FJ55 Deconstruction

Should I continue this thread for the buildup, or start a new one?

  • Keep this one going.

    Votes: 9 100.0%

  • Start a new thread.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    9
  • Poll closed .

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

scorcher1967

scorcher1967

Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Threads
16
Messages
538
Location
Severance, Colorado
Website
www.facebook.com
Here we go. I have been given the green light by the owner of this Pig to do a full restoration. Full dissassembly, sandblasting frame and body, fix all rust, put it back together all better. Here are some pics I just took during the first day of dismantling. Only 2 for now...quota is full.
rear quarter before 1.webp
rear cargo and seat out 2.webp
 
Some ones going to need a tourniquet to stop the bleeding of cash on this one ! VERY ambitious considering the amount of rust on this baby :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana::banana: . Good luck and keep up the pics. Can't wait to see it when its done. Mike
 
the cost on this one will be totally dependant on the hourly rate. I would guess it would take me about 1000 hours of work to do it.
but sheet metal is cheap. looking at my last couple of projects the high costs were the expensive already built parts like aqualu tub and bed.

the projects where you make a lot of the parts are more fulfilling than the ones where you build a rig by ordering and bolting things together.

I think you both are right, a 5 banana experience, and do it as a learning experience. you will definitely be acquainted with forming sheet metal when you're done. do you have any donor rigs?
 
jm599,

I don't think that 1000 hours of anyone's time would be cheap :-) I know that the Tubs and premade sheetmetal seem expensive, but it really is a bargain. I have no idea what the going rate is around the country, but the shop I take my truck to charges $65 an hour and is talking about raising the rate to $85 an hour. You could buy a brand new heritage metal tub for the same price as paying someone for 60 hours of rust repair. So even a small repair becomes hard to justify at those rates.

Now if I only had some skill and a garage ........ hmm


Ryan.
 
I agree with the hourly rate being one of the factors. If the guy doing it makes say, $18.00 an hour, x 1000 hours thats a chunk (if he uses his employers shop/garage). Then trying to find the little parts that are unobtanium, and then new weatherstrip if needed, and so on it WILL be cha-ching, (ask me how i know). At least with a 40 you can readily find most parts needed. I think it will be an awesome experience and raise a toast to him for undertaking it and saving another pig. I can't wait to see it !
 
Last edited:
You know, Scorcher, you really have your work cut out for you. (get it? "cut out"? ar ar).
A '78 will be especially tough to find parts for too. Especially the tailgate and surrounding stuff.
I'd start looking for some of those hard to find parts early. Funny, there's a '78 being parted out now in the 55 classifieds...
Good luck, keep us posted. We love to tell other people how to work on Pigs, and spend other people's money...
 
It'll be interesting to see how much steel is left after you blast it. The drivers door looks as if it'll be fine....surface rust. Drivers rocker should be fine up in the front looks like the same surface rust there as well. Obviously some steel will be needed in the rear. Tail gate steel... not too bad. Fenders...if it just the bottoms I'd weld steel in there...if after you blast it, you find it's riddled with holes along the aprons, I'd trash them and find some new/better ones. Can't wait to see it after the blasting is done. Yes it will be an intensive project.
 
Thanks for all the support everyone! I will keep up the pics and progress. Right now, most of the interior is gutted except for wiring, pedals, glass and headliner. I spent 2 hours documenting vac hose routing on the engine, so if anyone needs to know where which one goes, I have about 30 pics I can send. What a rats nest that thing is...

Anyway, I am not above buying sheetmetal for this thing. Rear wheel tubs, rockers, floor pans, drivers side body mount, etc....but I have not found anyone who repops these things for the 55. I know I will have plenty of work creating patches all over, I am not too proud to buy some pre-made, or solid used ones....any leads?

Jason
 
Last edited:
Jason,

That is a '78, correct? If so, I have the factory emissions manual for fed, Cali and High Alt configurations. I am in the Fort. I think I have seen this Pig parked at Brauns many times. Your boss works there, no? I live in that area... You can look at the manual if you wish.

As for sheetmetal, read here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=72210
 
scorcher1967 said:
It is a 78, and it is not Brauns anymore, but it was. Its now called Manno's Grille. The owner is Manno, and I am the Head Chef at Manno's. I am usually there tues-friday before 2pm. and most sundays before 2pm. I would love to check that manual out.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I may have accosted you in the new King Soopers parking lot a few months back...
 
Some new photos uploaded....one fender finally off. She gave me quite a fight, but a combination of WD-40, Air Chisel, Sockets, Angle Grinder, and Fire wrench and she came right off!

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q71/scorcher1967/fj55/[/quote]

And Pablo, I dont remember being accosted, but no worries if you did....
 
Last edited:
If you're going this far with the restoration, would it make sense to hot dip the body and chassis before it all goes back together? or are POR and other DIY rust preventatives enough?
 
might want to try kroil oil to loosen tight rusty fasteners.........were having to remove cyl heads on airforce power packs to service them and the exhaust manifold nuts/studs would have an aprox 50% breakage till kroil oil;

Lou
 
jgordon said:
If you're going this far with the restoration, would it make sense to hot dip the body and chassis before it all goes back together? or are POR and other DIY rust preventatives enough?
Click to expand...

The Frame, body, and suspension are going to be fully sandblasted and chassis is getting powdercoated. I think with that much body rust, it has to get down to bare metal, just to make sure I get it all out. I plan to Rhino line the entire underside before I put it back together.

That said, does anyone in the Northern Colorado area know of anyplace that can dip the frame? Sandblasting will get the visible rust, but inside the framerails wont get done, only full immersion can do that.

As for the rusty bolts... How I wish I could have just driven this thing into a pool of WD-40, Kroil Oil, Nut Knocker, etc, before trying to take it apart. I have had some luck with the threads I could get to with WD-40 and a wire brush. Its the bolts and screws that have hidden threads, and are so corroded that the threads are just not there anymore! The inner front fenders were the worst, snapped 6 of 7. The top bolts, however, all came out clean.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

W
1970 FJ55
Replies
11
Views
1K
RUSH55
RUSH55
DTC72
FJ55 Battery & Tray
Replies
10
Views
944
DTC72
DTC72
ERNRAM
Replacement front windshield 1973 FJ55
Replies
4
Views
469
ERNRAM
ERNRAM
Dudleyfj40
FJ55 Header
Replies
11
Views
1K
Dudleyfj40
Dudleyfj40

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom