Builds Project Beach Cruiser | The 1971 FJ40 Patina RestoMod (8 Viewers)
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
this is what I need to do to mine. A decade and a half sitting in our garage in Truckee, then outside in Loyalton... I want to drag it to Reno but my 3 roommates wouldn't be pumped on me putting the FJ in our shared garage/workshop XD
Super cool! I have one and love it. I converted it to the wired remote using solenoids. No cables. No brake or power out either but I really enjoy it.. Here are a few threads in cas you haven’t seen them yet. I’ve been following your thread for a while, really enjoyed the wedding photos!
Warn winch 5687 model on fj40
OLD Warn Winches - Land Cruiser Tech from IH8MUD.com
- Thread starter
- #104
I wanted to share my cruiser related wedding photos. My wife is a saint for letting me build this in the months up to our wedding.
Hi, Nice work. Get on to the rust on the floors fast,mats have a way of rusting out the floors faster buy holding moisture in. I found out the hard way, Mike
Beautiful! The Bride of course! Nice truck too.
- Thread starter
- #108
It's been almost two years since I updated this thread. I bought a 'new' house in 2018, which I though would be great for working on the Beach Cruiser. One house project got in front of the other, then we remodeled a vacation house, and, well, the truck sat in similar state until this last weekend. With my remodel done, I have a couple days to work through some minor bugs.
The big item to tackle is the rear brake rub. The caliper mounting bracket was touching the rotor. If you have ever wondered what to do with all those extra knuckle shims, this is it! Happy I didn't throw them away. This project also gave me the opportunity to swap in (longer) FJ60 wheel studs which should fit better with the disc brake swap.
The big item to tackle is the rear brake rub. The caliper mounting bracket was touching the rotor. If you have ever wondered what to do with all those extra knuckle shims, this is it! Happy I didn't throw them away. This project also gave me the opportunity to swap in (longer) FJ60 wheel studs which should fit better with the disc brake swap.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #111
Yes, I'm running 2012-2014 Mustang GT rear Calipers with ~1997 4cyl 4Runner front rotors (297mm). I put this setup together myself because I wasn't happy with how large the monte carlo calipers are (63mm).
For some tech specs:
Monte Calipers give you a 4.91in2 piston surface area
FJ60 front calipers, give you a 3.63in2 piston surface area
Mustang calipers are a 2.25in2 piston surface area.
This means that Mustang calipers are about 60% the size of FJ60 front calipers, and Monte calipers are about 135% the size. With FJ60 & Mustang calipers, its a near perfect 60/40 brake bias.
As an added bonus, Mustang calipers are setup for a parking brake.
For my caliper mount, I used a flat piece of .25" stock welded to the housing. Slightly crude, but it works.
If I did it over again, I would have mounted the calipers with the parking brake cables attached, so I had a better idea of rotation. These are made for unibody cars, so the parking brake mount is a bit goofy compared to other calipers I've worked with. I guessed this time around, which put the calipers vertical. It doesn't hit the frame or bumpstop, but it made me nervous the first time I took the truck down a fire trail.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #112
Time for the next big cluster of work. With the current shelter in place, I have some time to work on the cruiser. My goal is to take the truck up to Blue Lakes in July and spend a week fly fishing out of it.
As I dig into it, I find more and more little things that need to be addressed. While I won't be able to have the truck perfect or completely oil leak free, I do hope that in the next 2 months I can get it safe to drive hundreds of miles.
As I dig into it, I find more and more little things that need to be addressed. While I won't be able to have the truck perfect or completely oil leak free, I do hope that in the next 2 months I can get it safe to drive hundreds of miles.
- Thread starter
- #113
First project: Fix the vacuum lines. I knew that the routing wasn't right when it was first done. The valve cover was vented to atmosphere, the PCV was hooked to the air filter, the brake booster was hooked to the PCV connection, and the vent was backwards on the charcoal canister.
After some help from friends, I got the routing figured out and everything is hooked up correctly again. I can say it idles far better.
After some help from friends, I got the routing figured out and everything is hooked up correctly again. I can say it idles far better.
- Thread starter
- #114
When doing the vacuum lines, I noticed the wire was broken off the water temp switch. With some help from the 60-series forum, I found the replacement connector, making for an easy fix. Apparently this is part of the fuel pressure control system, which may help explain why my truck sometimes died at idle when warm.
- Thread starter
- #115
Another small project I worked on was replacing all the tie rod end boots. Since my cruiser only has 68,000 miles on it, the tie rod ends are still tight, just anything rubber is long gone.
D21FJ60
#LiveLaughLove.
Awesome thread.
Now I don't feel bad that my 2nd gen t4r has been sitting for almost a year, following us from one house to the next.
Never been a huge 40 fan but threads like this makes me wish you could still find them for $1k
Now I don't feel bad that my 2nd gen t4r has been sitting for almost a year, following us from one house to the next.
Never been a huge 40 fan but threads like this makes me wish you could still find them for $1k
- Thread starter
- #118
- Thread starter
- #119
My wife decided my ‘roadkill’ style cardboard list didn’t match her pottery barn motif. Thus I inherited a chalk board with chalk pens from inside the house.
I can’t say that I’m totally into the departure from my old jalopy style, but I can’t find a single rational reason to care.
In other news, I scheduled to have a rollcage and raptorliner installed at a shop in 3 weeks
. While completely unnecessary, I’m tired of the interior being dirty.
I can’t say that I’m totally into the departure from my old jalopy style, but I can’t find a single rational reason to care.
In other news, I scheduled to have a rollcage and raptorliner installed at a shop in 3 weeks
. While completely unnecessary, I’m tired of the interior being dirty.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #120
Back to ticking items off my project list: I tried polishing a test panel to see how clean the paint will come. Quite surprisingly, it polished up nicely. I was thinking I’d have to go the fluidfilm route, but I think I found a method that will bring back more of the shine. It includes:
As you can see from my upper front door test section, I believe this will work well. Top is polished, bottom is oxidized.
- Scrub the rust spots with ultra fine Scotch Brite with a 3-1 mix of CLR & hot water
- Scrub the oxidized paint with magic eraser soaked in the 3-1 CLR & hot water mix
- Polish the truck with Griot’s complete compound
- Polish the truck with Griot’s best of show wax
As you can see from my upper front door test section, I believe this will work well. Top is polished, bottom is oxidized.
