more pics. . .

Tom

 

[Ming89FJ62]

Pighead gave you some good info... I did not see the stick for the overdrive. Would you be able to post a photo of the shifters or the item that was said to be an overdrive.

Here's a photo with the Fairy OD shifter

 

[Ming89FJ62]

Tom - nice find. Other than hard to come by sheetmetal parts the mechanicals are easy to find. Save her - you won't regret it. FWIW I don't see the shifter for the OD either but I DO see the A/C. Hell, it even has the stock AM radio.

 

[toddslater]

Only one thing to add to the above regarding re-starting an engine thats been sitting for a long time. Obviously, change out oil and filter and most importantly pre-lube the motor. An easy way is to obtain a 3/8" long shaft (@18" long or so) wood drill bit and grind off the tip to a nice flat screw driver look or buy chevy a tool from Summit. Place in a drill. Remove the distributor, put the (now home fabbed pre-luber) down the hole align it into the groove and pull the trigger to circulate the oil and pre-lube the motor. Have a bud go inside and hopefully he'll see the pressure come up on the gauge. Add fluids and give it some juice. Much less finicky than a 2.7 with K-Jetronic injection.

Have fun with it

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Hello and thanks for all your replies. . .

One more quick question - is this the best subsection to have a thread like this? The other, more main one looked filled more FJ40 stuff. I know there are lots of similarities and parts that cross over but. . . this seemed the best as it was dedicated to Pigs. . .

Welcome to the sty! I am jealous... I love the early 'project goggles' stage of new projects.

It looks like you'll have a great platform to start with and now a more realistic idea of what lies ahead. Yes, you are definitely posting in the correct forum.


Keep the questions and pics coming so we can all help you get this pig rolling again.

Cheers, Carlos

 

[Tom FJ55]

Much less finicky than a 2.7 with K-Jetronic injection

The 2.7L motor in my '74 911 actually ran like a champ. Started every time, suffered through 5 summers of track days and didn't miss a beat. I did retire it last last winter though. . . and replaced it w/a 3.6L. . . but that's another story!

 

[Tom FJ55]

Thanks again for all the replies so far. After talking it over w/a friend/mechanic, I think I have a game plan now. I'll run back down sometime in the next day or two w/a tarp, flashlight, camera and willingness to crawl around underneath it and get dirty. If I decide it's not about to crumble to pieces from obvious rust, I'll clear a path and yank it out of there. I have a friend w/a trailer that has a winch that I can borrow to tow it home where I can give it a better once over in my garage. I'll do what I need to do to get the engine running first as my goal is to get a running, safe driver for $3K and if the motor is blown, then I know I should stop right there and reevaluate my options and commitment level. I don't want to sink a bunch of $$ into brakes, power steering, tires, interior, suspension etc... only to find the motor is DOA. . .

Tom

 

[Tom FJ55]

Trying to post a few more times to get my count up so I can post more pics. . .

 

[toddslater]

The 2.7L motor in my '74 911 actually ran like a champ. Started every time, suffered through 5 summers of track days and didn't miss a beat. I did retire it last last winter though. . . and replaced it w/a 3.6L. . . but that's another story!

Had a 2.4 with mechanical...yet another different story. You'll find cruisers to be much more forgiving and rewarding..well at least I did/do. Fix them once right and they stay fixed and require little love to keep going. Seems thats how you can end up with a small herd of them...again at least for me.

 

[Pighead]

. only to find the motor is DOA. . .

Quick check for that: look under the rear seat for the big handcrank, insert through front valance into crank pulley nut...use hand crank to attempt to rotate engine. If you can rotate the engine this way, it can probably be saved.

 

[Tom FJ55]

Quick check for that: look under the rear seat for the big handcrank, insert through front valance into crank pulley nut...use hand crank to attempt to rotate engine. If you can rotate the engine this way, it can probably be saved.

Awesome tip, thanks. I don't know if any original tools are still there. Could I use a socket w/a long extension instead?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Tom FJ55]

Still working on my post count. . . and getting more excited about the possibilities of adding this Pig to my garage. If it stops snowing, I may try to head down there again this afternoon to investigate further. . .

Tom