Gus
SILVER Star
This is my latest project/soon to be trail rig, 73 FJ40, build date May 73, it's a work in progress as can be seen, but the idea is to keep it running and enjoy in whatever condition it's in at the time. I picked this rig up to have a Cruiser to drive while the other ones are under construction or waiting for a rebuild, plus it seemed like a good thing to throw money at.
I hadn't planned on picking up an other FJ40, I've been very slowly picking away at my 79 FJ40 project and getting more and more nit picky about rebuilding it. I had started stripping down an 87 FJ60 for a trail beater, but soon realized the frame was (and looked like) swiss cheese; rebuilding these rigs is great but after a while it sure would be nice to actually be able drive one. Late October 07, flipping through the Classic and antique auto section of Uncle Henrys(a northern New England sell-anything kind of classifieds), during lunch break I find a posting for a 63 Toyota LandCruiser up in central Maine. A few things caught my eye about the ad, like the current owner (second owner) had owned the rig for the last twenty plus years, it ran pretty well, was bone stock with the exception of the shocks and was fairly solid(for a New England project rig). "Fairly solid" for a unrestored New England FJ40 means something a bit different than it does west of here; typically the Cruiser will need a tub rebuild or a new one all together and a bit of mechanical tinkering/tuning at the very least. A couple weeks later I cruised up to take a look; It turned out to be a 73, not a 63, but other wise was as advertised, so I handed the owner some cash, loaded it up and took off.
Fast forward a month, I was picking up some parts at Poor Wallys Cruiser Emporium, after chatting Cruisers for a while I was sold on having Wally build a new tub for the 73. While stripping the Cruiser to bring down to Wallys I discovered some pretty interesting "patch panels"; why spend all that money on those fancy patch panels from the various Cruiser shops when all you need is your licence plate or some roof flashing, some pop rivets and kitty hair.
Pic 1 is the Cruiser as it was the day I dragged it home, pic 2 some sweet patch panel work and pic 3 the Cruiser stripped of all the booty fab body work.
I hadn't planned on picking up an other FJ40, I've been very slowly picking away at my 79 FJ40 project and getting more and more nit picky about rebuilding it. I had started stripping down an 87 FJ60 for a trail beater, but soon realized the frame was (and looked like) swiss cheese; rebuilding these rigs is great but after a while it sure would be nice to actually be able drive one. Late October 07, flipping through the Classic and antique auto section of Uncle Henrys(a northern New England sell-anything kind of classifieds), during lunch break I find a posting for a 63 Toyota LandCruiser up in central Maine. A few things caught my eye about the ad, like the current owner (second owner) had owned the rig for the last twenty plus years, it ran pretty well, was bone stock with the exception of the shocks and was fairly solid(for a New England project rig). "Fairly solid" for a unrestored New England FJ40 means something a bit different than it does west of here; typically the Cruiser will need a tub rebuild or a new one all together and a bit of mechanical tinkering/tuning at the very least. A couple weeks later I cruised up to take a look; It turned out to be a 73, not a 63, but other wise was as advertised, so I handed the owner some cash, loaded it up and took off.
Fast forward a month, I was picking up some parts at Poor Wallys Cruiser Emporium, after chatting Cruisers for a while I was sold on having Wally build a new tub for the 73. While stripping the Cruiser to bring down to Wallys I discovered some pretty interesting "patch panels"; why spend all that money on those fancy patch panels from the various Cruiser shops when all you need is your licence plate or some roof flashing, some pop rivets and kitty hair.
Pic 1 is the Cruiser as it was the day I dragged it home, pic 2 some sweet patch panel work and pic 3 the Cruiser stripped of all the booty fab body work.
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