Builds Project Pikachu: 1977 FJ40 (7 Viewers)

[cbmontgo]

Love the stuffed look with the 33's and stock suspension / steelies. How badly does it rub when driving it as is?

Thanks. It doesn't rub when driving on the neighborhood streets, but the 33s are definitely too big for the wheel wells if there were any flex at all. I am picking up the lift sometime later this week I hope.

 

[cbmontgo]

Beginning to look like a 40. I need to find vinyl decals somewhere where I can replicate the white/black stripes onto the new hard doors.

Took the ole mut on a ride and ran out of gas. Rescued by the wife in the 100 Series and a tow rope. Note to self: need power to cluster, which may include a working fuel gauge.

 

[cbmontgo]

Went for a longer shakedown drive today. Front discs seem to be getting hot. Guess this is normal since the pads are still tight?

 

[wngrog]

Did you put a new booster in? Patina did that and the rod inside the booster was loose and was walking out making my brakes drag.

 

[Varty Yo]

Exactly^^^^^

 

[cbmontgo]

Did you put a new booster in? Patina did that and the rod inside the booster was loose and was walking out making my brakes drag.

Yes, I installed the booster from City Racer. So the solution would be to thread the u-bolt further down the rod, pulling the rod slightly out of the booster?

 

[wngrog]

Yes, I installed the booster from City Racer. So the solution would be to thread the u-bolt further down the rod, pulling the rod slightly out of the booster?

Yep. I bolted mine right up and brakes drug. Can be done by pulling booster from the spacer.

 

[samc2447]

One of the things you need to do when installing the booster from City Racer is to account for the thickness of the spacer when you measure the distance from the threaded rod, that way when you swap it over from your old booster your pedal should be adjusted just like it was before. In any case, as wngrog said it's not too hard to adjust if they are dragging as you described.

 

[Cruiser Corps]

That thing is looking great! What a clean find for $3 grand! More and more I'm wanting to find a 40 like this and fix it up for myself. I love that you're keeping the graphics and matched the original faded paint color for the doors and tailgate. Also, those are good suggestions on the brakes overheating.

- Josh

 

[cbmontgo]

That thing is looking great! What a clean find for $3 grand! More and more I'm wanting to find a 40 like this and fix it up for myself. I love that you're keeping the graphics and matched the original faded paint color for the doors and tailgate. Also, those are good suggestions on the brakes overheating.

- Josh

Thanks, Josh. Wish I only had $3k into it at this point! It's a lot of fun though. Gonna just get better over the next few weeks.

 

[wngrog]

That thing is looking great! What a clean find for $3 grand! More and more I'm wanting to find a 40 like this and fix it up for myself. I love that you're keeping the graphics and matched the original faded paint color for the doors and tailgate. Also, those are good suggestions on the brakes overheating.

- Josh

I may have one to fit this bill for you soon.

 

[cbmontgo]

As I mentioned very early in this story, I am a sucker for old school pinstripes. These sorts of things really stamp a time period on a machine, and I've been waiting for months to accentuate what this rig brings us from 1977. O'Reilly had some wide, made-in-USA decals that I used to finish the doors. Also of note are new side mirrors from @Cruiser Corps.

 

[hooter]

x2 on digging the original pinstripes

My 40 is at the painter now for some touch ups. He asked, "do you want to just repaint the whole thing and ditch the stripes?" I about fell over and said "no. Do as little as possible and reproduce the faded stripes as best you can'. #savethestripe

 

[cbmontgo]

x2 on digging the original pinstripes

My 40 is at the painter now for some touch ups. He asked, "do you want to just reprint the whole thing and ditch the stripes?" I about fell over and said "no. Do as little as possible and reproduce the faded stripes as best you can'. #savethestripe


View attachment 1442019

Exactly.

 

[cbmontgo]

Electrical progress. @Drewk gave me a clean used fuse block to try out and tinker with. Nearly everything has come to life after some light sanding and cleaning around the connectors at the block. My original one looks as though moisture had gotten the best of it over time.

However, I am still going to install a new one from @Racer65 to make it all new again.

 

[cbmontgo]

New fuse block.

 

[cbmontgo]

Drove the HJ47 to Cool Cruisers. After a fun and extensive Land Cruiser conversation with Manny, I drove off with an HFS 4" lift, a new radio antenna for the HJ, a 2" receiver hitch for a 40, some posters, pedal pads, and windshield latch pads as lagniappe.

 

[wngrog]

Superb.

 

[cbmontgo]

...and my soft top is en route. Happy Friday!

 

[cbmontgo]

Stuff's happening. Rear springs are done, fronts are near. Lots of cleaning mud off of parts in between. Ih8mud.