Well I found a stock 1972 FJ40 and joined the club!

[khp1]

I been lurking on this site a long time. I have been looking for a stock FJ40 for a while and finally found one. Rust in the usual places. Looks pretty much original and I will probably keep it that way. Deal came with spare 2F which I haven't checked out yet.

It has been sitting for 13 years in a garage and a few years before that outside.

We got it into my shop and I first checked out the F engine . Plugged the plugs and shop some oil and Kroil into the cylinders. Rolled engine over by hand a few times and did a bleed down test on the cylinders. A couple cylinders were leaking 50% into the crankcase.
I changed oil, changed some hoses filled engine with coolant, pulled distrib and prelubed the engine with a drill and shaft. Oil pressure was good while I rolled it over by hand.
Installed new points( I haven't installed points in an engine since the late 70's early 80's and it sure brought back memories), installed the plugs and pulled the top of carb off to see what was living in there.

New battery and gas in the tank and it fired right up and purred! I adjusted the valves and it idles great!

It is really fun working on an engine this simple.

Anyway I plan to put it all together, get all the mechanical and electrical working. Then tear it down for a frame off and body repair and paint. Keeping the original green color.
Toyota steel wheels have been ordered. I love this site! Informational gold mine. Here are a few pictures.

 

[shawnfj40]

Gongrats and welcome

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Welcome to the mayhem!

 

[khp1]

Few more...

You would not believe how hard it was to remove the front mag wheels. I ended up pulling the wheel bearings and blocking up the wheel on the shop on blocks and heating it up with my heat gun and using a sledge hammer and block on hub to get the hub off the center of the mag wheel. This was after soaking them in Kroil for a week.

 

[Tancruiser]

Looks pretty good from my house.

 

[Walkerm916]

Welcome to the madness.

 

[65swb45]

I haven’t seen a set of those mags on a Cruiser since the 90’s!

 

[DSRTRDR]

welcome to the madness

'72 came with the split front bench, the middle of which contains the fuel evaporator/return module - better not remove that

 

[Varty Yo]

Welcome! Not a bad looking 40 yah picked up there.

 

[Jdc1]

Congrats and welcome. Looks complete, half the battle is finding missing parts. 72 is a fun year, there are a handful of year specific parts. Rustic Green is one of the better colors.

 

[cruiserkev]

Welcome to the madness and good luck!

 

[khp1]

I haven’t seen a set of those mags on a Cruiser since the 90’s!

Part of me wanted to clean them up and use them but I really love the factory steel wheel and hub cap look.

 

[khp1]

welcome to the madness

'72 came with the split front bench, the middle of which contains the fuel evaporator/return module - better not remove that

That's I am fixing the original gas tank. When my wife came out to the shop and looked at the passenger seat and asked what the heck is that black thing under the passenger seat I had to laugh. Safety wasn't that big of a concern back then.

 

[khp1]

Congrats and welcome. Looks complete, half the battle is finding missing parts. 72 is a fun year, there are a handful of year specific parts. Rustic Green is one of the better colors.

Thanks I am really happy. I think it's all original. I am unsure about the engine though. Looking at the serial number and valve cover it looks like the engine is from early 1970. But then I seen a 1972 FJ40 for sale on craigslist yesterday with the same valve cover and oil fill arrangement as mine. RARE FIND!! '72 Land Cruiser FJ40: clean, stock, as yet unrestored

You wouldn't think that Toyota would from factory install an engine that was sitting around for 2 years but it's weird that I found a 1972 on Craigslist with the same engine arrangement.

My engine

Engine Serial Number F 313869

 

[reddingcruiser]

That's I am fixing the original gas tank. When my wife came out to the shop and looked at the passenger seat and asked what the heck is that black thing under the passenger seat I had to laugh. Safety wasn't that big of a concern back then.

Welcome aboard! Nothing you do is ever quite like the first time.

If it will make your wife feel better, I bought parts off a 40 that had been t-boned on the passenger side and the rocker panel was shoved inward about about 6-8 inches and the tank was pretty mangled. Still was half full, though.

 

[Rigger]

Heavily oxidized brushed aluminum slotted wheels. Love ‘em!!

 

[SteveH]

Thank you for ditching the ghastly wheels and sticking to the stock color. Have fun with it!

 

[Nader]

Love slot mags. They are very period-correct. Do you have more pictures of them on the truck?

 

[FJ404345]

Welcome and Congrats !!!

 

[rrv333]

Hello and welcome