Sunny Belly Pix (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jul 20, 2004
Threads
274
Messages
23,233
Location
Chandler, AZ
Website
www.tontorecreationalliance.org
Brother Brian AKA "Macgyver" acquired "Sunny Belly" from brother Rob AKA "Turtle", this is the truck that turned turtle on Rob and showed it's belly to the sun. These pictures are from Saturday, the roof framework is pushed up and the doors fitted so they open and close. I hear that the sunroof area is pushed back into line and most of the left side sheet metal is back straight now, I need to stop and get some more pictures.

The short list of parts needed to complete the project are, a left front door glass, left rear tail light, left mirror and left side flares. If you have any spares for sale post up! He also needs a cracked, chipped or sand pitted windshield, if you need a new one he can get a good deal on a new glass so he can use the bad glass as a tool to fit the opening before installing his new glass.

It is two tone green and gray, talking about painting it early FJ40 dark green with the flairs and lower body black rhino lined. :cool:

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The hood is done, work is progressing on the left side. Medtro stepped up with the windshield, thank you sir! As soon as the glass is here the roof will get it's final tweaks and then the skin work. Looking good!

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The side is looking good, all the flares are going to be deleted and holes are getting welded up.

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Resale my a__. I do not do this much work so somebody else can drive it! I only work hard for something hard to buy, that I want. The last time it was my wife's 4X4, a 4WD Toyo van that was hit head-on by a Grand Cherokee over 50 MPH! (The Jeep lost badly! Toyo builds them right.) When I get this one done, I'll try to bring both to a meet so you can all check them out. The cruiser is looking OK. It started with the left front roof down 6", left front door badly bent, dents down the left side, & the left quarter looked like a barn hit it. The flattened left quarter is straightened & primed, left door frames straight. Left front door glass & sunroof work well now. There is still skin work to do on both left doors. When I get a junk windshield out of Jackson's truck I can align the windshield frame. Then I will weld the innerstructure to the roof skin to add strength, (an old racer's trick), and smooth the roof skin. Then it will be time for paint and happiness!
 
P.S. to last

Found most of my needed body parts locally today at smokin' prices. Call Coker @ Alma Imports for body stuff: 480-898-0311. He has 2 trucks. He has a clean left mirror shell sans the motor & glass that could complete my parts list. I have some of the parts. If anyone has a broken mirror around, it may have what I need in it. Give me a shout! Thx to all!
 
Not so long ago we brothers all had silver 4-Runners. All the same color, bought over several years time. Odd coincidence, all owning the same truck, different years/styles, each the same color and bought at different times. Macgyver also has a 4WD toyo van (Wife's 4x4 & very rare) and 4 short-back Monteros. Monteros are 1 great reliable driver, 1 builder, 2 for parts. When the Cruiser is complete the Monteros will all go for sale. Trying to move to Prescott area soon, do not need the baggage of all those spare parts to drag along.
The Cruiser repair is coming along nicely. Still need a junk windshield to use for squaring up the roof. Jackson is replacing his this week. Anyone else needing one just e-mail me (macgyver@cableaz.com) I will set you up with a smokin' deal and try to break your old one with my port-a-power!
 
Doing finish work on most of Sunny-Belly. Smoothing repaired panels for paint. I need to finish squaring up the roof panel. Still need a junk front glass to use for aligning the windshield frame. I can buy a new one for $80. It seems a shame to take a brand new glass & destroy it with a port-a-power in order to straighten out the front of the roof area. I will do it if necessary.
If anyone needs a new windshield on an 80 series in the Phx area, I can get you a deal. I need your old cracked or pitted glass to beat up on. Just call 480-720-1965.
 
To import sylvia;
What seems to be a black art is simply not understood. For an example, you ladies are a mystery to most of us men. You all can be an obscure art to us. We do not understand you. That does not mean that you are somehow alien or odd. We love all of you. It is just that we don't understand everything about how you feel on some issues.
Body work is like that. Like most things, it can be simple if we can understand it. But it is a mysterious thing. If I can I will try to simplify it.
The distortion of vehicle body structures or surface skins is always caused by stress. The steel structure or surface skin of a vehicle wants to conform to the shape that was designed by the factory. That is its main desire. Under any kind of duress the metal will always try to hold the original shape. It can only be moved from that form by pressure or impact, and held in deformity by stress against the steel. The relieving of stress against metal structures is the center of quality bodywork.
It is a common misconceptcion that a bent body structure can be straightened by an equal and opposite force, I.E. a hydraulic ram or frame rack. But that is not true in the case of a talented bodyman. Instead, we relieve stress on the structure, in order to allow it to correct itself.
We begin by studying the deformed structure. Then we apply force gently and carefully at the points of stress that are causing the structure to remain in deformity. We use force to relieve stress on the overall structure, not to force it back into shape. This allows the structure to return to its original form without direct force, and without giving up structural strength. The idea is to permit the metal to return to the shape and form that it would prefer to take, by the relieving of the stress on the metal that is holding it in a deformed position. Then we smooth the surface and repaint the body.
Does any of this make sense to anyone? In tech. terms this is how these things are done.
 
Speaking of misconceptions... I'm not positive, but I believe the name "Import Silvia" has more to do with the JDM version of the Nissan 240sx, aka the Silvia.
 
Hondo said:
Speaking of misconceptions... I'm not positive, but I believe the name "Import Silvia" has more to do with the JDM version of the Nissan 240sx, aka the Silvia.


BWAHAHA!! thats what i was thinking as i was reading macs reply.
 
Hondo said:
Speaking of misconceptions... I'm not positive, but I believe the name "Import Silvia" has more to do with the JDM version of the Nissan 240sx, aka the Silvia.



I've wheeled with Silvia. If he's a girl he sure is ugly! :D
 

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