This followed me home (2 Viewers)

[emac]

Every day I get one step closer. Last night my son and I spent several hours aligning the aprons, fenders and hood. What a pain. They aren't perfect, but I am thinking it wasn't perfect from Japan. The replacement fenders needed a lot of tweaking and some holes redrilled. I couldn't have done it without his help. I went to put on the hood hardware and realized that I never got the windshield bumper brackets painted! So, I dropped them off at the painter and he said he would get them done in a day.

I wasn't happy with the job I did on my headliner. Matter of fact, it looked terrible. I ordered another headliner and I am going to take it to a buddy to bail me out. Of course, I am going to remove my work as i will never hear the end of it from him about sticking to my job and let him do his. He is really good....and we both know it!

The list is getting shorter.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Thanks guys. I am pretty certain i won't be ready for Paris mtn this year! But I would love to meet some folks in the area to pick some brains and see some nice 40's. I will look for the site. FB?

I put in a message to Marshall in Mauldin, SC about some carb and dizzy questions.

I will get that bezel flipped before I post any more shots! Like pointing out you have a chunk of food in your teeth.....you hate it, but glad someone said something.

You know, most would have taken the 4 screws out and flipped over the bezel. That said, I'm impressed (and see, again, that a simple task always ends up as a frame off)

 

[emac]

Well she is complete once again. I took it on my first shake down ride today. I went about 20 miles. A/C blowing cold and engine temp stayed steady on the gauge just under the high normal mark. It was about 96 degrees outside. I can live with that. The ride was very nice, smooth and quiet. I think I could out run it on my road bike!

Now for the problems:

1. Second gear is grinding at times, and I am going to pull the tranny later and figure that one out. I replaced the syncros, so I am curious as to what I missed. I should have taken some of the advice I got and just found a good used 4 speed. But what is the fun in doing that!

2. My brakes suck. I have bled them, adjusted rear shoes, burped the rear cylinders, and bled them more. Everything is new, except the brake booster. I am thinking I have a bad new master. The pedal is very soft and gets better with several pumps. Sometimes the brake light flashes. Yes, I bench bled the master.

Those are the two big issues. Funny, as I didn't see those coming. I really thought I would have issues with some other stuff. I have several other minor fit and finish things to take care of, but, for the most part she is on the road again.

Thanks for all the support.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

before you pull your transmission, make sure your clutch master cylinder is fully bled

in the same vein

there's air in your brake system somewhere - that and drum pads take a bit to properly bed in. If I had a guess, you've got air in the back system. Go onto dirt and lock the brakes up, you should have the front lock up first then the back and give you 4 nice skid marks.

That said, it could also be a faulty proportional valve..... but do check for air first.

 

[emac]

Thanks for the tip. I think the clutch is fine, as every gear shifts great, except 2nd. It will shift fine at a stop or high RPM (for a 2f!), just not good downshift or sometimes low speed. I am going to give it some time before I tackle that.

As for the brakes, I agree it feels like air is somewhere. I just can't figure out where. I may pull the drums again and double check everything against the pictures in the WSM. I didnt replace the proportioning valve, I just cleaned it up good. Is it common for them to go bad? Back brakes seem to be working, actual stopping is pretty good......after you pump it a few times. First push goes to the floor. Just sounds like air or a bad master. To be honest, the master was an inexpensive one from Rock Auto. So my confidence is not high.

Sometimes I do better when I walk away for a few days, and then go back to the problem with a fresh set of eyes. The other day I was in a panic because I couldn't find the air intake hose clamp that I searched for weeks online to find. I walked in the house for a few minutes, got something to eat, and went back in the shop and it was on the table, next to the bracket! I had it in my mind that it was black, and I forgot I had it cad plated. I guess my mind was looking for a black object. Crazy.

 

[OGBeno]

Beautiful.

 

[handcannon]

Re check your brake adjustment also. I have read too many horror stories about not getting the brake shoes adjusted tight enough. Multiple pumps of the pedal can also be a sign of too much air between the brake shoes and the drum. Extra pumps are then needed to get the shoes into contact with the drum. I went to four wheel disc, so I'm going by what I have read, not personal experience.

Don

 

[emac]

Something isn't right. I will post when I come up with the answer.

On another note, I took my 18 yo daughter and wife out for a spin and my daughter said "40 mph, thats it? I think you are going to have to add some extra time to the morning commute" I busted out laughing.

 

[emac]

I finally have just about every issue sorted and drove the 40 this morning to take my daughter to school.

Brakes: I replaced the vacuum booster and adjusted the rear shoes. Much, much better. Slight rear lock up under hard braking. I may loosen the rear up a bit.

Tranny 2nd gear grind: I threw in the towel and pulled the tranny and took it to a shop to get it checked out. He quickly noted play in the gear set. I left out a spacer between the tranny and TC. I felt like a dumb*ss. Especially when I found the spacer on my work bench. He did make me feel better by telling me that everything else looked great. Oh well, it was learning experience. I don't think I will rebuild another tranny. It was a lot of work. I put the tranny in last night and it shifts perfect. I was expecting it to be noisy, like I remember the old 40 we had when I was a teenager, but it really runs smooth and quiet. I think the sound insulation and floor mat helps it a lot.

The wife loves the 40, but i think she is glad it is done. Time to enjoy it.

 

[Ming89FJ62]

Absolutely beautiful. Very well done

 

[tstepp920]

Very nice!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Let me make you feel better. I've owned 8 FJ40s, one of which was a 302 powered, top loader-transmissioned beast that had been underwater. I had to pull the transmission to fix seals and a synchro - I did an awesome job of the repair and it only leaked a bit more when done.... oh but the best part - as I'm putting stuff away from the bench I notice one roller bearing on my bench. When I assembled it, I thought that particular housing seemed to not have enough bearings. I was right. I also never fixed it... and the rub, it apparently didn't need it because the person who bought it is still driving the wheels off it (and marking every parking spot).

There are chalk-mark restoration types, and FJ40 owners. They are never contained in the same body.

 

[emac]

Let me make you feel better. I've owned 8 FJ40s, one of which was a 302 powered, top loader-transmissioned beast that had been underwater. I had to pull the transmission to fix seals and a synchro - I did an awesome job of the repair and it only leaked a bit more when done.... oh but the best part - as I'm putting stuff away from the bench I notice one roller bearing on my bench. When I assembled it, I thought that particular housing seemed to not have enough bearings. I was right. I also never fixed it... and the rub, it apparently didn't need it because the person who bought it is still driving the wheels off it (and marking every parking spot).

There are chalk-mark restoration types, and FJ40 owners. They are never contained in the same body.

Did you throw in the roller bearing with the sale? ha. We all have done it. It takes a real man to admit it! To be honest, last night after everything was back in place, I put the shifter in and it felt like the tranny was jammed. I almost started to cry! Crazy thoughts were running through my head. Cursed the tranny shop a few times. Once I calmed down, I looked into the tranny and noticed the shifting forks werent aligned. A flick with a screwdriver and everything started shifting.

Conquering that "oh cr*p" feeling is what keeps me turning wrenches. It is addictive.

 

[Jdc1]

Did you throw in the roller bearing with the sale? ha. We all have done it. It takes a real man to admit it! To be honest, last night after everything was back in place, I put the shifter in and it felt like the tranny was jammed. I almost started to cry! Crazy thoughts were running through my head. Cursed the tranny shop a few times. Once I calmed down, I looked into the tranny and noticed the shifting forks werent aligned. A flick with a screwdriver and everything started shifting.

Conquering that "oh cr*p" feeling is what keeps me turning wrenches. It is addictive.

I post as many pics as possible so if I have biffed something one of the mudders will call it out. Beautiful build. Congratulations on getting it back on the road.

 

[78fj40mg]

Ernest what an excellent build you did an outstanding job! Now enjoy the fruits of your labor, Happy trails bro!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Did you throw in the roller bearing with the sale? ha. We all have done it. It takes a real man to admit it! To be honest, last night after everything was back in place, I put the shifter in and it felt like the tranny was jammed. I almost started to cry! Crazy thoughts were running through my head. Cursed the tranny shop a few times. Once I calmed down, I looked into the tranny and noticed the shifting forks werent aligned. A flick with a screwdriver and everything started shifting.

Conquering that "oh cr*p" feeling is what keeps me turning wrenches. It is addictive.

Of course not but I do chuckle every time I see it.... clearly it wasn't that necessary. Plus, you know what happens. If I had given it to the buyer, he would have obsessed about it until he did a frame off-restoration on it. It's been 20 years, so I figure what he didn't know kept him driving it.

 

[emac]

CCOT bumper with rebuilt warn 8274. I like it.

 

[sggoat]

@SSCR s build is a great resource to doing things the right way. I find that if I rush, I end up redoing it, as the quality suffers. Mine is starting to ask to be on the road as well. We are close to starting on rust repair, and hope to be driving out of the garage late this fall or early spring.

When you are talking to the truck beware of lights flashing-seemingly out of nowhere---

 

[sggoat]

View attachment 1297514 View attachment 1297516 View attachment 1297519


Every day I get one step closer. Last night my son and I spent several hours aligning the aprons, fenders and hood. What a pain. They aren't perfect, but I am thinking it wasn't perfect from Japan. The replacement fenders needed a lot of tweaking and some holes redrilled. I couldn't have done it without his help. I went to put on the hood hardware and realized that I never got the windshield bumper brackets painted! So, I dropped them off at the painter and he said he would get them done in a day.

I wasn't happy with the job I did on my headliner. Matter of fact, it looked terrible. I ordered another headliner and I am going to take it to a buddy to bail me out. Of course, I am going to remove my work as i will never hear the end of it from him about sticking to my job and let him do his. He is really good....and we both know it!

The list is getting shorter.

Oh! this is purty!

 

[SteveH]

I always like to see another 653 Olive beauty. Nice job!