1977 FJ40 Restoration

[Okie81]

Looks like a cool endeavor, good luck! Maybe keep POR-15 on the table as an option

[04 Rocko Taco]

I think you guys have got a good project ahead of you. I've seen LOTS of rigs come back from far worse fates than this one. Heck, my '84 Runner was almost that bad when it started out.

[Ric]

speaking of 40s, I just stopped by Rocky Mountains Cruiser, that shop is A+ they do some top of line work, if I had a fj40, thats the place Id take mine, being I have no idea how to restore anything, lol

[Robinhood4x4]

Well, that makes 3 of us!

[Robinhood4x4]

Made some more progress today at the shop. Personally, my goal was to get the body off the frame today, but that didn't happen. Close though. Things went slower than I thought because we took our time to take pictures of everything and label all vacuum lines and electrical connections.

We started by attacking the front fenders and grill. It's funny they had the foresight to put the grill on a hinge to work on the radiator easily, but it still takes a wrench to loosen the bolts from the grill to the fenders.
[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080754s.jpg[/img]

Most of the bolts came out easily and we finally got the radiator out, heater motor, brake and clutch master cylinder, and everything else off the firewall. Sure does make changing the oil and spark plugs easy this way.
[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080822s.jpg[/img]

So then we worked on the interior and got the gas tank out and most of the dash items out.
[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080826s.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080823s.jpg[/img]

Our pile of junk is growing.
[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080828s.jpg[/img]

The body is pretty much ready to come out now. We need to weld in some supports across the bed and doors to keep everything aligned when the tub is lifted out. I think we'll easily have it off the frame the next time we work on it. Clayton has explicit instructions to soak all body mount bolts in PB blaster for the next week.

[DHC6twinotter]

Cool...looks like fun! That frame doesn't look too bad at all.

[Robinhood4x4]

No, we're not expecting to find too much frame damage, at least from rolling around underneath for a while. Plus, all the oil leak/spray over the years has preserved things nicely. So far the only thing that we know needs to be addressed is a little frame gusset in the back.

[Robinhood4x4]

Got some more work done today and reached a milestone. Finally got the body off the frame.

The day started with me whining about my back that I hurt sometime last week, so I got Clayton to do most of the heavy lifting . Then we spent most of the morning trying to get the body bolts out, but most of them were rusted in or the nutplate welds broke. This meant we had to either break off the bolts or cut them out.

To get to two of the bolts, we had to use a dremel with a cutoff wheel because of the tight quarters. However, our dremel was out of commission so we headed off to Lowes to get a new one. I walk up to the dremel isle and was immediately assaulted by a representative from dremel who was restocking the shelves. It went something like this:

Dremel dork: Do you know about Dremel tools?!?!

Me: actually, yes we're here to buy one.

Dremel dork: Good! Let me tell you about them, here, take this pamplet!

Me: No, talk to my friend over there, he's the one buying.

Dremel dork to Clayton: Do you know about Dremel tools?!?!?!?

Clayton: Yeah, I'm here to buy one.

Dremel dork: Here, take this pamphlet, let me show you something that most people don't know! See all these bits in the pamplet?!?! They're not available in stores, see, they're not on the shelves!!! But, they're available online at dremel.com...see...D-R-E-M-E-L-.-C-O-M (pointing at each letter in the pamplet).

Clayton: OK

Dremel dork: Let me show you this bit (pulls the grinding bit from the shelf), it can cut through STAINLESS STEEL!!!

Clayton: OK. I need it to cut through a big bolt.

Dremel dork: Oh, then you'll need the dremel 4000 for $99. Is the bolt stainless steel?!?!?

Me: No, it's hardened steel.

Me: (ignoring dremel dork, pick up the Rotozip right next to the dremel tools). Hey Clayton, check this thing out. It's twice as big as the dremel, has 5 times more power, and costs less than the dremel.

Dremel dork: Oh, but are the RPMs fast enough for you?!?!? The dremel does 30,000 RPM!!!!

Both of us: we don't care about RPMs, we need torque. Let's get this Rotozip.

Dremel dork: Oh. Well, how do you know it's more powerful?

Clayton: Because it's 5 amps.

Dremel dork: Oh, well let's see what the dremel is!!! (starts reading the descriptions on the shelf)

Clayton: Dremels are about 1 amp.

Dremel dork: Oh. Well, you'll probably need a bit. (Points to the same little grinding bit) This one cuts stainless steel!!!

(Another customer shows up)

Dremel dork to new customer: Hi, do you know about dremels?!?!? Here, take this pamphlet!!!!

Both of us: Let's get out of here.

It took all our strength to be polite to this guy.

Anyway, we got back and let me tell you, I'm never buying a dremel again! That rotozip is way better than a dremel and can use all the same bits and more. The only negative is it's single speed at 30,000 rpm. Using the fiber reinforced cutoff saw through a size 14mm bolt head, it barely started to bog down.

So we got the last of the bolts out and the tranny tunnel off.

[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080839s.jpg[/img]

Then we welded in some braces across the front and rear doors to keep everything aligned and prevent the tub from bending.
[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080847s.jpg[/img]

With some handy ratchet straps and an engine hoist, began pulling the body off the frame.
[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080859s.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080865s.jpg[/img]

And there it is. The culmination of about 24 hours of work (48 man hours), over the course of 3 weeks.
[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080881s.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=533]http://www.robinhood4x4.com/UY/FJ40/teardown/P1080886s.jpg[/img]

Thankfully, we didn't find any surprises, everything is as we thought it would be. The frame looks solid. The next step will be to pressure wash everything and take out the engine, then the tranny and transfer case. From there it will be combination of working on rebuilding the transmission and transfer case, and working on the axles, steering and suspension.

[4x4mike]

Great project guys. Looks like you know what you're doing and doing it right. I'd love to have a project like this but I just don't have the time. Space is also and issue considering it would take me forever.

[Obi..]

WTH..you not only have a Piper Cub sitting in there but a bi also! Jealous.