Builds The Architect's '77 FJ40 (4 Viewers)

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NEW DISCOVERY:
For a while now, I've had a vibration on the transfer gear shifter that would cause a noticeable rattling noise. Last night, I was under my rig with some WD-40 and decided to spray the transfer gear shifter linkage to help with the rattle noise. While I was under there, what do you know, I found a hidden (to me) zerk fitting. Sprayed the WD-40 all around and then grabbed my grease gun and filled that sucker full of Valvoline multi-purpose grease for Japanese vehicles. No rattling of the transfer shifter was heard driving to and from work today! :)

Transfer shifter linkage zerk fitting.
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GA, I've had my 40 for 17 years, and have always greased and maintained it religiously, but I just found that same zerk fitting last year. Amazing what things can be found out about these trucks over the years, even when you think you know them by heart. I read in another thread about the transfer shifter inner boot, that Tom (lostmarbles) just found that he had an inner boot after all the years he has owned and maintained his fine '40. Good job on yours, you really have a nice cruiser! :cheers:

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As always great stuff....................
 
A FUNNY!

Today, I had a job site meeting near my office, so I drove my 40 to it. After the meeting, I was hungry so I stop by Chick-Fil-A for a 4 piece strip meal with a half tea/half lemon aide. Being not too many cars in the parking lot, I was able to get a spot up near the front. As I pulled in, there was a new Dodge Viper SRT just coming thru the drive thru, and I was thinking, "Nice Car!" As I could feel those 10 cylinders pounding the ground......Being it was late for lunch, no one was in line. I went in and ordered, got my tray and sat down at a window. As I was sitting down, I noticed the Viper driving slow by my 40, he left but then looped back around, and stopped at the back of my rig. I wish I had thought about it and snapped a photo. It was a Kodak moment. I can only guess what he was thinking, maybe: "Nice Car! What is it? A jeep?"......Go figure, a dude driving a 2014 $85K sports car finds time to stop and gaze upon a real Classic!...."Priceless" :)

And before I could finish my lunch, a guy and his son pull straight to the side of my rig. I thought he was going to "T-Bone" a parked vehicle, but he stopped short and just sat there. Then I noticed the dad pointing to my 40 and chatting to his son.....At least this guy, well he was in a 4Runner, probably knew what he was looking at.
 
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Two care packages came today. One from Coffeyville, Kansan and the other, all the way from the Osaka, Japan. Here is a teaser pic for a few up and coming installments of some OEM restoration parts and upgrades.



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Got home, kids not home, wife out to dinner with friends...............so I had time to wrench!....Or piddle. Moving right along, here are some photos,

Installed new OEM visors.
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Installed a new door striker & back door lock catch.
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Installed my new lower dash pads from FJ40Dash. Now the lower matches the upper, and those new ones look great!
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Tips on removing the lower dash pad, have a set of these.

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Do not, I repeat, do not use a screw driver or putty knife to try and get those pads off. Unless you don't care about the dash paint, then use what ever you deem necessary to pry those little suckers off. The OEM clips get rusted and don't want to give up their hold on the pad's rear pins, but with the right tools (see above), not too difficult and they won't scratch the paint. :)
 
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A few weeks ago, it really got cold here in GA. After looking at a few threads about heather boxes, I tried my hand at it. All the threads I read had removed the heater box and core. Well, I didn't want to drain my coolant to remove the core, so I set out to see if I could remove the heater box and leave the core.....OH my, am I glad I tried this. Yes, I was able to remove the heater box and leave the core hooked up. I cleaned the box, reapplied foam, took my air hose and blew out the heater core, and reinstalled.....Much nicer look and more heat!

I've been reading through this thread, great work!!! It has helped me re-focus on my 77...

back on track....I have the re-do kit for the heater and in the same boat as you with draining coolant, etc...can you elaborate on pulling the heater with leaving the core hooked up? thanks!
 
Fabulous FJ40 and great thread!

Lots of attention to detail!

:clap:
 
I've been reading through this thread, great work!!! It has helped me re-focus on my 77...

back on track....I have the re-do kit for the heater and in the same boat as you with draining coolant, etc...can you elaborate on pulling the heater with leaving the core hooked up? thanks!
Cardinal - I read thru many, many Heater Box threads on here. Looked at many, many photos of how the Heater Box went together. I surmised that if I could get the box away from the fire wall enough, I could unscrew the top and wiggle the heater core out. Sure enough, I first took the defrost lines off, then the four bolts that hold the box to the fire wall, pulled the box forward, unhooked the leaver, and removed the top diffuser & it's screws. Next was the top of the Heater Box, and the front screws are easy, but used a bent Phillips head to remove the rear screws. Once those were removed, off with the top, wiggled the bottom out and left the heater core in place.

Cleaned the box all up and added this type of stuff I got from Lowes to the inner diverter piece. Took my shop vac and sucked all the crap off my heater core, then used my air hose and blew out the heater core. Used some window foam and replace all back in the Heater Box. Then I retraced the steps I took to remove it.

I could only imagine if I didn't have that crappy, but better than nothing 2-3/4" CCOT line coming off my blower to the heater box, I could really get some air moving...........Well, being that I mentioned that hose, I have made a few modifications to make that a litter better, and I'll post that in another post.

If you need any help, feel free to send me a PM and I'll see if I can be of any assistance.
 
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The CCOT bower to heater box line...WHY is it there, because my rig has AC.

Trying to get more air flowing thru this line, I could never come up with a simple solution. Well I was in ACE Hardware last week, and ran across this.
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I started thinking. If I take that vent stack flashing, turn it sideways, cut it down, figure how to attach the CCOT line, I might be able to move a few more CFM's thru that hose............so I bought it.

The CCOT solution is to block off the blower window and only allow air thru the 2-3/4" line with no reducer.....So I made my own reducer!

What do you know, I can tell a difference and more air is moving thru the Heater Box now. It isn't moving as much as if I had an L200 heater duct, but it'll do for now.

As soon as I can find time to build a vacuum forming box, I'm going to buy some 1/16" plastic sheets and form my own L200 Heater Duct. I have the two wooden molds (top & bottom) cut out, but they need to be tweeked for the connections. That is on hold till the mood hits me later on....:hillbilly:
 
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The CCOT bower to heater box line...WHY is it there, because my rig has AC.

Trying to get more air flowing thru this line, I could never come up with a simple solution. Well I was in ACE Hardware last week, and ran across this.
View attachment 1007413

I started thinking. If I take that vent stack flashing, turn it sideways, cut it down, figure how to attach the CCOT line, I might be able to move a few more CFM's thru that hose............so I bought it.

The CCOT solution is to block off the blower window and only allow air thru the 2-1/2" line with no reducer.....So I made my own reducer!

What do you know, I can tell a difference and more air is moving thru the Heater Box now. It isn't moving as much as if I had an L200 heater duct, but it'll do for now.

As soon as I can find time to build a vacuum forming box, I'm going to buy some 1/16" plastic sheets and form my own L200 Heater Duct. I have the two wooden molds (top & bottom) cut out, but they need to be tweeked for the connections. That is on hold till the mood hits me later on....:hillbilly:

Excellent use of a VTR flashing, only an architect would come up with such a great solution! Bravo! Some pics will help others better visualize this mod.:cheers:
 
Here's a not so great shot of that modification. I have gorilla tape on the bend to tighten the hose. Without the tape, the hose/duct just kind of flops around. If the tape works alright and allows more air thru the duct, then I'll remove the hose and cut it down to properly make it work better.

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So I finished up a modification I started a month or so ago, installed my Toyota JDM AE86 steering wheel. For anyone needing a poor man's way of removing the steering wheel, well I got the answer. First, find two M8x25MM bolts, two washers, and one big washer or other small piece of metal.
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First, remove the center covering of the steering wheel. Install the two M8's and washers, but don't tighten them down yet. Place the larger washer or piece of metal below the bolts/washer and torque each bolt till the steering wheel pops up.

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Original steering wheel:
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New Toyota JDM AE86 steering wheel:
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Here's a not so great shot of that modification. I have gorilla tape on the bend to tighten the hose. Without the tape, the hose/duct just kind of flops around. If the tape works alright and allows more air thru the duct, then I'll remove the hose and cut it down to properly make it work better.

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Use a few self tapping screws to secure the duct to the flashing.
 
Use a few self tapping screws to secure the duct to the flashing.
I wasn't wanting to post any photo's of that half-a$$ duct/gorilla tape, temporary fix, (Thanks, Mike!)......SOOOOOO, I woke up, decided to piddle, and made a more permanent fix on that heater hose.

Me likes this much better!!!! :grinpimp:

Before:
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After process; The Oatey vent stack flashing as a reducer with 2-3/4" connector for the hose:
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The 2-3/4" CCOT heater hose, too long:
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Hose cut to fit & installed (used self taping screws on the opposite side of hose, less visual):
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