The FJ40 with No Name

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alaska60 said:
Thats one nice lookin 40 you have there. looks pretty original too. Even that weak front bumper looks good. Nice score!
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Has that stockish look (what I was searching for) but is a 78 drivetrain and frame with a 72/73 tub and body, barn style/lift gate rear end. Believe that the soft top is from yet another year (I'll snap some pictures of that soon and see what the consensus is) since is has the bolt holes for the ambulance door and it appears the metal was cut to fit the lift gate hinges.

Big ole s**t eating grin every time I take her for a spin.
 
Been busy lately (out of town, work, and family stuff) but have been able to drive the 40 at least once a week. Got to take her for a long ride yesterday (almost all the way down to Martinsville) along mostly main roads, around 100 miles altogether. She ran like a champ, no heating issues, oil pressure right where it should be, and of course the big ol' sh*t eating smile on my face the entire time.

From the spot on the garage floor looks like she is still leaking a little coolant (from the water pump it looks like, guess I didn't get it on tight enough) and some oil. Plan on tracking those down over the next couple of weeks.

Have family in town this weekend so hope to get some pictures next weekend and ask some more questions.
 
New accessories

Been a while since I have had a chance to do anything but drive the cruiser but finally got a chance to fix a couple of issues today. Bought sun visors and a rear view mirror from a Mudder last weekend and it was amazingly quick to arrive. Finally got a chance to put them in today and since all the hardware was included they went in with a snap. Quite happy to have a rear view mirror, that has been driving me nuttier.

Also, while I had the tools out I pulled the window regulators and they are shot so I went ahead and order both regulators and a handle for the rear lift gate (the two other items that have been helping with my nuttiness).

Attached are some before and after pictures of the mirror and visors.
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What year is my top?

Took a couple of picture of the top today.

What year is it from? The top cross piece has been cut to accommodate the lift gate hinges, the sides obviously have the bolt holes for the ambulance doors and also don't have any place to bolt the lift gate lifters to. Also no vent windows in the side.

So, what's the consensus on the year of the top?
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Dead Battery

Got in the Cruiser to take it up to the inlaws for supper today and it wouldn't start. Battery drained down. Guess I shouldn't have left the key in the ignition (assuming in ACC but didn't pay much attention). My jumper box wasn't charged up and didn't feel like pulling the work truck around to jump it off (especially since I wasn't going to drive the 40 long enough to get a good charge to the battery).

Guess I will take care of it after Turkey Day.
 
subzali said:
Your FJ40 is interesting. You say it's a '78, but it has the older style windshield frame, older style doors, a '75 or '76 hardtop cut to accommodate the '74-earlier lift hatch.

..

wait a minute! I recognize that 40! Here's the build thread on it:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/492295-hoz-78-fj40-restoration.html

Some more of the history:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/438789-40-restoration-first-timer.html
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That's the one. 78 frame and drivetrain, 72 tub, 73 body, and top of unknown year. Just happened to be the combination (more or less) that I was looking for.
 
'75 and '76 were the two years with ambulance doors and no vent window, so that narrows it down for you a bit.
 
alaska60 said:
a bit of a Mutt cruiser......good looking mutt though. and well behaved I take it too!
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Have no problem at all with it being a Mutt, was the odd combination I was looking for and the body had been properly treated (thanks Hoz). Pretty well behaved, haven't really had a chance to stretch her legs properly yet.
 
Line-X?

Should I Line-X the floor of the 40 or not?
 
If she is gonna be garaged and treated well i'd keep the tub unlined

If you're gonna run topless, probably best to drop a some coverage on her.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
 
The Line-X in the bed of my Tundra stinks when it gets hot, so for me, no way.
 
Scotch said:
If you're gonna run topless, probably best to drop a some coverage on her.
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Plan on keeping her in the garage with the top on until it gets warm enough. She will definitely spend the warmer months with no top on except the bikini (per my wife's request!). That's why I'm leaning toward line-x but probably looking at doing it in the spring as I knock a few more things off my to do list.
 
The Window Regulator

Been awhile but I'm still around tinkering on the 40.

The latest things I have done (before Christmas) was replacing the window regulators on both windows, installing the handle for the rear lift gate, and taking care of the major draft coming through the dash.

The first one I figured would be the easiest, replacing the window regulators. Boy, was I ever wrong. Easy enough taking the old worn out regulators out, but that is where the easiness stopped. Took the new regulator and installed in the passenger side, the window would not go up all the way. WTF. Look at the bag it came in and it was for the driver's side. Problem number 1, the old window regulators were put in on the wrong door.

No problem (haha!). Grab the the other regulator and install it. the window now seems to catch on the way down. Dang, the bolts are too long. Problem number 2. Take out the grinder, put the bolts in the vise, and cut them short (had enough since to slip a nut down the threads so I wouldn't bugger them up).

Passenger regulator now works, even though a little stiff, but the handles seems a little close to the bolt heads. Good enough for the passenger side though. Go on to the driver's side and since I have all the problems solved it will be quick and easy. Remove the old regulator, cut down the bolts, and slide the new regulator back in. This time those bolt heads rear their ugly head. Problem number 3. Go through all my odd and ends bolts and screws and luckily I find one, only one, screw that is made just for this application. In it goes on the worst offender and problem solved.

Now I have working windows, even though they are a little stiff. Which leads me to my question, does it matter what door a particular window goes in? or are they interchangeable?

Thanks for sticking with me for the story of the window regulator. Below are a passenger side before picture, a driver's side after picture (with the lucky screw in upper right corner - not too good quality pic now that I preview it, oh well), and a pic of the old window regulators (wore out teeth and coil).

Enjoy
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Many have changed the side to side to help with knee clearance.

The windows should be the same ,
 
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