- Year
- 1978
- Vehicle Model
- 40 Series
- Location
- United States
- Mileage
- 105363
- Color
- Beige
Note: Being colorblind, I fought a losing battle with the color selector, above the line, above. She is DUNE BEIGE (416)
For Sale: 1978 FJ40 Federal Spec FJ40 - DeSmogged
Cons: DeSmogged, No Heaters, No Jump Seats
Pros:
———————————————————-
It is with almost debilitating sadness that I find myself offering my beloved friend, confidant and cherished FJ40 for sale. It's been a remarkable 6 years of true retirement adventure. Unfortunately, my declining physical ability has caught up with my advancing age and I'm no longer able to exercise 44 properly. A mere two hours of driving or wrenching enjoyment now sends me to bed for two days.
When I purchased "44", out of North Dallas, for our 44th wedding anniversary, in 2014, I intended to die with her. I knew she was not emissions legal, but I also knew I didn't care. 5000 miles/year is plenty in Vegas, it's too hot to enjoy her, for almost half the year and 5000 miles would accommodate a lot of driving, to anywhere in NV.
My constant companions (my dogs) and I have driven and camped in most areas of NV, in 109* heat, 5* cold, thunderstorms, snow and ghiblis that took me back to 1968 Libya. We probably slept in 44 (sans passenger seat) more nights than we ever spent in a tent.
It's been great, the most fun I've ever had... the Solitude of "The Big Empty", of knowing we could always be alone, together, in the deepest of dark nights, in a silence so quiet that you can actually hear yourself think. It's been invigorating to know that we've been places that few have ever seen, seen things in places that few have ever been and found Solace in the Solitude of sharing nature with only each other and knowing that we, alone, have the full attention of every species of wildlife in the area.
But, regrettably, I've outlived my 44 era and need to find her a good home... hopefully with someone who shares my passion for remote places and fading tracks.
Since I bought 44, with the intent to use her to her fullest abilities, I made changes to her that some will find distasteful, others... we'll see.
I already mentioned that she has no emissions equipment: I retained everything that I removed. There was no EGR subsystem and still isn't. Background: 44 needed a lot of heavy petting early on. Compression registered about 105-110 across the cylinders. It was a struggle to get to 55 mph, on the freeway. Come to think of it, it was about this time that I started receiving frequent mailers from The Neptune Society, offering early cremation specials... I was sorely tempted at times!
Heaters weren't well, but who needs them in NV... Jump seats took up badly needed storage space in 44. Moved them to storage room, 4 years later, I gave heaters, blower and all associated parts away. I either gave the jump seats away or sold them.
Fixed death wobble and had steering gearbox rebuilt and bought a rebuilt power steering pump. Replaced tie rod, relay rod, TREs, shocks, stabilizer and probably more. Replaced steering wheel with an FJ80 wheel...much more comfortable. Steer like bull now!
Flushed brakes, flushed coolant, flushed clutch, replaced clutch slave cylinder, adjusted brakes. Stop like dime now!
Had 2F rebuilt: bored, decked, crank turned, new cam, new pistons and rings, head magnafluxed, valves adjusted. Run smooth, like tractor now!
New exhaust. Quiet like FJ40 now!
Took Mark (Marksofffoad) cruising, he said he could performance-tune the Aisin carb to make 44 run like an SBC. Bought a 2nd '78 carb from a MUDder and sent it to Burbank, to the MarksOffRoad Spa and had it rebuilt and performance-tuned. Mark's veracity was astounding! 44 run fast like pronghorn, smooth like butter, strong like bull elephant!
Found major vacuum leak in Dissy advance module, replaced dissy, coil and igniter with vacuum advance DUI. Icing on the hood!
44 now most powerful beast she can be, with 2F, 4.11 gears and 31x10.5R15 KM2s. She's passed everything from gutless garbage 14-wheelers, cruising at 20mph, to a couple of 18-wheelers, doing 70 mph. I took her up to 85 once because I saw an idiot pull out far ahead. Who's the idiot now?!?
I've typically driven her at 60-65 mph, since the rebuild... too much beauty around to miss it! But, once in a while, I simply can't restrain her.
This is your chance to start your own adventure, where my THREAD leaves off!!
Remember, if you "put away childish things" and BUY 44, you'll quickly learn, "the road goes on forever and the party never ends"!!
I've added the following:
Auxiliary Gas Tank
Dual Electric Fuel Pumps
Dual Gas Gauges
Fuel Pressure Gauge
Tach
Vacuum Gauge
USB & Cigarette Sockets & Voltmeter
Since I bought her in 2/2014, I’ve replaced:
Also (All unused, most unopened):
There are pictures here --> “44” 1978 FJ40 - Google Drive
For Sale: 1978 FJ40 Federal Spec FJ40 - DeSmogged
Cons: DeSmogged, No Heaters, No Jump Seats
Pros:
Matching numbers
All electrical modifications fully documented
Fuel system redesigned, using dual electric fuel pumps. All fully documented.
Mileage: 105323
Engine: Original 2F; Rebuilt in 2015, at 95,814 miles.
Original 4spd and TCase
Asking Price: $24,000 USD
———————————————————-
It is with almost debilitating sadness that I find myself offering my beloved friend, confidant and cherished FJ40 for sale. It's been a remarkable 6 years of true retirement adventure. Unfortunately, my declining physical ability has caught up with my advancing age and I'm no longer able to exercise 44 properly. A mere two hours of driving or wrenching enjoyment now sends me to bed for two days.
When I purchased "44", out of North Dallas, for our 44th wedding anniversary, in 2014, I intended to die with her. I knew she was not emissions legal, but I also knew I didn't care. 5000 miles/year is plenty in Vegas, it's too hot to enjoy her, for almost half the year and 5000 miles would accommodate a lot of driving, to anywhere in NV.
My constant companions (my dogs) and I have driven and camped in most areas of NV, in 109* heat, 5* cold, thunderstorms, snow and ghiblis that took me back to 1968 Libya. We probably slept in 44 (sans passenger seat) more nights than we ever spent in a tent.
It's been great, the most fun I've ever had... the Solitude of "The Big Empty", of knowing we could always be alone, together, in the deepest of dark nights, in a silence so quiet that you can actually hear yourself think. It's been invigorating to know that we've been places that few have ever seen, seen things in places that few have ever been and found Solace in the Solitude of sharing nature with only each other and knowing that we, alone, have the full attention of every species of wildlife in the area.
But, regrettably, I've outlived my 44 era and need to find her a good home... hopefully with someone who shares my passion for remote places and fading tracks.
Since I bought 44, with the intent to use her to her fullest abilities, I made changes to her that some will find distasteful, others... we'll see.
I already mentioned that she has no emissions equipment: I retained everything that I removed. There was no EGR subsystem and still isn't. Background: 44 needed a lot of heavy petting early on. Compression registered about 105-110 across the cylinders. It was a struggle to get to 55 mph, on the freeway. Come to think of it, it was about this time that I started receiving frequent mailers from The Neptune Society, offering early cremation specials... I was sorely tempted at times!
Heaters weren't well, but who needs them in NV... Jump seats took up badly needed storage space in 44. Moved them to storage room, 4 years later, I gave heaters, blower and all associated parts away. I either gave the jump seats away or sold them.
Fixed death wobble and had steering gearbox rebuilt and bought a rebuilt power steering pump. Replaced tie rod, relay rod, TREs, shocks, stabilizer and probably more. Replaced steering wheel with an FJ80 wheel...much more comfortable. Steer like bull now!
Flushed brakes, flushed coolant, flushed clutch, replaced clutch slave cylinder, adjusted brakes. Stop like dime now!
Had 2F rebuilt: bored, decked, crank turned, new cam, new pistons and rings, head magnafluxed, valves adjusted. Run smooth, like tractor now!
New exhaust. Quiet like FJ40 now!
Took Mark (Marksofffoad) cruising, he said he could performance-tune the Aisin carb to make 44 run like an SBC. Bought a 2nd '78 carb from a MUDder and sent it to Burbank, to the MarksOffRoad Spa and had it rebuilt and performance-tuned. Mark's veracity was astounding! 44 run fast like pronghorn, smooth like butter, strong like bull elephant!
Found major vacuum leak in Dissy advance module, replaced dissy, coil and igniter with vacuum advance DUI. Icing on the hood!
44 now most powerful beast she can be, with 2F, 4.11 gears and 31x10.5R15 KM2s. She's passed everything from gutless garbage 14-wheelers, cruising at 20mph, to a couple of 18-wheelers, doing 70 mph. I took her up to 85 once because I saw an idiot pull out far ahead. Who's the idiot now?!?
I've typically driven her at 60-65 mph, since the rebuild... too much beauty around to miss it! But, once in a while, I simply can't restrain her.
This is your chance to start your own adventure, where my THREAD leaves off!!
Remember, if you "put away childish things" and BUY 44, you'll quickly learn, "the road goes on forever and the party never ends"!!
I've added the following:
Auxiliary Gas Tank
Dual Electric Fuel Pumps
Dual Gas Gauges
Fuel Pressure Gauge
Tach
Vacuum Gauge
USB & Cigarette Sockets & Voltmeter
Since I bought her in 2/2014, I’ve replaced:
Radiator (new)
Spare pollak 6-port Switch, OPSS, DPDT
New wiper blades
New clutch slave cylinder
Also (All unused, most unopened):
I will also throw in a couple of other items I can’t use with 44 gone:
There are pictures here --> “44” 1978 FJ40 - Google Drive
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