Off to WAR

[Autobot]

I'm new here so please be kind

My son-in-law has just been deployed to Afghanistan for a year and I thought it would be a cool idea to fix up his 89 FJ62.

I'm thinking of a lift, tires & wheels, winch, and if I can pull it off maybe new paint.
The 3fe is out of it so it is in need of a re-build.

My budget is all but non existent and I don't know much about FJ's so any help on what works,what doesn't, where to get parts, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and God Bless Our Troops !

Autobot

 

[FJ60SUPREME]

great idea! i just got home from Iraq a few months ago and hunting around 'mud scheming for build ideas in my rare spare time was extremely motivating. send him lots of pics and you'll be surprised how much it does to keep his moral up. you've come to the right place for info as well, i'm new to this scene and have learned a ton and found answers to every question I've had just by searching. There is a ton of knowledge to soak up around here... Good Luck!!

 

[sl33py]

Welcome! Sounds like a good plan. You are going to be shocked at rebuild prices on the 2f/3f...

Tires and wheels will obviously depend on lift - what size tire were you shooting for? You can go crazy, but without Spring over or major bodywork cutting 33-35's are max for spring under. Someone will say otherwise, but typically this is the limit.

As for inexpensive - add a leafs are the first that come to mind. OME are great, but $$$. I run BDS which are good if a bit stiff.

Start searching and reading - good luck!

 

[Spike Strip]

Where are you ?

I bet if you post this build for a Soldier in a local forum ** Click this link ---> Clubhouse not only will you get help, but prolly parts donations and help -- Many fathers on this board with sons/daughters in the Armed Services! (I'm assuming you're not the Mom-in-law... )

Welcome and great idea!

Do you have the original tranny? What's wrong with the 3FE ?

 

[Lugal]

It's a great idea, but I don't think that you'll be able to pull off all of the above on the cheap. The good news, though, is that any one thing on your list will make him very happy when he gets home.

To me, it looks like you might already have a slight lift on the rig. What size tires are those?

 

[Heartworm]

First and foremost get it running. Machine work, new engine parts, and reassembly will probably be well over $2000 and there are multiple "while you are there" parts replacements of hoses, filters, belts, etc. Like the man said, this is hard to do without spending some money. I know that it would be great to surprise him, but you really need to find out where he wants to go with this rig..V8? spring over axle rock crawler? Expedition vehicle?
Good on you for being a super father in law.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

I'm new here so please be kind

My son-in-law has just been deployed to Afghanistan for a year and I thought it would be a cool idea to fix up his 89 FJ62.

I'm thinking of a lift, tires & wheels, winch, and if I can pull it off maybe new paint.
The 3fe is out of it so it is in need of a re-build.

My budget is all but non existent and I don't know much about FJ's so any help on what works,what doesn't, where to get parts, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and God Bless Our Troops !

Autobot

1) Very cool of you.

2) The trailer says it's in Albuquerque, NM--is that right?

3) Parts from CDan and COnur at American Toyota if you are in Albuquerque. My second choice after that would be Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters.

4) Have you checked with HDC? It's the local cruiser club. I have no doubt that there's help there for you, both in the preventative maintenance that I'm sure it needs (front axle), and mods you might want... The HDC forum is in the "clubhouse" section linked above, or the "clubhouse" button at the top of the page.

I don't have many (any?) FJ-62 parts I don't think, but if I'm around (hah! stupid job) I'd happily take a look, give a hand or donate spare parts.

Dan

 

[hank14]

This is a great idea and like others said, I'm sure it will keep him motivated while he's deployed. There are lots of great parts (including good, used engines) available here in the classified section. I would look there regularly, and post up specifics about what you're looking for.

Welcome to mud!

 

[kevin in okinawa]

good plan. if you don't have the $, tell your son your intentions and have him pay for it. He'll be able to come home to a bada$$ truck. One year of tax-free combat pay, with nowhere to spend it, dds up quickly. Ask me how I know

oh yeah. if the motor is done already, put a chevy motor in...to heck with that toyota tractor motor. it can be done.

 

[Autobot]

Wow !
Thanks for all the input. To clarify I am his father-in-law and wherever we end up with this will be a total surprise when he returns. I have a pretty clear picture of what is on his wish list and it's pretty mild. #1 is to have a dependable ride to take his wife and kids camping and fishing (although camping may be out for awhile after living in a tent for a year). He has told me he likes the 2-2-1/2 HFS lift with 33" BFG's on mat black wheels (31's now). It has the original A/T and we have a 3FE (complete) that has had the head removed. We had it checked and it's standard with no ridge in the cylinders. I'm an old school mechanic and it seems to me we could just re-ring & new bearings the thing and be fine (thoughts ?) I'm not in this alone but any help/advice is greatly appreciated. Oh, yes it's in Albuquerque,NM.
Thanks again and I'll chack out the clubhouse.

 

[lehiguy]

Wow !
Thanks for all the input. To clarify I am his father-in-law and wherever we end up with this will be a total surprise when he returns. I have a pretty clear picture of what is on his wish list and it's pretty mild. #1 is to have a dependable ride to take his wife and kids camping and fishing (although camping may be out for awhile after living in a tent for a year). He has told me he likes the 2-2-1/2 HFS lift with 33" BFG's on mat black wheels (31's now). It has the original A/T and we have a 3FE (complete) that has had the head removed. We had it checked and it's standard with no ridge in the cylinders. I'm an old school mechanic and it seems to me we could just re-ring & new bearings the thing and be fine (thoughts ?) I'm not in this alone but any help/advice is greatly appreciated. Oh, yes it's in Albuquerque,NM.
Thanks again and I'll chack out the clubhouse.

You're probably right on the poor man's rebuild. The crank is steel and virtually indesructable. The cylinders are parent-bore in the cast iron bloc, so about as durable as it gets there. You could pop out the slugs, clean off the carbon, fit them with new rings in a lightly honed cylinder and it would most likely be good for a very long time to come. Use a Toyota head gasket, the after-market ones are trash, the holes don't even line up on some of them.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Wow !
Thanks for all the input. To clarify I am his father-in-law and wherever we end up with this will be a total surprise when he returns. I have a pretty clear picture of what is on his wish list and it's pretty mild. #1 is to have a dependable ride to take his wife and kids camping and fishing (although camping may be out for awhile after living in a tent for a year).

Something tells me that camping up in the Pecos with the wife and kids won't exactly suck for him.

He has told me he likes the 2-2-1/2 HFS lift with 33" BFG's on mat black wheels (31's now).

That's an easy one then.... If it were mine, I'd just scuff/blast those stock chrome wheels and paint or powdercoat them the color you're looking for. Bad Mojo on here has some of those, and is local to you. They look great on his 40...

It has the original A/T and we have a 3FE (complete) that has had the head removed. We had it checked and it's standard with no ridge in the cylinders. I'm an old school mechanic and it seems to me we could just re-ring & new bearings the thing and be fine (thoughts ?) I'm not in this alone but any help/advice is greatly appreciated. Oh, yes it's in Albuquerque,NM.
Thanks again and I'll chack out the clubhouse.

Sounds like a simple enough plan then on that. Don't forget to generally tune it up, maybe while you have the head off take a look at the valves? They will almost certainly need readjusting at the least, but regrinding the seats isn't a bad idea while the head is out (and I might consider doing the valve seals too, depending on price).

Dan