Second Annual: Year in Review What was Your Best Land Cruiser-Related Accomplishment in 2024?

[Green Bean]

Happy Holidays everyone. I'm so very grateful for this forum and the collective friendship and wisdom from such an amazing collection of folks. As 2024 draws to a close, it is a good time to reflect. Share what your biggest accomplishment/improvement to your Land Cruiser over the past 12 months and/or what you have in store for it during 2025.

By the way, 2023's Year in Review can be found here.

 

[devo]

Just happy that I can still buy parts and pieces for my 1981 FJ43 and get (almost) expert advice on this forum to keep my rig out of the garage and on the trail.

Happy Holiday everyone!

 

[Green Bean]

2024 in chronological order, significant and lesser so:

1. ARB Rear Locker and Air Compressor
2. 4-Speed Conversion
3. Tom Wood Drive Shafts
4. OEM Rear View Mirror
5. NOS Fuse Block & Cover
6. Glass Bowl Fuel Filter & Clear Fuel Supply Hose
7. Clutch Slave Cylinder Heat Shield
8. OEM Heater Duct/Sleeve
9. Stainless Steel Headers & Exhaust System
10. 4-Speed Skid Plate; Heat Shields & Splash Guard
11. Dobinsons IMS59-50635 Monotube IFP Shocks & SD59-823 Big Bore Steering Damper
12. OEM Hose Clamps, Upper and Lower Thermostat Housing, Thermostat, Gaskets, Radiator Hoses, and Bolts
13. OEM Rear Step
14. Rear Heater Core Repair
15. Receiver Hitch & OEM Bolts
16. New Front Heater Core
17. Auxiliary Hood Safety Catch & Bracket
18. Custom Embossed 4-Speed Shift Instruction Plaque
19. Restored Rear License Plate Bracket & New OEM Rear License Plate Light
20. Roll Bar Support Brackets
21. Carpet & Felt Pad Kit
22. 60 Series Front Backing Plates & New Stainless Steel Brake Lines
23. New Rear Brake Calipers & Pads
24. Powder Coat Aluminum Valve Cover & Acorn Nuts

2025 Projects:
1. ARB Front Locker
2. Sell Another Kidney

 

[centerlineseal]

2. Sell Another Kidney

LMFAO!

 

[Engineer8000]

Finished the chassis work and got the body into the shop. Hope to drive it in 2025. Thanks to all who have pointed out issues and sold me parts this year.

Helped a few people out with their radios, carb fan controllers, emission computers, AC amplifiers, and now RS3000 security modules.

 

[wchevron]

Big year for me, finally purchased my '77 in February. Used it as a daily driver for most of summer. Think I got about 5000 miles in and 2 trips on the beach. Spent the spring getting the aftermarket gauges out of the ashtray opening and the dash back to stock. Made some extension rails out of some tube stock to slide the drivers seat back a couple of inches.
This winter will be sandblasting the wheel wells and adding some rust encapsulator and bed liner to the wheel wells.
Will be replacing the door hardware and door cards
Also going to re-wire the steering wheel to get the horn working again.
Might replace the white 5 spoke wheels with the earlier steel wheels with caps. Have to say I like the look of both types of wheels.

 

[diesellibrarian]

Took my FJ40 from this:

To this:

I don’t know how many square feet of sheet metal I’ve replaced. A lot. It’ll be on the road this spring!

 

[sleepycruiser]

Finally got my ‘64 in 2024. I’m not a mechanic at all, but slowly learning with a lot of help from MUD. The gentleman I bought it from had owned it for 20-ish years and was the accountant once upon a time for TLCA. I’m not sure who all knew him on MUD, but I know he knew Woody and Mark. Unfortunately he passed away within the last few months (which is one of the reasons he sold it). I sent him pics of some of the random things I was doing to it and he was happy we were/are enjoying it. Coolest things for me was figuring out why the battery wasn’t charging, adding the CCOT front bumper, and rebuilding my first 8274 to put on the front.

2025 will be rebuilding the fuel pump, carb, running new fuel line, replacing radiator, thermostat and maybe replacing the shocks with Bilsteins.

 

[EWheeler]

Took my FJ40 from this:

View attachment 3800753
View attachment 3800764

To this:
View attachment 3800765

View attachment 3800767
I don’t know how many square feet of sheet metal I’ve replaced. A lot. It’ll be on the road this spring!

This caused me to stumble into your build, which I don't recall seeing previously. What a project. Beautiful work and crafstmanship, bravo!

 

[RodrigzCrzr]

Getting my turn signals on my 71 FJ40 working and my park brake light functioning.
And actually finding the cut wire for the park brake light.
And finally matching the drivers side fender to the color of the cruiser.

 

[Its me shaneus]

Best upgrade would be the Koito headlights on my 1970 40. The new FJ40Dash pad is nice too.

Worst would be the installation of a lock right in the rear differential. It sure changed the drivability and makes lots of noise. I can see an airlocker in my future.

 

[cruiserkev]

Life went a little crazy on me this year so not much happened on the 40. Did manage a little cosmetic paint work, weather stripping and got some new mirrors. Acquired a few parts and pieces that I haven't had time to install as well. Hopefully be back on the trail again in '25. Happy new year!

 

[igotta40]

2024 in chronological order, significant and lesser so:

1. ARB Rear Locker and Air Compressor
2. 4-Speed Conversion
3. Tom Wood Drive Shafts
4. OEM Rear View Mirror
5. NOS Fuse Block & Cover
6. Glass Bowl Fuel Filter & Clear Fuel Supply Hose
7. Clutch Slave Cylinder Heat Shield
8. OEM Heater Duct/Sleeve
9. Stainless Steel Headers & Exhaust System
10. 4-Speed Skid Plate; Heat Shields & Splash Guard
11. Dobinsons IMS59-50635 Monotube IFP Shocks & SD59-823 Big Bore Steering Damper
12. OEM Hose Clamps, Upper and Lower Thermostat Housing, Thermostat, Gaskets, Radiator Hoses, and Bolts
13. OEM Rear Step
14. Rear Heater Core Repair
15. Receiver Hitch & OEM Bolts
16. New Front Heater Core
17. Auxiliary Hood Safety Catch & Bracket
18. Custom Embossed 4-Speed Shift Instruction Plaque
19. Restored Rear License Plate Bracket & New OEM Rear License Plate Light
20. Roll Bar Support Brackets
21. Carpet & Felt Pad Kit
22. 60 Series Front Backing Plates & New Stainless Steel Brake Lines
23. New Rear Brake Calipers & Pads
24. Powder Coat Aluminum Valve Cover & Acorn Nuts

2025 Projects:
1. ARB Front Locker
2. Sell Another Kidney

Don’t forget to mention your trophy!

 

[franklin40]

power steering and leather wrapped the wheel!! oh yeah fixed my brakes

 

[mtn biker]

@Green Bean you just had to rub some salt in that wound, didn't you. I wasn't able to drive mine except for about a month and a half.

I got nothing.

Just trying to drive it again.

Spun a bearing in the F, got a 2F, spun a bearing in that, rebuild the whole thing. Installed an HEI dizzy. tried to get her running and still haven't had any luck.

On a more positive note THE podcast is still going on

 

[dazerb]

Bought and installed a rebuilt Warn 8274 in July (I do a lot of wheelin on my own...)
Rebuilt the parking brake and installed the double seal speedo housing from Mark's in May.
Ran most of the ATV trails in Sedona with NO problem. Still have to go back and do Broken Arrow! May-June-July
Installed my 6" Tuffy console. May
Adjusted my VALVES just last week and HOLY COW did that make a difference to everything else!!!!! No more oil smoke out the back, carb tunes easily now, timing is more sensitive... AND I did it with the engine running because I could not find a reason why not. Worked great!!
Started the year in Truth or Consequences...
Petrified Forest

2025 Goal is to start attacking some rust issues in front fenders, rear sill,etc.
Stay Kind, Stay Positive, Have Fun, Ski, MTB... #LoveLifeFree

 

[OlYellr]

Sentimental- meeting friends in person from this forum and extending them. You know who you are.

a lot was done to mine, and I think the 4 degree shims upfront had the best ROI. Addressing years of neglect before I got it is an accomplishment.

2025 - maybe address some rust issues above ambulance doors and left side member?

I think I’d like to do 5speed and maybe EFI but for now I will just collect the parts needed for sometime in the future and focus more on just driving vs improving. If I decide that, then rebuild TC in the spring, and maybe get a different center console. May finish the original seats. Oh yeah, maybe SMG pins in the hood hinges to tighten that up.

 

[msapers]

Having my 80 year old Dad, who just got a double knee replacement say that he wants to build one more car together. I never thought we'd get another chance to work together again but I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity. We've chosen my 1972 FJ40. It will be my daily driver and will never be for sale. Thread coming soon!

 

[dazerb]

Sentimental- meeting friends in person from this forum and extending them. You know who you are.

a lot was done to mine, and I think the 4 degree shims upfront had the best ROI. Addressing years of neglect before I got it is an accomplishment.

2025 - maybe address some rust issues above ambulance doors and left side member?

I think I’d like to do 5speed and maybe EFI but for now I will just collect the parts needed for sometime in the future and focus more on just driving vs improving. If I decide that, then rebuild TC in the spring, and maybe get a different center console. May finish the original seats. Oh yeah, maybe SMG pins in the hood hinges to tighten that up.

I gotta do my shims up front! But you will love those SMG pins!! I put em on the hood cuz I prolly open that more than my doors, LOL.

 

[cppilot]

Big accomplishment for me was taking this 1997 HZJ75 fire truck from this….

To this….a fun fully functional HZJ75 double cab pickup that’s really fun to drive. Plenty of room for the pups. The best part was meeting and making new MUD friends over this project.

 

[mtn biker]

Bought and installed a rebuilt Warn 8274 in July (I do a lot on my own...)

I used to do a lot of my own stunts