Builds A Brown 60 (1 Viewer)

[SAH]

I’m at a crossroads with this truck.

I’ve already sheared off 1 air inlet on the head and I wouldn’t rule out that happening to at least 1 more. If that were to happen, I’d probably pull the head. If I pull the head, I’d want to do some decking, porting, etc. If I deck, port, etc I should rebuild the whole motor.

I have a built 2F that came out of the magical parts truck (Thanks for informing me, @yardbird), but I wanted to put that in a truck with a better rust situation. So, maybe what I need to do is get a frame blasted and powder coated, set the drivetrain in it, and then just swap the body. I’m all ears, but I think bang for the buck this may be the way to go.

 

[OSS]

Just because the head comes off doesn’t mean the entire engine has to be rebuilt. I had my cylinder head off 3 times in 30 years. Left the block alone.

Also got some new gas struts pushing on the hatch. No more 2x4.

If you don’t plan on using the rear window wiper, (I never did) removing the wiper motor removes a ton of weight in the hatch. That motor maybe weighs 7 lbs. Not quite a ton but it sure loads up the hatch.
Once that motor is out - hatch is so much lighter and pops right up even with worn out struts.

 

[Tennessee80]

I’m at a crossroads with this truck.

I’ve already sheared off 1 air inlet on the head and I wouldn’t rule out that happening to at least 1 more. If that were to happen, I’d probably pull the head. If I pull the head, I’d want to do some decking, porting, etc. If I deck, port, etc I should rebuild the whole motor.

I have a built 2F that came out of the magical parts truck (Thanks for informing me, @yardbird), but I wanted to put that in a truck with a better rust situation. So, maybe what I need to do is get a frame blasted and powder coated, set the drivetrain in it, and then just swap the body. I’m all ears, but I think bang for the buck this may be the way to go.View attachment 3162278

Nice, man! Did someone name the oil pan?

LOL

 

[Jamieson22]

Nice, man! Did someone name the oil pan?

LOL

Gladys not leaking!

 

[Ian Crawford]

@SAH I got the air inlet ports out with an easy out: Builds - 1983 Cruiser Story - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/1983-cruiser-story.987502/page-2#post-10995794

 

[SAH]

@SAH I got the air inlet ports out with an easy out: Builds - 1983 Cruiser Story - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/1983-cruiser-story.987502/page-2#post-10995794

That’s very informative and sounds like my only option. Preciate you linking the post

 

[SAH]

Well, I found this diamond in the rough.

Frame swap is certainly in order. Worked on getting the motor ready to pull today before the rain rolled in.


I called a local company, Metalplate Galvanizing, in Atlanta who has a kettle large enough to dip automotive frames, but they said that they won't do the work for risk of warping the frame at 850 degrees. It looks like I'll be taking the good parts truck frame to a sandblaster and doing a POR 15 frame coating. Wide open on suggestions for best product or way to preserve the frame.


Lastly, grew my parts pile. Thanks to @NC LX for the Dobinsons springs and hardware

 

[Ian Crawford]

Media blast and powder coat. A lot less work on you!

 

[SAH]

Media blast and powder coat. A lot less work on you!

Blast-certainly
Powder- seems like the cons out weigh the pros for the frame IMO. I was going to galvanize then PC because that sounds like the best possible scenario, but galvanizing is seemingly unavailable so Plan B is to POR15

 

[Ian Crawford]

Galvanized would be ideal to cover every nook and cranny.

 

[SAH]

The parts truck has been hacked. I think that I "leveled up" as a redneck today.

On the 8th day, God created the sawzall.

Got the frame mostly stripped before work this morning. The leaf brackets are soaking in some WD to ease the pain of removal. I'd love to have this at the sandblaster next week.

For those who are concerned, this bondo applicator fell out of the rear when it got turned over. The body is toast on this parts truck

 

[Tennessee80]

The parts truck has been hacked. I think that I "leveled up" as a redneck today.
View attachment 3165318


On the 8th day, God created the sawzall.

View attachment 3165319
Got the frame mostly stripped before work this morning. The leaf brackets are soaking in some WD to ease the pain of removal. I'd love to have this at the sandblaster next week.
View attachment 3165321View attachment 3165320

For those who are concerned, this bondo applicator fell out of the rear when it got turned over. The body is toast on this parts truck
View attachment 3165322

Holy crap!

Before work!

 

[SAH]

Frame is ready for the blaster.

What I learned here is that a pry bar is your friend with old shackles and bushings, but also leave the tie rod in the front end. I felt very short bus trying to move that front end with the wheels going cross eyed

 

[SAH]

Did some interior stripping today on the brown truck. Found more rust than I wanted to find, but that's a redundant statement. All things considered, it's not so bad. It's in relatively easy to access areas. Both of the rear seat back mounts are rusted in almost the exact same way.

The front passenger floor carpet was wet. I’m not sure what it is plugged up to cause that, but it was the nail in the carpet’s coffin. Definitely going to be buying new carpet considering moisture, mice nests, and some dirt dobber nests.

I’ll probably try the dry ice trick to remove all of the old deadener and the “Toyota Tar” beneath it.

 

[SAH]

Glad to have found this amp so that I can get rid of these wires. The red one goes straight to the battery. I’d like to hide as much wiring as possible in the engine bay when we get to that point so these will be deleted immediately.

 

[SAH]

Got some updates on the truck.

Going to have to do a head gasket on the built 2F that's going in it. Also got it on the stand and put an old style oil filter bracket on it. Adios, oil cooler. Pulled the mechanical pump and am going to run a low pressure electric pump to feed the weber.

Also, I'm going to do an H55 swap "while I'm in there"

 

[SAH]

I ran across the C Channel repair kit from Trail Tailor and ordered one of those. Today and some of yesterday I got after it removing the C Channel, body mount rivets, rear crossmember rivets, and the rear bumper rivets. I think I counted over 50. Truth be told, I don't know how people do these with the truck on the frame, but I also do not have an air chisel.


Here’s a pic of the tools of the trade with the exception of my 30” pry bar to get the actual channels out once rivets were removed.

I used probably 10 cut off wheels and broke a few drill bits, but I had to go buy "cobalt" bits because they're better suited for the steel. At first the bits performed very well, but it didn't take 2 rivets for them to take a nosedive in performance. I used Rotella I had laying around, the frank's hot sauce of the lubricant world, to lubricate bits and holes as I went. It helped keep the metal shavings local, but it's still a nasty job. I had the most success by using the cut off wheel on the outside of the frame to grind the rivets flat and then bore out the rivet using 3 different size drill bits. Then I used a punch (body mount bolt) to force the rivets out of their homes of 38/39 years. I'm thrilled this job is over.

Lastly, a clean c channel ready for blasting, POR 15, and then a bolt in upgrade.

I earned the brown beer tonight. Go dawgs

 

[Tennessee80]

I ran across the C Channel repair kit from Trail Tailor and ordered one of those. Today and some of yesterday I got after it removing the C Channel, body mount rivets, rear crossmember rivets, and the rear bumper rivets. I think I counted over 50. Truth be told, I don't know how people do these with the truck on the frame, but I also do not have an air chisel.


Here’s a pic of the tools of the trade with the exception of my 30” pry bar to get the actual channels out once rivets were removed.View attachment 3173197


I used probably 10 cut off wheels and broke a few drill bits, but I had to go buy "cobalt" bits because they're better suited for the steel. At first the bits performed very well, but it didn't take 2 rivets for them to take a nosedive in performance. I used Rotella I had laying around, the frank's hot sauce of the lubricant world, to lubricate bits and holes as I went. It helped keep the metal shavings local, but it's still a nasty job. I had the most success by using the cut off wheel on the outside of the frame to grind the rivets flat and then bore out the rivet using 3 different size drill bits. Then I used a punch (body mount bolt) to force the rivets out of their homes of 38/39 years. I'm thrilled this job is over.


View attachment 3173186View attachment 3173187View attachment 3173188
View attachment 3173189View attachment 3173190View attachment 3173191



Lastly, a clean c channel ready for blasting, POR 15, and then a bolt in upgrade.

View attachment 3173192


I earned the brown beer tonight. Go dawgs

View attachment 3173195

Solid work man! I’m tired just looking at all of those rivets…

You earned that beer

 

[SAH]

Frame was dropped at sand blast/ powder coat 2 weeks ago. After consulting with some on this forum, it seems like powdercoat was the way to go for the long haul as well as resale value.

What has happened in the last few weeks is more parts accumulation and some prep.
I’m going with a 1F cleaner mounted to a Weber carb. The engine bay should be really clean and simple with almost no vacuum hoses cluttering it up.

I'm going with FJ62 axles to mate up to a new H55F and new split case from Cruiser Outfit. The "while I'm in there" sickness has got me running a fever. That said, I've got 2 pairs of FJ60 axles that are for sale.

I spent some time pressure washing the new units and wasn't wanting to repaint or refurbish the axle housings, but it looks like there's too much there for me to not spend a few more hours getting them looking right before they go under the truck.

 

[SAH]

Also, bought 5 35x12.5x15 KM2's from @ToyotaMatt


The plan with these is to widen the factory rim and have offset built in so as to not have to run a spacer.