This will be the build thread/documentation (not sure how I get the “Builds” tag) for my new-to-me 1976 FJ40 named Otis. The truck was named by the previous to the previous owner, and it fits so the name happily will stay. I bought Otis from fellow IH8Mud member @Phrog in late July of 2025.
My history with Land Cruisers and journey to purchase Otis can be found here:
Third time's the charm? - hunting another FJ40
TLDR: This is my 3rd FJ40 since 1995, all have unintentionally been 1976 models. Tan then red now blue.
While I never say never, the intention is that I'm in for long term ownership. What's different this time is that I now have tools, dedicated shop space at home, and no need for this to be a daily driver. Don't have huge amounts of time, but I've found that vehicles are patient.
For a sense of my plans I'll answer @cruisermatt's frequent question: what are your long term goals with this? I want to continue to keep Otis on the road and reliable so I can enjoy the driving. I live up in the Utah mountains with lots of great dirt roads to explore, and I want to get up there to camp and hike, and just have fun driving him around. Want to be able to cruise at 60mph for a long stretch if needed. I tend towards originality, but do enjoy practical upgrades where they make sense. Otis is largely stock, and is plenty capable enough to do what I want to do. Rough road driving is fun for me, but rock crawling is not really my cuppa. So a lift is unlikely, but the DUI ignition update the PO did is nice. Wouldn't swap in a V8, but fuel injection wouldn't be out of the question at some point. Want to keep Otis on the road and drivable, and limit larger projects to winter months and only as needed.
Otis is a solid truck, that has been maintained and repaired over the years. There is some rust (front floors the worst) but nothing fatal. Engine runs well, and most everything works. As I've driven him over the last little while I've developed a list divided into 3 parts: Critical to address soon, Repair to get to some day, and Upgrade for that maybe-someday list. Very little on the critical list, so we'll start there and enjoy the driving.
The list:
My history with Land Cruisers and journey to purchase Otis can be found here:
Third time's the charm? - hunting another FJ40
TLDR: This is my 3rd FJ40 since 1995, all have unintentionally been 1976 models. Tan then red now blue.
While I never say never, the intention is that I'm in for long term ownership. What's different this time is that I now have tools, dedicated shop space at home, and no need for this to be a daily driver. Don't have huge amounts of time, but I've found that vehicles are patient.
For a sense of my plans I'll answer @cruisermatt's frequent question: what are your long term goals with this? I want to continue to keep Otis on the road and reliable so I can enjoy the driving. I live up in the Utah mountains with lots of great dirt roads to explore, and I want to get up there to camp and hike, and just have fun driving him around. Want to be able to cruise at 60mph for a long stretch if needed. I tend towards originality, but do enjoy practical upgrades where they make sense. Otis is largely stock, and is plenty capable enough to do what I want to do. Rough road driving is fun for me, but rock crawling is not really my cuppa. So a lift is unlikely, but the DUI ignition update the PO did is nice. Wouldn't swap in a V8, but fuel injection wouldn't be out of the question at some point. Want to keep Otis on the road and drivable, and limit larger projects to winter months and only as needed.
Otis is a solid truck, that has been maintained and repaired over the years. There is some rust (front floors the worst) but nothing fatal. Engine runs well, and most everything works. As I've driven him over the last little while I've developed a list divided into 3 parts: Critical to address soon, Repair to get to some day, and Upgrade for that maybe-someday list. Very little on the critical list, so we'll start there and enjoy the driving.
The list:
- ---------- Critical
- New tires 30x9.5R15 (current from 2016)
- Temp gauge fix (maybe the sender?)
- Full baseline service
- ---------- Repair eventually, probably maybe
- Replace wiper blades with correct ones
- Kick vent gaskets install (new ones included)
- Passenger mirror head
- Dome light lens or replacement
- Front turn lenses (passenger is cracked)
- Replace carpet with new floor mat
- Replace tie rod ends (new ones came with truck)
- Rebuild front knuckles
- Fix heater valve
- Replace windshield washer system
- Replace door glass channels/fuzzies
- Front floor rust repair
- Repaint wheels to original grey
- Repaint front bumper
- Repaint license plate mount back to grey
- Paint cargo area over the grey primer
- Fix the radio
- ---------- Upgrade, maybe someday, we’ll see
- Winch line change to synthetic
- Gearing to 3.70
- Tach or Dakota digital cluster
- Long range fuel tank
- Soft top, bikini top option
- Find an original center console
- Desmog (most smog other than EGR is still present)
- Koito/Toyota headlight housings: 81110-60P70
