Builds Bringing an old 40 back to life (1 Viewer)

[65swb45]

PS, these trucks are like LEGO kits and are easy to swap parts from different years, which gets confusing to sort out.

/this\
Looking at the front of the engine, you can see the harmonic balancer locknut of a crank and pulley assembly that did not start until 1969.

FWIW, 100% of the time I recommend starting a resurrection with steering and brakes. Safety first.

 

[65swb45]

Slanted heater vent cover. ‘65 part (maybe into ‘66?).

Second the late ‘65. I think that’s when sea foam green started. No windshield vent, so it’s not an early ‘65.

But definitely a bottom end transplant.

 

[1967fj40]

@65swb45 ill just start calling this thing Frankenstein haha

So the consensus is the body is late ‘65 and the engine is possibly a ‘69?

I need to work on the brakes anyway because right now I literally have none haha

 

[65swb45]

It’s good to have a long term plan before you start. There are a lot of threads you can read about concerning brake overhauls and upgrades. Some jump right into the deep end and do 4 wheel disc swaps. Others like myself just swap in a dual circuit master cylinder with the original cylinders and drums.
I am one of the vendors who offer stock and upgrade components for the brake system. I may not be online to answer all your up front questions, but there are many others here who can. I do offer tech support for everything I sell.

The best thing I can advise at this time is to tear the system down. Finding out how much you have to replace is often a big motivator in whether to stay stock or modify.

 

[1967fj40]

How do I know if my water pump is working? I’m assuming it is because I filled the system with cold water, let the engine run for a few minutes, and drained it and it was warm (refilled it again after this and let it run for about 30 seconds so it would cycle through the system in the event it was working). Also, the block stayed cool enough the I could keep my hand on it the whole time.

 

[Dizzy]

It probably is working if it is not leaking. But, is the thermostat still closed? It should be. These cast iron forklift motors (yes, they are used on forklifts) don't heat up that quick. You can install a Gano clear filter on the top tube and actually watch the water (and some sediment) move from the thermostat to the radiator when the thermostat opens up a bit. Measure your coolant's freeze resistance before the season get too far along.

Congrats on the new rig!

 

[1967fj40]

@Dizzy i took the thermostat out just in case it was stuck closed. Was too worried I would overheat it and fry it after doing all the work

 

[Downey]

BTW, your carb is the standard Chevy 6 cylinder from the 1940's-50's.

@Downey my current carb is or the one I should be replacing it with?

Your current carb pictured is the old Chevy 6 carb.

 

[1967fj40]

Good news and bad news this morning...

Good news is it starts effortlessly and appears to be running strong.

Bad news is I can’t let it run because I need a new radiator. Mine has a hole somewhere in it...

 

[Dizzy]

Cruiser Corps has the 1F single barrel carb to two-barrel Weber conversion. The 38/38 Weber is decent, and it is an all-new option. I don't know much about the stock carb for this year, but it is usually a good idea to explore OEM (I've seen them around), and rebuilding carbs is usually pretty easy. Who knows, maybe the Chevy 6 is actually an ideal swap? But be aware that few previous owners took the time to actually tune a swapped carb in regard to its jets, so they might run rich or lean above idle.

 

[1967fj40]

@Dizzy So you’re saying I can put a two barrel carb on this without an issue as long as I get it jetted properly? If that’s the case I might as well hold on to the SD40 and put that on it

 

[Dizzy]

Swapping out the jets on a Weber is really easy, it can even be done on the trail if you are significantly ascending or descending altitude. At least for my '75, not all the jets for the OEM carb are available to actually make the 2F get enough air at my altitude, so I have had an interest in alternatives. The hardest part of dealing with an aftermarket carb is tuning it to the specifics of your motor - you will never really know if the throttle is mixed right until you put an O2 sensor in the exhaust. I can't imagine that the two-to-one-barrel adapter makes any sense from a performance standpoint, but, a few of us Mud folks have approximate jet sizes for the DGV/ DGEV Weber that might be good enough, and could be somewhat confirmed by reading your spark plugs, no O2 necessarily involved.

Who knows, maybe the Chevy carb, (Rochester?) is just fine as it is, at least for now?

If you can get all the parts, stick with the Land Cruiser's early one-barrel. The partial consensus of the forum is OEM or EFI. I'm thinking that Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters is your source for a rebuild kit. Do you have an air cleaner and carb insulator to go with it?

Where is your radiator hole? On my first 40, I simply did a seal with electrical solder to keep it in service for a bit. But, radiators are really nice things to have new and not all clogged up.

 

[1967fj40]

@Dizzy not sure where the leak is coming from, looks like multiple places but I’ll have to check when I get more time. I haven’t picked up the air cleaner yet ( not sure if PO has it).

Little backstory and something I didn’t mention in the original post...I saw this 40 sitting in someone’s yard when I drove by while working. Stopped in and asked them if they wanted to sell it and they said it was a friends but they’ll call him. He didn’t answer so I made an offer for them to relay to him and as I was leaving he called back. Unbeknownst to both of us at the time, I work with his son. We made a deal and I picked up the 40 the following night. Still haven’t met the PO (coworkers father) but I will on Thursday when I meet him to pick up more parts that he has for me.

HOWEVER, I did go to his friends house yesterday (where I got the 40) to pick up more stuff and wasn’t disappointed with what he gave me!

Am I missing a bracket or something that mounts the seat back to the bottom? I don’t want to force anything and break it.

 

[1967fj40]

Bracket made for the passenger side bench seat is a little ghetto. I’ll have to find pictures of a stock seat and get it to match because it will drive me crazy.

Here it is mocked up

 

[1967fj40]

Just tested 4wd and its working! Thought it wasnt but then I checked the hubs and only one was locked.

 

[SteveH]

Those tubular steel seat frames (on that vintage) are thin and can rust out or break - hence the angle-iron fix. I'll bet you can find a way to fix that with the correct tubing and have it appear more close-to-stock.

You have a sharp truck in remarkably good shape for NY. Keep all the old parts you take off (at least for a while), as some hacks from the PO might be using a later part that is still useful, if not correct. And definitely grab anything the PO or a junkyard has, as the demand for those parts in your part of the country is low, and you might get them cheap/free.

 

[tls3601]

Nice find. I grew up just outside Buffalo in Williamsville. Yes, gather whatever you can, those rigs are very rare back there.

 

[Marn0]

The angle iron on the seat (passenger) has been added as a way to push the seat further back. It looks as if the original legs are still there so you may be able to remove the angle and weld the legs back together.
Not too sure on whats been done to the drivers side. It should rest on the tool box and have a latch to lock it there.

 

[Rigger]

That rig is sweet! Interested to see where your adventure goes.

 

[1967fj40]

@SteveH Thanks, not sure how much bondo is under the paint but i'm hoping not too much. I just picked up 4 or 5 boxes of extra parts from him yesterday and there is still more. I'll probably sell some of it as its original and really good shape and use that to fund the mechanicals that need to be done as thats my top priority.

@tls3601 Not familiar with your town but I've been to buffalo a couple times to visit friends when they were in college. Ever eat at Duff's?

@Marn0 Drivers side hasnt been touched luckily. I'm heading to the scrap yard this morning to grab an extra drivers and bench seat that I'll be selling.

@Rigger Thanks. I'm excited to see where it goes too!