Hello everyone, I am quite proud to say that I am the new owner of Treebeard. I am planning on periodically updating this thread and leaning on the knowledge this forum has to offer. I feel quite fortunate that Nate has entrusted his project to me. We all know the difficulty of letting a project vehicle go, so thank you Nate, and best of luck with your future adventures.
This will be my first FJ60 or first Toyota for that matter. After stumbling across listings for 60s on Bring a Trailer, I fell in love. I impulsively sold my 2019 GTI and went shopping for an FJ60. The thorough documentation and apparent level of care found in this thread sold me on Treebeard. This vehicle will double as my adventure-mobile and daily driver. I realize daily driving a carbureted 300k+ mile vehicle in suburban Washington is not one of my wisest ideas.
A little over a week and around 500 miles later, here are some of my initial impressions and the beginnings of a to-do list.
1.) Regarding the body, with a few minor exceptions, this 60 is quite well-preserved and mostly free of rust. I’m a native Midwesterner, so any vehicle that still has rocker panels and fenders is a win. Bodywork will (hopefully) not be a major concern for the foreseeable future.
2.) Regarding the engine, Treebeard has thus far proven to be quite reliable. Even with cold starts down into the 30s, this little FJ has fired up when asked. However, there are several concerns I plan on addressing going forward.
b. When coasting without throttle input, the engine will backfire when in gear. This issue does not present when accelerating or coasting in neutral. This issue persists regardless of the engine temperature, choke setting, or octane of the fuel. My plan is to verify ignition timing, play with idle speed adjustment, and investigate for vacuum leaks.
c. While consistently starting, I would not describe this engine as easy to start. Nate taught me the commonly accepted 2F starting ritual and I have been utilizing it daily. Despite this, Treebeard loves starting fluid and will sometimes refuse to cold start without it. A carburetor rebuild seems inevitable. I’m contemplating purchasing a second carburetor to send in for a tune while I continue to drive as-is.
d. 9 MPG? I know these aren’t exactly a Prius but holy cow.
3.) As for odds and ends, there are only a few minor things to address.
a. The rear seat belts do not operate correctly. The belts retract but do not release/extend. Planning on a quick rebuild and some lubricant.
b. The rear trunk latch will stay unlocked without being manually actuated from the inside. Some WD40 in the keyway resolved this, but I plan to remove it and clean it up.
Quite sure I’m forgetting some other minor things, but this is just a quick introduction. Please forgive me for any mistakes in this write-up. I’m quite excited to learn the ins and outs of old Land Cruisers! Here are some pictures from a quick overnight trip to Lake Crescent last weekend.
I also ground down the heads of the other 4 a bit to get the bumper to fit. The fit and finish on this bumper is fantastic. As I was assembling it I keep finding little pieces that show Jason’s attention to detail. My spare is an ugly old wheel so I’m not in a hurry to mount it but I am eager to fit my bike rack behind the spare and jerry cans.
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