Builds WAS: 68 FJ40 in Seattle, Now: My 68FJ40 build thread

[HelloKitty65]

This helped some electrical issues.

 

[HelloKitty65]

An improvement to the seats, and a temporary choke knob on the roll bar.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Got the original wheels powder coated, and some period correct hubcaps (or not, see @Living in the Past's comment following).

 

[HelloKitty65]

I like the '68 look. The driver's side has my one good front amber reflector. The other side has a washed out, now clear looking one.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Stella came with an altimeter like this one, mounted on the gage cluster. Saw this restored one at Portland's big Auto swap meet, and pondered polishing hers up.

 

[HelloKitty65]

The front and rear bumperectomies.
The front had special zombie spears, rather hazardous.

 

[HelloKitty65]

New look for her front and rear. My CL step doesn't fit all four existing rear member holes. But for August trips, it will do.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Haven't been talking mechanical stuff. Got a pleasant surprise with compression readings, all ~150. Had the Weber carb rebuilt for now, but she came with a large window Aisin carb in a box-o-parts. Changed her oil to some Valvoline racing oil. Have been vexed by what I thought was a bad gas tank drain seal (which was also leaking), but after that was fixed, the tank itself around the plug sprang new leaks. That tank is shot. Have a donor one I'll try POR coating first. Wiring was a hot mess (pardon the pun) in back, but that's now cleaned up (see above). This is what was there before. Nice OEM turn single bracket, and an original cone that I've finally had some success in reproducing.

 

[Living in the Past]

Buy it. Life is too short not to be a two (or more) FJ40 kind of guy.

View attachment 1649342

My wife would be tickled pink if I stopped at three. I ran out of fingers and started on toes to count my cruisers. Eight of them being FJ40s.

Got the original wheels powder coated, and some period correct hubcaps.
View attachment 1743258

What was on there was period correct hub caps. Wasn't until early in the 69 model year the hub caps changed to the late style. My 68 still had most the correct hub caps when I bought it.

 

[HelloKitty65]

This rig was first registered in 1969. Five acorns did come with it. Hope I didn't screw this up. I do have a set of the reproduction acorns too. I used one on the spare, because I didn't have a 5th of the newer style.

This VIN puts it at a May, 1968 construction date. Know when the switch over period was?

@wngrog once wrote "The 68 was a transition year for black rims and acorns and after @treerootCO sent me the factory brochure with them on a 68 I had to transform Patina."

The rims were definately grey on Stella when I got her. @Living in the Past, do you know if the wheel color change to grey was concurrent with the new hubcap style?

 

[middlecalf]

Where’s the hinge?

Nice rig, very solid looking.

 

[Living in the Past]

5/68 is still a 68 model. Only thing I see different than my 9/67 68 is the stepped pads on the hood. Mine are taller but a single level. Wheels were grey when I bought in in 74 except for one grey one black one. Never knew the early rims we're date stamp under the rubber band on the inside to protect the inner tube from rubbing on the rivots heads. Gave away the single black rim to a neighbor when someone gave me the rims off their 73. Would have curious the date on the black one. At the time didn't know much at all about the FJ40 and the fact 9/67 was the start of the 68 with a bunch of changes one being rims going from black to grey. May have throw a black rim on as a spare.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Where’s the hinge?

Nice rig, very solid looking.

The NW rain flap has been carefully removed and stored for posterity, because you just never know.

 

[HelloKitty65]

5/68 is still a 68 model. Only thing I see different than my 9/67 68 is the stepped pads on the hood. Mine are taller but a single level. Wheels were grey when I bought in in 74 except for one grey one black one. Never knew the early rims we're date stamp under the rubber band on the inside to protect the inner tube from rubbing on the rivots heads. Gave away the single black rim to a neighbor when someone gave me the rims off their 73. Would have curious the date on the black one. At the time didn't know much at all about the FJ40 and the fact 9/67 was the start of the 68 with a bunch of changes one being rims going from black to grey. May have throw a black rim on as a spare.

Well now my wheel date stamps are entombed in spin balanced tires. They have also been powder coated, possibly coverering the dates?

 

[Ocho77]

Looking good!

 

[HelloKitty65]

Public Service Announcement. Don't drill holes in your rain gutter to mount things like a roof rack using turnbuckles. You may not notice any downside, but in a decade, running water will go somewhere bad and do bad things. I thought my passenger side escaped damage, but it was all hidden under the gas tank.

I cleaned it up and treated the bare patches. Put in Miss Kitty's (my '65's) poly tank. She will get her original red tank with patina back, POR treated.

 

[Fj moneypit]

Public Service Announcement. Don't drill holes in your rain gutter to mount things like a roof rack using turnbuckles. You may not notice any downside, but in a decade, running water will go somewhere bad and do bad things. I thought my passenger side escaped damage, but it was all hidden under the gas tank.View attachment 1748529
I cleaned it up and treated the bare patches. Put in Miss Kitty's (my '65) poly tank. She will get her original red tank with patina back, POR treated.View attachment 1748538

The P.O. of mine loved drilling holes!

 

[Krondor]

Perfectly good body panel? Why not add a hole? Pristine dash? Why not add a hole!!! Awesome period correct split hood. Lets throw some holes in it too!!

 

[Fj moneypit]

Perfectly good body panel? Why not add a hole? Pristine dash? Why not add a hole!!! Awesome period correct split hood. Lets throw some holes in it too!!

Lol. Exactly.

 

[HelloKitty65]

"Step away from that drill!"