- Location
- United States
Nice mostly unmolested original 1979 FJ40 (2/79) with factory P/S, 888xx miles, U.S. spec, matching numbers (FJ40 300705 – both ID plates and frame, 2F 120522), $27,000.
Thought I’d put this on IH8MUD first in hopes of finding a proper home. First post for me, although I’ve used the technical resources for years (FJ60 – 28 years, 2 FJ80s – 15 years). I bought this FJ40 about a year ago as my next project. Here’s the story as best I can piece it together:
3 owners before me. The previous owner (professional restoration shop) purchased it about 2 years before me – a good candidate that was stored awaiting repairs/restoration, but he decided to sell it to fund other projects. He told me that the cruiser had lived most of its life in North-Central Washington State (Okanagan area), and had two other owners – one for about 2 years, and the original owner (most of its life). Both the original Owner’s Manual and Owner’s Guide were included. The Owner’s Guide documents that the cruiser was originally purchased from Toyota of Olympia in Olympia, WA on February 29, 1980 (with 69 miles) by a person living in Spokane, WA. The Owner’s Manual has 2 registration receipts stapled to the first page that indicate the cruiser was once registered in Fort Wainwright, AK (one issued on January 1981, and one that expires on January 1983). The cruiser was originally mustard yellow, and painted red about 30 years ago. The original owner also had it undercoated (which probably helped save it). There is evidence that it once had a tow bar. It ran and drove well when I bought it, but was in need of refreshment.
I focused most of last summer working on the mechanical parts to ensure it was road-worthy and dependable. My goal was to keep it as stock as possible:
Both floor boards were rusted through. I built a “temporary patch” that can be removed later for a proper welded panel. I removed the original asphalt coating, treated rust with POR-15, then built a “sandwich” floor with a steel web frame fitting the floor flutes with steel sheet (bolted through with body sealer) top and underside – see before, during, and after pictures. Also, treated (POR-15) a few small rust areas at the rear of the tub (shows black in the pictures). It does not appear that the hardtop has ever been removed.
Refinished wheels (powder coated)
Thought I’d put this on IH8MUD first in hopes of finding a proper home. First post for me, although I’ve used the technical resources for years (FJ60 – 28 years, 2 FJ80s – 15 years). I bought this FJ40 about a year ago as my next project. Here’s the story as best I can piece it together:
3 owners before me. The previous owner (professional restoration shop) purchased it about 2 years before me – a good candidate that was stored awaiting repairs/restoration, but he decided to sell it to fund other projects. He told me that the cruiser had lived most of its life in North-Central Washington State (Okanagan area), and had two other owners – one for about 2 years, and the original owner (most of its life). Both the original Owner’s Manual and Owner’s Guide were included. The Owner’s Guide documents that the cruiser was originally purchased from Toyota of Olympia in Olympia, WA on February 29, 1980 (with 69 miles) by a person living in Spokane, WA. The Owner’s Manual has 2 registration receipts stapled to the first page that indicate the cruiser was once registered in Fort Wainwright, AK (one issued on January 1981, and one that expires on January 1983). The cruiser was originally mustard yellow, and painted red about 30 years ago. The original owner also had it undercoated (which probably helped save it). There is evidence that it once had a tow bar. It ran and drove well when I bought it, but was in need of refreshment.
I focused most of last summer working on the mechanical parts to ensure it was road-worthy and dependable. My goal was to keep it as stock as possible:
Both floor boards were rusted through. I built a “temporary patch” that can be removed later for a proper welded panel. I removed the original asphalt coating, treated rust with POR-15, then built a “sandwich” floor with a steel web frame fitting the floor flutes with steel sheet (bolted through with body sealer) top and underside – see before, during, and after pictures. Also, treated (POR-15) a few small rust areas at the rear of the tub (shows black in the pictures). It does not appear that the hardtop has ever been removed.
Refinished wheels (powder coated)
- New tires (5) – Toyo M55s, siped, 235/75/15
- New clutch – disk, pressure plate, T/O bearing, pilot bearing, rear main seal, clutch fork boot (OEM)
- New pan gasket (OEM)
- New valve cover gasket (OEM)
- New shocks (OEM)
- New spring pins (OEM)
- New shackle/pin bushings (CCOT)
- New hoses and belts (OEM)
- New intake airhorn rubber hose (City Racer)
- New heater control valve (OEM)
- New thermostat and radiator cap (OEM)
- Rebuilt carburetor (Standard Motor Products kit)
- Rebuilt distributer (Cardone rebuild service)
- New distributer cap/rotor/plugs/wires (OEM)
- New fuel pump and filter (OEM)
- New wipers (OEM)
- New headlights (Hella, with H4s)
- New tail lights and rear marker lights (OEM)
- New muffler (OEM)
- New battery and cables
- New ammeter (OEM)
- New door cards (OEM)
- New jump seat retaining straps
- New jack handle extensions (OEM)
- New rear shackles (CCOT, 1 inch taller for a more level stance)
- New driver’s side lean correction kit (CCOT)
- New rear heater fan motor (OEM, City Racer)
- New hood rubber cushions
- New tie rod and drag link ends rubber boots
- New front and rear seatbelts (CCOT)
- Added more cushion to the front seats
- Probably more I can’t remember
- Seats are very nice and appear to be original
- Dash pads are very nice – no cracks
- P/S reservoir cap says “TOYODA”
- The engine was de-smogged in the past. It has an exhaust header, and is missing the cat and emission control system. I removed the vanes from the air pump to make it a pulley only.
- I had intended to replace the main/rod bearings “while I was in there,” but the pan/crank/block internals showed hardly any varnish buildup, so I left it alone (I’ve rebuilt 3 2Fs) – the original owners must have change the oil religiously. I also pulled the top off the tranny during the clutch install – it also looked very clean. I replaced tranny, transfer, and differentials oil – all clean without hardly any metal particles.
- Drivetrain is tight – no excessive play in u-joints or slip-joints – drives straight down the road
- Paint is old and oxidized – the yellow is showing through
- There are a few very small dents (hood, left front fender, front bumper) and slight sheet metal deformations (both rear quarter panels near the reflectors)
- The rust is not bad – some pitting is evident on the rear frame cross members and spring hangers, the rest is in good shape
- The antenna is a hole plug only – no radio
- The hole in the fuel filler neck has been enlarged in the past – probably to fit a larger fuel spout
- Headliner is sagging a bit at the corners – appears to be the original
- Weather stripping around the doors is not OEM, but is adequate for now
- All glass is Toyota except for the windshield – all in nice condition – windshield has one small chip
- Everything works except the window washer system – seems to be a plug in the metal tube inside the windshield frame – decided not to remove the hardtop to tackle that one
- The parking brake is weak
- Original Owner’s Manual and Owner’s Guide
- Factory Shop Manuals (reprints – SOR)
- Tool kit
- Jack and handle extensions
- Tail light guards
- Head light guards (old school screens)
- Oil cooler with upper thermostat housing (always a good idea)
- Spare fuel pump (new OEM)
- Front door and spare carrier pin bushings
- Tire chains
- Take-offs from the refresh (original seat belts, original gear shift knob, door cards, rear shackles, carb fan, etc.)
