What have you done to your Land Cruiser this week?

[RWBeringer4x4]

Absolutely. The evolution of a FJ40 enthusiast goes something like this.

See your first FJ40 in the wild as a kid.

When you have enough cash, (around $800 for my first 1972 40) you buy one when 18 then drive it everywhere with no knowledge on how to repair it.

Sell it to guy looking to drive it to Alaska to live off grid.

Buy another and drive it from MA to Colorado and back twice in the early 1990's.

Sell that one then wait and buy another 27 years later at auction.

Realize that you are on your own with repairs as no one wants to touch it in your area.

Learn how to do your own work. Buy parts, more parts... then more for fear they will disappear.

Collect enough parts where you realize you need to buy a second FJ40 because two is better than one.

Accept that you now need to build a shop on your property to work on and store your FJ40's and the parts you've collected.....

Your wife cannot understand why you spend so much money, time and energy on driving a relatively unsafe and uncomfortable truck.

My story:

- See FJ40 on a farm you worked at in high school.
- Save pennies for 10 years and finally buy one at 25.
- hide it in a friend’s garage because you still live with your parents at 25 and are supposed to be saving for a house, not buying project cars.
- dump absurd money you’ll never get back out into it. Realize it looks no prettier than the day you bought it.
- Get married, finally get a house with a garage and “big boy” tools.
- finally get to wheel it after almost 6 years of trying to make it driveable.
- have kids, basically just stare at it and wish you could work on it.
- regret nothing.

(Still not for sale)

 

[4Cruisers]

Went out to Chino Mesa with family for a Christmas tree.

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Great photo! I like the B&Ws you've been posting.

That's a nice view of the mouth of Frijoles Canyon in the right center background. The deep, middle section of the canyon was like a freezer on Wednesday, even though the air temperature on the rim was in the high 50s. My wife and I restarted our annual wintertime 7.6-mile hike from Ponderosa Campground to the Bandelier Visitor Center, and it's a little harder each year as we get a bit older.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

The “dreaded goo” on the inside of the tire issue.

 

[FloridaPhillip]

Finished installing the Icon jump seats. I will chronicle the full deal in my build thread.

Took the first family drive with actual seats and seat belts for all participants!

 

[Flatlanderfj40]

@1MAC @cjmoon finally done. Appreciate the help!

 

[letterman52]

Sold one.

 

[KingAir Driver]

Cleaned up the drivers side of the engine block and test fit the SOR headers in place along with the cleaned intake. Gotta get the brake hose junction moved since it’s touching.

 

[FloridaPhillip]

@1MAC @cjmoon finally done. Appreciate the help!

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Looks great! The front fender is always a landing spot for drinks in my garage, too…

 

[JohnnyFish]

This is my first dash pad removal, and it’s not going well. Any advice from the experienced among us? Thanks.

For posterity regarding upper dash panel removal, here's a quick explanation of its attachment to the dash.

 

[Helipilot]

Installed Ram stuff necessary to mount a new 64 iPad mini. Used an existing factory hole on dash. Mounted just above GMRS radio

 

[Helipilot]

Note to add: Will install GAIA mapping and excuse my Kroger bag hanging on the selector lever...got to keep the environment clean

 

[crash1121]

I replaced the mechanical fuel pump on my dad’s ‘80 FJ40 with an OEM Toyota part (23100-61050). I also bought a Fel-Pro (70577) fuel pump spacer (with gaskets pre-installed) and Napa Gold (3032) fuel line filter from Napa.
Quick note: Fel-Pro & Napa have it listed as a ‘mounting gasket’ (not spacer), so do not be alarmed.

Quick backstory:
When I did the oil change last month, I noticed that the oil had some fuel in it, and the carburetor had been replaced by a shop 1 year prior when I’d replaced the oil last time and noticed the same very thing—except a lot more fuel, then... The shop noted that the aftermarket Weber carburetor was leaking, so they replaced it with the same model rather than rebuilding due to a nearly identical price… This time, I figured the culprit was likely a leaky diaphragm in the mechanical fuel pump. Relatively cheap assurance—even going the OEM route ($178)—I’d say! She runs stronger and smoother now, so although time will tell whether or not the fuel/oil mixing issue is resolved, at least she’s running much better!

Thanks to all who provided such excellent advice in the comments on various threads regarding the mechanical fuel pumps—you guys ROCK!

 

[ToyotaMatt]

I Brought 69005-90386 1/75-12/78 FULL Vehicle Cylinder and KEY Set back from the DEAD NLA / Disc/ status ........

i scratched my head a bit and asked myself how can i TOP mr. T ?

Eazy Peezy !

Increase the original number of pcs offered back in the day from 4 to MORE ...

i add the Ambulance Door Lock and Key Cylinder .. that's 1 more


and

then include the OEM parts Maker in JAPAN Spare Tire Carrier Solid Brass PAD LOCK w/ 3 keys to boot .... that makes 6 pcs / 6 oem locks ...

this is now my standard platform and this will not ever change .........


i shot a brief TECH Video that touches on the various bells and whistles also included ..


Today was a GOOD day for the 40 series Community 1/75-12/78 folks , you all deserve it ........


Bringing back one needed Disc. / NLA part number at a time is what i live for and fuels my passion to explore even more and push the limits of what can be and what

should indeed be .....

 

[Dizzy]

Let's see what I got here, a couple of carbs. You are looking at a '75 Federal Specification, and a '75 fraud spec. The original one on my motor lost all the good internals to corrosion, so I thought that I'd try to use it's good decoy external parts? Two junk carbs could make an avenue for an original look, have the original choke breaker function that came with a USA '75, not need a spacer under the air cleaner (as I'm currently running with a non-USA 2F OEM Aisan). If it works, a Keyster Kit, if I was to actually install it in my truck for any kind of serious use. Also, I might try tapping the casting (on this China carb, or a made-in-Japan one) for the fuel return line? Maybe chopping off the end of the throttle shaft on the radiator side, maybe shaping the pump plunger lever to have a profile more like a '75? It might look good with a light covering of gas sweat and trail dust, cheap, but closer to the spirit of the original?

 

[pb4ugo]

Skidder duty.

 

[d6crawler]

Cleaned up the drivers side of the engine block and test fit the SOR headers in place along with the cleaned intake. Gotta get the brake hose junction moved since it’s touching.

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One of at least 2 hassles with headers. I had a guy silver solder a different route and then put heat shield tube over mine. The other hassle is your PTO drive trying to negotiate the limited space between the header and block.

 

[Oregon FJ40]

Transformation Monday. Because it isn’t Tuesday yet.

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Slid nose first into a bar ditch in a snow storm tonight @about 40 mph, being a dumb ass and driving in 2wd while the roads were slicker than a five gallon bucket of warm Vaseline. Pretty steep shoulder, I went from trying to keep it between the lines to trying to keep it shiny side up all within about 2 seconds. Stopped about 6 inches from hitting a split rail fence. Had to steer it into the ditch rather than out of it, if not I may have dumped it on its side.

Locked the hubs, hit 4lo, pounded the skinny pedal and managed to get it back on the road.

Drove home and parked it.

 

[Oregon FJ40]

Slid nose first into a bar ditch in a snow storm tonight @about 40 mph, being a dumb ass and driving in 2wd while the roads were slicker than a five gallon bucket of warm Vaseline. Pretty steep shoulder, I went from trying to keep it between the lines to trying to keep it shiny side up all within about 2 seconds. Stopped about 6 inches from hitting a split rail fence. Had to steer it into the ditch rather than out of it, if not I may have dumped it on its side.

Locked the hubs, hit 4lo, pounded the skinny pedal and managed to get it back on the road.

Drove home and parked it.

Glad you made it home safe!

 

[firefighterjed]

Man rockymtnfly…. my heart was pounding as I read that!! I’ve been in 3 fender benders in 3 years in my cruiser. The two that were my fault were both due to bad behavior on slick roads. That’s a terrible feeling, to think your about to do some damage to your sweet rig. Glad it turned out well

Getting myself back on topic for this thread now. I bent some fuel lines and installed an OEM Carb finally. What a difference that made!!!! It’s almost like it was made for it! LoL PO had installed a Weber 32/36 which was reliable and problem free, but anemic. A friend gave me a 38/38 to try a few days ago. It was different. Better. But not great, and very thirsty! I rebuilt this OEM carb, ordered some jets per JimC recommendations in other threads. The jets arrived Saturday so the OEM swap was go-time!!!

I can’t believe how nicely it runs. More power. Smoother. Starts easier. Just all around better.