What have you done to your Land Cruiser this week? (44 Viewers)

[Michael B]

I received lots of goodies for Sampson this week. Now if I can get the garage warm enough to work in I'll be set for the weekend!

 

[carreta]

installed the engine

 

[Skydog]

This week, and here forward, we're looking anxiously & eagerly into the horizons of the Off-Trail Great Outdoors Adventure of the full reassembly of our beloved FJ40 dogger-car.

We're champing-at-the-bit to utilize not merely one Awesome Toyota Dogger Car, a '96 4Runner; which has taken us far - but that of our FJ40, which will no doubt take us further still into the bush.

Fact is, we're not just 4Running - but RUNNING toward the day we can bounce around in the '40.

But until then, us doggers are having some fun making Cool Images ... of the world around us !!

Which we've been doing from the air !!

~Skydog

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

In post 12761 you've got a pretty good view of the back of the crankshaft. If you don't have a bronze bushing sticking out past the crank, the input shaft was not properly supported.

Hey Mark -

I wish I could get a better shot of it but I agree something is very strange in there. There is definitely SOMETHING where the pilot bushing should be but appears to be tapered...and definitely isn't bronze:

I'm wondering if the taper was ground in by the input shaft wobbling...

It almost looks like the transmission was in so deep, the front of the only shaft spines ground into bushing...

Either way, I can pretty easily fit my middle minder in the bushing currently in the engine, and it won't fit at all into the replacement bronze pilot bushing I have, so I think it's safe to say the transmission wasn't well supported.

The shaft has some play - maybe 1mm - not sure what's considered "normal wear" vs "excessive."

 

[GRM]

I went out to the garage and stared laying the wiring on the new engine - dreaming about driving my '71

 

[JDCruiser]

I removed my front axle, built a homemade stand for it, and set it up for storage until I do the rebuild on it.... Here are some pics..

 

[olive]

Took another problem-free drive and hiked a new area with daBoise. A COLD, but great hike!!

44 is in the last picture if anyone wants a challenge... Find it.

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Found it..it's facing to the right of photo corect.

 

[White Stripe]

Well... I did something that I thought was quite important. As a true turning point in the rebuild of my own FJ40, which I've had for well over 20 years, garaged & basically never driven, and which has been completely dissembled for the past 3-4 years - - I came to terms with a color scheme, as shown here, which is based on a 2-tone of olive drab.

For me, deciding on the color scheme (that I felt most reflected me, my out-of-the-box nature, and my soul for trekking the way-off-the-path outdoors) was paramount to moving forward. And for the life of me, and I contemplated deeply over the past 2-3 years, I could not cross an OEM color that was doing this for me. I've collected 1,000's of BJ40 & FJ40 photos from the Internet along the way - in seeking a best color scheme for me. Some most beautiful rigs out there, for sure !!

And although I have zero intention of selling the beloved '40 of mine, for me, the rebuild has also been a direct $$$ issue (I'm sure I'm not alone in this regard). In the scheme of things, here, its rebuild has unfortunately been (for too long) a super-low priority. Just getting by week to week has been more so the norm for me. However, I'm optimistic, and I'm now actively looking upward.

I basically have all the parts (most all of which are in zip-loc bags of various sizes), but as an artist, I've needed a clear, concise vision in my mind as to what my vehicle is to look like. Per my adventurous nature, mine will be a Real McCoy trail vehicle, and not at all a novelty item. It's already a resto-mod. Originally Sky Blue, its owner previous to me had painted it a super-attractive blue-green metallic, which PPG automotive paints determined was closest to Metallic Turquoise Green. A Suzuki Samurai color, they said. Myself, my entire family, and close friends loved the color, and still do - but it's far from OEM; and as a metallic, was less than native to the FJ40's more simple soul (some beautiful metallic ones out there though ! )

I extracted the image of the FJ40 below from the Internet. I found no name or info associated with it, merely that it's a '77. Unlike most, it though was olive drab, and to me, was about as cool-to-me of a color concept as I'd seen. I then altered the hue of its color of olive drab, and dropped the vehicle into a forest setting that I had myself photoed (as seen below).

My rig is a March 1979. I envision my rig's future Olive Drab concept to be a two-tone combination of 2-component (2K) single-stage industrial / commercial fleet-grade automotive paint (by PPG), and smoothly applied tinted 2K poly-urethane with ceramic particulate bedliner (by both U-Pol Raptor & Magnet Paints Monstaliner - each to be applied differently in different places). The industrial paint & tinted bedliner combo will be utilized both inside & out - adhering to both form & function, equally. Furthermore, on the tub's firewall; inside floor; and underside the tub will be an additional 2-part paint product, Lizard Skin, which is a resilient heat shield & sound deadener.

My restro-mod rebuild will consist mostly of all OEM components, most of which are original to the vehicle, except for a few performance-enhancing parts that I already have on-hand (HEI distributor, 38D Weber carb, ceramic coated headers - all 3 from Man-a-Fre). And I've already conjured some creative new twists to the vehicle, itself : a uniquely designed tailgate (which is of the likes of no one elses), a jerry can holder (4Plus basket) which is mounted to a mirrored spare tire tube frame - that I've modified for this; a custom-made arm rest that straddles the 1979 OEM floor tray; and embedded industrial tie-downs throughout the inside of the tub. It'll have a 2.5" OME lift, with OME Sport Shocks, with 33x10.5 tires. And a 4-Plus Aussie front bumper & bush guard - amongst other things. My rig already has its rear wheel wells cut-out (by previous owner) and will need the rear wheel flair (which I have a new replacement for my rig's old, cracked white ones). The black flair, seen here, would be augmented by the door's rocker panel in black Raptor.

View attachment 1377169

The tone of Olive Drab I aim to make use of will be exactly that used on AAHF Cobra 826, below (photo by me). In person, it looks AWESOME !! The paint is reported to have come from Sherwin-Williams Aerospace, and is called Gray-Black (or Black-Gray - I'm still not clear). Another hue of color, which I'm believing is extremely close is RAL 6006 "Gray Olive." Regardless, I can truly see my '40 proudly wearing the color below :
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Below is an air-to-air image I had made of Cobra 826 (I've made many). The hue of this olive drab color goes all the way to a stark greenish; but seen below, it's almost a bronze here.

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And yet one more example of the color, which I'd like to apply to my own FJ40 - under the setting sun, 826, below, is rendered almost a copper-bronze. (Air-to-air photo by me).
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Thanks for your continued input & support. I'm realizing this board has a complete spectrum of personal ideas, opinions, and philosophies - from around the world. And as always, I eagerly respect your input. Importantly though, I so badly want to "Get Er Done !!" ~Skydog.

Personally I like the factory Toyota olive color. Typically the factory colors are timeless, always in style, and retain the resale value the most. I think the green u have picked will look good though. I don't believe picking a color is as big as a deal or a turning point though. The turning point I think is when a person is actually in the garage working on it as opposed to dreaming about it. It's nice to have a plan or a dream, but if they never come to fruition it's pointless.

 

[carreta]

I went out to the garage and stared laying the wiring on the new engine - dreaming about driving my '71

View attachment 1378257

Nice job. That fj40 is going to have power

 

[rrv333]

Bought my first 40. Now I'm in the 40 & 62 games!

 

[POTATO LAUNCHER]

Hey Mark -

I wish I could get a better shot of it but I agree something is very strange in there. There is definitely SOMETHING where the pilot bushing should be but appears to be tapered...and definitely isn't bronze:

View attachment 1377944

I'm wondering if the taper was ground in by the input shaft wobbling...

It almost looks like the transmission was in so deep, the front of the only shaft spines ground into bushing...

Either way, I can pretty easily fit my middle minder in the bushing currently in the engine, and it won't fit at all into the replacement bronze pilot bushing I have, so I think it's safe to say the transmission wasn't well supported.

The shaft has some play - maybe 1mm - not sure what's considered "normal wear" vs "excessive."

It looks like it may be whats left of a roller bearing in there. It is a common "upgrade" over the standard bronze bushing. Source a new bronze bushing and check your fit on the input shaft. Wouldn't think the ID of the crank would change that much if any.
As far as getting it out of the crank weld a bolt to the race and slide hammer it out.

 

[GA Architect]

played in the snow!

Well, the dusting of snow we got.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

It looks like it may be whats left of a roller bearing in there. It is a common "upgrade" over the standard bronze bushing. Source a new bronze bushing and check your fit on the input shaft. Wouldn't think the ID of the crank would change that much if any.
As far as getting it out of the crank weld a bolt to the race and slide hammer it out.

I was thinking it looked a lot like a bearing race...but I didn't find any chunks of roller bearing when I took it all apart. I've got a replacement bronze "oilite" bushing ready to go in when the time comes. Glad I tore this thing down the whole clutch setup was something of a catastrophe. Wear on both sides of the clutch springs, pilot bushing shot, throw out bearing shot, flywheel bolts too tall and held in with lock washers, etc.

 

[POTATO LAUNCHER]

I would bet that it was similar to this type. Needles would have disinterested over time. The bronze is the way to go.

I was thinking it looked a lot like a bearing race...but I didn't find any chunks of roller bearing when I took it all apart. I've got a replacement bronze "oilite" bushing ready to go in when the time comes. Glad I tore this thing down the whole clutch setup was something of a catastrophe. Wear on both sides of the clutch springs, pilot bushing shot, throw out bearing shot, flywheel bolts too tall and held in with lock washers, etc.

 

[74HogGuy]

Chocolate shake anyone?

Starting on my disc brake conversion after a lot of procrastination.

 

[Taha32]

Mostly finished my power steering reinforcement of the chassis, still got to slide the crush pipes in but the holes are big enough to do it from the outside.

Currently doing someverything wiring and contemplating about the engine mounts I made for the 12ht, the power steering pump is going to hit the steel bits on the rubber mount which stop the engin falling through if the rubber breaks......

 

[cruiserkreutz]

Picked my valve cover up from the engine builder and cleaned it up a bit today.

Before

After

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Found it..it's facing to the right of photo corect.

Yep... I think you found it... Between the Joshua Trees, directly below the "V8" on the mountain... Mother Nature at work...

Is that where you meant?

 

[Strategic1]

I received lots of goodies for Sampson this week. Now if I can get the garage warm enough to work in I'll be set for the weekend

All that new shiny stuff, Jealous

 

[Strategic1]

Nice scenic pics, lovely country you guys have to roam in