Off to a Good Start. My '74 40 Series

[TwelveGravity]

What a way to start the year. I picked this up Jan 1st. I bought this from the son of the original owner.
1974 with 11k on the odometer (500 miles on a rebuilt motor). Who knows how many times that rolled over since he said it was his mothers daily driver in the 70's. The PO was getting to the age that it was getting difficult to take the cover off and put it back on every time they'd want to drive it. Additionally, they drove it less the last few years after moving from the Sierras to southern California. My plan is to keep it pretty much the way it is and fix a few things along the way. I'd like to get back to the original steelies with original hubcaps. I'll have the seats redone. Window seals redone. Weather stripping. I don't plan on painting it or any restoration.

 

[TwelveGravity]

The only immediate issue was a hole in the radiator.

 

[TwelveGravity]

Which I replaced with one from Summit until I can have the original repaired and put back in.

 

[TwelveGravity]

Missing the rear jump seats but the seat belts are still there. One thing I've noticed after driving it a little, the floor in the back gets hot from the exhaust piping. I don't think the dog will like that. I was told that "Lizard Skin" insulation would be a fix but I don't know how I feel about spraying that back there.

 

[TwelveGravity]

It still has the bottle jack under the driver seat and I gifted the spare tire cover to a fellow mudder over in the Veterans Highway.

 

[TwelveGravity]

There is this sticker below the windshield that I want to remove but they are too old to peel off and I dont want to damage the paint trying to remove them. If anyone has suggestions how I could get those off?

 

[charliemeyer007]

Heat gun and a plastic scraper. Maybe some alcohol. Likely missing the heat shield on the muffler.
Sor.com has good pic's, and application for years. $$$
Free download manuals can be very helpful

Land Cruiser Factory Service Manuals (FSMs)

Factory service manuals (FSMs) for your Toyota Land Cruiser ! From the 1950s to the present!

www.cruisercult.com

 

[JohnnyC]

Your 74’ has all emissions equipment still intact … that’s a BIG plus as you must know for being in CA

Nice looking truck

I also have a 74’ … my DD for the past 30 years

 

[bhsdriller]

^ 74 is smog exempt in CA.

Another local, let me know if you need any help. Looks like a good start

 

[Ocho77]

Great start!

I bet that paint will shine up nicely!

 

[DickM]

Looks like a great candidate for the @wngrog patina program!

 

[South Texas 97]

Look up from under the floor - there should be a heat shield bolted to the underside of the tub, between the frame rails. at the back of the truck. If you are going to put lizard skin or some other type of insulation, put it on the back side of the heat shield, and it will be invisible.

On a previous vehicle I used a something like this - from the jungle site

24" x12"x1" (Thick) Ceramic Fiber Blanket Fireproof Insulation Baffle Rated to 2400F, High-Temperature Resistance for Oven Stoves, Kilns, Forges​

and encapsulated it in Lavamat - (it's a fiber so will shed by itself), putting a lavamat around it, and then bolting it to my underfloor, it was amazingly good - zero heat transfer from the headers

 

[Mark Jennings]

Cool Rig, exceptional shape for the year….as far as the sticker….I'm not sure I would personally remove it…since you know the previous owners history, and I assume they put it on, and there is a back story to that….keep in mind, for these old rigs, the back story (history) is as valuable as the rig. If you know the story, document it….keep the history.

 

[timmyisinthewell]

Your excessive heat of the rear floor may be due to the absence of the shown insulator ID'd as number 17551, or part number 17551-60020, which would be correct for your year truck.

 

[TwelveGravity]

Looks like a great candidate for the @wngrog patina program!

Some BLO might be in the works!

 

[TwelveGravity]

Cool Rig, exceptional shape for the year….as far as the sticker….I'm not sure I would personally remove it…since you know the previous owners history, and I assume they put it on, and there is a back story to that….keep in mind, for these old rigs, the back story (history) is as valuable as the rig. If you know the story, document it….keep the history.

Thank you Mark.
You bring up a good point. I don't know the story behind the sticker but I still have the PO's number. I might reach out to him to ask.

 

[Mark Jennings]

The original PO of my rig was an old school sheriff in Hobbs (Eddie County) NM in the 1960’s. That’s all we know. He and his wife had passed prior to the purchase. He did a bunch of early mods…..that I kept during the restoration, just made them ‘safer’. But, I know why he made them, and they are part of the history of the rig.

What we found in other old collectible cars, if the history is known and sold with the rig, the overall value is higher……and ownership, in my opinion, is more of a stewardship. It was born in the factory, someone proudly bought, owned and maintained it….I want to carry on that care and pride of ownership.

Besides, when your at a cars and coffee, it gives you something to talk about besides the weather (LOL).

Be good
Have fun with it.

P.S. My wife (70) still uses our 68 as a daily driver. Never to old to drive a legend.

 

[igotta40]

The rear view mirror is upside down. Get your money back.

JK, great purchase! Welcome!

 

[TwelveGravity]

Does anyone have a tutorial on how to remove the dashpad without destroying it?
Also, the knobs for the windshield are seized. I've been soaking them with some penetrating oil but they don't budge. 1 is missing the plastic knob.
I tried a pair of vise grips on the right one to try to work it back and forth but it's not moving.

 

[TwelveGravity]

I need to lay the windshield down to remove the insert for the soft top that was left on when the PO set the hard top back on but now it wont sit flush and rattles a lot. I guess I could remove the top, sides and back hatch piece by piece. How do you all store your top, sides and doors when not in use?