FJ40 is a design code for the Toyota Landcruiser series.
Mine is a 1978 Toyota Landcruiser Short Wheel Base (SWB) featuring a 4.2L Inline 6 cylinder petrol engine (2F). It has a 4-speed floor-shift manual gearbox with transfer case. This enables high and low range gearing for 4wd use.
Since 2001 I've always dreamt of owning an FJ40. Once school finished in 2003 I started saving and one day realised that I could make my dream happen. On Friday 30th July 2004 I picked up my FJ40 for $1950 in Winston Hills, NSW Australia.
The night I bought it!
I struggled to get it home that night. It had a problem with the ignition key spring not flicking back so the starter motor would keep engaging. After about half an hour weaving through traffic following dad home in my new truck that didn't handle like a normal car I came to a stop as my lights went dimm then the car stopped. Luckily dad was there. We first thought the alternater was dead and killed the battery, so we tried some jumper leads.... That didn't work. We called NRMA and joined up on the spot, hooked up a rope and clutch started it. The starter motor had fried itself. New starter and fixed the ignition switch and we were set for some 4 bangin.
Our first decent trek was not a 4wd track. It was a creek bed. It was nuts, unfortunately I don't have any video/photo's.. I think we almost rolled it that day. Since then it has been on many trips on local tracks and two big trips to Stockton Beach and South Durras. Before the Durras trip (1000km's) I did a major service which included approximately 20L of oils changed (engine, gearbox, transfer case, front/rear diff's) I also got a new set of tyres all round.
South Durras
The rattles of the 1000km trip combined with shithouse suspension made parts of the car fall apart.
The damage included:
- Spare tyre carrier falling off
- Chipped windscreen
- Left indicator stopped working
- Right indicator nearly fell off (had to tape it on)
- Tapes stopped playing
- Speakers fell out of the doors
- Drivers door lock no longer locked
Stockton Beach was absolutely brilliant, the dunes were crazy. It is a very unique place. Just how you'd imagine the desert to be.
Stockton Beach
So far i've replaced:
- Starter motor
- Ignition loom
- Transmission/Transfer Case oil
- Front/Rear Diff oil
- Engine Oil
- Interior light
- Fuel Pump
- Front Swivel Hub Seals
- Radio x 3
- Front/Rear Speakers and they still don't work