C'mon man, somebody on the board has to be first... it could be you. All you have to do is hide a $9,000 bill from the Mrs.

https://instagr.am/p/BcIZyg0BXOc

https://instagr.am/p/Bgr1fIUhmdD

https://instagr.am/p/BWG8y4tBPmo

Hahhaha I already sent that to a buddy saying we should. But ya my kids would have a new daddy if I did that

97 40th Sage on the way to Texas.

aggiepaintrain said:

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97 40th Sage on the way to Texas.

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Yours?

reddog90 said:

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aggiepaintrain said:

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97 40th Sage on the way to Texas.

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Yours?

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yes

If you were Chip Foose, you'd be done by now.

Annnnd.....

Street Fighter said:

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If you were Chip Foose, you'd be done by now.

Annnnd.....

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I had to give this a second blue star sir.

Got the motor pulled, dropped the transmission and transfer case off for a bench build gasket change. Should be putting the new motor in a couple weeks.

Have to weld in a new rear cross member that bolts to the Tcase. Previous owner didn't do that as part of the v8 conversion, has too much slack.

Best part of this so far was my 6 year old and 4 year old helping take out the drive shafts for new u joints.


Now I have to keep reminding myself this is a lease truck weekend deal, because I find myself ordering more and more parts.

So I am trying to figure out what to do. The paint is 15 colors of gray. Has some body damage, its fine its going to be scratched to hell in south Texas. I am thinking of monstarlining the outside in a beige, the inside of the tub I was going to POR15 the rear part and bedline the floorboards. Is this a huge mistake? I don't want to spend the time to paint the exterior. I may also just monstalrine the interior as well.

edit- gonna paint it wont be show quality but decided against bed lining the exterior.

I ordered the wrong bellhousing inspection cover got part happy and ordered what I thought I needed before I verified. If anyone is running a 3 speed Toyota bellhousing let me know ill sell the part I got from $or.com for half price. they wont take it back since they had to pull it off a fj40

I took the stereo out and the top off the cruiser today. Tomorrow I'll try and dry fit the barn doors I bought off ih8mud. Had to put pb blaster on the old bolts. A couple of them wouldn't come loose. This fiberglass top is heavy and unbalanced but two people were able to move it with assistance from a third spotter. I do have concerns that the top will have some breakage where the bolts attach to the tub and if that's the case I'm going all in on a soft top.

aggiepaintrain said:

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reddog90 said:

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aggiepaintrain said:

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97 40th Sage on the way to Texas.

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Yours?

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yes

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Pics or it doesn't exist

My new 80 is getting some work done.
Hope to add some pics within a month

What soft top street fighter? I wish I could find a paki top. I don't like the bestop.

My updates: as expected since I had the engine out I went to get it as solid as possible on the driveline. The suck is real!

Motor going in on Memorial Day weekend since the Inlaws are in town this weekend.

Putting in new rear wheel well tops, new U joints, ****** and tcase getting rebuilt and AA propellor crossmember.

Found some used seat pans and cushion and cover on ih8mud

New body mounts, removing fender flares on the back and doing some more body work and then painting.

Need to correct the relay rod it's too steep of an angle, may be able to use a drop pitman arm from the Saginaw box.

If anyone wants a gas tank for a 74 let me know, I pulled my old one for an oem one. It seems my original one has been patched previously and some small rust scale. A shop said it could be repaired but I just ordered a new one.

Does anyone here work for a Toyota dealership parts department because that would be awesome!

Next year I'm going to do a re wire and rebuild some suspension parts.

Street Fighter said:

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reddog90 said:

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Thanks. Would buying a modestly built, well maintained fzj80 on mud be a good route? That could save me a lot of money on bumpers, rack, lights, lift, tires, etc. Then I can enjoy and fix/maintain it myself to learn.

I have a hard time justifying ~$15k on a stock locked fzj80 with <200k miles, then putting another $10k in mods into it when I see built rigs that look like they've been maintained well in mud classifieds for just a little more money. But then I don't get to do the work myself...

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Unmolested is the best route.

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bill cosby would disagree

I only know of two OEM type sources for soft tops currently.

Relik Garage (Formerly FJColoUSA)

Trollhole Soft Tops

Your best bet is to look for a used set of bows and buy the top only from the ih8mud vendor, TrollHole.

New bows can be had from Real Steel.

Canvas Makers Guild has a ton of information on tops compiled in one spot.

Ya I've seen those and that's prolly the way I'd go.

Jrod05 said:

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What soft top street fighter? I wish I could find a paki top. I don't like the bestop.

My updates: as expected since I had the engine out I went to get it as solid as possible on the driveline. The suck is real!

Motor going in on Memorial Day weekend since the Inlaws are in town this weekend.

Putting in new rear wheel well tops, new U joints, ****** and tcase getting rebuilt and AA propellor crossmember.

Found some used seat pans and cushion and cover on ih8mud

New body mounts, removing fender flares on the back and doing some more body work and then painting.

Need to correct the relay rod it's too steep of an angle, may be able to use a drop pitman arm from the Saginaw box.

If anyone wants a gas tank for a 74 let me know, I pulled my old one for an oem one. It seems my original one has been patched previously and some small rust scale. A shop said it could be repaired but I just ordered a new one.

Does anyone here work for a Toyota dealership parts department because that would be awesome!

Next year I'm going to do a re wire and rebuild some suspension parts.

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Damn, moving fast and doing big work. I was happy with myself after just removing my running boards and plastidipping my grill this weekend.

Have fun with the build

I'm going to check out real steel bows that a local guy has and see what it looks like. His cruiser is still in parts but he's doing it all himself so I think he will have great insight.

Haha, If it was barnes, it would be that diesel transplant. And if you ask my wife its not moving quick enough.....


All the driveline should be done memorial day weekend. Wife gave me the go ahead today to work on it Saturday, if my buddy is good I will put the motor in. We pulled his out which is what I am using, its a 3 year old crate motor. The exhaust manifold had a crack so I am getting that Tig welded and ceramic coated, well why not.

Transmission should be done by Friday. The welding may take me into June and so will the paint most likely since I am doing it with the help of a buddy.


my buddy said and I agree, I have a bit of scope creep going on. All for a lease vehicle and weekend rig, but I wanted to make sure its all good. Between Metaltech, cruisercorp, SOR, o'rielys and a few others, well I am about 500 more than I would have bought it had he not blown the motor. So I consider that a win.

on a side note, there is a landcruiser specialty shop here in Austin, and the owner Edwin and his guys walked me through a few rigs that had v8 conversions for about an hour when I dropped the ****** and tcase off. Really great guys if anyone needs anything done.

reddog90 said:

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TxAg20 said:

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jayelbee said:

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Where would one look to get an old FJ40/43/45 that drives and needs a lot of TLC, but is in decent shape for its age (rust)? What's the about the cost? Sub $10k?

I'd really love to get one and might finally be in a position to do it once I sell my old house.

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Central America

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Have you done this?

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I have not. I know there are a couple of folks on ih8mud and expo who buy old Land Cruisers in central America and import them to the U.S. as a full time job.

I don't know what all is involved in importing, but I think those guys make a good living on 1 or 2 vehicles a month.

Anyone have an idea where to find an inspection cover for the gm bellhousing in my conversion damn part is impossible to find gm part number is 3714477. All discontinued found nothing on ih8mud apparently they were so cheap people tossed them. No wonder PO didn't have one on it

Would rather not run without one. Who wants to save the day!

Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.vintagecarpartsrestorationslot1946.info/mopar-340-engine/bellhousing-pan.html

It is I just was hoping to not buy on eBay or wondering if a universal one will fit

I wonder if this will fit

https://www.classicparts.com/mobile/66-71-Bell-Housing-Flywheel-Cover-TH400/productinfo/90-916/

Just saw a late model in China with
G.X.R and V6
Rear Badging

No way it's really a V6 right?

https://instagr.am/p/Bi5_hoWHurR

Giving CL a once over looking for a factory intake/exhaust manifold set for a 40 and I stumbled on this unit. Seemed like a cool old FJ.

https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/d/landcruise-fj40/6591126369.html

That's awesome. You looking for both manifolds? I'm always searching for things now. My third garage door is full of parts I'm so pumped to put the motor in Saturday.

I got a mud person to send me some seat cushions and back kick plates but I also bought the back frames if anyone needs those my are in good shape, may have one bottom cushion in decent shape as well. In a month I have stage four fj40 syndrome.

Anyone need a factory 3 speed inspection cover? Only ****ty thing about sor well and the prices. Can't return anything

Yes, both. My truck has an Offy 4bbl intake with a 'way too big' Holley on it; so it doesn't run near as well as it should. It also has tube headers which would be fine, but like tube headers do they've got a little leak in that spider web somewhere.

I've kind of given up hope of it being able to put everything EXACTLY back stock because I don't have all the throttle linkage, carb, or air cleaner to do it; but I've held out hope that if I could find original cast iron manifolds at the right price I'd put a 38mm 2bbl and get pretty close to stock.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TOYOTA-LAND-CRUISER-LANDCRUISER-EXHAUST-MANIFOLD-8-76-8-87-FJ40-FJ55-FJ60/263642089656?epid=26009225176&hash=item3d624b08b8:g:ZfUAAOSwQcJaFfVc&vxp=mtr

this one *should* work but before I totally commit to the effort I have to finish another small automotive project that it taking up all my extra time/effort right now. Once that is finished I will get on this in earnest.

cclearman said:

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Just saw a late model in China with
G.X.R and V6
Rear Badging

No way it's really a V6 right?

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Nope it's a V6.

Likely think you saw the GRJ152L. It's the brother to the Lexus 460 in NA.

From Wiki:

Quote:

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4.0-liter 1GR-FE V6 was standard paired to a five-speed automatic gearbox. On 24 September 2015, the fourth generation mid-life facelift received a new 3.5-liter V6, the 7GR-FKS to replace the previous 4.0-liter V6.

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I can't read the text but It looks you can order one here if you want a V6
http://www.ftms.com.cn/vehicles/prado

Your other "small" project is the c10 right?

I had some scope creep and got way deep into parts. Mine isn't stock so I'm not worried about the Frankenstein part of it but my kids are stoked and I totally see myself getting a stock one later too. Wish mine had the stock engine.

I'll keep an eye out, too bad that isn't a oem part available like the tank I just got

Yes. Please do keep an eye out. Intake/exhaust manifolds for a '78 2F. And yes, working on a C10.

What year is yours? I saw a complete takeout for an earlier model 40, I think, so where on CL. Lemme check...

Found it. https://nashville.craigslist.org/pts/d/fj40-1f-engine-and-3-speed/6550171131.html

Will do- mine is a 74 with a v8 conversion done, so glad he blew the motor because it will have a 3 year old motor from a buddy that babies his cars. Rebuilt ****** and tcase and brand new clutch all done correctly.

If I had more room id buy that motor you linked for a future project.

CP- I talked to this guy a while back and he updates his post he has the manifold it seems.

https://austin.craigslist.org/pts/d/toyota-land-cruiser-fj40-parts/6551684483.html


he is local if you want I can go take a look.

Update- got the motor in. Took forever due to some PO issues. Had the motor stabbed and the new clutch fork I bought to use with a Downey clutch didn't have enough throw so had to switch out for my old clutch fork, the spring needs some adjustment. Got the fuel tank in but need to remove some old broken bolts that are giving me a hell of a time, broke the extractor trying to get one out. So if anyone has a better idea on removing old broken bolts let me know.

Here are some before and after pictures. Probably going to wait a while before I do sheet metal want to get to driving this thing ASAP. Without 4 cousins it take a little to do all this....