Builds 1963 FJ45LP SWB Fixed Top "Sweet Simplicity" (3 Viewers)

[whitey45]

Nothing better for your health and mental status than living in the country!! You are way out there! I am 5 miles off the coast of beautiful Northern California, but very lucky to have this little slice of it! My son and I out for a feel good ride!!

 

[middlecalf]

Gorgeous country!

 

[middlecalf]

Turns out sun softens the rubber but it returns to memory, not good until it’s all together. That’s why the glass seals look iffy until they warm up and snug up. So I’ve got the seal tight wrapped on some angle iron to spread it out in my shop which is cool - 62 deg right now. That should help keep it spread out as I put the roof on to see where the visor remnant should mount, so then I can make its repair that will hopefully fit up and seal. Crazy process, this seal design is a stretch - no wonder it changed.

 

[middlecalf]

First guess at outer pieces, not exactly sure of shape, just following top windshield flange.

 

[middlecalf]

The crap part of this design is there’s no way to seam seal the outside seam, and there’s a good water migration path up and into the void. It should drain to the right or left, but that seam needs to be sealed - the reason a lot of these are rusted gone.

 

[middlecalf]

Ends built

Fit checked

Visor rebuilt

Installed

hope it works

 

[middlecalf]

Maybe for the next thing to get repaired I’ll use gorilla tape. Made a good redneck fix on the screen door destroyed by the 8-month old terror known as Tozer the bulldozer.

 

[middlecalf]

And then I redid the ends for a better fit.

 

[middlecalf]

Fussy details. The drain holes in the drip rail are a principle source of leaking and rot. With the fiberglass roofs you can goop up the seams, squish the roof and gutter together and then rivet. Can’t do that with metal roofs because of spot welds. A sleeve might work, but I used a slightly larger upper hole and then tack welded around to seal that joint. Primed, next seam sealer to equalize the channel width (cuz I suck at making things) and self-leveling dicor lap sealant to make it all pretty.

 

[middlecalf]

Uh oh, more gloss.

Some days it’s tough to paint around here. We just had 40+ side by sides go past us on our dirt road, shop is engulfed in dust. Those things should be taxed to the end of time to cover the costs of road maintenance and dust control. Good thing I’m not king.

 

[FJ45VTOZ]

looks great are you going to put a headliner in?

 

[middlecalf]

Thought about it, but with the environment I’m in the headliner would be a dust bag. Most likely textured paint.

 

[middlecalf]

Inside done. Textured paint.

Still thinking about outside. If paint, will be hy-tech bus kote with UV block. Or spotted deglossed SR overspray like parts of interior. Because it’s a 20-ft’r, I don’t want too much attention given it. First is to put self leveling lap sealant in raingutter.

 

[middlecalf]

A bit clunky putting the generator-to-alternator conversion bracket in place for the 10SI, but it mostly fits. And there’s some good chrome for under the hood to please a couple of mud-folks .
10SI remanufactured in China, we'll see.

 

[middlecalf]

Hoping this was going to be a good day and milestone. Not.

Using energy suspension body mounts there isn’t enough clearance for the T/C.

 

[middlecalf]

And when I raise the cab to get clearance for the T/C I run into interference with top shifter - which is not stock for this year, should be a side shifter. So issues with tunnel fit.

And even with that the drivers side needs more to match passenger. But those body mount heights don’t make sense, this thing shouldn’t need a body lift with “stock” drive train.

 

[middlecalf]

Rear motor mounts. But everything wrt to drivetrain fits. If the motor is lowered the T/C shift lever interferes with frame.

 

[middlecalf]

I’m at a loss. Anyone know what the body mounts are suppose to look like for an early ‘63 SWB?

As for the shifter, that’s a problem as the early trannys had the shift lever come from below as the shifter was on the side not the top. So the tunnel isn’t designed to accommodate this mod. John @pardion any ideas?

 

[pardion]

Wow you got me on these two, can't remember on the body mounts. Maybe a 64 doghouse?

 

[middlecalf]

@Splangy I read your posts on FJ40Jim’s 45 SWB thread about the differences in ‘62 transfer cases from later ones. Do you know if the ‘62 cases sat lower or were angled more than the later ones? I’m trying to figure my interference issue as stated above.

Did you ever find an answer to your question as to which mounts go where on your 45?