Project Long Term Exposure (1 Viewer)

[nuthinbutcruisers]

Hello all,
I’d like to introduce myself and my rig. My name is Paul and I’m not new to cruisers or Mud but I don’t get a chance to post much but do surf this site often. I recently posted a picture of my 55 in this thread

body stabilizing for soft top 55

Which brought my empty home page a couple of visits, and a little push from JohnnyC to get my butt in gear and do a build thread.

Well here goes.

I purchased a ’72 FJ 55 in 2006 from a guy on the old (but not forgotten) 55 list. It was pretty much stock except for a lift of some kind (shackles and springs).

It had pretty bad rust around the rain gutters particularly in the rear corners. You could actually lift the passenger side roof up away from the body!

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

Plans
Well while deciding what to do about the rust, the 3 speed was swapped with a 4speed that I picked up at the PMC Swap meet in Petaluma CA. Shortly thereafter the guy I purchase the pig from had a disc brake setup for sale which I promptly snatched up.

After a year hiatus for a house remodel, I began a long and serious debate on what to do about the roof rust. I had seen a few photo chops done by FJ Ben and my imagination started wandering.

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

So I started toying with the idea of a convertible.

I wanted to have multiple cover options so I decided on a 3 piece top with a removable lift gate (metal frame covered with the same material as the top). I did a few drawings just to see if the idea was feasible and came up with these.

1. Open top 2. Bimini style top 3. Full top.

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

Even while doing the concept drawings, I kept flip flopping back and forth between cutting the top off or fixing it.

If I made a convertible, I wanted it to be pretty true to the original shape. One way or the other I needed to remove the roof skin.

I took a cut off wheel to the roof edge and what I found did not bode well for the repair route.

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

Well the choice was made and on my birthday in ’09 I got to work with the saws all. (It really was a tough choice.) The roof skin came off and then the cargo glass.

Then I cut out the section between the C and D pillars, followed by the section between the D pillars and the D pillars themselves.

Then I cut out the face and top section of the upper roof support, drilled out the spot welds on the inside and removed the upper lip.

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

For the new rain gutter I cut a 1 x 3, 1/8th wall tube in half along the short wall.

A 1 ½ 1/8th wall square tube was used for the fore aft door header. I tapered it starting at the B pillar down to fit the windshield section and tacked to the new gutter.

I then set the D pillar tube angle and tacked everything in place. The D pillars are supported in the body with a piece of 5/16th inch plate shaped to fit in the protruding section above the tail light and the inner body. A hole was cut in the D pillar body cap and shaped to fit the angle of the D pillar.

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

Then I fabbed up the rear cross brace and supports.

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

There was a discussion thread on Millers (welders) web site on using the Harbor Freight tubing roller and after reading through it I thought that was my best (read cheapest) method of forming the hoops.

I my original concept I was going to 3 hoops but after seeing the spacing I thought 4 would be better for fabric support.

I marked the tubes center so I would have a reference after the tubes were formed and I rolled an approximate 300” radius. After getting all 4 as close to each other as I could I put them in the tube bender to make the outer curves. I trimmed them to length and tacked them in.

I capped the ends of the fore/aft rails and installed a 1 x ¼ tube under the rain gutter on each side for an attachment point for the side curtains. You can also see where I removed the cargo weather strip pinch weld and capped the C pillars.

I burned everything in and shot a coat of primer. On the front hoop I fabbed a mount for some aircraft style dome lights visible in the last pic.

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

I cut the front roof skin to match the inner valance shape, pinched them together and welded them up.

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

In anticipation of the coming (2010-2011) winter I did a quick rattle can paint job just to seal everything up.

This is where I am today....

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

I still have a ton of work, clean up to do but so far I like it.


The next major step is the soft top itself, but that won't happen for a few weeks at least.

I'll try and squeeze in a few more posts on other things I've done.

 

[laguna80]

Looks awesome. Keep it up!

 

[CarmMontana]

I love the look of this. Sure came out nice!

 

[3jvj]

Sharp.

 

[bigsal]

That's cool! I like!

Where in California are you?

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Sal, I'm in the southbay area. Campbell to be more precise.

Paul

 

[bigsal]

As you can see, I'm in Tahoe, West shore....no seatbelt-beer-in-hand-afterwork- quicky close to the Rubicon. Please stop by if in the area.

I gotta show momma how cool a 55 looks without a roof... Ha!

By the way, where did that rear window weatherstripping go?

 

[PabloCruise]

Jinkees!

I cringed a little at the thought of cutting a Pig, but I have to respect your craft!

It has been a long time since I have seen FJBen's Pig. Wonder what he is up to these days...

 

[nuthinbutcruisers]

Sal,

If I do get up that way I'll give you a shout

If you're talking about the upper one around the window channel, there wasn't much left. It was in four or five pieces.

PabloCruise,

I know what you're saying. It took me the better part of 2 years to make the choice to cut the top, but every day I drive it I'm glad I did. (even when it's rained)

Paul

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

very good!