Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them

G'day. New cruiser owner/builder

bevo

New Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2020
Messages
9
Country Flag
australia
My 16yr old daughter has chosen her first car.... a 1964 fj45. I suggested an Audi A4 but she's too cool for that so instead we have a father daughter project and 12 months to do it. We dragged her from her grave on a farm having to cut 4 trees down that had grown thru the chassis and got her home last week. The neighbor to the f arm said it had been there for 20yrs that he knew of but we don't know how much longer. I know you guys will believe it but I didn't.... it actually started! Can't kill them that's for sure. Anyway I'm gunna be needing lots of help and look forward to joining a new crew. Cheers.
IMG_0428.jpg
IMG_0409.jpg
IMG_0423.jpg
20200726_131612.jpg
IMG_0428.jpg
IMG_0409.jpg
IMG_0423.jpg
20200726_131612.jpg
 
Good luck!

Couple of good starting points for parts are:
-Allfourx4 in Kotara
-Mr Landcruiser (QLD)
-Don Kyatt stockists (that's the company behind Terrain Tamer)

BUT

You will find some parts hard to find (like water pump... one of the guys in town here is chasing one down and the usual suspects don't have one), however, there's a load of good guys on a couple of Facebook Groups for parts.

Where in NSW are you?
 
I think I've had some luck so far. I've managed to convince my daughter (Jazzy) that its old enough to restore rather than the 4 inch lift, 35's and who knows what else she wanted to do, also it has surprisingly little rust. I think I may only be up for one door. Jaz Has joined every cruiser, toyota and 4x4 group on every possible platform but that doesn't help poor old dad much. I reckon there will be an old fella out there who done his apprenticeship on these things things and knows more than Wikipedia ever will!!!!! I just need to find him.
Parts are one problem but knowing whats original whats an add on and what is an upgrade is difficult to get your head around.
Thanks for your help,
We are in Albury/wodonga! Yep that's right the border closure saga.
 
This one is good:
and so is this one:

Between them, they have most of the parts that you'll need but can't buy new
 
Hello and welcome...

Your daugther certainly has some style... when all the A4s have been recycled into pastic buckets the 45 will still be going!

Help and advice available whe you need and I shall follow your progress with interest.

Regards,

Rodger
 
Oh, and this one:

There will be some for VIC as well..
 
Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them
Hello and welcome...

Your daugther certainly has some style... when all the A4s have been recycled into pastic buckets the 45 will still be going!

Help and advice available whe you need and I shall follow your progress with interest.

Regards,

Rodger
Cheers Rodger,
Jazzy Is a unique kid that's for sure. She is a walking contradiction. Mum drives an Audi Q7 and I thought I'd get her a same colour miniature of what mum drives..... Not good enough apparently.
Being 15yrs old (16 on aug11th) she had plans to post videos and photos of the build progress online. I will keep you in the loop.
I must say I've thoroughly enjoyed a few things so far.
So far I've heard her say the following.
"do you really sit on the fuel tank? that's dangerous"
"380 thousand klms isnt much for a cruiser dad!" "that's miles girl" "HUH?"
"None of your spanners fit this bolt" "its imperial" "Its What?"
I reckon I've got many more of these to come lol.

I really want to keep it original so some to tell me whats not right would be great
Cheers for the response.
Jeff
 
This one is good:
and so is this one:

Between them, they have most of the parts that you'll need but can't buy new
Cheers,
Hopefully this week we get the old girl into the shed to start stripping her.
Then our true need for parts will be realised.
I really do want to keep her as original as possible.
I mean if its survived 46yrs unmolested who are we to attack it.

Thanks Jeffro
 
Hi Jeff & Jazzy,

Even I am on the last site that Ed listed because there is so much enthusiasm for the 40 series in Australia but it may also be worth looking the 40 forum on here as there are numerous rebuilds and restorations that may help.
For detailed exploded diagrams try www.sor.com - Spectre Off Road. They are in the USA but are 40 specialists but the detail info the site contains can be really helpful.

Regards,

Rodger
 
Yep I did come across sor in my Google searches. Jaz is at work tonight but I'm sure when I ask her she will already be on all the fb stuff (Jaz Bevan). I should add I'm no stranger to old cars but I was a holden, Ford, valiant child. As such I'm really not familiar with these beasts. Also I'm an electrician/electrical engineer should my skills ever be able to help just ask.
I do agree, up until jazzys interest I knew very little of the 40 series but the more research I do the more I realise.
A. How simple and tough they were
B. They have a cult following,
 
Oh, and this one:

There will be some for VIC as well..
Thank you Ed
I will make sure Jaz follows it all up.
At 16 yrs old Jazzy thinks 12months is an eternity to rebuild a car. However we both know it's not that simple.
 
Rodger's done a great job on his.... mine? well, it still gets used for firewood etc, so we keep it good but not great.

Don't worry - time will be twice what you expect and budget about the same!

We've got a mate here who is a couple of months older than Jaz, and he has a collecting habit for the 40s... not helped by his old man's work ute being a 12HT engined HJ47.... I think last count Toby has 1x BJ42, 2 (maybe 3)x HJ45/7s (one set up for bushfires) and has his own HJ75 that he's learning to drive in (as well seeming to have acquired his sisters HJ75 that had no heater in it)
 
Ha I was the same with my first car (holden gemini) ended up owning ten all up. I already have mates sending me links to every cruiser for sale within 500klm. I have a ss an brock commodore in the shed I need to move to build 50yr old toyota! I hope this kid realises the sacrifices I make.
Im actually looking forward to it and parts seem to still be available (mostly). Jaz originally wanted to put a LS1 in and convert it to coil but checking the year it was made and other things that make it seem old (no heater, split rear window) we decided a resto was warranted. I think the kids actually using there hands for something other then updating there profile is a good thing. Even if it is expensive.
 
Welcome aboard - fantastic choice of first car - I can only hope my daughters are this cool when it comes their time to get driving. Good luck!
 
Also not worth LS'ing it, as then it gets a performance mod plate and no good for NSW P platers....

As you say, it's an early one with the split rear window - there's a couple of guys who have similar vintage ones, and are doing them up slowly, so keep an eye on their projects for where they source parts.

It also looks like a single rear wall, but I'm not sure if that's a split rear window norm.

Does not surprise me that you now have mates sending you 40s from everywhere... if you find any under $3k that are presentable projects, grab them!

Oh, and you don't need to move the Dunnydores, you just need more sheds :p
 
Welcome aboard - fantastic choice of first car - I can only hope my daughters are this cool when it comes their time to get driving. Good luck!
I did always say that the next generation wouldn't know how to drive cause the cars do it for them. That wont be the case now lol.
 
Also not worth LS'ing it, as then it gets a performance mod plate and no good for NSW P platers....

As you say, it's an early one with the split rear window - there's a couple of guys who have similar vintage ones, and are doing them up slowly, so keep an eye on their projects for where they source parts.

It also looks like a single rear wall, but I'm not sure if that's a split rear window norm.

Does not surprise me that you now have mates sending you 40s from everywhere... if you find any under $3k that are presentable projects, grab them!

Oh, and you don't need to move the Dunnydores, you just need more sheds :p
I did consider another 40 thats running and driveable for 2k that a mate sent me but I think i'll let the wife get over this one first. Funny you say that we did discuss that renting a shed for 12 months is half the cost of building one!
 
Back
Top