It's been way too long that I haven't documented my swine flu affliction. I don't have a great need to share but then I realized that if one person on this forum could benefit from anything I have done in the past and documented, then that is reason enough to get busy here.
Backstory---please stick with me. I had wanted an FJ55 for a long time after years of owning an FJ40 (still do), an FJ60 (took three pre-teen daughters to BHCC, our first event, sometime around Y2K), an FZJ80, and now a hundy as my DD. Working in LE, I would drive by a white, spray painted pig between a barn and the Colorado River near Palisade, CO regularly. I once talked to the owner who stated he bought the 1972 for a father-son project that didn't and would never happen. He would not sell it however. Years later, sometime in 2016 or 2017, I found it at a pawn shop. As a fraud investigator, I spent a lot of time in them. Purchased it for cheap and drug it home for my project. My wife called it "our lawn ornament". Someone had installed a 2F and a 4 speed and it ran pretty well. However, the rockers and rear quarters were filled with window screen and spray foam. I initially thought I would buy Bobm panels, but after herniating L3 and L4 realized I wasn't up to the task. The lawn ornament became entrenched.
Just as I was about to retire in 2018, the blue one came up in CA. The PO stated it was used for tv or print commerials. I was told it needed some carb work. I was told it had a clean title. I had a friend (not a cruiserhead) take pictures and I realized this pig had lipstick and the beauty was skin deep. It was a week before Christmas and it was also cheap. It came home.
Well, the first non-technical problem was that CO would not issue a title. As you may know, back then the VIN was 5 digits behind the fj55. Well the title had the correct numbers, but apparently sometime in the last 45 years, some title clerk decided the VIN was too short and it needed leading zeros to make up 17 digits. Because of that and a few VIN digits from the frame horn could not be read, CO sent me through the works- bond for title, certifed VIN inspection, etc. The process went smoother than anticipated. State Patrol removed the leading zeros back to the original VIN and six weeks later, I had my title.
In 2018, we retired to the MS Gulf Coast, dragging two pigs. I had to fix that problem but just couldn't "do it". Finally, admitted to myself the white one was too far gone for my skill set and it gave up it's life providing parts for the blue one and many others. We could discuss that for hours but I don't like to.
The new (blue one) project was interesting for me as I have no auto body experience but have wrenched on more than a few cruisers. It also had been converted to a 2F, 4 speed, and front disk axle. The paint has been redone, as there is some overspray underneath and there are a few bubbles. Someone replaced the left rear wheelwell lip(way better than I could have done. It is a body I could live with now and try to preserve best I can. That will come later. I need to focus on everything (there's a lot) under the lipstick.
The carburetor was a Weber and there were headers with several dime-sized holes throughout. I think that return spring on the carb was about 30 lbs! I couldn't push the accelerator. It would start with gas or ether, but barely ran. While running, I noticed it wasn't charging. The regulator was hacked with Scotch-Loks and I thought I had fixed it. Then noticed not a single electrical function operated. The harness was so badly spliced with Scotch-Loks and twisted, taped joints, I tore it out and rewired the truck with the harness from the white one. It took a while, fighting through bad grounds everywhere, but eventually got it to run, charge, and display every light. The tailgate window would not operate(more on that later). I just wanted to drive it around the block.
Well I drove it around the block and forgot what not having power steering was like. There was no participation from the rear brakes so that was exciting. Man this is going to be a long haul.
I replaced the manifolds with the stock 2F stuff. I had a Jim C. carb sitting on the shelf to use on my FJ40 but that slid over to the pig. I had to source the older style air cleaner as I wanted to keep the early hood.
For the first time, it would start, run, and I could really tell this was a smooth, strong power plant. The 2F serial indicates it from 1975 and the compression is high and even across the board. I also had an FJ55 mini truck gearbox and mount I had purchased from Gary in PA (shmukster) a long time ago. (Told you I had been planning for a pig for a while.) I think it looks like one of the old roklobster mounts. I used a Saginaw pump, pulley, and mounts from Mark's Off Road and some -AN fittings and line for a beautiful, clean install. I'll detail that parts list later.
I have a rockcrawler in my FJ40 so I want this one to be a highway to friends, forest service/camping road, and take the grandkids for ice cream ride. Back to Gary, I purchased two 3.73:1 third members. Rebuilt both axles in the process(really had a hard time getting the long axle shaft to engage), new brakes, seals, bearings all around, and swapped the thirds (had never done that, it's kind of a chinese finger puzzle, but it worked out great). With 31" tires, It's a nice ride.
I'll stop here for now with some photos. I have much more to do and I'll detail that as I go plus fill in for some work already done and mentioned. Sorry and thanks for hanging in there.
I'm not very good at formatting all of this so I apologize for the jumble. First photo is of the white donor. Then, Weber and blown header.
Two of
how the blue one appeared originally.
Backstory---please stick with me. I had wanted an FJ55 for a long time after years of owning an FJ40 (still do), an FJ60 (took three pre-teen daughters to BHCC, our first event, sometime around Y2K), an FZJ80, and now a hundy as my DD. Working in LE, I would drive by a white, spray painted pig between a barn and the Colorado River near Palisade, CO regularly. I once talked to the owner who stated he bought the 1972 for a father-son project that didn't and would never happen. He would not sell it however. Years later, sometime in 2016 or 2017, I found it at a pawn shop. As a fraud investigator, I spent a lot of time in them. Purchased it for cheap and drug it home for my project. My wife called it "our lawn ornament". Someone had installed a 2F and a 4 speed and it ran pretty well. However, the rockers and rear quarters were filled with window screen and spray foam. I initially thought I would buy Bobm panels, but after herniating L3 and L4 realized I wasn't up to the task. The lawn ornament became entrenched.
Just as I was about to retire in 2018, the blue one came up in CA. The PO stated it was used for tv or print commerials. I was told it needed some carb work. I was told it had a clean title. I had a friend (not a cruiserhead) take pictures and I realized this pig had lipstick and the beauty was skin deep. It was a week before Christmas and it was also cheap. It came home.
Well, the first non-technical problem was that CO would not issue a title. As you may know, back then the VIN was 5 digits behind the fj55. Well the title had the correct numbers, but apparently sometime in the last 45 years, some title clerk decided the VIN was too short and it needed leading zeros to make up 17 digits. Because of that and a few VIN digits from the frame horn could not be read, CO sent me through the works- bond for title, certifed VIN inspection, etc. The process went smoother than anticipated. State Patrol removed the leading zeros back to the original VIN and six weeks later, I had my title.
In 2018, we retired to the MS Gulf Coast, dragging two pigs. I had to fix that problem but just couldn't "do it". Finally, admitted to myself the white one was too far gone for my skill set and it gave up it's life providing parts for the blue one and many others. We could discuss that for hours but I don't like to.
The new (blue one) project was interesting for me as I have no auto body experience but have wrenched on more than a few cruisers. It also had been converted to a 2F, 4 speed, and front disk axle. The paint has been redone, as there is some overspray underneath and there are a few bubbles. Someone replaced the left rear wheelwell lip(way better than I could have done. It is a body I could live with now and try to preserve best I can. That will come later. I need to focus on everything (there's a lot) under the lipstick.
The carburetor was a Weber and there were headers with several dime-sized holes throughout. I think that return spring on the carb was about 30 lbs! I couldn't push the accelerator. It would start with gas or ether, but barely ran. While running, I noticed it wasn't charging. The regulator was hacked with Scotch-Loks and I thought I had fixed it. Then noticed not a single electrical function operated. The harness was so badly spliced with Scotch-Loks and twisted, taped joints, I tore it out and rewired the truck with the harness from the white one. It took a while, fighting through bad grounds everywhere, but eventually got it to run, charge, and display every light. The tailgate window would not operate(more on that later). I just wanted to drive it around the block.
Well I drove it around the block and forgot what not having power steering was like. There was no participation from the rear brakes so that was exciting. Man this is going to be a long haul.
I replaced the manifolds with the stock 2F stuff. I had a Jim C. carb sitting on the shelf to use on my FJ40 but that slid over to the pig. I had to source the older style air cleaner as I wanted to keep the early hood.
I have a rockcrawler in my FJ40 so I want this one to be a highway to friends, forest service/camping road, and take the grandkids for ice cream ride. Back to Gary, I purchased two 3.73:1 third members. Rebuilt both axles in the process(really had a hard time getting the long axle shaft to engage), new brakes, seals, bearings all around, and swapped the thirds (had never done that, it's kind of a chinese finger puzzle, but it worked out great). With 31" tires, It's a nice ride.
I'll stop here for now with some photos. I have much more to do and I'll detail that as I go plus fill in for some work already done and mentioned. Sorry and thanks for hanging in there.
I'm not very good at formatting all of this so I apologize for the jumble. First photo is of the white donor. Then, Weber and blown header.
Two of
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