[cruiserwanted]

I REALLY like those countertops. Honestly when you first posted them I thought they looked so out of place. Could tell it was a newer house and ALOT of work had been done and with the stainless steel and wood the concrete just looked off to me. Now that I see them finished though. WOW Very classy and looking good. Matt, try not to get too burnt out on the body. It is looking amazing. I love how you do not use ANY bondo and your welds are so clean and neat. I know it has to feel tetitious but honestly if I had you skill 3 or 4 hours to have a hole patched for 10, 20 25 years is well worth it. Speaking of which did you take any welding classes? Do you need an apprentice? I seriously need to learn how to weld as I am having serious issues trusting a body man with my FJ40. I do not know why just want it done right and know basically have to do it myself or help someone do it.
Anyway, You are making awesome progress and really encouraging a lot of folks. Keep posting and chiping away. You will be cruising in the LV in no time and than this will all seem like a dream. Keep up the AWESOME work.

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by Radd Cruisers

One of those guys who can do just about anything........


Koooooool.

When it comes to any project, I've always considered myself to be one of those guys who is, "Good at some, Excell at none".

Matt

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by cruiserwanted

I love how you do not use ANY bondo and your welds are so clean and neat. I know it has to feel tetitious but honestly if I had you skill 3 or 4 hours to have a hole patched for 10, 20 25 years is well worth it. Speaking of which did you take any welding classes? Do you need an apprentice? I seriously need to learn how to weld as I am having serious issues trusting a body man with my FJ40. I do not know why just want it done right and know basically have to do it myself or help someone do it.

Thanks on the countertops, I was looking at it last night, I was happy and the wife was very happy. And as long as she's happy, I'm happy. I had to hang ceiling fans last night and do a little wiring. Electrical inspector is coming this week to do my final inspection, so want to get a few things wrapped up in the next couple days to get my wiring signed off.

Your right, it is tetitious work and I'm feeling the pain right now. I know I've got to keep going, but I still have a long way to go on the body and right now I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm still hoping that friend of mine who is a body man for a living gives me a hand on the rear quarters and sill. I know I could do it myself, but with his help I think the time could be cut down my about a 1/4 of how long it would take me to do it. Everything I know about body work I've learned from him and he is damm good.

No, I've never taken any welding classes. I started stick welding when I was about 10 years old (36 now) back in my Dad's business shop, farm implement dealership. He could have got pissed about what I was doing because I wasn't supposed to be doing it, but instead he had one of his shop employees help me out and kinda show me what to do when I was 10. I welded up a G0-kart by myself when I was 12. Over the years when I was that young I started using a MIG and a little bit of TIG welding. Had a few pointers here and there from experts along the way, but never any classes. Now that I think of it I did have 1 class last year. I goto Oshkosh, WI ever year for Airventure,the EAA's convention. They have 1000's of seminars going on all week from how to cover an airplane, use an english wheel, welding.... I did take a 3 hour gas welding seminar last year at Osh. I had gas welded before, but wasn't very good at it and really had never done much. I'm glad I did, learned a lot and now I can gas weld pretty good, although I'll probably never do it again.

Apprentice, possibly? Have to be on the weekends though, I do have a day job. Gotta make money for these lv projects you know Remember, no matter how good I weld, there is still going to be body filler in this vehicle. There is nothing I can do about that. It would be impossible for me to butt weld into body panels and have a finished product. I can get really close, but in certain areas there is goind to be a paper thin film of plastic, it's just the way it has to be. I'm not against filler if done correctly, it doesn't rust? I think of it as thick primer if done correctly. This vehicle had filler in it and had not been done correctly, it was 3/4" thick in areas all over the vehicle from previous collisions, very, very crude. Now that the fillers out, some panels will be re-made, others will be pulled out with the stud gun, which should have been done in the first place.

Anyway, thanks for the compliments and let me know when your coming up

Matt

[treerootCO]

Now I know why Matt was working so hard on the 45

http://www.crustycruisers.com/index.html

Lana must be his wife

[buckroseau]

Not a whole lot to show, got one of the wheel wells out. Had to cut some more metal and weld new stuff in. Both on the body and the wheel well it self.

Not to hard, but about a 8 hour job for that wheel well. The other one might take a little longer because it is worse. Also, might a have to tear into the rear quarter panel on the other side because the C door post is bent in. It would be a little easier to straighten if that quarter panel was off.

Anyway, lots of pics. Also didn't get to work on it Saturday, only Sunday. I hit that car show Saturday afternoon. That was good, because it got me pumped up again.

Matt

[buckroseau]

more

[buckroseau]

more yet

[buckroseau]

even more

[buckroseau]

more, and more

[buckroseau]

oh yes more

[buckroseau]

last 3 of body work

[buckroseau]

Cruisers were at the show represent'n

My 40 is the mustard yellow one.

Didn't win best of show? Can't figure that out?

About 90 cars though, big turn out.

Matt

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by treerootCO

Now I know why Matt was working so hard on the 45

http://www.crustycruisers.com/index.html

Lana must be his wife

I thought I've made that clear Yes, she it my wife of a whole 8 + years now.

She's the one doing all the work

Matt

[TJDIV]

dang matt.....


market that website right and you might get ya a discovery channel spot!.



this thread definitely makes me feel like I half assed my 45LV.........but in a sense.......since Mushro has it now.....................I'm awkwardly fine with that.

MORE PICS. And NICE 40's BTW.

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by TJDIV

dang matt.....


market that website right and you might get ya a discovery channel spot!.



this thread definitely makes me feel like I half assed my 45LV.........but in a sense.......since Mushro has it now.....................I'm awkwardly fine with that.

MORE PICS. And NICE 40's BTW.

I can see it now, "next week on AMERICAN LANDCRUISER!!"

I've seen your blue one that you had, I wouldn't feel that you half assed it. I bet you finished yours in a fraction of the time I am going to? I thought it was pretty cool and nicely done!

Thanks on the 40's, both are nice. I wish I had them both, but only the 77 Mustard yellow one is mine

Matt

[Mikesta]

Just wanted to bump this thread.. Going to try to build this. Buck, could you measure the floor to the highest point of the wagon when its on the rotisserie for me? I want to see if this plan will have enough clearance... also, how much room do you have to play with from the bottom long pipe to nearest point on the truck?

thanks In advance.

Originally Posted by buckroseau

I didn't plan on posting this, but I've had 2 fellow mudders email me about this. So I figured if 2 people are interested there might be more.

I whipped this up using Microsoft paint very quickly for the first guy that emailed me, so it might not be the greatest to understand

If someone is interested and has a problem understanding it, let me know and I will try to clarify it or change it.

Matt

[buckroseau]

I will run out to the shop tomorrow at lunch and do some measuring.

I do have a general guestimate on the overall height right now. The inside of my paint booth is approx. 8' 6" from the floor to the ceiling. I can't rotate the body inside the booth into the full upright position. The drip edge will hit the ceiling when I try at approx. a 45 degree angle or maybe a little more?

But, if my paint booth door was taller than 8'. I could rotate it fully upright and then roll it in. I would guess that when fully upright, the roof would be roughly 8' 4" ish......

When the body goes fully inverted, there is roughly 12" + between the roof and long pipe when it is upside down. I would say that the 2 uprights on the end could have been shortened by maybe 6" or more? I may have been able to turn it a full 360 degrees in my booth if they were 6" shorter, maybe?? The way it is now I can get it in my booth when it is sideways or upside down. I can rotate it about 320 degrees, I just go back in forth, works fine.

Now if I understand this question correctly, "also, how much room do you have to play with from the bottom long pipe to nearest point on the truck?"

I just answered it in the previous paragragh, correct? But I will confirm my measurements tomorrow.

Matt

[Mikesta]

yes you answered it correctly... your on the right track. I think i have 100" or 8'4" of height to use up.

Sounds like I have enough room if I take out a few hallogen lights... however it will be planted in the garage.. no outside spraying as the doors are about 84"

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by Mikesta

yes you answered it correctly... your on the right track. I think i have 100" or 8'4" of height to use up.

Sounds like I have enough room if I take out a few hallogen lights... however it will be planted in the garage.. no outside spraying as the doors are about 84"

Mike,

Took some measurments at lunch today, I only got one though. If you need more, let me know but I will have to pull the lv out of the booth to find out the highest measurement. I don't think I will have to because I will give you the bottom measurement and the height is just is what it is.

When I rotated the body at a 45 degree angle with the roof drip edge at the closest point to the lower pipe. This would be the lowest the vehicle can get at this angle. There is approx. 7 1/2" of space between the roof and lower pipe. Now, one thing that shortens this measurement up is my 2 - 1/2" set screw/bolts welded into the lower pipe to set width. If I take that into consideration it is about 6 1/2". You could weld the set screw/bolt on the side or bottom, that way it wouldn't be in the way.

As I said, you could shorten that 3" x 2" upright from 48" to 42". When you get ready to mount the body let me know. I can take some specific photos and measurements as to where I mounted on each end. You will need to know, because your tollerances are going to be tight. 1" or so wrong in height it might hit?

Let me know if this is what you need?

Matt

[Poser]

Matt-


Thank you for taking the time to show me this project, and the other ones at the hanger. You are doing a fantastic job on this. This is very impressive, and will help out many people in the future! I hope to make it back up there at least once more this year, before you have it done. Perhaps there will be more time, and clear skies!!!




-Steve

[Mikesta]

Perfect Matt! You went over and above the call of duty to answer that question. Thanks again for being so thourough with your descriptions! I wil post pictures of the beast on my link when I learn to weld and slap it together!

[buckroseau]

Had a free hour or so this evening so I figured I better apply it to the LV. I also have to work this weekend so not much, if anything, is going to happen this weekend.

Basiclly got the other wheel well out. It is in a little worse shape than the other one. Also, more rust holes in the body sheet metal itself, so more work to do there.

On a better note, my body man buddy called me a couple days ago. He's thinking towards the end of next week he could fit me in and we both can hammer out the ass end of the vehicle. So, the LV body might be making a road trip next week.

I think I will be doing as much work on the this wheel well as possible, but I'm not going to put it back in yet. We are going to be removing that side entire quarter panel. The panel has been replaced with a factory panel at one time, must have been a LONG time ago. None of the factory spot welds are in there anymore and the inner panel is all bent to hell. It will be a lot easier to fix that inner pannel when the rear quarter is off and the wheel well.

Matt

[buckroseau]

more

[buckroseau]

more yet

[buckroseau]

1 more

[cruiserdan]

Matt,

I have been following this thread since the get-go and It has sent me back in time to 1986 when I started the restoration of my 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T S/E. You are doing one helluva job and doing it top notch. My hat's off to you sir.........

D-

[proffittscruisers]

I'm impressed. You are doing a great job. Makes me really want to get started on my new LV.

[Radd Cruisers]

I agree with those guys, prolly one the most indepth threads into restoration at the highest level.

Most would cut corners, you have not cut one corner in this restoration.

Keep the photos and step by step coming, really enjoying the build, plus learniing a whole buncth.

If we did not get granite countertops a couple years ago I would attempt the concrete.......


Rob

[buckroseau]

Thanks for all the words of encouragement from all you guys!! Doesn't hurt to get a pat on the back once and a while also. I sure do appreciate it and it is needed.

As the project has rolled into the summer months now I find myself wanting to do other things, which isn't all bad I guess. I just want to keep the momentum going so I don't stop. This body work is just such a labor intensive portion of the project, the biggest by far. I just find myself getting burnt out on it

I'm hoping the end of next week the body will be at my buddy's shop who is the body man. He's fun to work with and things happen pretty fast when your working with him. It would be nice to get the back end of the lv wrapped in a week and get it back on the chassis. I imagine there will be some work in the back end similiar to what Chef did on his thread in the rear quarters.

Thanks again, Matt

[cruiserdan]

Originally Posted by Radd Cruisers

Most would cut corners, you have not cut one corner in this restoration.

Oh, but he has cut corners, rotten ones to be precise, and then made new ones and put them back in...........