10 years with the 60

[brian]

Pretty much have it ready to go.
There really isn't much to fasten to it prior to getting it under the body.

 

[brian]

I did find this tucked away in the front crossmember.

 

[SteveH]

Cool - does the key fit?

 

[brian]

Yeap in the box real good

 

[brian]

Looking good! Happy to lend a set of hands if needed!

Careful what you ask volunteer for

 

[DKSchrute]

Careful what you ask volunteer for

I could use the education! Maybe get my half banana skills up a little

 

[jmcclusk]

I commend you on the enormous amount of effort to get on a new frame. I had a similar case of frame rust from the rear axle backwards where it opens up to a C channel instead of box, and I cut it right there and built a new rear frame and joined the two right there under the truck. Not sure it was the easiest way about it, but didn't have a spare frame in 2009, just a bunch of box tubing. Ended up with something bulletproof though so it ended up good. Makes me rust paranoid now, blowing out the frame and spraying underbody all over it every summer when it dries out fully. good luck and nice rig!

 

[brian]

finally got around to getting a rivet nut setup in order to finish modification to the frame....it has the holes for the manual trans splash plate...but no threads.
all i needed to do was open the existing ~3/8" holes to 7/16".

 

[mongoose2231]

Nice work!!

 

[brian]

Tryed to burn up the fj60 this afternoon.
Its been sitting, awaiting its frame replacement , so I decided to fire it up just to exercise the mill a bit. The battery was weak but had enough to turn it over....but no fire..odd. popped the hood, no fuel in the carb sight glass..weird...but has been about 2months since it last ran. Nothing to do but crank it till the bowl fills...battery now flat.
So over comes the 75 and out with the jump cables....a few moments later and after more cranking , it rumbles into life like an old pratt and whitney radial....the problem being the 5/16" rubber fuel line off the pump now spraying gas all over the battery, alternator and distributor...guess it doesn't need to run that much after all.

 

[brian]

After way too long of a hiatus, it's time to start thing about what needs to happen here.
Its been sitting years now. Going to need brakes and figure why it had been running warm, and slightly mixing it's oil and water.
The entire cooling system needs cleaned up.
I guess the head should come off, though compression was never down on it.
Gave it wash this afternoon, after sitting under trees the last 4/5 years and it went from sad and lonely looking to ready to go.

 

[brian]

Coming up on around 23 years of ownership, and the last half dozen were more about neglect than care.....
But thats changing!
At this point I can't remember why I stopped driving it. I thought it was starting to run warm on hot days, but the last couple of days it's been just fine. I do know I lost faith in the heater hoses under the hood....most, if not all of them are still circa oct of 1986.
The front rotors are trash from sitting so long....heavy pitting, the calipers are slightly less junk but still scrap quality. The tires, although "brand new" bfg kos at one point now are also little more than time bombs.
The interior isnt terrible albeit full of dead yellow jackets. The idle time hasn't improved any of the rust issues....but i know a guy. Starting it regularly the last weeks has miraculously self-healed the starter solenoid issues...so that's a plus
Come the fall the brakes will be gone over.....it just does not want to stop....it will...eventually mostly.

 

[brian]

Had some free time and decided to take a better look at the calipers, and as I thought they both had a couple frozen pistons.
Slapped a set of calipers that I had in stock on it. I'm letting the crusty rotors ride for now, old pads had a good bit of life in them yet so we'll see if they won't clean the rotors up.
Needs a set of shocks too.
Tires are complete crap, besides the dry rot they're flat spotted....about 60 miles and they are not smoothing out.

 

[klinetime574]

Good to see you and your 60 back. Stinks about the tires. Maybe get the new Kenda Klever R/T KR601 33x9.5x15? My tires are 7 years old and they still look brand new, tread wise. I’ll be in a similar predicament soon enough! Sadly the tires won’t fix themselves like everything else has haha.

 

[brian]

Its good to be back.
I've been wanting to spend time under it the last 6 years or better, but there was always something else.
Brakes are much much better, still not quite 100%, but adequate for now.
The weeping 1986 heater hoses and a rear heater delete is likely next.
It was starting to look terrible.

 

[brian]

I think I'm going to cheat, cut the frame then just replace the rear half.