This week we had our first set back, decided to take the valve cover off to paint it. For the good or bad, we found one of the push rods bent. I guess for a motor that is 36 tears old that isn't too bad. After about 3 hours on the net we finally found one and should be here this week. The amazing thing about this motor is when we removed the head (hold the valves) it looks like it only has a few hundred miles on it. Not much carbon build up, no scaring in the cylinder head and is very easy to turn by hand. The only trouble when you start looking for one part the list grows, so as long a my wife doesn't see the UPS boxes I won't have to sleep on the couch. Hope to have a pic of the drive train put together next week.

Another nice day so why not clean 30 some years of dirt off the body. FJ40's are a lot like jeeps where the body comes off in one piece so it is easy to move it around with out a jig. The next step is grind off the undercoating and repaint. One nice thing is we only found a couple small rust areas and holes. 

We got  most of the rust off the motor and almost ready for paint. Hope by the end of the moth to have a pic of the drivetrain back on the frame. (pic's of a motor on a stand not very excitng will come after paint)

It has been so nice this winter in South Carolina this winter we decided to grind down the frane and paint it. As you can see my son and I didn't feel like painting the bottom, so we just stood it up on its side. Got some funny looks from the neighobors but its done and back in the garage.

This past weekend we started to wire brush the block and transmission getting it ready for paint also.

It will be nice to see the drive train and frame back together.

My wife bought me a 1976 FJ40 in 2002 as a Christmas present. So my son and I went out in a field in rual Aiken, South Carolina, and pulled it home. A nice little 10 mile tow with a chain and no brakes on the new toy. After a few hours in the driveway we got it started. Battery cables from the jeep to a dead FJ battery, gas can on the roof feeding the carb by hand and it started right up. Two men jumping around like two boys with a new go cart. Then came the bright idea to tear it down to the frame (see pics) and rebuild it. We took it down, son move to Fla., I moved to Bluffton, SC.  Project came to a halt for four year.  My son and family move to Bluffton, SC this year and FJ sat in parts for 8 years.

Now it is time to get it together and put some life back in it. This blog will trace the steps we are taking to this rebirth and the adventures my son (2 grandsons) and I have reliving my childhood.