Rustbelt ‘87 FJ60

[FJACS]

I found this 1987 through an online ad at a European auto wreckers about 4 hours north of where I live. I got in contact with the yard owner, got the story on how it ended up abandoned in their back forty and they had the owner email me a few photos.

87 FR

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

87 FL

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

87 Rear

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

87 RR

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

87 RL

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

87 Driver Dash

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

87 Dash

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

Headliner

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

Rear Seat

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

LF Door

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

LR door

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• May 12, 2018

RR Door

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

 

[FJACS]

I decided to drive up to take a look. It was much better than I expected. I got in touch with the guy who had the title, agreed on a price and went back a few weeks later with a U-Haul trailer a few tools and hauled it home. It had been there 4 years and had been moved around the yard a few times, eventually being pushed out into the weeds.

I backed the trailer up to it, attached the trailer’s tie down chains to the front bumper and gave it a tug to make sure the brakes weren’t stuck. Loaded it up and hit the road.

Loading

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

Loaded

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

Gas Stop

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

Mirror

• FJACS
• May 12, 2018

 

[Earwigg]

Looks like a great find.

 

[FJACS]

I got it home on a Friday night. Saturday morning we checked over the basics. I was shocked and a bit when I discovered the rack clamps were not tightened down, and the rack had just been sitting on the roof for the 4 hour highway drive the day before.

I added some fluids, dropped in a battery and it started up. I live in rural area, so I was able to take it for a spin on a few back roads and around my place. I stopped at a neighbours farm and grabbed a photo.

November

• FJACS
• May 13, 2018

 

[erse]

I am not buying any of this.

Found abandoned but looks cleaner than my first two 60's that were somebody's alleged daily drivers!

Fired right up with just a new battery you say...

Is this some type of mud fairy tale where at the end you suddenly announce your new cruiser finding consultancy business?

 

[FJACS]

I am not buying any of this...

Don’t worry. We aren’t up to current yet, and I was still in the honeymoon phase with it. It has its woes.

But yes, fresh oil, battery, put some gas down the carb it fired up...after the choke kicked off it idled.

 

[FJACS]

So far I haven’t included an engine shot. It’s the original fully smogged 2F. I doubt it’s ever been out of the truck.

2F

• FJACS
• May 13, 2018

You might have noticed the interesting addition on the right side of the engine in the photo above. The previous owner was into the “water 4 gas” thing, and built an ABS fuel cell. This fed into the air filter top hat with aquarium tubing.

45mpg

• FJACS
• May 13, 2018

Call me skeptical, but I removed it and the associated 2 miles of wiring. It had liquid in it, and I was unsure if it was some form of hazardous waste, I did the most logical thing, and posted it for free online. I had a guy at my house that afternoon to pick it up. Maybe I should have kept it.

Browns Gas

• FJACS
• May 13, 2018

 

[Willard]

Crazy story so far. I will be watching this one.

 

[g-man]

That's an HHO generator. Transforms water into hydrogen and oxygen and feeds the gas to the carb. Prob nothing but potassium hydroxide or some other catalyst in water. Add metal anodes and current ..and voila...gas. But should go thru a bubbler like water and soap before it gets to the carb. maybe adds a 10percent gain to fuel mileage. Hopefully the gas doesn't convert back into water vapors while in the engine or exhaust.

 

[bobewans]

How much did you pay, this must be a fairytale

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

This luck mud bubble needs to float my way.

 

[FJACS]

I’m not sure it was luck?? It was posted for sale online for months with “ask” for a price. I think a lot of folks might have been turned off by the effort and uncertainty involved in buying it. It took some going between the place where it was sitting and the owner who actually had the title. I paid for it and brought it home last November. I just got the title in my name last week - 6 months later.

It was cheap; basically the price of a new ARB bumper and full length rack. I felt safe buying it, even if I couldn’t get it transferred to my name. I had a bill of sale and at worst a decent parts vehicle.

 

[Tennessee80]

Wow, score!!

 

[FJACS]

At one point while doing some work under the hood I bumped a loose wiring harness and heard a relay click. I moved the wiring around and heard the same click. The truck had an Audiovoxx unit which deactivated the ignition system and locked the hood shut. I assumed it was long-ago disconnected as the wiring seemed to lead to the coil and wasn’t hooked up. But after testing the voltage at the immobilizer box and discovering it was still powered, the truck wouldn’t start - as in starter wouldn’t turn.

Immobilizer

• FJACS
• May 13, 2018

Upon closer examination the system also seemed to interrupt the 12v signal wire to the starter solenoid. The Audiovoxx wiring harness for the under hood portion of the system was badly deteriorated, riddled with cracks in the insulation. I made up a jumper wire and defeated the system to get the truck started.

Jumper

• FJACS
• May 13, 2018

Following this I pulled out all of the under-hood portion of the system and soldered a few factory Toyota wires back together. There was still an under dash portion of the system, but at this point it wasn’t connected to anything.

Audiovoxx

• FJACS
• May 13, 2018

 

[rrv333]

Great find

 

[g-man]

I'm a believer. Great deals are still out there. Few small things I'm noticing...vacuum line not hooked up to the top pass side of the air cleaner. I think I see it hanging down pointing toward the charcoal canister. Hose not attached to the air rail. Rear wiper needs to be re-positioned. Hard to believe a vehicle in that good a shape left to grow in the weeds. If you want to trade my cracked instrument bezel for your good one so more people will believe you ...I would be glad to help you out.

 

[White Stripe]

What does the undercarriage look like?

 

[Infinity00]

THIS IS ONTARIO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT

 

[FJACS]

What does the undercarriage look like?

I’m getting there with the chronology. It’s not bad. No major rust, some surface corrosion, but it could use a clean up. It was heavily oiled from new, and the frame was blasted and painted about a decade ago. I’m in the process of replacing the rear shock cross bar at the moment. Also - the spare tire carrier - entire crossmember is missing. I can see where it bolts in. Just need to source one.

THIS IS ONTARIO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT

Yes Ontario. Canada. It’s 100 times better than anything else I’ve seen for sale around here. It was originally a Massachusetts truck, then to New Hampshire, and then a seasonal driver in Ontario for about 4 years. It’s spent it’s life in the rust belt.

 

[FJACS]

While I was pulling out aftermarket wiring I came across the owners manual and some info from the selling dealership in Massachusetts. The first owner’s info was written on a transfer slip showing it was received May 26, 1987 with 56 miles on the odometer.

Owners manual

• FJACS
• May 13, 2018

Mileage

• FJACS
• May 14, 2018

There’s an old Harvard parking sticker on the rear bumper. Using “Harvard” and the first owners name, I was able to find a faculty email address. He replied the same day and was pleased to find it out it was still alive and gave me some history on the truck. It sounded like the family had really taken care of it... Ultimately it failed a smog test, needed some work and they decided to trade it in.

It ended up Cruiser Solutions in New Hampshire, and I found a series of videos on their website chronicling work they did to it.

2008

• FJACS
• May 14, 2018

It was briefly their shop truck, until a fender bender. Eventually it was sold to the fellow I bought it from and he had them go through it, do a repaint of the body and frame. OME medium/heavy lift, ARB front bumper and the Garvin full length rack. This was done in 2008. Later that year it was imported to Canada.

The videos are interesting to see. There’s a few shots of it in almost bare metal - you can see where there is filler and where it is solid. The paint was sprayed in 2008 and for a truck that has sat outside, it’s still in remarkably good shape.
Restoration 1987 FJ60 Canadian : Cruiser Solutions, custom cruisers, restorations, genuine Toyota parts, body tubs, used Land Cruisers for sale