(soon to be) new fourty, advice needed.

[justbecause]

No disrespect, but you haven't yet bought a truck that doesn't run, with a head that may or may not work, rebuilt by someone you don't know and you want to buy another head, rebuilt by someone else you don't know and you don't even know whether you have bought a truck or whether the head is bad? Are you a high school student?
Sorry, I'm an Old Geezer who has made his share of bad decisions. If you want to take a risk and buy the truck, do it. Then figure out what is wrong with it. Then, if you determine that it's the head, and you want to buy another one that may or may not work, buy it. But at least separate your decisions. IMHO. By the way, I love the fact that this is money that you have earned.

Yea. My head needs to come off and be inspected before you buy another one. It could be as simple as a small piece of metal stuck in the valve keeping it from closing.... Time and attention to detail is what the cruiser needs not more money.

posted with my thumbs.

 

[Cleg]

FJ62sasquatch, High school for me was a long time and a lot of mistakes ago.
I recommend you pass on buying the 40 and buy something that you can drive without sinking every extra dollar you earn into it.
I bought several cars as a teenager without understanding how much more money it was going to cost to get it running and maintain it.
'59 Jaguar XK150 convertible, 76 Triumph TR6, 73 MGB, 69 firebird, 77 Jeep CJ7, 87 Jeep CJ7, 69 Cadillac, 72 FJ40.
The result was I tried to do everything as cheap as possible and ended up with little to show for the effort. I also missed out on events that I couldn't get to because my car was an unreliable piece of **** or because I spent my weekends working on it or how unimpressed my date was when my brakes failed or the electrical system shorted out. I suggest only getting the FJ40 if you don't need it for transportation, i.e. have another car that you drive. Even then, before you buy you had better have another $2,000+ on hand ready to sink into it. Unsolicited advice from an old geezer with many a skinned knuckle.

 

[edwjmcgrath]

Sasquach, I didn't mean to come across as negative as Cleg. I too have a long list of old cars that I bought and restored when I was younger, 55 Chevy, Triumph Spitfire, Fiat Spyder, BMW 528 and 2800cs, ....
I wouldn't trade my experiences with those vehicles for anything, even though they were a ton of work and cost a lot of money. Just do it intelligently. FWIW, I could afford most any vehicle now, and my choice was the FJ40.

 

[FJ62sasquatch]

Ok, let me first say Thank you all! ane next let me say, that I do have another car I will be driving, in fact its another Land Cruiser , but anywho I am content in that fact that my 88 is ready to be a daily driver, and as a back up I could drive my father's prius but anywho... if there is one thing that I have learned from my experiences with my FJ62 its that if you don't do things right the first time it, you will regret it! I have no intentions of rushing through this 40 so I can look cool cruising down the strip getting the ladies in fact I wanted a project! I see how you all get so attached to your cruisers and you are all so intensly knowledgable on the subject of cruiser through your experiences, I want this to be a learning experience! I will more than likely strip her down over the summer, and go over every inch of her with a fine toothed comb, take things slowly and hopefully have a very nice rig by the end of all of this. My mind is pretty much made up at this point, and I thank you all for your advice. I have the time, and the funds, and the love to put into this thing.. I know it won't be easy and there will be days I will have to sacrifice to work on her, but this is my dream car, and I will hate myself more for not getting it I know it may seem crazy, but I can't think of any reason NOT to get this thing!