Bought Another FJ40

[slow&rusty]

Definitely an iconic vehicle and an important part of Toyota's history.

[Jeff Higgins]

O.k. guys, I guess it's time to come clean with you. Here is another photo, one that will help me do that. Poor Ed - he loves riding in my 80 Series, and he's too young to have been around when I had the FJ40, and now it looks like he just won't get to ride in my new one:



This has to be just about the highest quality R/C model I have ever seen. It's made by a company called RC4WD. The ladder frame is all aluminum, it has very realistic scale differentials, and a very well engineered four link suspension setup. Interestingly, they offer a leaf spring kit for it as well, for the real scale enthusiasts. The body is styrene plastic, instead of the vacuum formed lexan ubiquitous to the hobby. The scale detail is amazing, right down to a full interior all the way down to the shifter and pedals. Here it is with the body off:





They offer an amazing array of scale accessories for this thing. A working winch (operated by a third channel on the radio), a scale spare tire carrier (I have one on order as we speak), a light kit, roof rack, jerry cans, a bewildering array of wheels and tires (and they don't take up much room in the garage ), and on and on. Good clean fun...

So, sorry for pulling your legs. Pretty darn realistic though, huh?

Here is a video. Not mine, but the same rig:

[Eric at Pelican Parts]

Beautiful FJ40 you've picked up. I've wanted to pick one up as well, a light blue one in particular!

[Steve F]

Tail gate was a dead giveaway

[Amail]

Wow! Took me in hook, line, and sinker!

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Eric at Pelican Parts

Beautiful FJ40 you've picked up. I've wanted to pick one up as well, a light blue one in particular!

My real one was light blue. In the end, up here in the Pacific Northwest, the rust got away from me. Lots of fond memories though - family camping with my wife and two young boys, hunting, and just all around backwoods adventure. Like I said, my 80 Series is a much better rig, but it will never have the sentimental value the old FJ40 has. Sometimes I wish I had kept it and repaired it. It is, however, an extremely crude (but highly functional) truck. It had its time and place in my life. Now it's on to a new life with a buddy who is restoring it. Maybe I'll get to drive it again someday when he's finished.

[DonDavis]

Something hitched in my mind when saw your first pictures. The front dimensions looked off a little.
I just dismissed it as not knowing the model very well. Ha! Nice job.

That’s s great looking RC.

[Alansglide]

I loved in Mammoth,Ca for 10 years. The town is at the 8k foot level and used to average 25 feet of snow a year.
Purchased my FJ40 (think it was a 69) my first year there. Made a color change, added flairs , more lighting etc. Thing was a monster in the snow with all 4 wheels chained up

[herr_oberst]

Bamboozled! Good one Jeff. We all just believe what we want to believe!

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Bamboozled! Good one Jeff. We all just believe what we want to believe!

Why lie?

Too soon

He got me as well, hook, line and bass boat.

[regency]

Working on a new headliner in the hardtop now.

Steve

[mattdavis11]

Jeff,

I know of two light blue FJ40's near me (Austin, Tx). One is my brothers, a 74 w/ 83K. The other hasn't moved in years from what I can tell. It's in better shape (body) than pictured above. I don't mind asking if interested.

BTW, you got me too.

[IROC]

Wow. That was pretty good. I knew the body looked odd, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

[Jeff Higgins]

That's an awesome Cruiser, Steve. I'm envious - mine was never in that good of shape, even when I bought it in 1983 or so.

Is it still a three speed? I kept mine as a three on the tree just so I could put a car seat in the middle between my wife and I (mine had the full width three piece bench seat). Note the folded up red (Federal) .22 LR box in the wing window latch to keep it from whistling:



I see yours has the the bigger 2F engine, with its full flow oil filtration system. I made the same swap in mine when the original F engine just flat wore out at about 285,000 miles. I like the earlier rear door setup as well; my room mate had a '78 with the ambulance doors, which left the tailgate area open when we took the roof off. We just blocked it with a piece of plywood.

I see yours still has the early single pot master cylinder. My '71 already had the dual pot, and a vacuum brake booster. I updated the booster to the newer, bigger, and more reliable one.

Anyway, very nice old Cruiser you have there.

[regency]

When I got this FJ, it had been sitting for about 22 years. PO had attempted a V8 conversion.
I removed all of that, took me awhile to find a suitable frame to harvest the frame side motor & trans mounts , plus the center brace that had been cut out. Found the 2F and had Mudrak in Sonoma rebuild me a 4speed trans / transcase.

Had to cut out the rear quarters as the PO had cut out the wheel openings. Welded in new quarters.

Got Japanese 16" steel FJ wheels & the stock FJ hubcaps fit.

About ready for some road tests once the exhaust is finished next week.

S

[regency]

Also, I installed Wilwood front disc brakes with the duel front and rear pot ( behind the carb )
the single pot is the clutch which has to go over to the passenger side to the slave cylinder.

S

[Scott R]

I had to finally get rid of all of that on my 72. It’s now an 80 front disc axel, four speed from an 80 machined to run on the three speed t-case. All the 80 brake master cylinder and power steering too. I just felt like the 72 stuff was just to unsafe any longer.

[Jeff Higgins]

Yeah - FJ40 brakes. Serviceable offroad or at low speed, but kind of dangerous on the highway. Gotta love the double leading shoe fronts and dual double leading shoes in the back. What an enormous PIA to keep even close to adjusted. My room mate's '78 had the discs on the front. What a huge improvement.

I got my brake and clutch master cylinders mixed up there, Steve. I guess it's been too long. I did really like the hydraulic clutch setup - that seems like it was ahead of its time, especially on such an otherwise unsophisticated truck.

I took a cursory look at local ads on Craigslist and whatnot. My God, do these things get some money these days. I find that hilarious in the same way I find early 911 money hilarious. The dream is much better than the reality in both cases. While I might like another one to play with, I would never pay today's money for one in either case. Forced to choose, I would take my 80 Series over any FJ40 any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by regency

Working on a new headliner in the hardtop now.

Steve

holy sweet LC, Steve. Put a little mud on that motor so we know its the real thing.

[look 171]

Damnit, Jeffrey. Got me. I have to go back to the original post for a second and noticed the plastic frame on the interior windows. how does that RC crawl over rough terrain?