OMG I am an idiot. Took my 40 through a car wash (1 Viewer)

[JAFO2014]

Hind sight is definitely 20/20. Don't know what I was thinking. Drove into one of those car wash buildings that had the brush rollers. They beat the living snot out of my 40. I know it sounded way worse than it was, but my god. Once in the damn wheel track I was caught and in for the ride. Luckily just got my driver's side mirror broken. Everything else looks fine. I had pushed my antenna down. It was your basic nightmare.

Toyotaonlineparts has the mirror. $36 + shipping mistake.
Mirror Sub-Assembly Rear 87901-90303

 

[romegadave]

Damn Leslie I hate that............you know I was looking at your rig over at CB last night and it must have been when you first got it since the bezel was flipped then---sorry for the damage but your rig still brings the drool---have you changed tires recently or are those the same you always ran??

 

[70fj40]

Reading that sort of made me nauseous. I almost did the same thing once.

 

[JAFO2014]

Damn Leslie I hate that............you know I was looking at your rig over at CB last night and it must have been when you first got it since the bezel was flipped then---sorry for the damage but your rig still brings the drool---have you changed tires recently or are those the same you always ran??

Thanks. New wheels. It had some American Racing wheels and I never liked the look. So bought some of the white wagon wheels and moved the tires over. Sort of brightens it up some.

 

[JAFO2014]

Reading that sort of made me nauseous. I almost did the same thing once.

I actually sort of got nauseous. It was really no fun. I sat in the 40 and watched my mirror crack. And prayed that nothing else got damaged. You'd think I would be done with life lessons at my age.

 

[dunebeigefj40]

Hmmm, "washed your FJ40", that has never occurred to me.

 

[mrboatman]

I did that once. I even talked the wife to go with me to hold towels up by the doors to keep water out. When the front roller hit the windshield it would not roll over and just kept backing up and trying again after about the third time the car wash machine shut down and went into default. I just got out and picked up the wiper arms and the side mirror got back in and drove out and had to listen to the wife on the way home on how dumb that was. Never again

Good Luck
JP

 

[1911]

About once a year (usually right before I take the hard top off for the summer), I run mine through the cheapo car wash where you just drive in, park in one place, and the sprayers go around the truck, with no rollers actually touching it. Called a "soft touch" wash here. Knocks the road dust and some mud off, cleans the glass. Yeah, some water always comes in past the door weatherstripping; no big deal.

 

[gator25]

Wow, I would have had a stroke!

 

[JohnnyC]

I don't like to wash it... over the past 28 years it's only been washed about 7 times

Only once I took it to a car wash... when I had my hardtop still... it was also a mistake the roller got caught under then lip of the hardtop and broke off two rollers that went rolling over my truck ... I also had found out that my top although a hardtop was not very weatherproof... it leaked from just about every spot and I had suds inside and on me

I recall this being my first month of ownership and had not had rain/water until then

From that point on I did the washing... but that was limited because as I said I hated wasting my time ... my ol 73' spitfire was my baby that I used to wash... this was my truck... it was for work and play ... and washing it ... well ... Johnny doesn't play that

Especially after it was in the woods ... caring stoped for the most part when pinstripes were numerous

 

[Solace in Solitude]

The only time I've driven on mud was the drive with Mark (the @65swb45 version) a couple of weekends ago...

I had to pressure wash the mud off... IH8MUD.

Ordinarily, I come home and hose the dust off before pulling into the garage... But, that's so Dianna doesn't get her clothes dirty... I learned the hard way.

Like Johnny, Danny doesn't play that... It's a trail truck, it's just gonna get dirty again... I learned the hard way.

 

[David70FJ40]

Visions in my head of some of the descriptions of car wash adventures made me laugh. No, I'm not laughing at what happened but rather I remember all to well going through one of those washed and watching both outside mirrors being destroyed to my horror and amazement while listening to what sounded like a beating with a whip. Sadly, I could see extra shards of mirrors on the floor so I wasn't the only one. Visions of soap and water coming in from different places makes me chuckle, also reminds me of some adventures from long ago.

Sorry gentlemen if I offended anyone, your descriptions took me back a long way and I appreciate the candor and openness.

 

[ginmtb]

The beauty of a cruiser with patina... never get tempted to wash it let alone drive it through one of those car washes.

Glad to hear that was the only damage!

 

[TheHardWay]

O-o-o-o-we-e-e-ey, that's one clean lookin' rig!

 

[Varty Yo]

Wand wash only for me!!! Twice a week if i drive it in the winter at all.

 

[JAFO2014]

It never goes out in bad weather. But I did drive after the latest snow had left and my gravel drive threw a little muck and I just wanted the undercarriage sprayed. Anyway, lesson learned. I'll be back at doing my hand wash at home and use the leaf blower after which works better than wiping with rags.

 

[Northbound]

I run the 40 and 45 through the was all the time. No issues. Well I get sprayed, but that's it.

I drive it in the winter so I do it before winter so I can hammered it with fluid film. I also run it through a few times during the winter because it's salt city up here

 

[DSRTRDR]

car washing is overrated

 

[x463]

I've noticed after a HAND car was there is a lot of water INSIDE the front doors. Original doors, never rusty, new seals all around, new runners, etc. The drains at the bottom are good and unobstructed. It can take a while to drain and may not completely drain depending on how level the truck is sitting. Probably explains why so many doors are rusted out - especially if the drains are clogged.

Last time I used a wet/dry vac to try and get all the water out. I'm going to remove the door panels and spray the inside with the Eastwood wax also.

Heavy-Duty Anti-Rust in Amber - Rust Proofing Products - Eastwood

 

[chuckost]

I bought my 1978 fj40 new in early 1978. Two weeks off the lot I took it to the car wash. First roller that hit the roof overhang stopped the whole car wash machine! Luckily trip switch was sensitive or it would have peeled the top like a sardine can.
Coincidentally right now I'm in the middle of refinishing the top, and looking at the stress cracks spreading out 18" from the center of the overhang brings back the feeling of terror watching my Brand New FJ40 being destroyed!!!