November POTM Trollhole's 75

Trollhole · 11-01-07, 08:18 AM

Recieved a phone call from one of UC's founding fathers about a 55 with 76k he had just gone and looked at but decided to pass on because he didn't need another project. He said they wanted $500 for it. It was only about 5 miles away so I decided to go look at it. When I got to the house I thought there was no way there was a pig here. It was a pretty nice house and there was really no room outside for a rust old pig. A man met me at the door and the first words out of his mouth was "There is no way we are selling it for $500" I knew at this point we may have a problem. But told him to let me look at it and see what I thought. He went out and opened one door to the garage. This is what I saw.

My first impression was "Well that is a pig". So at least the trip was for nothing. I asked the guy what the story was behind it. He said it was his wifes fathers vehicle that he bought new back in 75. Said he drove it off and on until 85 when he got drunk one night and rand over all his neighbors mailboxes. After that it was put in the garage and left there for the next 20 years.

Her father had basically given her the cruiser with the intention of one day fixing it up for her son. I met her son who was about 14-15 years old. She said that it was just to far gone for them to do anything with and she wanted it out of the garage.

So now I'm still looking this 55 over with this guy and he is telling me how rare it is and other stuff I already knew. But I decided to just let him talk. About that time the lady I had talked to on the phone drives up. She gets out and her husband proceeds to tell her there is no way she is selling it for $500. She proceeeds to tell him she is and that she wants the spot for her new car she just bought. She looks at me and asks me if I want it. I say yes and tell her I'd give her $600 for it just to make her a little happy. She asked me if I was going to part it out or modify it. I told her my intentions were to keep it stock and use it as an around the town vehicle. "Sold" she says. I wrote a check and told her I'd be back tomorrow with a wrecker to pic it up.

I snapped a few pics of it while it was in the garage with all the crap piled on it.

When the wrecker showed up the guy said he had never seen something that looked like that. Said it was really cool. Since it had 4 flat tires he had to drag it out of the garage. It was kind of cool seeing it on the wrecker going down the road for the first time in 20 years.

Looks tiny compared to my 40.

Trollhole · 11-01-07, 08:18 AM

For the most part it seemed pretty complete. It was missing a turn signal and a few otheer odds and ends but the important stuff was there. I washed it and started cleaning.

First round of cleaning.

The inside was pretty dusty was missing ther steering colum cover and the front seat was torn.

The door panels looked good and were for the most part free of rust. Which is rare.

Took the rims off and had some new tires put on. White lettering is out. I will fix that when I paint the rims. I went with a size that was as close as I could get to stock which is a 27" tire.

Funky front hubs.

Even got the wife involved in cleaning.

Cleaned for now. As you can see it has some rust but not much for a 55.

These are some of the pics of the crash damage from his drunken run.
I even found a beer can in the back.

These are the after pics after I decided to fix it all myself.

And while cleaning I found this under the seat.

I decided to see if I could save the paint. Which I now know I won't.

More cleaning

Pretty much at this point I decided to start my seach for parts that were missing. Drip rails, mirrors, turn signal, weatherstripping, lights, tools, jack handles. It has taken me a year and a half but I finally have 95% of everything that is needed. I've even bought a PTO that I'm going to install.

Trollhole · 11-01-07, 08:19 AM

I had no intention of getting it running until I had some other things done but a friend came by and said lets see if it starts. I had my doubts since it had been sitting for 20 years. New battery, cleaned the points and bypassed the gas tank that was shot. It fired right up. In facted everything worked. Blinkers, wipers, lights, gauges, everything. Just amazed me and him. The it started to overheat and we shut it down. But it ran.

So here is a list of what I have done to it to date.

Rebuilt carb
replaced vaccum hoses
new battery
new coil and points
new plugs and plug wires
new oil pan gasket
Tcase had a hole in it and was trashed so I found a 75 t-case rebuilt it and put it back in
Complete new brakes all around, from the master cylinder to the brake cylinders. Only thing original is the hard lines.
New clutch master and slave
new waterpump and thermostat
Radiator was boiled
new coolant hoses
new fuel pump
new dash cover
found a stock radio and installed
Like new front fenders
Found a few sets of drip rails
good front and rear bumpers
New Turn signals
new brake lights
New weatherstripping all around
Painted the front clip
New mirrors
New emblems
Sourced the factory A/C
Sourced a PTO

For the most part everything mechanical is done. Except to rebuild the smog pump and installe the PTO and A/C.
I'm now down to body work which has taken a lot longer than I thought. But I'm still working. The pig section is good inspiration to get me going and if that doesn't work I just go sit in the pig for a little bit. That usually fixes it.

As it sits.

LC_Hamma · 11-01-07, 10:52 AM

Good story & teriffic job on the bodywork. I like the part about "I just go sit in the

& that usually does it". I have an old project BMW in the driveway & when the

is done, that's next. I go sit in it just to smell the old metal & that does it for me too

I guess the gas tank worked out allright for you w/o too much trouble - heard you had to have somethin welded on it (?) Lemme know if you need any odds or ends - I have some rear sheetmetal pieces that need to get gone soon. Keep up the FABulous work

Trollhole · 11-01-07, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LC_Hamma

Good story & teriffic job on the bodywork. I like the part about "I just go sit in the

& that usually does it". I have an old project BMW in the driveway & when the

is done, that's next. I go sit in it just to smell the old metal & that does it for me too

I guess the gas tank worked out allright for you w/o too much trouble - heard you had to have somethin welded on it (?) Lemme know if you need any odds or ends - I have some rear sheetmetal pieces that need to get gone soon. Keep up the FABulous work

Do you have the rear corners?

Gas tank turned out great. Thank you. I ended up not having to weld a fuel return on it. I just put a T fitting on the filler vent tube. Works great. Crazy thing is I bought another tank from someone else at the same time. It just needs to be cleaned and would be good to go. So if anyone out there needs one let me know.

LC_Hamma · 11-01-07, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollhole

Do you have the rear corners?

Gas tank turned out great. Thank you. I ended up not having to weld a fuel return on it. I just put a T fitting on the filler vent tube. Works great. Crazy thing is I bought another tank from someone else at the same time. It just needs to be cleaned and would be good to go. So if anyone out there needs one let me know.

Sure, but both are cut off right in the middle of the reflectors, you can prolly see a pic or 2 on my build page somewhere. I have some other stuff you can have - misc underbody pieces if you want. I can give them to Heather, then you can pick 'em up from her. Lemme know if you need anything else......

Trollhole · 11-01-07, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LC_Hamma

Sure, but both are cut off right in the middle of the reflectors, you can prolly see a pic or 2 on my build page somewhere. I have some other stuff you can have - misc underbody pieces if you want. I can give them to Heather, then you can pick 'em up from her. Lemme know if you need anything else......

Sounds good I'll tell Heather to check with you next time she sees you. Or I might just drive down there and have a visit with ya.

rsbcruiser · 11-01-07, 01:26 PM

ya the part about just sitting in it sure rang true for me. that act alone has saved my pig from the selling block a couple times. Sinnin grinnin when driving it, throwing those gears........ you bet, sure wish I knew where that feeing came from.

k9crazy · 11-01-07, 02:31 PM

Roger that Marshall and Chuck...piggy delivery service present and accounted for!

Marshall, the 55 is looking amazing. I am so envious that you can do all that work yourself. I need to get up there for some lessons from the master!

ChuckB · 11-02-07, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k9crazy

Marshall, the 55 is looking amazing. I am so envious that you can do all that work yourself. I need to get up there for some lessons from the master!

You and me both!!!

Very cool story!!

Lucy_FJ55 · 11-02-07, 09:37 PM

Thanks for sharing Marshall. That piggy looks great, and happy too. Have you been able to drive it yet?

Trollhole · 11-03-07, 07:40 AM

Just around the block and to the gas station.

Lucy_FJ55 · 11-03-07, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollhole

Just around the block and to the gas station.

I bet you were grinning from ear to ear! I wake up every morning and stare at my pig sitting in the driveway, for just a minute, but it makes my entire day (and then driving it to work, is also pretty cool).

Ming89FJ62 · 11-05-07, 09:22 PM

Great work and thanks for sharing

Harry

dsa03cjj · 11-14-07, 10:26 AM

hey marshall, did you chrome or pewter the grill and light eyes? i was thinking about doing this myself with original pewter paint, but i am also wanting to find some places that coudl do the silver and black backing behind TOYOTA. let me know! thanks man

dsa03cjj · 11-14-07, 10:27 AM

it looks awesome by the way!

Trollhole · 11-14-07, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsa03cjj

hey marshall, did you chrome or pewter the grill and light eyes? i was thinking about doing this myself with original pewter paint, but i am also wanting to find some places that coudl do the silver and black backing behind TOYOTA. let me know! thanks man

I just went to the Autozone and bought a couple cans of what I think is pewter spray paint. I will look tonight.

Sanded it down, Primed it. Painted it Pewter. Then Masked off the Toyota area and the letters and painted it Gloss black. Hind sight I should had done a semi gloss. But if will eventually fade. Looks good though.

I used the blue 3m tape and a sharp exact-o knife.

scouthead · 11-14-07, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollhole

I even found a beer can in the back.

And while cleaning I found this under the seat.

The only thing I ever found under my back seat was dead mice.

Good lookin pig! I wish I could have hung on to my stocker. Kind of cool having one that's not lifted/chopped/cut/re-motored/un-pigged.
Painting the grill was one of the last things I did to my '76... should have been one of the first things.

It's amazing how much different a pig looks when it's got a clean nose.

hatchman · 11-20-07, 08:02 AM

Hell, I thought I was the only one to go sit in their PIG from time to time (usually with a couple of beers).Making mental notes of what needs to be done and trying to foresee the future of the thing on the road. It really keeps the fire going. This really is a sickness...and there aint no drug for it. I'm just happy to know I have company. Good job Troll on the progress you have made. I hope to see it in person one day, maybe in Tellico. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and parts findings, it really helps us "PIG SITTERS" keep the dream alive.....

Now what's the scoop on the weather stripping?

Trollhole · 11-21-07, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hatchman

Hell, I thought I was the only one to go sit in their PIG from time to time (usually with a couple of beers).Making mental notes of what needs to be done and trying to foresee the future of the thing on the road. It really keeps the fire going. This really is a sickness...and there aint no drug for it. I'm just happy to know I have company. Good job Troll on the progress you have made. I hope to see it in person one day, maybe in Tellico. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and parts findings, it really helps us "PIG SITTERS" keep the dream alive.....

Now what's the scoop on the weather stripping?

Thanks Jeff. Well I have been a little slack on weatherstripping. I know we can find a better solution just need to find it.

I've got way to many projects going on and having the flue and then walking pnemonia has not helped it much. I have never been sick like this. I've been sick for a month now. But feeling better every day. I will work on getting some things out to vendors this weekend.

I have also been talking to my wife about going into the parts reproduction business. She gave me the go ahead. Though it won't be a full time job yet. I could see it being that. SO watch out I may have a red star soon.