The FJ40 Project (1 Viewer)

[mjl132]

After owning three 80 series, I figured it was time to go back to the roots. So I picked up a 40 series in Cedartown, GA. It is a 1975 FJ40 that I got the Sunday before last and hauled it back home with a ton of spare parts. I have a spare fiberglass hardtop, spare hardtop sides, brake booster, a '76 complete axle with disc brakes, rear swing out tail gates, barn doors, ambi doors, low back seats, original seats, spare dash pad, drum brake parts, tranny cover, '75 doors, '76 doors, poly gas tank with sending unit, rear axles, and other little stuff I am sure I am forgetting.

Some pictures of when I picked it up and what it looked like when I first started out.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, Have fun! Looks like a good rig. Mike

 

[crapzuk]

If you end up with an extra salvageable hard top side, let me know. Some A-hole stole one off mine.

 

[mjl132]

This past weekend I started to remove the interior and really clean it up and get after the mess and surface rust. After spending a couple of days with Naval Jelly, Krud Cutter, and aircraft paint remover I was able to clean out the entire interior. It is really in good shape over all with the transmission cover being the only spot that is rusted beyond repair, and lucky me I have a spare one in tons better shape. After I get the interior prepped I am going spread seam sealer in all the seams to keep water out and then I am going to spray Rustoleum Rust Preventer primer and then have it professionally line-xd so it won't come up all over the place like the cheap roll on ****.

I also got under the cruiser and scraped away surface rust from the frame and few spots underneath that had started to show some surface rust. I am going to put POR 15 or Eastwood Rust Encapsulator under the entire cruiser, spray the inside of the frame rails with POR 15 or Eastwood, and then put a rubber undercoating on there as well.

Any ideas on POR 15 versus the Eastwood products? Any recoomendations on a undercoating? Eastwood sells what looks to be a good product, but so does POR 15. Only thing with POR is that it takes some extra product to really clean it and thin it correctly. I am thinking I am just going to thin it then put it in a pump sprayer to coat underneath. Read where that seems to work pretty well and the wand will coat the inside of the frame rails to mitigate any issues that may arise in the future. I am going to go overboard to make sure I don't have to worry about anything in the future.

 

[mjl132]

Here are some pictures of the spare parts and a few pictures of underneath the cruiser as well. I have to get some more parts from the original owner in Cedartown that I need to get.

Right now, as it stands, I need to source a transmission since the syncros between 1st and 2nd don't work at well. So anybody that has a 4 speed, I need it bad. I also have to either rebuild the Weber 38 that it has or get a trollhole carb. The Weber leaks gas currently onto the header, which could pose an issue I would imagine. The original driver side seat bottom is rusted through and broke on the back side of the seat, so I will need a new seat bottom for a DS seat and I will need to recover them. I will use the low seats until I can find a bottom and take care of that. The radiator has a pinhole leak, but I have a spare radiator as well, so I will need to switch them or get a replacement since the spare looks a little rough. May be ok to use, may not, some of the fins are bent and it is 40 years old, so a replacement may not be a bad idea.

Also got a Wildnerness 40 roof rack and an 8274 that needs a motor, solenoids, remote, and solenoid cover. I want to rebuild it as well, but that's whole 'nother day. I also have brand new 33x10.5 KM2 mud terrains on it, less that 100 miles.

So that's what I'm facing right now and where I am at. Any ideas or reccomendations will be appreciated. I have never fooled with a 40 and don't know too much about them. I am learning as I go and working a little here and a little there and piddling along.

 

[mjl132]

Hi, Have fun! Looks like a good rig. Mike

Thanks man. I appreciate it.

 

[mjl132]

If you end up with an extra salvageable hard top side, let me know. Some A-hole stole one off mine.

If you want I can send you some pictures of the sides. They have rust on the bottom, and it would take some work, but they could be ok if you have a welder and some time or aren't a perfectionist. The fiberglass top is ok, but I don't have it with me yet. I have to pick it up in a second parts run.

 

[mjl132]

Three more small issues I have noticed but forgot to mention.

1. Speedo doesn't work. I think the cable is disconnected from the back side of the speedo. I need to fix that.
2. Blinkers don't blink. They come on, but don't blink. From what I have searched on the forum, I will need to pull the switch and clean the relay so they will blink. Seemed to be a common issue.
3. The dash lights don't work for the speedo, etc. I have not searched this yet and have no idea. Any ideas or reccomendations, I would be cool with.

 

[crapzuk]

If you want I can send you some pictures of the sides. They have rust on the bottom, and it would take some work, but they could be ok if you have a welder and some time or aren't a perfectionist. The fiberglass top is ok, but I don't have it with me yet. I have to pick it up in a second parts run.

Do that. I can possibly repair them, or at a minimum run them until I find better ones.

The rest of my top is fine, someone just stole one of the side panels from my friend's shop where my truck is.

 

[Land Speeder]

Nothing really to add other than
BAD ASS!

 

[bamaburt]

Nice looking 40 in the making!

You will read different views on weber vs stock...
Mine had an older weber the PO had installed - i picked up a weber 38 and its pretty much an easy install with very few adjustments. I would recommend dumping the linkage and changing to a cable if you go with the weber.

I also had numerous radiator issues from the beginning - i went with an all aluminum off ebay. Works great and dropped the temp.

You have prolly got just a blown bulb on the speedo readout or more commonly shorted/ loose connection.


If you end up with the left hard top side unwanted let me know and I will definitely pick it up from you. The ones you have pictured are identical to mine with the small vent glass.

Also looking for a headlight knob, retractable seatbelts and front license plate holder.

Thanks

 

[bamaburt]

After you line the tub, you will definitely want some heat/sound deadener. After all it is a toaster on wheels in the Alabama summers!
So i highly recommend Vintage Air and Cruisercraps "Quietcrap".

 

[BamaHeel]

Total POS just give it to me and put yourself out of your misery.



Nice looking rig!

 

[Blackdog]

I have a Weber 38 dgas. That I need to get rid of.if you want. to try it out you are welcome to bolt it up and run it.

...via IH8MUD app

 

[mjl132]

I have a Weber 38 dgas. That I need to get rid of.if you want. to try it out you are welcome to bolt it up and run it.

...via IH8MUD app

Heck yea. I may through that way this week. I'll let you know.

 

[mjl132]

Picked up the whole suite of repair manuals for the 40. Great shape and came from a Toyota dealer in Birmingham from an old mechanic. Got them off craigslist for a great deal. Also secured a transmission today that will be here next week. Hopefully I can get the carb from Blackdog.

Its moving pretty quickly along now.

 

[mjl132]

Pulled the transmission cover. No rust around the tub at all.



I need a gas tank cover. Mine is rusted around the lip pretty bad. Anybody got a spare?

 

[justbecause]

I have fallen off the 40 wagon and dont know my years,
are both the sets of doors the same style as the blue ones, or do you have the early doors also?

They should be interchangeable, I used an old top (no vent windows) with new doors on an 80. everything lined up ok, I think the problems I did have were from worn out windshield mounts.

 

[Blackdog]

I ran across this ad on CL. Thought you might want to give it a look.
http://huntsville.craigslist.org/pts/4349777228.html

 

[mjl132]

I ran across this ad on CL. Thought you might want to give it a look.
http://huntsville.craigslist.org/pts/4349777228.html

Actually talked to him yesterday. He has a best top soft top but its in rough shape from what I can tell.