[TEQ]

Y'all probably noticed, but I renamed this thread. Since I started the thread my perspective has changed considerably and I did not feel the original title of "Proud new owner: 78 FJ40 w/ 71k miles" fit anymore.

First, I'm not a new owner anymore. It's been like 9 months and I'm not going to be getting away with calling myself a newbie much longer. I actually sorta know what I'm doing (in some cases)!

Second, I may be proud, but not in the way I originally intended. Humbled would be better.

Third, my daughter officially named the rig "Uglina" and she deserves her props.

Fourth, this is really a fix-up thread, and I don't want people to be confused.

[TEQ]

Yesterday my son and I set out to paint the garage in preparation for my new cabinets and workbench my wife got me for my birthday. I was amazed at how useful and helpful my son was in painting. He was extra motivated to help since it was my birthday and both my wife and daughter were sick in bed with the flu. We had a blast.

We got about 50% of the garage finsihed; starting on the stall where the cruiser IS NOT parked. I really wanted to get the wheels on the cruiser and get it out of the garage by the end of the day, but I was running out of time doing final touch up work on the walls.

My son asked me if he could put the wheels on for me. I jokingly said yes (he's only 10 years old). As I painted, I peeked over at him across the garage as he roled a wheel into place. Hmmm... this will be interesting... "how's he going to get it lifted into place?". He gets out the floor jack and jacks the wheel up. Never asked me a single question... all four wheels on, nuts tighted as tight as he could get them. NO help from me.

I finished cleaning up the painting supplies and together we dropped the rig off the jack stands and rolled it out!

What a great birthday!

[John Smith]

Originally Posted by TEQ

Why?

Unless you feel like screwing around with a bunch of old rusty cylinders and brake calipers I would personally buy new/reman parts. I tried my hand at rebuildling a brake cailper once and that was enough for me. YMMV

[AATLAS1X]

What the hell? No pics of the cool floor..................I have the 2 part epoxy stuff set aside with flakes for contrast, is this what you have? Pics of product?

[corsair23]

Originally Posted by TEQ

My son asked me if he could put the wheels on for me. I jokingly said yes (he's only 10 years old). As I painted, I peeked over at him across the garage as he roled a wheel into place. Hmmm... this will be interesting... "how's he going to get it lifted into place?". He gets out the floor jack and jacks the wheel up. Never asked me a single question... all four wheels on, nuts tighted as tight as he could get them. NO help from me.

Can I borrow your son for say the next 5-10 years? LOL

My s are great at taking stuff apart and making messes but I have yet to figure out how to get them to put stuff back together or clean up...

They are great and always offer to help but in the end it is like letting your blind friend drive...You may get to where you want to go but it isn't going to be pretty and is guaranteed to take 2-3X as long...LOL

[swilson]

Originally Posted by TEQ

Dove into my calipers this morning and I have a few questions. Never done brakes before so....

1) The old pads have thin metal backing plates on them. My new ones do not. Am I supposed to move the plates from the old ones and somehow glue them to the new ones? Or are the new ones good to go?

I didn't notice anyone answering this, so I'll try.

For my '88 4Runner I used to only buy OEM pads... and Toyota offered a type of anti squeak kit to go with them. It might have been listed as a shim kit... I don't recall for sure, thats just what name comes to mind. Looked just like the thin metal pads in your photo. I always bought the optional kit, and never had brake squeaking problems.

[Martian]

Originally Posted by TEQ

...and my wife was getting annoyed. So I parked her in the garage, jacked her up, and went at it.

What you and your wife do in your garage is none of our business!

Seriously though, nice rig. I'm really enjoying reading your posts and looking at the pics. I've found a 78 FJ40 (mostly stock) that I'm going to buy this weekend if I can find someone to drive me out there so I can drive the rig back. I'm a noob too, so I'm sure I'll have many of the same issues as you.

[mikealeus]

Martian, you might want to state where you live, somebody here might supply you the ride.

[TEQ]

Originally Posted by AATLAS1X

What the hell? No pics of the cool floor..................I have the 2 part epoxy stuff set aside with flakes for contrast, is this what you have? Pics of product?

Oh, the floor hasn't been painted yet. I was painting the WALLS. The floors get done next week. Just doing straight epoxy w/ no flakes I think.

Anyon have this done before and want to tell me what they were charged per sq foot?

[TEQ]

Originally Posted by Martian

What you and your wife do in your garage is none of our business!

[TEQ]

Originally Posted by John Smith

Unless you feel like screwing around with a bunch of old rusty cylinders and brake calipers I would personally buy new/reman parts. I tried my hand at rebuildling a brake cailper once and that was enough for me. YMMV

Done. I'm convinced. Rebuilt calipers are on the way here...

[Martian]

Originally Posted by mikealeus

Martian, you might want to state where you live, somebody here might supply you the ride.

Good point! Anyone available this Sat or Sun willing to drive me 2.5 hours out of Auburn, WA so I can buy my first FJ40? I'll pay gas, buy you lunch, and we can take the FJ40 out for a spin around the power lines near her current home.

[apeterson]

Great job... this is such a cool thread... Just bookmarked it!! keep it up... only it makes it difficult for me to sit here at work... all I can think about is 4:00 when I can leave and work on my 40....

Thanks!

[AATLAS1X]

Clean out your PM box..................IT'S FULL!

[TEQ]

Originally Posted by AATLAS1X

Clean out your PM box..................IT'S FULL!

Not any more. You also know my email adress (which is far better than PMs I think)....

[TEQ]

As previously mentioned, for my 40th birthday my (amazing) wife bought me "a garage upgrade". To date I have been operating without a real work bench or any cabinets or shelves to speak of. My garage is awsome and I have tons of space, so I wasn't complaining, but I always had the dream of "doing it right".

She let me do it right:
- Epoxy coating the floor (www.customgaragefloors.com)
- Super high quality steel cabinets and workbench from www.baldheadcabinets.com
- Used washer & dryer for keeping the stink (her term) out of the house

Below is a sneak peek as the cabinets are installed. Also, a pic thrown in for Shane's benefit of my PS gearbox. Shane: the hole on the left is slightly larger...



Preparing the floors (Saturday):


Floors complete (Monday):



I went with a gray base and gray, black, & white paint chips. Looks great!


Baldhead arrives (Today):


About 1/3 complete (Today):

[Rick '79 FJ40]

That looks like a '79 gearbox. Am I right? That's what I put in my '79. It was one of the easiest installs I've done, once I rounded up all of the parts. Of course, mine had an option for power steering from the factory, so all the holes were already there...

That floor looks awesome! I'd love to do the same thing in my garage, but there is a list (a LONG list) of things that I need to do to my house before that.

I need another job...

How hard was it to put that floor down? (at risk of getting off topic)

[TEQ]

Originally Posted by Rick '79 FJ40

That looks like a '79 gearbox. Am I right? That's what I put in my '79.

Nope, the '79 pump has a steeper rake from the bracket to shaft centerline. [/QUOTE]

[/QUOTE]How hard was it to put that floor down? (at risk of getting off topic)[/QUOTE]

Once you've seen someone do it, it's probably not hard. I bet the trickiest thing is mixing the polyeurethane coating. What I learned:

- Don't do it AT ALL if you have even a suspicion of moisture coming up through the concerete. It will not stick.
- Grind the concrete first to ensure adhesion

[Mr. Green]

This is an awesome read. Great work TEQ!
I am mirroring your project in Wi here but I started on the opposite end of things.
Garage work first, epoxy coat, then selling sports car and then rebuilding the FJ.

Keep up the good work and documentation. I may have to reference it in the future.

[AATLAS1X]

Whats in the floor??

It's not a hoist...........I can't figure it out............

Cost on floor prep?

end high jack.


I see the brass fittings, thats good. I will work up something.


Shane

[TEQ]

Originally Posted by AATLAS1X

Whats in the floor??

It's not a hoist...........I can't figure it out............

Cost on floor prep?

When I had the garage floor poured I planned for a two post lift. What you see in the floor is where the lift will go... it's countersunk so the mechanism between the two posts is below floor level. Haven't purchased a lift yet...

You can get your floors done like this for around $2.50/sq foot.

[AATLAS1X]

[quote=TEQ;1434648]When I had the garage floor poured I planned for a two post lift. What you see in the floor is where the lift will go... it's countersunk so the mechanism between the two posts is below floor level. Haven't purchased a lift yet...quote]

I just now noticed the raised roof. Very nice addition and a great way to store the 911 during the winter.

[TEQ]

With four minor exceptions my garage is done:

1. I did not like the two peice butcher block workbench top Baldhead brought, so they are sending me a one peice top. So no top for now.
2. The cabinet that should go above where the washer & dryer go did not fit around the plumbing. Baldhead is sending me a wider cabinet.
3. The washer and dryer are not installed.
4. I have not put everything away yet.

Here's the p0rn:

This was taken before they took away the two piece coutnertop...



My 911 modeling for the camera. I would have put Uglina in instead but there are old shelves in her way and I couldn't roll her in.

[AATLAS1X]

I am going to look into new doors for mine...............I thought white looked good, FAWK ME!

[TEQ]

Originally Posted by AATLAS1X

I am going to look into new doors for mine...............I thought white looked good, FAWK ME!

These are all steel cabinets. Powder coated.

[AATLAS1X]

Crap, telling me to stop drueling and says mine will never look like that...ie , Clean


Sigh

[REZARF]

Looks GREAT...

very jealous!

Rezarf <><

[bull]

Que Bueno! TEQ..

The red was the right choice. When can I come over and leak some oil on that new floor?

[Martian]

Originally Posted by bull

When can I come over and leak some oil on that new floor?

Rebuild party at TEQ's house!

[lavarunner]

that garage could be in griots... being a porsche owner you know what griots is. I am looking for a 912 with no motor. I have a 2.7 L turbo type 4 motor that is looking for a home!! (was in a 914 that was well FUN!!!) it rotted out.. kept the motor.. Sorry off topic

Nice garage. I like it.