Builds Jacks 40 to fake 45 build (4 Viewers)

[JackA]

Happy Easter everybody......

Got the majority of the top side welding done on the bed. Alittle grinding then reinstall the floor and tack that in place. Then I will flip / rotate bed to finish the bottom welding and hard to get spots.

Then primer and bodywork.......

 

[JackA]

Bed floor edges smoothed out and tacked in place. Now I need to flip it over onto the cart for bottom welding.

 

[tls3601]

Always bothers me when a PO cuts the posts on the hard top side. The top gets a long of it's strength the those posts when it goes thru top and bottom holes in the tub. With the factory soft top bows your can stand on the running board and rock the cruiser side to side and the bows do not flex. Never seen a jeep you could do that too. Never had interest in a soft top for my first FJ40 until I bought my first FST. Tie rods I believe will fit inside the tube and can be used to get the strength back in the hard top sides

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The ‘76 I have is missing the rods that side into the tub on one side. Got the rattles . I imagine it is a pretty easy fix for a talented welder with some stock?

 

[JackA]

Yeah, that would not be hard to fix.

 

[JackA]

Got in some grind time. Everything is relatively smooth and should not need much filler.
I splurged and bought some good mud though. It's the fiberglass reinforced body filler.

 

[RevISK]

Got in some grind time. Everything is relatively smooth and should not need much filler.
I splurged and bought some good mud though. It's the fiberglass reinforced body filler.

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Is this the mud we are all supposed to hate?

Your build is the stuff of dreams, I so enjoy watching you do you. Thanks for documenting this, it really is a treat.

Ian

 

[bikersmurf]

Is this the mud we are all supposed to hate?

Your build is the stuff of dreams, I so enjoy watching you do you. Thanks for documenting this, it really is a treat.

Ian

Well... I certainly hate it. I would rater have visible work than do it... almost. I'd still rather have visible patches.

I have improved and learned a lot. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir, but the most important thing has to be to toss it once it starts to set... nothing good can come from using mud that's kicking off.

 

[Krondor]

If you have trouble with that fiber reinforced body filler like I did, I’d highly recommend ever coat rage gold body filler. The fiber glass wouldn’t lay down smooth enough for me and required a ton of sanding. Rage gold sticks really well, sands well, and goes on nicely.

Also remember with body filler, and soon paint, spend 5 times as long on prep as you do the application of product. If you don’t have a good and CLEAN surface, whatever you put on top will no adhere correctly and can break its bond.

This build is too awesome for a bad finish.

 

[MOTOV8R]

Is this the mud we are all supposed to hate?

Your build is the stuff of dreams, I so enjoy watching you do you. Thanks for documenting this, it really is a treat.

Ian

People are leery of mud because you don’t know what it’s hiding not because it’s bad. It’s only bad when not used properly. On an offroad vehicle it can make sense to skip it if you aren’t too concerned with a smooth and straight finish.

 

[RevISK]

People are leery of mud because you don’t know what it’s hiding not because it’s bad. It’s only bad when not used properly. On an offroad vehicle it can make sense to skip it if you aren’t too concerned with a smooth and straight finish.

I guess now is the time to admit I was joking.

I appreciate the straightforward responses though, I guess I’ve always wondered what mud did what to @woody to make him h8 it so…

 

[JackA]

I am no master metal man, so some body filler is required. It's not like I am covering rust with it. Anyways, even high end hot rods and such have some filler. Like stated above, it's how it's used. Plus, this truck WILL get wheeled and beat on off road. It's not a show truck.

Anyways, I welded up the huge seem in the bed floor. Some grinding to knock it down a bit. Then used the DA to smooth it out and rough up the rest of the bed floor. I am going to do some bed liner on the floor later too. Again, working truck.

 

[peacesells63]

It's not like I am covering rust with it.

I’m sure they had good intentions…

 

[JackA]

We have lift off........the bed that is. Got it flipped over onto the cart. My friend Pat and I were able to move it pretty easily. Probably weights 300 plus lbs.

Still need to weld the bottom. You can see where I notched the rails to clear the shock tube on the frame. This kept the bed floor as low as possible.

Gonna need more helpers once its painted and needs to be moved around some more.

 

[Michael B]

Paint the bed upside down Jack. It will make for some interesting conversation about the direction of the runs

 

[bikersmurf]

Anyone seeing the bottom of the box will be busy talking about it being upside down… not the runs.

 

[JackA]

I built a receiver hitch point into the bumper and tied it back to the original bumper / crossmember. Should be plenty of beef.

 

[JackA]

Finishing up the bottom of the bed. My goal is to have the bed in primer by the end of the weekend.

 

[JackA]

Most the bed welding is done and the front panel is on.

 

[JackA]

I think it's ready for the first coats of primer.

 

[JackA]

Bottom is primed. I actually got it done. Hopefully I can get a helper or 2 and flip it tomorrow morning. Then prime the top side.
It's happy hour.....