POTM - k9crazy's Miss Piggy

k9crazy · 02-04-08, 12:49 PM

I bought my 9/73 FJ55 back in February of ’07…and it’s really hard to believe it’s been a year already! And actually, at the same time, I can’t believe it’s only been a year.

I started my search for another Cruiser after I bought my FJC. A bit different from many folks that have classic LC’s and then give the FJC a try. But truth be told, I had been kicking around the community for about 5 years or more before joining my local TLCA Chapter (Georgia Cruisers). I owe my interest and now obsession to my little brother, DanKunz. He found his 60 Series while on the way to dinner one night and then it was ON. He then bought a 55 in South Dakota, flew there, drove it home, and I was introduced to the Iron Pig (interestingly, this little piggy became FJBen’s and was the one that he rolled. I think those piggy springs are still kicking around somewhere!).

So, I was looking for a LC, and thought that a 40 was for me. Until one day I was on craigslist digging around and an ad for a Land Cruiser caught my attention. And that was the first time I saw it. Turns out it was located just down the street from my brother, so I headed over there to look at it. It had been garaged for all but the last few months, and there is sat…shiny and pretty and dead as a door nail. That thing wouldn’t turn over to save it’s life. Well, at that point I made an offer on it, but the PO wanted to try to get it running. Turns out it was VERY cold, hadn’t been run in a while, and was basically just being temperamental. He called me the next day, I was able to go with my brother and Dad and drive it, and I made an offer and it was accepted.

So I brought her home…and here she is on day one at my brother’s house:

So, I now owned (thanks to the wonders of PayPal) Miss. Piggy in all her glory. Maaco paint job and stickers covering the rust and all! Turns out I am the fourth owner of the truck. It was originally purchased in Marietta, GA by a construction company that intended on using it to drive VIPs around their sites. However they learned very shortly that a 55 in Georgia heat with no A/C was miserable, and gave it to the construction crew to use. It was then purchased by a guy that ran an elevator company, and it was used by him to get around town. Then it was purchased by the family I bought it from, who owned it for 30 years. He did all his own work on the truck, and it was filled with Man-A-Fre and Specter parts and pieces. He had kept it stock and it had never been wheeled except to get to camping and fishing sites in North Georgia. Upon close inspection, she was in need of some TLC and had the characteristic rusty rot.

But her frame was good, and most of the body was in great shape. I decided that this was to be my first adventure with restoring a truck. I had never worked on a truck before (at least not in any detail; I can change oil and tires and what not, but never this in depth) but that there was no better time than the present.

k9crazy · 02-04-08, 12:55 PM

The thing that impressed me so much about this truck is how clean it was overall. Yeah, some rust...but the engine compartment was spotless and the interior wasn't bad at all.

So the first step for me was to find out what I was dealing with. I learned to use a grinder and went to town to figure out where the rust monsters were hiding and what I was going to need to do to banish them to whence they came!

k9crazy · 02-04-08, 01:04 PM

What I learned was that rust is sneaky and hides in places where you don't expect it. I also learned that somewhere in my life, I had turned into a perfectionist and that if I was going to do this, I was going to do it right. So the disassembly began. I can honestly say that I learned more about this truck by taking it apart piece by piece than I could ever have any other way. I decided to source parts as I figured out that I needed them and started quite a collection of stuff to repair and replace parts and pieces. I also invested in a number of new tools (yeah!) to make the job a bit easier and more complete. This included a benchtop mediablaster where I started to blast parts and then refurbish them for reuse.

Here are some random pictures of parts and pieces and work being done to take her apart:

k9crazy · 02-04-08, 01:10 PM

The next thing for me was to start cutting out rust. With much help from my brother and Steve aka "eventhough" or "juice box" we cut the rust out of the floorboards, the rockers, and other places in the "tub" of the beast.

I then located a piggy that was willing to give up it's rear floorboard for mine (thanks to David at ULC) and my good friend Cat (wife of BMTHiker on MUD) spent a "girls day" with the sawsall and cutting wheel. Ah...nothing like a good old day with the girls bonding over rust and a broken fuel line spewing 5 year old gasoline all over you.

k9crazy · 02-04-08, 01:36 PM

So then I thought, "I think I'll learn to weld." But before I could, I found out that I was pregnant! So I packed the piggy up and sent her to Knuckle Busters 4X4 in Cartersville, GA for some body work, some welding, and a fresh coat of paint.

And here are the progress pictures of the body work that has been completed so far. The progress isn't fast because the good folks at Knuckel Busters took this project on in their spare time, but it's VERY well done and I would recommend them for this and any other 4X4 work you have.

So that's how she sits now. When she's back and shiny and painted, she'll go to my brother's house for some reassembly work. I am now 8 months pregnant and won't be able to do the work I wanted to for a while, so for a Birthday/Christmas present, my brother is going to start the reassembly process for me. I have all new weather stripping, will be recovering the seats and door inserts (matching the red and additing white piping), replacing the suspension with Alcan's and 3-inches of lift, new 33" MT's on stock wheels, new headliner, and some other clean ups and upgrades.

It's been an adventure so far, and I hope that it continues to be one as Miss Piggy gets put back together and hits the road again!

cruiser_guy · 02-04-08, 04:06 PM

Looks like you had more rust to deal with than I did but it's coming along nicely!!

nat · 02-04-08, 10:58 PM

Real nice. I am jealous of your engine compartment.

That is currently not cleaned up on mine.

Great work so far!

mel lowe · 02-04-08, 11:04 PM

Congrats on the baby!

Great piggy story.

I look forward to seeing it finished.

n2666s · 02-04-08, 11:30 PM

awsome thread Heather

inspiring to say the least....

bravo!

Lou

RUSH55 · 02-05-08, 12:31 AM

Amazing how much a shiny paint job can hide so much rust. The first few pics made it seem pretty near rust free, but once you started uncovering the veil of illusion....
Great perseverence thru the whole build thus far. When you're thru, she'll truly be a jewel!

Trollhole · 02-05-08, 06:29 AM

Very nice. Good to see a piggy getting restored.

eventhough · 02-05-08, 10:43 AM

Heather - you have done great work so far! I know Miss Piggy will turn out fantastic. I did recognize my driveway in some of those pics!

I think seeing your FJC is what started me looking for one too!

Ming89FJ62 · 02-06-08, 07:41 PM

Heather,

Great write up! And thanks for sharing your resto. I think the piggie needs a name though, it'll add a bit of personality to the beast.

Harry

Clyde-2 · 02-07-08, 11:24 AM

Great post !! Looks like you got a really good rig to start your resto with. Keep us posted.

Buckethead · 02-07-08, 03:38 PM

very nice
and congrats on the little one!

k9crazy · 02-07-08, 04:03 PM

Thanks to all of you for your kind words. I really was hoping that the paint would be done and she'd be more put together before POTM, but oh well! I guess I learned first hand that restorations take WAY more time than you think they will!

Trollhole · 02-07-08, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k9crazy

Thanks to all of you for your kind words. I really was hoping that the paint would be done and she'd be more put together before POTM, but oh well! I guess I learned first hand that restorations take WAY more time than you think they will!

Tell me about it. Just wait until that baby comes. Even less time. BUt it will be well worth it. I cannot wait for the day the whole family can go out for a ride.

jessewmcgregor · 02-09-08, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollhole

Tell me about it. Just wait until that baby comes. Even less time. BUt it will be well worth it. I cannot wait for the day the whole family can go out for a ride.

times 2 i have two girls with another on the way and a lot of sneaking into the garage after bedtime to do a little here and a little there but the girls love to come hang out while im working on it and and LOVED the pig before she got undressed. so congrats on the new little cruiser head and the beautiful rig, im sure they will look great together.

dsa03cjj · 02-11-08, 12:48 PM

even though time is coming to a hault for it, you still have a great pig to be proud of . . .

3jvj · 02-11-08, 07:44 PM

Looks like you are on the road to having a beautiful piggy. Best of luck with your project!

zuluzeugma · 02-15-08, 12:01 PM

I think I'm in love... Are you single?

J/K

looks good. Keep it up...

k9crazy · 02-29-08, 07:19 AM

Thank you to all of you for your encouragment and your compliments! today is the last day of POTM for me and it's really helped me get reinspired to keep after this little piggy.

My little girl is due in 4 weeks, so between then and now she's going to sit...but as soon as I can, I'll be back to work with the help of my wonderful brother and we'll have her up and beautiful in no time.