Operation Olive, My 1975 FJ40 Ground Up Restoration

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I hear ya! I had a major overhaul of the backyard last summer. Built up a lot of cruiser credits as a result.
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I fabricated some vent hoses using 1/2 heater tubing. I used some black duct tape to make a wider mouth opening to attach up under the dash. I first rapped it around the outer diameter backwards. Then one wrap normal to create a sleeve. Then one more wrap to anchor it to the tube. Finished off with some silicone high temp water proof tape. I also used a hose clamp to keep it snug and attached. To make the factory looking bends in the hose I used a piece of coat hanger inside the tube. Once you bend it, it stays put inside the tube.
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broth9640 said:
Cool Cruisers of Texas.
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Good to see their fenders are improving. I helped a friend fit some to his FJ40 about ten years ago and they were so bad that he tossed them into the recycle after arguing with John McClung for days about them. John told my friend Steve that he never told him they would fit well, just that they were fenders for a Cruiser and that if Steve could not do body work he should not be f-ing with Cruisers. We even took it to a body shop in Boulder who said "are you sure they are for this truck?".

Steve then bought a set of Toyota fenders for about $50 more than the CCOT ones and they bolted on in 10 minutes.

I hope they improved the steel though. One of the guys in the Rising Sun had a set on his FJ40 which he had cut and trimmed to fit and they began rusting out the next year. I would rhino line them myself.

Don't get me started on the weather striping from them.

Your rig is looking great! i assume the bezel is jut on upside down for contrast, right? You'll swap it around as a finishing touch?:grinpimp:
 
daito said:
Broth how hard is lining up the panels? I'm nowhere near there. Is there tips or tricks you've picked up so far?
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It's a royal PITA! I still don't have them lined up right. I should have had them fitted, blasted and painted by now. I took a break from it.
 
I got the rear brake line and clutch line attached as well as the clutch master cylinder. No pics. Took a break and took the wife and new pup up the Argentine pass trail to the Waldorf mine and the Santiago ghost town. I needed some motivation. The front fender panels are driving me mad!
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Attached a few decals. I bled the brakes and clutch lines! So close to taking this thing for a spin around the block! I have given up on the CCOT fenders. I bit the bullet and bought a new OEM passenger fender from Toyota for a 1979-1983 FJ40 the drivers side is discontinued. Should fit? Then I will be on the search for a unobtanium drivers side fender or maybe repair my original fender on that side. Perhaps the drivers CCOT will be be a doable process after I have one side all squared up. We will see.
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I'd never get anything done out there, beautiful country. Like your color choice, part of mine is red, but thinking of going Dune Beige. Hope my fenders fit, haven't got to that point yet.
 
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