We Started Taking the FJ40 Apart…What did we find? | Episode 2

Episode 2 of the 1974 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 build. With the first drive and shakedown behind us, it's time to start taking the truck apart. This is the point where the project gets real. We begin the initial teardown, removing parts, digging deeper into the truck, and getting our first proper look at what we're actually working with underneath decades of use, repairs, wear, and history. The goal at this stage is simple: document everything, understand what can stay, identify what needs to be repaired or replaced, and create a clean starting point for the build ahead. In this episode: • Initial FJ40 teardown • Removing exterior and interior components • Inspecting the truck as it comes apart • Looking for rust, previous repairs, and problem areas • Evaluating which original parts can be saved • Beginning to define the mechanical and cosmetic scope • Documenting the truck before the restoration progresses • Figuring out what we've really gotten ourselves into We're not trying to erase the character of this Land Cruiser. The plan is to preserve the things that make an old FJ40 special while rebuilding the truck into something intentional, reliable, and distinctly our own. This project is a collaboration with California Fun Club, with the entire process being documented from the original purchase through teardown, fabrication, mechanical work, paint, interior, final photography, and eventually the sale of the finished truck. There will be surprises. There will probably be some questionable previous repairs. And there will definitely be parts we weren't planning on replacing. That's part of the process. Episode 2: teardown begins. Music in this episode written and produced by me. Follow along as we build this 1974 Toyota FJ40 from the ground up. #ToyotaLandCruiser #FJ40 #ToyotaFJ40 #LandCruiser #FJ40Build #Restoration #CarBuild #ClassicToyota #Vintage4x4 #CaliforniaFunClub