Builds RevISK’s ‘80 FJ40 - A Girl Named Norman (3 Viewers)

[firemanj92]

try @ToyotaMatt

 

[RevISK]

A little back story here…

I owned a ‘75 40 in high school that I traded a 1980 Subaru 1600GL to get. This was 1990? Worked as a snowboard instructor at Sugar Bowl on Donner Summit in NorCal. The thing was stock as it gets and I’d regularly get blisters on my right ankle driving up to work from Nevada City, CA.

Sold that truck for something stupid like $2500 to fund a solo trip to Europe for a couple months. Kid I sold it to douched it out and totaled it within a year. Only vehicle I’ve lusted after all these years.

Fast forward to the beginning of the pandemic… guy I work with, his father-in-law passes away and they find two FJ40 s in one of his barns in Pasadena, TX. A hoarder that sometimes had money. They took it to a random 4x4 place outside Austin and were quoted 50k to get it going, not restored, just running and driving. I ask her one day what’s up with the 40 and she says she’s selling it to some random dude for a grand. “Sell it to me” I say and she straight up gives it to me. Hasn’t run since 1992 as far as anyone can tell but it comes with a caveat, I have to name it…

I don’t name my things, vehicles, projects, but I can live with this, I call it “Patches” for, well, all the patches it’ll need.

Couple years into it, he’s running strong, steering and stopping and after a major clean out I found the last insurance card. Her dads name was Norman. This cruiser is now named “Norman”. Still needs a boatload of patches but it’s feel like the name has a way better feel, since I have to name it at all.

Here is around the time I brought it home:

 

[RevISK]

try @ToyotaMatt

VintageTeq guy? His site is down. Thought of him first. I’ll hit him up here.

Thanks,
Ian

 

[RevISK]

Beer run last night with the first visible patch, door bottom. My wife finally figured it out and called the truck my girlfriend… I corrected her and told her, she’s my mistress.

 

[RevISK]

My son decided to stop playing baseball and my wife wanted to throw out the pitchback thing I got him a couple years ago. I tore the netting off and made a small parts spray stand.

Using the last of my caliper paint on what was once a nasty ass skid plate.

 

[RevISK]

My son decided to stop playing baseball and my wife wanted to throw out the pitchback thing I got him a couple years ago. I tore the netting off and made a small parts spray stand.

Using the last of my caliper paint on what was once a nasty ass skid plate.


View attachment 3267676

Terrible picture, I am a photographer after all…

 

[RevISK]

Beer run last night with the first visible patch, door bottom. My wife finally figured it out and called the truck my girlfriend… I corrected her and told her, she’s my mistress.
View attachment 3267665

Fun story about this door patch…

How many of you have seen the Harbor Freight ads pop up on your whatever feeds? The one with the sexy blue Bronco pulling into the store at the end?

Along with photography, I do what’s called Production design in the film business, primarily commercials. I designed those ads and in one scene we filmed a body work guy at work. I talked them into welding this patch on for the scene. Pretty well cooked it with the angle grinder but the patches and labor were free. Have the one for the passenger side to put on still. I may not have a swimming pool full of money to shovel at this thing, but at least I have other ways… and tenacity.

 

[firemanj92]

VintageTeq guy? His site is down. Thought of him first. I’ll hit him up here.

Thanks,
Ian

Yes, He does a reset every so often, so he'll be back up and running. You can pm him also, he's pretty responsive and works into the late hours of the night as a 1 man show.
Also check with @65swb45 (Marks offroad)

 

[RevISK]

Yes, He does a reset every so often, so he'll be back up and running. You can pm him also, he's pretty responsive and works into the late hours of the night as a 1 man show.
Also check with @65swb45 (Marks offroad)

I did PM him a couple days ago, no response but no worries either. I’ll check with Mark as well. Will probably just swap the connector since that seems to be the common factor.

 

[RevISK]

So I made the brilliant decision to put in a new thermostat in my truck. This resulted in in two broken thermostat housing bolts that are absolutely seized into the lower housing. Heat, oil, cold… not coming out. I talked to Mark @65swb45 and he’s sending me some stuff. However, I’m such a sucker for renewing/reusing old s***e that I haven’t given up yet.

Thermostat upper and lower are soaking in the vinegar bath and I’ll try again today.

 

[RevISK]

Cut some new threads on the studs and will try the double nut method later after a soak in Corrosion X.

Not certain my package from Mark will get here before the Round Up next weekend so I’d like to try and get this back together.

If anyone has any other ideas I’m all ears…

 

[RevISK]

These stud are forever wedded to this housing.
AJ of AJ’s Yotas @aljollano here in central Texas has a housing for me.

If anyone in central Texas needs a great cruiser mechanic, AJ is great. Knows his s***.

I’ll be getting my sniper install done with him when I can figure out which of my children’s body parts to sell…

 

[EStein]

A little back story here…

I owned a ‘75 40 in high school that I traded a 1980 Subaru 1600GL to get. This was 1990? Worked as a snowboard instructor at Sugar Bowl on Donner Summit in NorCal. The thing was stock as it gets and I’d regularly get blisters on my right ankle driving up to work from Nevada City, CA.

Sold that truck for something stupid like $2500 to fund a solo trip to Europe for a couple months. Kid I sold it to douched it out and totaled it within a year. Only vehicle I’ve lusted after all these years.

Fast forward to the beginning of the pandemic… guy I work with, his father-in-law passes away and they find two FJ40 s in one of his barns in Pasadena, TX. A hoarder that sometimes had money. They took it to a random 4x4 place outside Austin and were quoted 50k to get it going, not restored, just running and driving. I ask her one day what’s up with the 40 and she says she’s selling it to some random dude for a grand. “Sell it to me” I say and she straight up gives it to me. Hasn’t run since 1992 as far as anyone can tell but it comes with a caveat, I have to name it…

I don’t name my things, vehicles, projects, but I can live with this, I call it “Patches” for, well, all the patches it’ll need.

Couple years into it, he’s running strong, steering and stopping and after a major clean out I found the last insurance card. Her dads name was Norman. This cruiser is now named “Norman”. Still needs a boatload of patches but it’s feel like the name has a way better feel, since I have to name it at all.

Here is around the time I brought it home:
View attachment 3267662

I had a 74 in high school. My girlfriend talked me into selling it for a 76 VW Scirocco! Noooo! Always regretted that one. Girlfriend dumped me the next year. Phew! Don’t regret THAT one.

 

[Living in the Past]

I had a 74 in high school. My girlfriend talked me into selling it for a 76 VW Scirocco! Noooo! Always regretted that one. Girlfriend dumped me the next year. Phew! Don’t regret THAT one.

Back in 1973 my parents and girlfriend convinced me to sell my 69 Opel GT. Parents are now long gone. Girlfriend became my wife the next year and divorced mid eighties. Opel is the only vehicle I ever regretted selling. I did buy my first FJ40 in 1974. Don't regret selling that one. Only because I still have it.

 

[RevISK]

Installed the thermostat housing bottom from @aljollano (4 hole) with my housing top (2 hole) as I could only source the 2 hole gasket locally.

Just ran it for about a half an hour with just distilled water and heater on high. No leaks and the system is holding pressure .

Going to let it cool down and flush flush flush. Still only getting 3 gallons in including the reservoir so I must have a blockage somewhere?

Thinking I’ll give Thermocure a shot since when I had the tstat housing off, it looks like a tetanus farm in there.

Will put OEM bolts and mate up the appropriate top and bottom when my package from Mark’s Off Road gets here. I did put anti seize on the big box bolts as well as chased the threads in the bottom.

But for now, at least I’m good for RoundUp (hopefully).

Ian

 

[RevISK]

So while avoiding the many other things this girl needs, I redid my toe in with the Fisher Price version of @wngrog s toe in jigs. I got it around 3/16 ish and it seems to be tracking better?

 

[RevISK]

Also, I will absolutely be redoing the pinstripes on this puppy, they are so good. Originally gold and vinyl is my guess…

 

[RevISK]

I ran up to Prosper, TX. Today to grab Norman a new blouse from @Dallas Todd

Just dry fitting here. If Nolan @wngrog doesn’t snag the red hood, it’s up for grabs.

 

[wngrog]

I ran up to Prosper, TX. Today to grab Norman a new blouse from @Dallas Todd

Just dry fitting here. If Nolan @wngrog doesn’t snag the red hood, it’s up for grabs.

View attachment 3272596

im in

 

[RevISK]

im in

Just replied to your PM