[landcrusher909]

Well here is the thread that started it all, http://forum.ih8mud.com/fj45-classif...5-lv-sale.html As the story goes the LV ended up in Orange County via Dan's place D'animal , The end of June I was talking to Rockcod and we were joking that all my Cruisers were running at the same time and I had nothing to work on Well he sent me a pictures of the 1966 FJ-45 LV he had ppicked up from whitey and I called and said Ill take it/ He really did try to talk me out of it But I had a plan.

[landcrusher909]

I picked up the LV from Tony and he even offered to let me use his trailer to get it home, 20 miles from home I saw the LV and trailer heading south and I was driving east a quick trip to a used tire shop and I was home The wife couldnt beleive her eyes The LV stayed and so did my wife. again the words of Rockcod " you really need to see this first before you commit to this " well it was in my driveway and I was the Proud owner of an LV Tony came by to get his trailer and for some reason after some cash was exchanged he qyickly left. Reminding me he really didnt want this to become a friendship Breaker , are you kidding I had something to work on and the goal was orange45's Labor Day Weekend 45 Run , we had 87 days to get ready

[landcrusher909]

This is going to take a while to explain and post all the pictures of this adventure, So I will post as much as I can day to day.

[merbesfield]

Congrats. Good Luck.

[My wife said no FJ!]

Very Cool Rob...I'm tuned in

[Awl_TEQ]

[landcrusher909]

This is what we found once I was really able to get a good look at things

[landcrusher909]

More Rust and once I had a chance to really look at the LV I started to form a plan , I threw my idea about getting this running for the 45 Run Tony thought it would be Cool, Georg ( orange45 ) had his own style as we all know ( That would be Rad, Dude ! ) let me know what you need. Rob ( Calstyl2 ) offered up whatever he had stashed and I know I had most of the major parts I would need in the back yard. So next it was time to start stripping it down

[rockcod]

And to think I was going to part it out and scrap what was left Long live the War Wagon!!!!!!

[rockcod]

What you didn't show was the fiasco trying to get a non rolling vehicle on a trailer with make shift ramps, it was like the circus was in town

Whitey and I were going to load this thing up in a parking lot somewhere between my place and his place. There would have been no way we could have done it But, thanks to Dan and his Kubota tractor, the LV was loaded up, strapped down and ready to hit the road. Dan was really patient with Whitey and myself, he didn't laugh and call us names and tell us how ill-prepared we were. I am sure he and Micky had a good laugh after we left

As I was driving home with this thing, I kept asking myself, "What the hell are going to do with it????" Like I needed another project. I didn't even show it to my wife, I drug it straight to the storage yard and drove home without it. I figured it would be better that way, something about her not feeling the love for old, neglected, tired and abused cruisers. In the end, she was happy I sold it, but felt really bad for Wendy, knowing full well that Rob has a terminal sickness for Cruisers. Nice save on this one Rob!!!!!!

P.S. Did you get those tetanus boosters???????????

[dmaddox]

Originally Posted by rockcod

What you didn't show was the fiasco trying to get a non rolling vehicle on a trailer with make shift ramps, it was like the circus was in town

....

WHAT.....and no tickets were offered???

[mderrick]

what are your plans as fars as the floors?

[whitey45]

I still cant believe the war wagon runs! That trailer swap was classic, I am just glad Dan didnt break out a video cam and you tube it. We would have never lived that one down. Rob, you are cruiser certifiable! Nice work brother!!

[rockcod]

Originally Posted by dmaddox

WHAT.....and no tickets were offered???

Absolutely NOT!!!! We would have never gotten that hulk moved due to too much laughing

[landcrusher909]

Originally Posted by mderrick

what are your plans as fars as the floors?

You will have to wait for th end if the Story for that answer

• Now it was time to get busy, I had a fresh box of grinding wheels , Cuttoff wheels and the torch bottles were full, and the power washer was all fueled up.

I was still taking inventory on what I was going to need to replace EVERYTHING under this was rusted solid. but as I started taking things apart I found tha t alot of the bolts like for the seats Came out without a problem , others like the tranny hump refused to let go.

[My wife said no FJ!]

....

[a.greenspan]

Cooooooooooooooooooooooool LV
would polish a little bit
Cheers
Peter

[landcrusher909]

Time was ticking and we really had to get busy, After pulling the seats and tranny hump it was time to start pulling the motor. This did not come easy, but with the help of my son William and his buddy Aaron after some grinding and cutting with the torch ( My new best friend ) we were ready to get busy with the help of my 40 and a 8000 lb wench we finally got it out.

[AKcruiserfreak]

I subscribed! I've got two lv's myself, and love to see them built. If you need parts, PM me, and I'll see if I have them.

TK

[cruiser_guy]

If you're ditching the heater, fan or any of that, let me know. I need it for my '45LV.

[landcrusher909]

At this point I had made a few calls, again we wanted this to be a surprise at the 45 Run so we kept it as quiet as we could but I need advice and parts, I called orange45 and next thing I knew I had a complete gasket set on the way for the transfercase, Danimal was in the loop Rockcod and Gene < Land Cruiser Junky, Calstyl2, but more about these guys later on. we got the motor out and I was not surprised to find Clam shells and a fish bone under the raditor mount.

[landcrusher909]

Everyday we had to get something done if we were going to make it With the motor out I started to think what did In get myself into The motor I might add is frozen solid, Let me add I was working in between all this and work was really starting to get in the way I still had over 2 months to go. And just so you all know I will not be selling or parting out anything for a long while Our goal it to bring this LV back to life

[rockcod]

I already know the end of the story, but the suspense is killing me here!!!!!!!

[My wife said no FJ!]

Originally Posted by rockcod

I already know the end of the story, but the suspense is killing me here!!!!!!!

...oh wait ...I don't

So now you've got two F135s...at least the one in the '71 was running nicely!

[landcrusher909]

Originally Posted by My wife said no FJ!

...oh wait ...I don't

So now you've got two F135s...at least the one in the '71 was running nicely!

The one in the 71 does run nice but it need to be broken down and cleaned big time ! The other is completly rusted solid,

[dmaddox]

Keep up the good work landcrusher.....this is cool stuff man. Wish I could swing by and check it out.

later,

Dallas

[merbesfield]

Wow, that is some heavy rust. You are making me feel pretty good about my project. Can't wait to see more.

[landcrusher909]

Originally Posted by merbesfield

Wow, that is some heavy rust. You are making me feel pretty good about my project. Can't wait to see more.

Oh it gets better LOL after pulling the motor we started scraping and pulling off all the small stuff before we started power washing the LV The boys started on the inside and I went to work on the engine compartment, once they finished scraping the old headliner out William finished up getting the driveshafts off

[landcrusher909]

Working our way back it was time to pull the fuel tank That was a good time ! Once got the tank down which took 3 of us because there was so much crap in and around it the second pic is what started to pour out of the tank Must have weighed and extra 25 pounds I got my first good look at the frame Again I still had hopes of getting this to work. We needed to get everything power washed then make plans on sand blasting the frame to see if there were and cracks or weak spots. My two bigest hurtles were making sure the frame was intact and getting the LV regrestered in my name if any of those two failed then the project was over.

[landcrusher909]

Sometimes there were hours or days between working on the LV Once we got the seats, tank, and everything lese stripped out , It was time to break out the power washer, I was really surpeised how well things started to clean up and I has hopeful that this was going to work