New to the form, my first FJ.
- Thread starter Overlander78
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- #24
This should cover a lot of good and bad I guess! More bad then good!
@brian said it best...
You have a TON of expenses and labor ahead of you, trying to bring this one back...
It sounds like you may have a working engine/drivetrain and maybe some other major parts, like the Oil bottle, all for the price of some firewood delivered.
You also have very admirable skills and the energy and can-do attitude of the young.
If you decide to pursue bringing this one back, I think you will learn a LOT... But, I also think you will quickly become frustrated with just how expensive it is to try to return rust to metal.
I think the main lesson you would learn is that you put your energies and money into the wrong FJ40.
You said you have very little funds... Rather than try to resuscitate this one, why not part it out? Compression test the engine and see if you can make some money selling the engine, tranny, tcase, axles, gauges, etc.
Accumulate some funds... Contact your Indiana IH8MUD clubhouse IN- Hoosier Cruisers and have some experienced MUDders talk you down...
Maybe they can help you find a good starting point... Perhaps with a more viable opportunity.
I don't want to destroy your dream... Just trying to help ensure it comes to fruition.
Regardless, all the best ... I hope you are able to drive your 40 (a better example) before your enthusiasm wanes.
You have a TON of expenses and labor ahead of you, trying to bring this one back...
It sounds like you may have a working engine/drivetrain and maybe some other major parts, like the Oil bottle, all for the price of some firewood delivered.
You also have very admirable skills and the energy and can-do attitude of the young.
If you decide to pursue bringing this one back, I think you will learn a LOT... But, I also think you will quickly become frustrated with just how expensive it is to try to return rust to metal.
I think the main lesson you would learn is that you put your energies and money into the wrong FJ40.
You said you have very little funds... Rather than try to resuscitate this one, why not part it out? Compression test the engine and see if you can make some money selling the engine, tranny, tcase, axles, gauges, etc.
Accumulate some funds... Contact your Indiana IH8MUD clubhouse IN- Hoosier Cruisers and have some experienced MUDders talk you down...
Maybe they can help you find a good starting point... Perhaps with a more viable opportunity.
I don't want to destroy your dream... Just trying to help ensure it comes to fruition.
Regardless, all the best ... I hope you are able to drive your 40 (a better example) before your enthusiasm wanes.
Dude, go SOA, 35's, put in a locker, winch, and head to the trails!
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- #27
Well fellas... I just hit a spot of luck.
No more then maybe 3 weeks on Craigslist in the wanted section, I posted a picture of my cruiser begging for a body and frame, a gentlemen from Illinois messages me saying he has a body and frame in good condition that I can for free of if I come and help him remove the motor/drivetrain/etc.... If I don't say myself the FJ gods are looking down upon me. So the math is basically everything I need (body and frame) and my cruiser (all mechanical parts good) will equal one good cruiser right ? I'm thinking maybe here soon I'll take off for Illinois with a trailer and truck with my head in the wind!
No more then maybe 3 weeks on Craigslist in the wanted section, I posted a picture of my cruiser begging for a body and frame, a gentlemen from Illinois messages me saying he has a body and frame in good condition that I can for free of if I come and help him remove the motor/drivetrain/etc.... If I don't say myself the FJ gods are looking down upon me. So the math is basically everything I need (body and frame) and my cruiser (all mechanical parts good) will equal one good cruiser right ? I'm thinking maybe here soon I'll take off for Illinois with a trailer and truck with my head in the wind!
Great find congrats!
which hospital?
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- #30
Well the IV is how I've been getting fuel through the pump and into the engine, nothing an old oil bottle and some rubber silicone can't do!, but the rust had ate away any sort of gas/fluid line that was metal on the body, so I just did a little re-routing
. When I get sometime I'll post the story on this cruiser, she has lived a long crazy life. She was once a glamorous cruiser all the way down to a hunting wagon. I'm having the guy I got it from, write it all
Down for me.
. When I get sometime I'll post the story on this cruiser, she has lived a long crazy life. She was once a glamorous cruiser all the way down to a hunting wagon. I'm having the guy I got it from, write it allDown for me.
Holy s***.
I have a parts rig that is in a hell of a lot better condition than this one.
I have been banging body work on my 40 for 10 months now, good luck brother. You might catch up on some headaches in my thread.
I have a parts rig that is in a hell of a lot better condition than this one.
I have been banging body work on my 40 for 10 months now, good luck brother. You might catch up on some headaches in my thread.
Welcome to the MUDness!!!
Looks like you have a fun job on your hands. This forum is unreal. You will find everything piece of advice you need to get you rig back in shape!!! Everyone on this forum is a HUGE help!!
Looks like you have a fun job on your hands. This forum is unreal. You will find everything piece of advice you need to get you rig back in shape!!! Everyone on this forum is a HUGE help!!
Well, you're headed in the right direction!!
Congratulations!!
Congratulations!!
Yes, it looks like the body and frame are shot. No matter how bad something looks do not throw it away until you are completely finished (maybe never) building. You never know what part will suddenly be NLA. It is amazing what can restored when it is the only part you have. Nice find on CL!
Use that youth card to your advantage, us old guys are suckers for young guys getting into the hobby!
Use that youth card to your advantage, us old guys are suckers for young guys getting into the hobby!
- Thread starter
- #35
Alright here's my first cruiser question/help
Should I just get the other body, put them side by side and just start taking what I need or what is good and mounting it on the other body, basically transplant everything I need? Or...?
Should I just get the other body, put them side by side and just start taking what I need or what is good and mounting it on the other body, basically transplant everything I need? Or...?
Hopefully, your second frame/chassis is really in good condition.. Your first one is not serviceable.
Before you do anything else, you should do dry and wet compression tests on your engine... Find out just what you have. Try to discern the state of the tranny and tcase as well
Evaluate the second frame/body... If it's really serviceable, I'd pull the powertrain from the first one and install it in the second one and go from there.
You may find other components in the first one that can be transplanted to the second one, but the body/frame is honestly looking pretty dismal.
If you can take the second as your build and use the first as your donor, you have a good start.
But, since you will be pulling and installing a powertrain, now is a good time to make sure it's serviceable... So you don't have to pull it again to rebuild it.
HTH
Before you do anything else, you should do dry and wet compression tests on your engine... Find out just what you have. Try to discern the state of the tranny and tcase as well
Evaluate the second frame/body... If it's really serviceable, I'd pull the powertrain from the first one and install it in the second one and go from there.
You may find other components in the first one that can be transplanted to the second one, but the body/frame is honestly looking pretty dismal.
If you can take the second as your build and use the first as your donor, you have a good start.
But, since you will be pulling and installing a powertrain, now is a good time to make sure it's serviceable... So you don't have to pull it again to rebuild it.
HTH
Once you get the new body/frame post up some pictures of the condition. You may want to address some issues on the new body while it is partially apart. Get any extra parts (nuts,bolts, fasteners, etc) the guy is willing to part with.
You may want to take some time to clean up your engine/tranny while you have it out of the rig. Replacing hoses, gaskets, etc is way easier out in the open.
You may want to take some time to clean up your engine/tranny while you have it out of the rig. Replacing hoses, gaskets, etc is way easier out in the open.
Let this one Rust in Peace and donate some of the organs to your second option
Hopefully the frame and body are in good shape on the new one! I'd start blasting all the mounting bolts on yours with kroil or pb blaster or whatever you like to make it easier to disassemble.
As others said getting a compression test done would be a good idea too.
As others said getting a compression test done would be a good idea too.
Good luck and keep the faith. The challenge, as stated above is to disassemble carefully. Save everything! You will need a bolt kit without question. In the midwest/rust belt that is what happened to all of the FJ's.