New Member - fairon - an intro

[fairon]

Hello, FSJ owners!

I just picked up my first FSJ. I honestly don't know much about them. Though I've never owned one, I've always had a special place in my heart for AMC vehicles. Actually, I've never owned an American car save for a '90 Plymouth Laser that was really just a badge-engineered Mitsubishi.

I bought a '76 Wagoneer for the princely sum of five hundred American dollars. I drove it up and down the street and it needs a bit of work. Nothing in particular but I can tell it's not making the power that a 401 should.

I live in Chatham County, NC and don't have trash pickup out here. So, I convinced my wife to let me get a beater truck to haul stuff to the dump so I don't have to throw trash in the back of her 2000 Mercedes. So, now I have a daily driver that will ultimately become a 4th project car.

Is it wrong when your daily driver is older than your project cars?

I have a feeling that for the first while I'll be asking a lot more questions than I answer but my hope is that, in time, I can become an informaed and contributing member of this community.

Well, I guess I should get you guys some pictures...

[710 Burner]

I hope its as nice as it looks.

[fairon]

I also have to mention and share the coolest part about this truck that I've found so far... The two full sets of original keys.

[Tad]

Welcome Aboard.
Lot's of NC folks here.

[fairon]

I hope its as nice as it looks.

The body has some blemishes and the interior shows it's age, but I crawled around underneath and it's really solid under there.

It fires right up at the first crank but it could probably use some carb work. it's missing an exhaust manifold bolt so it's a bit loud, but it seems to run pretty well. A lot better than I expected it to for $500.

[Wagn Man]

Welcome from East Texas. And you got a good looking rig.

[Fiodh. Argus]

looks like a good start, I am sure you will have fun. Lots of good info here.

I like those old celicas, good style.

[fairon]

looks like a good start, I am sure you will have fun. Lots of good info here.

I like those old celicas, good style.
The Celicas I actually inherited from a good friend who passed away after a serious motorcycle accident. They're both white GT liftbacks, one with a partially completed 22R-TE swap from an '86 turbo 4-Runner. It's not my preferred method of acquiring project cars, but I'm sure as hell not getting rid of them.

[Fiodh. Argus]

I love project cars, my daily driver is now a 67 F-250 with a 460 and my 77 Cherokee is my project. My girl has a 73 wag we are doing up for her. I think we're done buying new cars, they just get older and older, lisoing value, the old cars just get cooler and cooler. It's not so hard to maintain them after you get the bugs out.

when that point is reached I wonder?

Your celicas have got a lot of meaning in them and atleast that can help keep your memories alive! I know from experience motorcyles are dangerous things.

[madmikeX3]

Welcome from Charlotte/Fayettville NC

[brad_fsj10]

Welcome from Jacksonville. I saw the ad on CL for your truck - just a bit far for me to go kick the tires when it posted. Nice score for $500.

[dbuie]

Nice find and a good price to boot. She looks to be in very good shape for a 30 year-old vehicle. Welcome aboard.

[Lindel]

Welcome! Have to agree, looks like a nice ride.

[men in black]

Welcome aboard from Michigan :thumbsup:

[CHICOWAGGY]

Welcom from Nor-Cal. Beautiful waggy! I'm on my first too, but I have a feeling that there is a J truck out there somewhere waiting for me.:rolleyes:

[Casey]

Howdy! Nice looking Jeep.

:fsj:

[fairon]

Thanks a lot, guys. I already have the feeling you're going to be a helpful bunch. I've been a member of quite a few forums in my day and you can tell a lot by how a forum welcomes a new member.

You all seem like a good bunch of people and I'm already glad I'm a member here.

As soon as I start poking around this wag, I'll keep you guys up to date and I'm sure I'll ask for my fair share of advice.

[The PIG Smith]

Welcome from Fort Wayne, Indiana

[newtojeeps]

Welcome from SO-CAL. Was it sitting for a while? if so change out the fluids and run some Sea Foam through the carb and put some in the tank also run 91 octane in it. Nice looking ride. just watch out for the steel termites.:thumbsup:

[Brizio]

Welcome and nice rig!

[HD_JEEP]

Big Jeep Wave :thumbsup: :thumbsup: nice looking ride.

[serehill]

Good looking rig a 401 for 500 jeez. :eek: :drivin:

[710 Burner]

I also have to mention and share the coolest part about this truck that I've found so far... The two full sets of original keys.
Uh-huh, probably got the little wrench for the luggage rack too. :thumbsup:

[mike12]

nice find .mike 12 :fsj: .

[will e]

looks like a good score!

Welcome aboard!


At least you have a 401, that makes it easier when you go to the Auto Parts store. You won't have to argue with them that it isn't a mopar or ford engine in there.... ;)

[[]V[]AXX]

I love seeing more and more people getting into the old iron hobby! The more of us there are, the better when they try to tell us to put a gps tracking unit in the vehicles to tax us by the mile. We can all tell em to go the !@$#%:mad: away!

btw...welcome...:D

[lkmarsh]

Is it wrong when your daily driver is older than your project cars?

Moot point. You own a Jeep, and she is a jealous b***h. She IS your Project. Good Luck finding time for anything else! Every time I start thinking about painting my Wag someone posts up pics in Purple and I get all funny inside. My first Jeep, I was 6, a red Tonka Wagoneer pulling a boat, about 1:18 scale. Post up your VIN so the gurus here can tell you all about it and I can get a color code! :thumbsup: Nice Score, and the price was right!

[jaber]

Welcome to the land of empty pockets and unfinished projects....

Nice Jeep.:thumbsup:

[Hunter Green 91]

Welcome from the coast. Nice wagoneer, 401-bonus!

[CJ the noisemaker]

Sweet FSJ dude, I love that one (like all of the others on here)

[fairon]

Post up your VIN so the gurus here can tell you all about it and I can get a color code! :thumbsup:

The VIN is J6A15MP086165

So, that means it should have a 360. The family I bought it from is out of town for Christmas so I haven't gotten around to picking it up. At first sight, I thought it was a 401, but perhaps I was wrong. I should have it in my driveway with a definate answer on Tuesday.

[cu4whln]

. . . I should have it in my driveway with a definate answer on Tuesday.

Sch-a-a-wing !

Welcome : You've got Jeep fever !
Looks to be a solid starting point that already tweaks our interest.

The members here will help for sure - :D

I bet you'll find the for sale section very helpful, as well as BJs Off Road - they have a lot of the needed resto parts.

[vintagetrks]

Welcome Aboard From Az. Looks like a very nice find and a solid start. Folks here are very helpfull and will make you love tinkering on your new Jeep. :thumbsup:

[Mavawreck]

Welcome from...Chapel Hill

[fairon]

Welcome from...Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, eh? You don't drive that white GW, do you?

[Mavawreck]

Naw, 'lina blue volvo with a 'Eat BEEF' plate in the windshield. Young guy in mid to late 80s wag with woodgrain? I gave him some parts awhile back.

[fairon]

No, he was in his 40's, I'd guess. Saw him at the Kangaroo across from Cole Plaza on 15/501. I was in my wife's Mercedes, so I didn't say anything to him. It was a white late 80's wood panel Grand Wag, though.

[Mavawreck]

Gotcha, yea Ive been gone awhile. Dig the older benzs, I had a 300TDT briefly. Just moved back to the US and Im kinda itchin' to get another Wagoneer to pull the boat. You out towards Pittsboro? I'm in Chapel Hill part-time and Raleigh part-time at the moment.

[fairon]

Yeah, I have a CH address but live in Chatham Co. I live on Manns Chapel (turn off 15/501 at that Kangaroo station).

[chr1s]

?
(chr1s rubs eyes)... thought I just saw a post from MAVAWRECK :confused:

:thumbsup:

farion, WELCOME ABOARD!

[fairon]

Well, I drove the 60 miles out to Asheboro to pick up the Wagoneer today. I had to jump it, but it fired right up. The Wag had been sitting for a year aside from the few test drives so I put $15 of fresh gas in it and off we went.

The first thing that struck me was that the fuel gauge didn't move when I filled up. The temp gauge never moved past the first dash in the hour I was driving home.

It was pretty loud due to the lack of a front bolt on the driver's side exhaust manifold, but I expected that. There was an intermittent sputter for the first while, but I think it was just from the year-old gas in the lines. All the lights seem to work aside from the front driver's "boobie" light.

The tailgate window goes up and down from both the key switch and the dash switch. The steering's a bit loose, but I didn't expect it to be great. The power steering leaks, too.

So, I made it 45 miles home. If you do the math, that's 15 miles short. That's when the front driveshaft dropped off. Sigh. Well, I guess it's becoming a project quicker than I expected. It's still got some good bones. Hopefully, I just need a new U-Joint.

[cu4whln]

Well, it was just letting you know it needs some love, you know the type- constant TLC with "small" cash infusions....

What happened? Bolts fall off or the u joint let go?

[fairon]

I haven't gotten back to check it out in the daylight but I'm hoping it's something simple like a U-Joint. I'm pretty sure the flailing shaft punctured my transmission so I know I at least need to patch or replace that.