Crush 4
SILVER Star
Quick question for the experts. How can you tell if your a FJ40 has the original tub, what are the telltale signs? Any help would be greatly appreciate it. Thank you
Original tub
- Thread starter Crush 4
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
BeerM3
SILVER Star
I won't tag myself as any kind of expert, but if you can see through the floorboard, it's probably original 
Seriously though I'd start with looking closely at the rivets on the door pillar vin tag. You could also look at the firewall panel compared to photos of others with the same model year that are known to be original. Depending if it's a half or full tub replacement, the dash hole locations that might've been filled to match the appropriate year could still be visible from underneath. Roll bars weren't stock on the earlier models so there wouldn't factory captive nuts for them.
Seriously though I'd start with looking closely at the rivets on the door pillar vin tag. You could also look at the firewall panel compared to photos of others with the same model year that are known to be original. Depending if it's a half or full tub replacement, the dash hole locations that might've been filled to match the appropriate year could still be visible from underneath. Roll bars weren't stock on the earlier models so there wouldn't factory captive nuts for them.
M1A1cruiser
SILVER Star
Not sure if you're asking if it's the tub that came on your vehicle or if you're looking for signs of repair/restoration that takes the tub away from its original state of 1960s- 80s sheet metal.
Echoing @BeerM3, I'm no expert, but in rebuilding my disastrously rusted out, and poorly repaired tub, I know one thing that I lost is the vertical seam between the B-pillar and the rear quarter panel.
I'm sure some restorers are able to replicate the spot welds, and thus the vertical line/seam, that join the rear quarter to the b-pillar, but it's also common that many simply butt weld to the b-pillar and don't have the sheet-metal joint there anymore.
Similarly, though I think less common, are the evidence spot welds joining the wheel well to the rear quarter. Many might plug weld the new wheel well cover to the rear quarter and get something that looks like a spot weld - even if smoothed and filled and sanded down to look nice - but it's a pretty unique tool that can truly spot weld those pieces and so often those little dimples are missing on the rear quarter.
HTH, TDC.-
Echoing @BeerM3, I'm no expert, but in rebuilding my disastrously rusted out, and poorly repaired tub, I know one thing that I lost is the vertical seam between the B-pillar and the rear quarter panel.
I'm sure some restorers are able to replicate the spot welds, and thus the vertical line/seam, that join the rear quarter to the b-pillar, but it's also common that many simply butt weld to the b-pillar and don't have the sheet-metal joint there anymore.
Similarly, though I think less common, are the evidence spot welds joining the wheel well to the rear quarter. Many might plug weld the new wheel well cover to the rear quarter and get something that looks like a spot weld - even if smoothed and filled and sanded down to look nice - but it's a pretty unique tool that can truly spot weld those pieces and so often those little dimples are missing on the rear quarter.
HTH, TDC.-
Crush 4
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks for the responses so far. Yeah just for some clarity I’m thinking the front half of my truck meaning doors forward are the original paint but it looks like the tub might’ve had some paint work. So I’m just trying to determine if it was maybe some paint work from some scratches or a dent versus major repair. So like from the structure underneath are there telltale signs again it appears original but I just want to confirm.
Thanks again
Thanks again
Perhaps, if we had some pictures, we could offer more suggestions.
1MOA
SILVER Star
Go underneath and look if it has things like the brackets for the muffler the capture nuts for things like the jack the tool bag heater and the soft tabs that hold the rear wiring still there it is probably original.
1MOA
SILVER Star
The tub floor at the rear by the wheel wells and underneath the tub looking up behind the rear axle
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Looks to be either a 75 or 76. Doesn't look to have a spare tank added but the exhaust is routed out the left side. Are the two original heat shield intact? The back side of the back side of the rear sill and back of the floor by the rear sill.
They came with my 75 so I would say yes.
