cult45's 45 recovery and remobilisation (1 Viewer)

[andrews520]

The build....not much has happened this year really (can't believe another year has gone). I've just been collecting parts here and there and I think I have just about everything I need now. Next year is the year for my 45!

 

[catskinner]

Cult ol mate, what you did? Theres a colourful word we use for some one who uses that much gasket goo, when it squeezes out like that internally it flows to the radiator and blocks the cores up giving you reduced cooling capacity.

excessive gasket goo can also block oil passages and the oil pickup screen

If there is no cracks or deep corrosion pits i would use a old timer trick to reface the housing with some sandpaper placed on flat solid surface, maybe a light rub on 180 grit then finish off with some wet and dry, then put back together with a gasket and if it keeps you happy a very very lite skim of goo

To really make the job you could rip the top of a brisbane bitter, put some tex morton on a old wireless ( the kind that keeps playing for 2mins when swicthed off) and talk to ya mate about the 1974 floods!
That is if you want to fix a old fasion landcruiser in a old fasion way

 

[cult45]

I swear I heard there was a pic getting round of a frame and a rebuilt matching numbers F adorned with cad plating @andrews520

cat old mate, I prefer this type of accompaniment

As for the goo, well young fella I just had to make this one stick. Not that it's replacing a rear main or finding an electrical gremlin, but I'm so close! Turns out I couldn't make this one stick. Tomorrow or Sunday I'll nip over there and have another go. Question: Do the mating surfaces have to be smooth like wheel cylinder bores or can they be a little pitted or scored from filing?

Another question: I asked you blokes already about the white vs black bezel. Come at me with your thoughts, gents!

Today the sun kicked me in the arse from early on and I never fully recovered. By midday I was toast. But before then I managed to:

1. Fill the rad and ran the motor eyeing for t-stat leaks. Took a few minutes, but sure enough they arrived. ****ers.
2. Install my 'door sag prevention shims' aka washers to the tops of the door hinge pins. Actually made a huge difference. Not that I'd recommend such an archaic procedure to anyone with an ounce of self respect, but it works and cost me exactly zero dollars.
Installed the last remaining front brake t-piece [that I picked up late last night, along with a spare and a full set of near new brake shoes and return springs]
3. Attempt to bleed said brakes when I discovered one of the front right hard lines [into the newly installed t-piece] was leaking. I hadn't truly leant on the spanner, so I nipped it up but it's still leaking. Also the left rear is leaking where the union bolt mates to the wheel cylinder. Which means 87.5% of my hard lines are decent enough not to leak! Not bad for a dirty old screenwriter/construction worker.
4. Whip down to the tyre shop and picked up my freshly fitted RTM's and hub-cap ready split rims, then raced back to the 45 and fitted them up. Now we're getting somewhere. Hub caps will have to wait as they're deemed 'non-vital' at this stage.
5. Fill the clutch reservoir with fluid in readiness for bleeding and gave it a few pumps.
6. Finish installation of driver's door rubber.
7. Start to box up the rare spares for storage until I get my house early next year. Don't worry, they'll be sealed inside a Toyota.

A few small things to do before Al the Auto Sparky arrives on Monday:

- Rattle out old and install new spring bushes.
- Fix the damn t-stat.
- Fix the damn brakes.
- Bleed brakes and clutch.

 

[cult45]

But by far the most interesting development of the day was when I reeled out the Stanley Fat Max onto the tyre fitters 80 series..

Turns out there's enough room on top of the axle to mount the bottom bucket, and there's enough room between the tyre and the spring and the chassis and the spring. There's also enough room to move the shock tower rearwards and still run the factory steering box. The only trouble I reckon I'm gonna have is that the radius arm wants to bolt to the chassis halfway on and halfway off the gearbox crossmember.

And if anyone's clutching their armchairs in shock I'm talking about the 74 not the 45..

 

[andrews520]

That's true...there is such a photo. But I've been showing it as evidence of progress for about 18 months now.
It's getting a bit old.
Ok then...one more time.

Have a good weekend guys!

 

[andrews520]

....and the bezel, always white. No question.

 

[catskinner]

hot dog andrews520 I see a cr500re hiding in your shed, kickin myself for selling the one I had. the gasgas 300 does me well these days

 

[andrews520]

They're special bikes Cat... Sold it earlier this year. I regret it.

 

[cult45]

Tell you what Andrew she sure looks good with the cad plating. And thanks for your input re the bezel. I'll go white. For now..

cat my mechanic flicked me an old roll of gasket paper and told me to use two gaskets and a bit less goo. He also reckoned to let it tack up a bit before torquing it down so I'll give that a go.

 

[catskinner]

cult are you going to give the mating surfaces a bit of a reface by rubbing on sandpaper held a flat surface?

 

[cult45]

I actually did that with a file, then some paper. My mechanic said it didn't need to be wheel cylinder smooth, just fairly smooth.

 

[cult45]

Well it lives! After so many attempts at the t-stat housing, yesterday I decided to dedicate some serious attention to it. I pulled it apart, removed all the old goo and rubbed it back with a knife sharpening stone until it was dead smooth. I made another gasket with some HD gasket paper and decided to use a nut and bolt in the most forward of the two holes as the thread felt weak/stripped on the lower housing. I had a tantrum in the middle of it all, but we'll keep that to ourselves I also tightened up the loose brake union bolts/bleed screws/tube nuts resulting in one fluid tight circuit

The sun had truly kicked my arse by that stage, so I bailed.

This morning I returned with Al the Auto Sparky, a true artist. It's refreshing to see a tradesman with such high standards. Al got to work whilst I punched out the spring bushes, resulting in a serious loss of knuckle skin. I also filled the rad and tested my t-stat. The tiniest of leaks after she got up to OT. Which is not ideal, but not the end of the world and was enough for Al to run her and check a few things. And check he did, finding only a few small issues in that 45 year old harness! Mostly fuses bridged with tin wire and such. Every electrical part of that truck worked once correctly hooked up! Al also future proofed everything by adding extra grounds to stuff like indicators and tail lights 'cause buddy, these fkn indicator grounds aren't real crash hot' haha he's such a funny bastard. Once we'd done all that he helped me bleed the clutch and brakes and we took it for a spin! The brakes need adjusting, resulting in a poor pedal, but the damn thing works! I'd forgotten what it was like to look over that rounded bonnet! First impressions are the 3.70's help lose a fair bit of bottom end, but will help on the highway. The steering wheel hits my knees (gonna try space him up a bit) and the clutch probably needs adjusting so she slides in a bit easier. Is it a full synchro box? Other than that she's a bit of a gem and I can't wait for a roadworthy cert, rego, a wheel alignment and start running those RTM's in!

 

[catskinner]

good job cult me old cobber, the idea of using a large flat surface is to only smooth down the high spots to keep gasket area true not warped, when you use a file or knife you have to be very careful not to put in low spots so you end up with a uneven clamp when the bolts are torqued.

careful not to wear those old road trak majors out before in dude, your wearing away a piece of irreplaceable history with each turn there old mate

 

[cult45]

Thanks cat for your support mate. I'm pretty pumped but she's a bit bittersweet, because in a cruel twist of fate I've been stripped of a week and a half's work out west, resulting in a $4200 loss. So my house deposit has stalled and now I'm kicking myself a bit for getting this deep into the ol 45. Plus I've got rego on the 74 due on New Years day and Christmas coming up, so a roady and rego on the sassy ol wench may have to wait until the new year. It's a bit of a heartbreaker but I'm still vertical so it's all good. Might investigate historic rego to see if I qualify though.

 

[catskinner]

all good things come to those who wait is phrase that's tossed around bit in the big smoke I hear, don't know if its true or not. times are tuff around here I know.
the old girl has weathered the days until now so a bit more wont hurt her

 

[andrews520]

Two steps forward and all that....
Watched your vid on another page. Glad to see it's mobile again! F sounds really nice....

 

[cult45]

Thanks boys you're a good bunch of lads. I'll probably get those brakes adjusted up and bring the ol gal back to where I'm staying, then fiddle until it's time for rego. Just playful things like the Darth Vader light and strip two of my rims so they patina and the like. Maybe take her for a few sneaky laps of the back streets

Maybe park her up on the front lawn and crack a beer and admire her aerodynamic lines

 

[cult45]

Well I didn't mean for this to turn into what it did, but hey.

 

[catskinner]

hahaha that's the shot son, the first step is admitting you have a problem. its not me its every one else that is crazy I don't see anything wrong with spending a lot of money on and a lot of time on a weather worn old beauty.

 

[sneaky]

Well done! Good to see it running, turning and stopping.

Good to see another old truck up and running.