Project Supahcheap - A fully functional 40 for $1000 - Can it be done? (1 Viewer)

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you're my new hero... used oil, strained through a rag to make sure it runs before investing too much... that's awesome on so many levels.

My first cruiser was a 71 and the only big-ticket item I bought was bought for me by my dad - a roll cage.

as long as it goes, stops, and turns... I see no reason why you can't get it going for 1k... granted, if it doesn't do any of those things, it will be more than 1k. With that said, you can save tons of money doing stuff yourself on the '40... my first, I rebuilt every slave cylinder on it... cost me $10 for the little cups and $16 for a hone (that I still have and use.. this is 1989 dollars, mind you). Wiring is another one where you can spend a lot on a Painless or similar harness, but with time, effort, and hacking a harness out of a car with long leads (so you can get more than just red, green, blue, yellow, white and black wires)... you'll have what you need - especially if you grab it out of a late model with water proof connectors.

Another thing, Toyota has good parts for a lot of money - axle seals (rear) is a good example - they are the same as GM 3/4 and 1 ton trucks... like $2.00 vs. $20.00 @ toyota

oh yeah, and MUD members are awesome at being a parts resource, if you need something, ask here... heck, I still have a slave cylinder that I ordered from Toyota that came after the first one was gone (I went through a lot of cars).
 
What about the frame and the shackle mounts are they within specs, you may have bent frame rails.

I don't know exactly what spec is. I found a couple of frame spec diagrams but it wasn't very clear what information was accurate. They didn't all agree with each other.
 
I love this thread! Will follow with interest.

My FSMs on "Chassis/Body" have exact dimensions for frame, and sections for Inspection and Repair & Replacement ( my stuff is for a '64 40 tho ). Toyota Factory Service Manuals are great.

Good Luck!
 
I don't know exactly what spec is. I found a couple of frame spec diagrams but it wasn't very clear what information was accurate. They didn't all agree with each other.

I hate to sound so blunt, but it's a $1000 FJ40 - you want a show car? if the frame isn't bent now, it will be when you wheel it; if you wheel it, you may bend it back straight... seriously, don't let perfect get in the way of done. You (as you said) don't have the finances for it - or, let me put it another way.... my DD was a 71 FJ40 that would try to kill you with exhaust leaks over long distances... now, that I'm done with college and graduate school... my FJ40 is a toy that I spend more in one shot on than I had in my entire 1st FJ40. You need a 4x4 in college, it's cheap entertainment.... you don't need a show car in college, it could (like happened to a really good friend of mine) get stolen - it was a 1965 Mustang that his dad surprised him with when he graduated from high school....
 
I hate to sound so blunt, but it's a $1000 FJ40 - you want a show car? if the frame isn't bent now, it will be when you wheel it; if you wheel it, you may bend it back straight... seriously, don't let perfect get in the way of done. You (as you said) don't have the finances for it - or, let me put it another way.... my DD was a 71 FJ40 that would try to kill you with exhaust leaks over long distances... now, that I'm done with college and graduate school... my FJ40 is a toy that I spend more in one shot on than I had in my entire 1st FJ40. You need a 4x4 in college, it's cheap entertainment.... you don't need a show car in college, it could (like happened to a really good friend of mine) get stolen - it was a 1965 Mustang that his dad surprised him with when he graduated from high school....

I'm not worried about it being perfect, I just kinda want to know what to correct. I don't want to rush into something and screw it up more.
 
these things are notorious for having one or more sagging spring

The more reading I do the more I think the frame is just goobered up. The springs didn't seem to be TOO saggy, but we'll see once I get normal shackles on it again.
 
Its definitely a correct era 40 axle, the more I read the more I think its just the frame that's out of whack. Supposedly the correct spring width is 970mm or 38.2 in, I measured the axle at right around that.
 
So project update. The frame was definitely put out of whack when the rear crossmember was replaced. I decided the easier way to fix the suspension was to just remove the rear spring perches and move them out. So far I've gotten them ground off and started to learn to weld, so I can reattach them. It'll probably be ugly but I'm just going for functional.

It's progressing, just very slowly.
 
So project update. The frame was definitely put out of whack when the rear crossmember was replaced. I decided the easier way to fix the suspension was to just remove the rear spring perches and move them out. So far I've gotten them ground off and started to learn to weld, so I can reattach them. It'll probably be ugly but I'm just going for functional.

It's progressing, just very slowly.
Could the Springs be flattened out from sitting over time? Wouldn't that cause the increase measurement from eye to eye?
 
Here's my beauty with the same shackle problem.
FJ 4.jpg
 
Not sure if this helps or not (don't know what years the frame changes), but a good reference...


fj40-frame-dimensions.jpg
 
Could the Springs be flattened out from sitting over time? Wouldn't that cause the increase measurement from eye to eye?

They aren't wrong lengthwise, they're no longer the correct width apart. They should be 38.2" and they're nearer 37.2". The frame has been gacked, I'm solving it the lazy man way by only moving the parts of it I care about.
 
A 40 is not really a good candidate for cheap anymore in my opinion. It can be done-but not easy. Even used parts prices are expensive nowadays. They are becoming too valuable. A better candidate for cheap would be a jeep of some sort, or a old pickup truck with a common motor.

They absolutely aren't a good candidate for cheap, that's what makes this project so much fun, just seeing if its possible at all. Cruiser blood runs deep.
 
Hey, main thing, it runs & drives! I saw one on Seattle/Portland CL for $4000, and it doesn't have an engine in it!
You're golden!
 
subscribed ... I give you credit ... stick with it ... patience and perseverance will take you a long way, with 40's and most other things ... if the frame's off a little, you can fix it at some point after you resolve the spring thing (if you want to) ... one thing about 40s, they wear their age and battle scars well ...
 
Well its been awhile, I guess I owe this thread an update. Since I've been home for break I've made some good progress. I decided to grind off the rear spring perches and re-weld them a little further apart. I have a sum total of about an hours worth of welding experience at this point but I'm proud to say that the perches are reattached with probably the ugliest booger welds I've ever seen, but at least they seem pretty solid. I'm going to add a bolt through just to be on the safe side but all in all it went about as well as I could have hoped.

I did a little messing with the brakes, just enough to know they're gonna need a lot of work. Only one of the adjusters moves, even after a liberal application of the hammer and PB blaster.

A lot of other little stuff done. I got a toyota air cleaner to mount up and work, replaced the other honda seat with a factory one, mounted up some doors, and changed the steering wheel. It now has a genuine 40 steering wheel (just from completely the wrong year).

4UboSDa.png
AUTUelH.png
 
I did a lap of the yard today and discovered a few more problems. In my messing with the brakes I didn't make them any better, but I did make them drag a lot. So I decided what better way to solve this than to change the coolant. :grinpimp: When I opened the hood it was boiling over in what looked like suds. Drained it out of the rad and then went for the block drain plug. I took the plug all the way out and still no coolant. Strange. So I refilled the truck with plain water just to see (with the drain plug still out), still nothing out of the block drain hole, even after I ran the truck for a minute or so. So thats where it sits for now. Oh and also the rad leaks.

qJw5Jee.jpg
 

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