1969 Fj40 Build
 

Well, I sold my father my 1969 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser. He has been trying to get me to build it for him and sell it to him since I bought it three years ago. We finally made an agreement and away we go. Here is the plan.

1969 Fj40 Toyota Land Crusier w/ factory hard top and doors. The colors will be very similar to the voodoo blue on the new Toyota FJ.

1999 Vortec 350 stock 255hp.
700R4 w/ all the updates and including commercial clutch packs, vette servo, transco shift kit and the installation of an advance adapters output shaft to 10 spline Toyota transfer case.
Toyota early LC transfer case
Detroit Locker rear w/ 4.56 gears
Auburn posi front w/ 4.56 gears
Warn hubs
Wilwood power disc brake conversion in front w/Dba rotors.
Stock rear drum brakes
2 1/2" Safari leaf springs front and rear w/ Old Man Emu shocks.
2" 4-plus heavy duty anti-inversion shackles front and rear.
4-plus extended shock mounts in front.
Front shackle reversal 1 1/2" lift and moves shackles from front of springs (stock) to rear.
U-bolt flip kits front and rear.
28 gallon fuel tank.
Sagnaw power steering conversion.
35x12.50-15 BFG Mud Terrains KM2 (5 tires)
Mickey Thompson Classic Lock wheels 15x8 (5 wheels).
6 point roll cage.
Custom seats and belts (still to be decided).
4-plus aluminum radiator.
Custom front and rear bumpers/rock sliders.
Warn winch.

Frame sandblasted!

WOW keeping an eye on this bad boy. How did you land the FJ from the beginning?

It was parked in some guys driveway around the corner from my house. I bugged him for awhile about it but he wanted to much. It had been parked there for 14 years. I caught him one day when his wife was with him out front and offered him cash. Needless to say his wife influenced him to take the money and get it out of the driveway. The truck was complete but had a blown engine. I had a built 2f motor from out of my 1978 FJ40 sitting in my garage from when I did the v8 build on it. The plan was to buy it, install the engine and sell it! Then I decided I would paint it first. Now I have a complete frame off custom bulid on my hands. It should be a fun project and someday I will inherit it back.

I'm older and don't have one so I think I should inherit it.:dancenana:

Let me see if I got this right.

You waited to make the cash play on the FJ. Done.
Sold it to your dad. Done.
Will work on it for your dad. Doing.
Will get him to grant it back to you. Plan.

You got mad skills. :hail:



;)

Epoxy coat. Works as etching primer and primer.




Black satin enamel.

Back in the early 70's Small Block Chevy's were put in : Toyo Land Cruisers, Land Rovers, Willys and Internationals 4x4s. Broncos only got Ford engines. In those years I only saw one SB chevy in a Bronco.


Great swap!

New rear springs with u-bolt flip kit.


Rear anti-inversion lift shackles.




Removing factory front spring mounts.


Installing front leaf spring shackle reversal brackets.









Front leaf spring rear shackle reversal bracket installed.


Front leaf springs installed with shackle reversal and lift shackles. Also extended shock mounts installed.

Very cool. :cool:

That about sums it up!

This project should move very fast. I am a couple of weeks into the project now. I have already purchased almost all the parts, The fenders, top, doors, and hood are already painted. I have dedicated two nights a week and every Saturday until it is finished. I will be building the engine, transfer case and axles. The trans. we got a smokin deal on, so I am not going to build the trans. The engine harness and computer is coming from Howell Injection. The engine mounts and trans mount are coming from Advance Adapters. The Sagnaw p/s conversion, engine teardown, and rear axle overhaul are next on the list of repairs. My friend Adam ( also our top body shop technician) is starting on the tub, which I will help him with so we can get it in the booth in the next two weeks.

This should be similar to the finished product. Darker blue without the diamond plate.

That plan is 100% full of win.

Having cool parents definitely does not suck! Lets not forget a couple hundred man hours of work and the key word SOMEDAY!

Yea, cause everyone knows you have a shortage of toy's.:rolling:

Speaking of toys, do you think if I came down to the shop one night that Adam would stay and help me get the doors on the Explorer aligned correctly? Run it by him and let me know.

Oh and for reference my dad will probably never take the truck offroad so it should be immaculate when Phil gets it back.

Unless it goes 14 years with the only washes consisting of rain water, like the Jimmy.

Let's hope not.

This is really close, if not exact to the color I am painting the FJ.

I love my Wrangler, but these old FJs are special. :thumbs_up:

Got to agree!:drink:

What does everyone think about the color? I took the parts out of the spray booth and was like, WOW, thats bright. The only wild color I ever painted an FJ40 was yellow. That was my first truck, another 1969 FJ40. When I took it out of the spray booth I thought the same thing. Once everything was put together it broke up the color and looked great. I went online looking to find one painted this color with the hard top so I could get an idea of how the finished product would look. I think it looks good. It should definitely draw attention. If I am going to change the color I need to decide now, before I paint the tub. My dad will look at it on Saturday with the grill, and fenders mounted to decide if he likes the color. So far he says he likes the blue. Originally I wanted to paint it this color but chickened out and painted all the parts white. My friend Adam saw one on Barret Jackson in blue and told me it looked awesome. He convinced me to change the color back to blue.

I think the color blue you chose looks great. I wouldn't change the color, dad will like it.

I think blue looks great. I think a sea foam green might be kinda cool too, but blue is good.

]
Thank you for the input. My Dad looked at these pictures and at the truck with the front end on. He likes the blue also, so blue it is! Today I got the engine disassembled for the machine shop, the front axle disassembled and the housing cleaned up, put the bearings on the gears and posi unit, and mocked up the steering gear for welding. The new gears only come in 27 spline for the driveshaft flange, so I could not put the pinion in until I get new flanges. Monday morning I will order them and have them sent overnight.

Well, I have been gone for the last four months and I will not be back home for another nine weeks. I have been wanting to update this thread but have not had the time. Here are a couple pictures of the truck as it sits in storage, This is as of July. When I get back I will finish up the truck and give a full breakdown of the build.

More pics
 

Here are a few more pics>

That thing is sexy as hell. If you ever consider selling that thing I will buy it from you. I hope you never do because thats alot of work but damn man great build.

If my dad ever sold it it would be for a lot. I think when my brother added up the receipts it was about $25,000 just in parts so far.

Would you do a straight trade for my soul?