Jackass 55 Chronicles (1 Viewer)

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

Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Threads
231
Messages
3,120
Location
Boise, Id
I hope to get my 55 in a bit better shape over the summer. Figure I'll document my glacial progress here. I've owned it for 20 years, bought it off a dealer lot here in Boise in 1999.

Here's a pic from 15 years ago or so.

bonestock.jpg


I should add, it's a 10/72, 1973 with a 4 spd swapped in, original F, electronic ignition, later axles (disc. front) and mini truck power steering.
 
Last edited:
Sent my carb and dizzy off in December for a rebuild that was to take 4-5 weeks. 4 months later it is in the mail and on it's way back to me. Hopefully get it by Thursday. I may or may not it installed this weekend as we're talking about going camping this weekend.

I was having issues with it dying, after it warmed up, no spark. Thought it was a distributor problem and that is why I sent it off. That, and he rebuilt the carb. on my 45 years ago and it runs still runs great, so I hope to have the same results with the 55. Jim said there was no 'smoking gun' so I'm not positive my issue will be fixed. We'll see. He did say that the 'carb runs way better than a 50-year-old carb should...'

Before pics.
20201204_142836.jpg
20201204_142908.jpg
 
Last edited:
Years ago, I broke the tailgate switch plate that closes/opens the switch that allows the rear window to operate. I purchased a 'new' used one from $OR and it was the wrong version. as my pig's mfg date falls at a 'transition' period, sometimes I get the right part, sometimes not...

The stock switch plate has two mounting holes and the one Specter sent has on, and a nub. I ground the nub off and drilled another hole in it, so I could use it as dealing with $OR is such a PIA, I'd rather eat the cost of the part than argue with them.

I'd saved the old broken switch plate and found it the other day when I was looking for some LandCruiser fender script someone on here needed. I now have access to a 3D printer at work, so I decided to JB weld it back together and draw it up to see if I could print a replacement part. I didn't get a before photo, but this was in 3 or 4 pieces...
IMG_20210315_084210805_HDR.jpg



Here's the 'wrong' part, you can see it didn't fit right, and I'd added some gorilla tape as it didn't always close the switch.

IMG_20210316_175719580.jpg


And here's the printed part. It's not exact as my solidworks modeling skilz aren't great, but I think it's close enough.
IMG_20210316_153825591.jpg


And installed, it works, but, my key-switch seems to have stopped working...it's always something. I need to pull the whole tailgate and rebuild it, but that will be a task for another day.
IMG_20210316_180613393.jpg
 
Last edited:
As I mentioned before, I sent my carb and dizzy off to get rebuilt/refreshed a few months ago and they're finally done and back in hand. I pulled my battery to put it on the charger in the garage and decided it was time to address the battery tray and inner fender rust/peeling paint.

55 battery tray before.JPG


Of course, the first bolt I went to remove was corroded down from a 12mm to an 11mm, then stripped, then broke a drill bit off in it, finally got some vice grips on it and was able to break it loose (after whacking it with a colds-chisel several times trying to shear the head off...)

IMG_20210321_153821497.jpg


Peeled all the plasti-dip off and beat on the hold-down rods, along with applying WD-40 and got them to swivel again. Took it to a friends and borrowed his media-blast cabinet, no photos of that though. Then made some patches for the rotten corners.

55 battery tray rust.JPG


Battery tray patch.JPG
 
Cleaning up the inner fender.
Inner Fender 1.JPG


Was able to push the old wire-tie push-in connectors out of the fender holes and get everything else off and out of the way without damaging anything. I was afraid my washer bottle was going to be too brittle, but it faired okay. The washer tubing is brittle as hell, but the bottle isn't.

Inner Fender 2.JPG


Naval Jelly and a wash-down prior to some primer. I opted to not do any POR-15, just regular primer and Dupli-color Wimbledon White, which looks very much like Cygnus White.

Inner Fender 3.JPG


IMG_20210328_180227659.jpg
 
Put multiple coats of black plasti-dip on the tray ($5 per can at H.D.).
55 battery tray after.JPG


And got everything back in and bolted down...one week later and I think I'm ready to put the dizzy and carb back in.

IMG_20210328_190350361_HDR.jpg
 
Got the carb and dizzy in, took it for a spin. It's been sitting about 5 months, longest spell I haven't driven it in 20-years I think. Dog approves, I think.
IMG_20210409_185602058_HDR.jpg


Still need too fine-tune the timing, verify I've got the vacuum lines hooked up right. Rebuilder put an extra vacuum port in, plugged a port on the dizzy and jumpered the throttle position line. Not sure why as I didn't ask for any modifications, and am still running my OEM smog equipment.


This is what I ended up doing:

FJ55 Vacuum Diagram.JPG


I assume I still need to supply vacuum to the VSV for the charcoal canister and air injection system to operate. I jumpered the TP and old vacuum supply to the dizzy, hooked the new vacuum port up to the dizzy directly and 'T'd the old vacuum supply to the VSV and the new TP jumper to supply vacuum to the VSV. Seems to run alright.
 
I assume I still need to supply vacuum to the VSV for the charcoal canister and air injection system to operate. I jumpered the TP and old vacuum supply to the dizzy, hooked the new vacuum port up to the dizzy directly and 'T'd the old vacuum supply to the VSV and the new TP jumper to supply vacuum to the VSV. Seems to run alright.
I got a headache just reading all that. :) Glad you got it running right.
 
Got the carb and dizzy in, took it for a spin. It's been sitting about 5 months, longest spell I haven't driven it in 20-years I think. Dog approves, I think.View attachment 2641534

Still need too fine-tune the timing, verify I've got the vacuum lines hooked up right. Rebuilder put an extra vacuum port in, plugged a port on the dizzy and jumpered the throttle position line. Not sure why as I didn't ask for any modifications, and am still running my OEM smog equipment.


This is what I ended up doing:

View attachment 2641536

I assume I still need to supply vacuum to the VSV for the charcoal canister and air injection system to operate. I jumpered the TP and old vacuum supply to the dizzy, hooked the new vacuum port up to the dizzy directly and 'T'd the old vacuum supply to the VSV and the new TP jumper to supply vacuum to the VSV. Seems to run alright.
I think I would start by asking the rebuilder what the new set up is for, and how the vacuum connections are supposed to be made.

Did they add manifold vacuum? How/where did they add?
 
Yes, added another manifold vac. port on the pass. side, base of the carb. That is where I hooked up the vac. advance diaphragm on the dizzy. Communication and responsiveness are not the Rebuilder's strong suit. I think I've got it figured out.
 
Got new exhaust and muffler today. My down pipe had a hole rusted in it and they said my muffler was rusted out, although I swear I put that muffler on just a few years ago. $313.00, sounds much better.
 
Pulled my seats out and dropped them off at the upholsterer's shop. Kind of sad as the back seats are original and the back of the front is still original, but I couldn't find any material that was close to the original pattern. I know there was someone reproducing it on here at one point, but 'he who shall not be named' ended up flaking out and the repro material isn't available that I know of. Going with a two-tone grey/charcoal and piping similar to the original. He's copying the old pattern. Says he can't re-use the headrest grommets or the air vents on the front of the lower sections. I asked him to save the material he removes for me. Maybe I can help someone out in the future doing an original restoration.

IMG_20210801_180707477.jpg
IMG_20210801_180716083.jpg
IMG_20210802_095628857.jpg
 
Last edited:
look at that little cruiser. is that a 50 Plymouth?
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom