1966 FJ45LV restoration/buildup project

[fjwagon]

As far as the harnesses is concern, I used pieces from a fj60 and 4runner to repair a short in a 1977 fj45. Surprisingly the white/black wire was an easy match.

And for plastic hardware I have been using plastic groments from other toyota vehicles but other makes will work. Knowing the the diameter of the hole it came out of and how big the harness needs to be to go though it should be easy to locate them. Just make sure you get enough to make them match. Not sure on the door stuff. Of course, it would be better if can locate new stuff.

[cruiserbrett]

I would have no issue with repairing the stock harness. the one in my old FJ45lpb was trashed, but after pulling a wiring harness from an early toyota mini-pickup, and seeing how close they were(pretty close), I decided it would be easier to just use lengths of wire from the donor harness to repair the FJ45 one.

All in all it took a few days of 4 or so hours a day to get it working, and I mean everything working.

I re-soldered wire ends for switches, cleaned connectors spades, put on new HD ring terminals for anything that originally had them, etc, and finally cleaned the wires and re-wrapped in wiring harness tape you can get from waytek.com

All in all, its easy, and now with Vintage Connections: OEM-Style Connectors for Japanese Motorcycles you should easily be able to make it near new.

[cruiser_guy]

Originally Posted by merbesfield

Are the BJ60 harnesses close to that of the 45's? Are they available new or used?

No, not any closer than an FJ60 would be. The reason I'm using it is because my FJ45LV will be getting a diesel. I'll still be making some significant changes to the harness as I do it (not colors, just removing excess).

[merbesfield]

Originally Posted by cruiser_guy

No, not any closer than an FJ60 would be. The reason I'm using it is because my FJ45LV will be getting a diesel. I'll still be making some significant changes to the harness as I do it (not colors, just removing excess).

Do the later model wiring harnesses have a heavier gauge wire than earlier versions? I have wires from a 79 fj55 and a 78 fj40 to use for patches.

[merbesfield]

I need some advice with regards to the rear disc conversion. Anyone have any pics of how they handled the transition from hard line to flex at the rear axle? Needs a custom bracket obviously. Also, the rear Monte Carlo brackets for JoeTLC do not allow the lower caliper mount bolt to go on once the bracket is bolted to the axle, stupid. Anyone worked around this other than having to remove the bracket every time you have to service the brakes?

[merbesfield]

Not too much advice being offered here.
On another note, anyone know where to get some Vinyl like this original stuff from 1966? AtlasX any ideas?

[merbesfield]

Can anyone post some pics of how brake lines are routed from front to rear. I know SOR has pics, but they are not too clear and do not show the frame rails. Also, anyone ordered SS lines from Classic Tube? I have been bending my own lines but not sure I am going to be satisfied esp. when it comes to the lines going across the firewall.

[merbesfield]

front lines

[merbesfield]

Frame rails. Is this distribution block oriented correctly?

[merbesfield]

Fabricated bracket for flex transition.

[cruiser_guy]

Nice! Want to post a parts list?

[merbesfield]

Originally Posted by cruiser_guy

Nice! Want to post a parts list?

What do you mean parts list? What are you looking for and I would be happy to post up the list.

[AATLAS1X]

Originally Posted by merbesfield

Not too much advice being offered here.
On another note, anyone know where to get some Vinyl like this original stuff from 1966? AtlasX any ideas?

What's that on?

Shane

[merbesfield]

Originally Posted by AATLAS1X

What's that on?

Shane

Like the original red vinyl that you had a little of. Or something close to it in color. I do not have to have the exact factory texture, just want high quality and a period look.

[merbesfield]

Found this web site for window bead channel material. I am not familiar with what the factory stuff looked like to know if any of these products will work. Let me know.

Glass Accessories

[Land Cruiser Junky]

Mark,

The progress looks great. I just went back to page one to remember just how far you've come.

When Marv Specter restored the blue and white LV for Toyota, he told me that FJ60 rubber works perfect for the glass guide in the LV doors with 3/16" tempered or laminated glass. I think I've got a piece in the garage. If so, I'll take a pic and post it tomorrow.

[merbesfield]

Originally Posted by Land Cruiser Junky

Mark,

The progress looks great. I just went back to page one to remember just how far you've come.

When Marv Specter restored the blue and white LV for Toyota, he told me that FJ60 rubber works perfect for the glass guide in the LV doors with 3/16" tempered or laminated glass. I think I've got a piece in the garage. If so, I'll take a pic and post it tomorrow.

Well, we finally cut the floor pan out today. Nice to see that POS drop to the floor. Also nice to see the new floor pan out of the crate.Thanks Treeroot. Of course that was the easy part. And putting it back in will also be the easy part. Fixing all the other rusted spots before the floor can go back in is going to be the bitch. But we will take it one step at a time.

Gene, I totally missed that you herniated your disc. Are you ok? My back has been manageable with multiple epidural injections. Hope you can avoid surgery if possible. I am trying to hold off as long as possible.

So did Marv have new glass cut and it is 3/16" thick, which fits the FJ60 rubber? Isn't the original glass in LV's a safety glass? What is the original glass thickness? I have never measured it and I am not at the shop.

[merbesfield]

working our way around the perimeter of the floor pan. It takes a lot of time to get the rusty spot welds located. It is amazing how strong the rusty floor still is even as rusted as it was. The thickness of the steel is very impressive.

[merbesfield]

more 3

[merbesfield]

some shots after getting the pan out. Went ahead and pulled the captured nuts for the body mounts out. The bolts had been torched off and were not coming out so figured it would be faster to make new or drill them out on the bench. The thought is to media blast the exposed areas once the carnage is complete and try to get some sort of rust inhibitor paint on the areas that will be covered. But not sure how you do that and weld at the same time. I would not think the spray bomb weldable primers would last very long once back in the environments and it you paint something like POR15 on the insides of these parts can they still be welded without inhaling a bunch of burned paint fumes? My mechanic who is a ex-airplane mechanic was telling me about the green paint they used to douse the insides of the planes with to prevent rust?

[Land Cruiser Junky]

Originally Posted by merbesfield

So did Marv have new glass cut and it is 3/16" thick, which fits the FJ60 rubber? Isn't the original glass in LV's a safety glass? What is the original glass thickness? I have never measured it and I am not at the shop.

The LVs originally came with 3/16" safety glass in all openings except the windshield which was 1/4" laminated safety glass. Whether or not this glass was originally laminated (2 pieces of 1/16" raw glass with a 1/16" film laminate in between) or tempered (1 piece of 3/16" glass that explodes into small pieces when broken) I'm not sure. Eric's LV had original rubber in all glass openings, and all except the windshield was 3/16 tempered. However, the safety stamp on this glass says, "Temperlite" which tells me it was probably American made replacement glass.

I cut all of the glass for the LV that Marv restored for Toyota. We decided to make it all 1/4" laminated to to give it the vintage look. When we tried to put the 1/4" in the doors, it was too tight, so marv special ordered 3/16" laminated for the doors only and it worked great.

My personal preference is to put 1/4" laminated glass in the windshield and in the cargo area, and 3/16" tempered in all of the doors. The reason for putting tempered in the doors is so the glass can be blown up to access a person trapped inside in case of an emergency.

[merbesfield]

Can you tell me more about the FJ60 rubber you mentioned for the doors? I also agree with you about the tempered on the doors, make sense for the safety aspect. You have me wondering now about my glass bc I think my glass is original only bc everything on my truck appeared to be very original and in place. I will go check it and report back.

[merbesfield]

Got 2.5 hours of good solid work in last night. Cut and fitted my first piece of metal to the left outside rocker. Went well. Now I just have to do the other 100 spots around the truck and I will be finished. This piece still needs a little bit of fine tuning, but it is basically there. I am satisfied with it especially given it is the first one I have ever done. Next up will be getting the welding skills honed.