Refurbishing a legend - drooartz's 1976 FJ40

[drooartz]

If it's leaking at the back of the BMC onto the booster, you probably have a failing seal. That brake fluid is pretty caustic so clean it up as best you can...

You can buy a rebuild kit and go at it, or pick up a brand new BMC from Toyota for around $150 IIRC.

It's leaking at the front somewhere. Had to bite the bullet and get in the hands of a mechanic to get it sorted out. We're down to one car and my work and gig schedule isn't leaving me enough time to get it all sorted out. Wanted to dive in myself but the deer incident has changed the plan somewhat.

Thanks for the tips, and good to know the MC is still available.

 

[duffontap]

good to know the MC is still available.

$36 remfd. at Napa.
$31.50 for the rebuild kit.

 

[Pighead]

look into a small seeping of brake fluid at the master cylinder

Sometimes, it's the little pressure switches on the bottom of the M/C that leak the brake fluid...

 

[drooartz]

$36 remfd. at Napa.
$31.50 for the rebuild kit.

Even better.

Sometimes, it's the little pressure switches on the bottom of the M/C that leak the brake fluid...

Thanks for the tip, Pighead. That certainly could be where the leak is coming from.

 

[drooartz]

Back in business!

Got the 40 back from my mechanic -- due to some time constraints on my end from being down to one car I had him do brakes and cooling so I've got new brakes (master, wheel cylinders, pads, shoes) and new hoses, belts, thermostat, and fan (old one was cracked).

Also got my new stock steel wheels and tires back from Les Schwab and on the truck. I'm very happy with them (powder coated in their standard grey). I guess I'm just a stock look kinda guy. Tires are 30x9.5.

Next up, other than just putting some miles on the old girl, is a good thorough tune-up with some adjustments for my altitude. I'm at 5550' and really never go below 4000' so there is some work to do to regain a bit of the power loss. For right now, though, I'm content to live in the slow lane.

 

[Jacket]

Looks great. Drive it!

 

[taro]

Awesome, but you should probably plan on staying in the slow lane

 

[cbmontgo]

Looking good. I love the old school pinstriping.

 

[vegasfj40]

lookin good!

 

[drooartz]

Thanks guys. Had a bit of an issue today with the brakes sticking on -- makes the FJ40 even slower when the brakes are a bit on all the time... hope to have that sorted out right away. AAA plus to the rescue. I'll be glad when my life settles down a bit and I can get back to doing my own work on the truck again. Just one of those things you have to do sometimes.

Awesome, but you should probably plan on staying in the slow lane

Duly noted. I'm not in a rush, which is a good thing.

Looking good. I love the old school pinstriping.

I'm an old-school sorta guy, really. I love the new stock wheels, and the hub cabs just make the look. It's just cosmetic, I know, but still makes me smile. Now on to adding lots of miles.

 

[Pighead]

Brake master pushrod issue?

 

[drooartz]

Brake master pushrod issue?

We think so. Any other issues I should know? It's a new MC from SOR

 

[UZJ40]

Your 40 looks really nice! I hope to see it on the road if I ever make it down (or up) there.

 

[vegasfj40]

Sent a pm. not sure if you got it. If you ever get down south I would like to see it. Im in Las Vegas but sometimes cruise up to St George and Cedar City. My acquisition story is similar to yours.

 

[drooartz]

Sent a pm. not sure if you got it. If you ever get down south I would like to see it. Im in Las Vegas but sometimes cruise up to St George and Cedar City. My acquisition story is similar to yours.

Got it and replied. I do make it down that way every now and then, would be nice to meet up.

 

[drooartz]

Brake issue turned out to just be the MC pushrod out of adjustment, so I'm back on the road. A good way to start the new year.

 

[77CJ5]

Also got my new stock steel wheels and tires back from Les Schwab and on the truck. I'm very happy with them (powder coated in their standard grey). I guess

Factory Steelies look great!

Are you planning to hit the paint with a clay bar or cutting compound? I bet it would really come back to life, with little effort.

Thanks for keeping us posted!



.

 

[Pighead]

Are you planning to hit the paint with a clay bar or cutting compound? I bet it would really come back to life, with little effort.

That's a slippery slope...where does it end? Armor-all on the tires?

 

[drooartz]

Are you planning to hit the paint with a clay bar or cutting compound? I bet it would really come back to life, with little effort.

I'll give it a try this spring when it's a bit warmer and see what I can do (cheaply) to improve the paint. It's doing the job of protecting the metal for now so that's good enough.

That's a slippery slope...where does it end? Armor-all on the tires?

No worries there. Though it'll be doing mostly street duty for the next couple years, it's still a truck. Kind of nice really, since no one really expects it to be shiny. With the MGB I try and make some sort of effort, but with the 40 I haven't even washed the cat prints off the hood yet.

 

[wesintl]

That's a great 40. That'll take you many places in southern utah.