Build The John Denver FJ40

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Where do you get a new oem fender for a couple of hundred bucks?
 
pb4ugo said:
Where do you get a new oem fender for a couple of hundred bucks?
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I wish you could buy them for a couple of hundred bucks! I paid about three times that. There were a few questions about it when I originally posted about it here
 
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sadovnik said:
Now that the whole fuel pump episode is in the past, I can move on to sharing some progress photos....

Behold the most expensive indicator light ever bolted onto an FJ40.

You're probably wondering how an indicator light runs over a grand. Well, here's how it happens... A few months back I picked up these lights, and while installing the driver's side I noticed it was sitting slightly tilted. That's when I looked closer and realized the whole fender was completely FUBARed — and once I saw it, I couldn't unsee it.

My OCD kicked in immediately. A wonky fender simply would not stand. So the hunt began: phone calls, emails, DMs, and a few hundred bucks later I had myself a brand new OEM fender. Off to the paint shop it went. Grand total between the lights, the fender, and the paint? Well over a thousand bucks — all because I couldn't live with a light that was maybe three degrees off.

I'm off to a mental institute now.View attachment 4139897
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Embrace it. Mine started with an oil change....
 
Today I picked up my new OP Machine bumper from the powder coater- for the second time.

When it arrived it was GOLD — as in actually gold, not champagne or a subtle goldish color, but plain GOLD — so naturally it had to go straight to the powder coater to get recoated in something closer to the correct pewter color. Brought it home, and of course my OCD immediately zeroed in on a smudged patch right on the front face. Ughhh! Couldn't miss it, so back it went. They sandblasted it again and recoated the whole thing — and to their credit, they owned it without any hassle.

Pretty happy with how it turned out. Check out my fancy new fender too!
IMG_4707 (1).webp
 
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Wake up call. I bet you will never drive this truck at this rate. You will park a mile away to get to anything. You will be in constant painting mode with every scratch. Just saying. I sense a fj40 bubble boy happening. Entertaining. Carry On. You live once.
 
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Yes I explained to someone that on mud and probably in life there are about three (or maybe 4) major categories (I’m a real estate appraiser by trade so tend to create rating system in my head):
1) the nut and bolt perfect/ near perfect (may be oem or moderate restored) but you wouldn’t want to risk driving it on a lot of Colorado/Utah rocky trails; 2) just beautiful, but are willing to risk F’ng it up if it’s enough fun; 3) cool looking but many flaws, good enough for most.. 4) true beaters or Frankenstein projects people tear the F outa.. and good for them. We need all four in here! I shoot for the middle.. but that’s not the only way.
 
rlong
I like your rating system. It puts mine at a #3, flaws and all it will probably never make it higher under my ownership. I prefer to use it as originally intended but I love seeing the #1 and #2 rigs on this forum. A 40 owner needs a dream to ponder after the next broken bolt, worn our part or crusty wire sidelines the 40 for the upteenth time.
 
This will never be my trail rig — that's what the triple-locked 80 is for. And I'm equally fine with it never being a concours-level build either.
In @rlong 's rating system, I believe this will be a #1.5 and it will definitely get plenty of use, just not beat up on the trail.

Actually, I should probably not say NEVER.... As it stands now, the trails are about 2 hours away from me so it's not really convenient for the FJ40. But if I lived in an area like where @cbmontgo lives, then yes, I would definitely take it out on the trails. Plus the trail system out there is fantastic and nowhere as rocky as others in the state. I hope to move out there sometime in the not too distant future. The wife might divorce me, but at least I'll have trails in my back yard. Priorities :rofl:

If all goes according to plan, I hope to finally get it back on the road this weekend. Wish me luck!
 
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Chamba said:
A cabin in the mountains AND single again? Wow, talk about win/win.🤣
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All things being equal, that would be a win/win.... but you just know that if she leaves she's taking all my money AND the dogs.
 
You've not been really wheeln, until you go in a 40 with the top off. You'll sell the 80 to buy lower gears and lockers.
 
Chamba said:
A cabin in the mountains AND single again? Wow, talk about win/win.🤣
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Chamba said:
Oh yes, I know. 22 years.......

To quote Al Bundy, the great profit of our times: "A man is a man all of his life. A woman is wonderful until she's your wife."
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I would have agreed with you on my first wife. But learned from my mistakes the second time. She truly is the better half.

Guess you know for sure your wife doesn't look at Mud?
 
...and here's an updated picture of the @OPMACHINE bumper- finally back on the truck. Cleaned up the 8274 a bit and threw on a new solenoid housing. It really could use a full rebuild, but for now it just got a cosmetic facelift- because I'm superficial :p. I have yet to decide on the hawse fairlead, but I am leaning toward something simple.
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Added the metal plates to the seat backs. My best guess is that the PO tossed them when he reupholstered the seats. I reached out to @kevos37 , who hooked me up with a decent pair. Dropped them off at the paint shop alongside the front fender, and they came out looking pretty snazzy.
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