Hi all, thought after lurking here for so long I had better start my own build thread.
I have owned a few 4x4,s .
First a 76 fj40 that was my daily for most of my 20,s . Was pretty stock when I got it , ended up with a mild lift and rear ARB locker . Also converted to lpg as was too thirsty and I was too poor .
Did a lot of kms in that truck, had to replace the motor after my brother borrowed it to haul a trailer . He didn't watch the gauges and must have lost a hose and the engine overheated and seized.
Ran a 83 fj60 for even longer , mild lift again and put the locker out the 40 n it. On gas as well.
Did even more kms finally sold it as the rust had eaten the roof pillars and gutter away. Had 333,000 and motor was still strong.
Bought an 93 Defender on a whim to use as a tow car , but always missed the 40.
Restored a 56 series one landrover , back to chassis , loved it but not really usuable as even a weekend car. Too slow and ridiculously rudimentary.
Sold that a few years ago when prices where good , due to the interest caused by the production of current defenders ending.
Was browsing youtube and came accross the icon fj custom stuff. That got me thinking about the old fj40 I had , and then this great forum.
So I began looking for a similar vintage fj40 to my first , with the aim of a rolling resto . Building into a similar spec as before with few upgrages and making it the fj40 my first might have become had I kept it.
Enter the rival40
Yes that is a terrible stencil applied some sort of rattle can camo job.
The good is.
Seems good mechanically , lots of receipts for work done.
Front disc conversion.
Good rear springs ( efs brand ) .
OME shocks only couple years old.
Has both rear jump seats ( wanted at least one , as my original fj40 )
The bad is .
Interior is terrible , awful seats with no adjustment
Dash has been butchered full of holes
Has a bit of rust in the usual spot , worst is bottom of doors and rear sill ( PO was upfront about this so was no surpise ).
As mentioned my original plan was a rolling rest ...... well that went out the window so this thread will document my frame off rebuild .
I am currently up to having just mounted the body back on ( no teaser shots ) , so will tell the story posting when I get time . Hopefully catching up to current events.
I have taken lots of photos , as I find it a great reference when it comes to re-assembly, so this thread will be more pics than words.
Hope my efforts are worthy of this great forum , I have lost count the number of times this forum has helped me answer some fj40 conundrum !
More soon.
Cheers Andrew
I have owned a few 4x4,s .
First a 76 fj40 that was my daily for most of my 20,s . Was pretty stock when I got it , ended up with a mild lift and rear ARB locker . Also converted to lpg as was too thirsty and I was too poor .
Did a lot of kms in that truck, had to replace the motor after my brother borrowed it to haul a trailer . He didn't watch the gauges and must have lost a hose and the engine overheated and seized.
Ran a 83 fj60 for even longer , mild lift again and put the locker out the 40 n it. On gas as well.
Did even more kms finally sold it as the rust had eaten the roof pillars and gutter away. Had 333,000 and motor was still strong.
Bought an 93 Defender on a whim to use as a tow car , but always missed the 40.
Restored a 56 series one landrover , back to chassis , loved it but not really usuable as even a weekend car. Too slow and ridiculously rudimentary.
Sold that a few years ago when prices where good , due to the interest caused by the production of current defenders ending.
Was browsing youtube and came accross the icon fj custom stuff. That got me thinking about the old fj40 I had , and then this great forum.
So I began looking for a similar vintage fj40 to my first , with the aim of a rolling resto . Building into a similar spec as before with few upgrages and making it the fj40 my first might have become had I kept it.
Enter the rival40
Yes that is a terrible stencil applied some sort of rattle can camo job.
The good is.
Seems good mechanically , lots of receipts for work done.
Front disc conversion.
Good rear springs ( efs brand ) .
OME shocks only couple years old.
Has both rear jump seats ( wanted at least one , as my original fj40 )
The bad is .
Interior is terrible , awful seats with no adjustment
Dash has been butchered full of holes
Has a bit of rust in the usual spot , worst is bottom of doors and rear sill ( PO was upfront about this so was no surpise ).
As mentioned my original plan was a rolling rest ...... well that went out the window so this thread will document my frame off rebuild .
I am currently up to having just mounted the body back on ( no teaser shots ) , so will tell the story posting when I get time . Hopefully catching up to current events.
I have taken lots of photos , as I find it a great reference when it comes to re-assembly, so this thread will be more pics than words.
Hope my efforts are worthy of this great forum , I have lost count the number of times this forum has helped me answer some fj40 conundrum !
More soon.
Cheers Andrew