Off frame worth it?

[calponte]

I just wrote a big ol thread and while uploading pics my computer crashes... joy.

So now I'll condense it.

I have a 79' 40 with the 2f, I'm the third owner and she has 40k original miles. I have everything for her, original steelies and tires, perfect shape doors, hard top, aux rear heater, tire carrier..etc. PO did a couple things and changed the carb(still have OE), did a garage paint job and threw some stainless bolts at it. He changed the springs and I want to say it has a 4" lift?..but it may be 2.

Question is.. is it worth it to do a full resto on it back to original? Would I see any profit? Or likely not because my model and options aren't that sought after?

I was pretty positive I knew what I wanted to do to her.. light mods..fuel injected, 4 wheel disc and a cam maybe.
But after seeing everyones amazing builds I almost feel like I could fall into that " accidental off frame " category. lol

If this thing had 200k miles on it I already know what I would do. I just wonder if since I have one with such low mileage if it's worth making an example out of?

Thanks for the input

(great..now the photos wont upload)

 

[Jdc1]

A nut and bolt resto is expensive and depending on how fast you work, your truck will be down for a while. There are a ton of failed frame offs.

check out some of the rolling rebuilds. @gaarchitect @ginmtb are pretty good examples off the top of my head.

Your 40 looks like it is in pretty good shape and would benefit from making improvements while you drive it and enjoy it.

 

[calponte]

 

[Cmatt1605]

IMO I think you should sit down and make a decision before you start any work. Did you buy this to enjoy? or did you buy this to flip and make money on?

After you know the answer, then you should be able to go from there. If you bought it to enjoy and build it how you picture a fj40 in your head when you think of one, then build it exactly like how you picture it. If you are going to flip it, then a restoration to original would probably be worth the time and effort. around here in NC FJ40's that are original restorations and ones that are tastefully modified are selling for about the same price (within 5-10k of each other) around the 50k price.

I am not going to make mine original. I am going to build it exactly how I like and then if I go to sell it later down the road, I am not really going to worry about if it is original or not, because I know I have built it to enjoy it.

 

[NCFJ]

If you start changing out parts, hold on to the OEM parts that you remove. Do not do anything that is not easy to reverse.

Right now Resto Mods have actually been selling for more than true OEM bolt restorations. I think that the current market is one that people want to drive these old vehicles rather than add them to a static collection. If you follow the bigger auctions you will see that this trend is nation wide.

I say, build it how you please but store the parts in case you decide to sell.

 

[calponte]

I personally bought it just to have fun with a few times a year, but wanted to make it reliable for trailing or whatever. I love the look of it and I like the fact no one has one. But it seems that no matter where you look everyone's rig is super high mileage and/or mix matched with different engines or what have you. Thus came the battle in my head now of if I should just do a frame off and put 20k into it and sell it as a nice example and buy something else to hack up? I almost feel like it's sacrilege to harm it..ha..is that stupid?

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

This is entirely up to you, and your plans for the truck. You'll get 100 different opinions but remember, at the end of the day, it's YOUR truck. I have to remind myself of this at times. Just remember, if you want to trail it, don't spend a ton of money on paint - you'll be scratching it off in short order

Honestly, a true "nut and bolt" rebuild will be expensive and time consuming, and when you factor in your own labor hours, folks rarely come out money ahead. If you LOVE rebuilding vehicles, it's a rewarding experience, but not necessarily a profitable one. 79 is a pretty sought after year, however, so if you decide to go this route, you have a decent platform to start with. However, if there's a bunch of rust and bondo under all that diamond plate, you're in for a lot of expensive sheet metal shopping and bodywork. From the looks of it, it has already been pretty heavily modified, which will make going back to stock a more expensive proposition.

I'm in the rolling rebuild boat. I bought my truck to drive it, not put it into car shows or sell it for top dollar at auction. I try to break down projects into manageable chunks that will take a couple of months, and a couple thousand dollars to complete. Then it gets put back together, and I drive the fruits of my labor for a few months before tearing into the next thing. This also helps my bank account recover in between, and gives me time to really research and think through the next steps.

I also bought a truck that's far enough from "stock" that it will absolutely never be worth the money I put into it, so "value" and "profit" have never been in my vocabulary. I just do what I want to it, and assume that if they day ever comes where I have to sell it, it will be at a loss. It's an expensive hobby for me, one that I find really mentally and emotionally rewarding, but in no way will it be financially rewarding!

 

[cruiserkreutz]

No offense, but your '40 has already been hacked up a bit... Missing apron emblems, cut rear fenders, diamond plating just at first glance. Yes, of course this rig could be restored back to original, but it's not like it's a true "survivor".

 

[calponte]

think the fenders were cut? I was told he just liked the look of the plate and flares so he bolted them on . could be bad stuff under there tho lol

I have all the emblems. he just never installed them after his paint job

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

think the fenders were cut? I was told he just liked the look of the plate and flares so he bolted them on . could be bad stuff under there tho lol

I have all the emblems. he just never installed them after his paint job

Look under the flares. If the metal doesn't "fold under" at a right angle around the fender opening, they've been cut.

 

[Racer65]

You can restore your truck back to stock without doing a frame-off. Like many have suggested, do a rolling resto. There are a ton of things I see on your truck that can be DIY'ed without spending a ton of money.

My truck is very original, but over the years I've still been undoing the small mods the PO made here and there. I did it because that's the way I like it, not because of resale value.

 

[upperblack]

The fenders have been cut way up and you never know what hiding under the diamond plate - easy to remove and have a look.
It depends on what you want at the end of the day. There are really 2 camps, stock rigs or resto-mods and you need to pick the type of rig that will make you happy and put a smile on your face every time you get in it.
I would never make any decision on profit or it will drive you crazy. I try not to have more $ in my rigs than I can get out of it, but that's my personal thing.
If stock is where you are leaning, I would highly recommend selling what you have and buying a stock rig. Should be about an even swap. Makes doing a rolling resto a lot easier.
I completely restored a very original stock rig and after if was completed it was too nice for me to enjoy it so I ended up selling it and purchasing a stock driver quality rig that I really enjoy using. I now have 2 rigs (I have less in them than I had in my restored rig) so that when one is down I have another to drive, plus if I pull something off and forget how it goes back on I have another to look at
Good luck with your decision

 

[calponte]

The fenders have been cut way up and you never know what hiding under the diamond plate - easy to remove and have a look.
It depends on what you want at the end of the day. There are really 2 camps, stock rigs or resto-mods and you need to pick the type of rig that will make you happy and put a smile on your face every time you get in it.
I would never make any decision on profit or it will drive you crazy. I try not to have more $ in my rigs than I can get out of it, but that's my personal thing.
If stock is where you are leaning, I would highly recommend selling what you have and buying a stock rig. Should be about an even swap. Makes doing a rolling resto a lot easier.
I completely restored a very original stock rig and after if was completed it was too nice for me to enjoy it so I ended up selling it and purchasing a stock driver quality rig that I really enjoy using. I now have 2 rigs (I have less in them than I had in my restored rig) so that when one is down I have another to drive, plus if I pull something off and forget how it goes back on I have another to look at
Good luck with your decision

Silver star, your 79 has factory power steering? Mine just has a leaky ass gear box lol

 

[reddingcruiser]

My only advice to folks contemplating a restoration or resto-mod is: Be sure you have the funds, temperment and ambition to see the Job through. I've bought and parted several FJ40 'restorations' over the years from guy's that ran out of funds or initiative, or both.

 

[fhawk5]

Stock cruisers usually bring more than resto mods. BUT , some resto mods are pretty good and if the right buyer is there, can do as well.

 

[upperblack]

Silver star, your 79 has factory power steering? Mine just has a leaky ass gear box lol

Yes my 79 has factory power steering which is awesome and I highly recommend upgrading.
I use as my DD and the PS makes it a pleasure to drive

 

[calponte]

Yes my 79 has factory power steering which is awesome and I highly recommend upgrading.
I use as my DD and the PS makes it a pleasure to drive

Are those units still available? I'd much rather install that

 

[Jdc1]

Are those units still available? I'd much rather install that

You can find them but not cheaply. There are a few in the classifieds right now. Check out the FAQ in the stickies. there is a ton of great info on most anything that you can do to a 40.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Are those units still available? I'd much rather install that

There are other power steering modifications. Your options are:

1. Stock FJ40 power steering. Advantage is that it's "bolt on" and has enough guts to move tires up to about 33 inches
2. Mini Truck power steering. About the same as FJ40 power steering but needs some modifications to convert.
3. FJ60 power steering. Beefier than the previous two, but even more modding to get it to fit. That said it mounts cleanly under the fenders so the mod isn't "obvious."
4. GM Saginaw power steering: provides HUGE boost in steering power, easily moves BIG (35/37in tires). However, requires modifications to your frame and mounts outside the engine bay up on the front frame horn. Also has a custom drag-link setup with SAE threads on one end and metric on the other.

I have Saginaw steering. I can turn my 31 inch tires with my pinky.

@Racer65 also just started offering an electric power steering unit. I don't know enough about it to speak to it but it sounds like a nice option as well.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

think the fenders were cut?

Actually looking again at the back end of your truck, the fenders are definitely cut. However if you decide to return to stock, they do offer fender patches to bring them back down.