Builds 1963 FJ45LP SWB Fixed Top "Sweet Simplicity" (5 Viewers)

[middlecalf]

@HelloKitty65 where at, who? Is he/she a mud member? Would love to touch base. Looks like the same Carter carbs, but he still has the intake plenums and hoses, mine are missing. I haven’t been able to find 90-deg plenums that have the correct carb diameter. My rig runs and idles, throttles up unloaded, but pukes when throttling up under load.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Sent you a PM.

 

[FJ45VTOZ]

are these dual manifolds the same ones as used on 216/235 Chevy or are they totally different?

 

[middlecalf]

I have no idea. On the carb side I’ve got carter carbs on there, so I’d guess that’s the same (I‘m hoping the SD40s I have will fit, but haven’t checked that yet). Only thing I can think of is does a standard 216/235 intake manifold fit an F motor? My offy bolts to the exhaust manifold as well, so there’s that part of the compatibility issue as well. Not much help here, .

 

[middlecalf]

Can‘t bend 16-gauge of sufficient length in my brake, so had to build front hat channel from pieces. Salvaged original frame mounts. Decided to edge weld it in place instead of plug welded.

On to the next cross member.

 

[middlecalf]

And it’s off. Fortunately the bosses that are where the through-bed bolt go are ok, so I just need to cut and splice the bad metal around them as well as the areas below the cross member. The rust was astonishing.

 

[middlecalf]

For a minute I thought the bow was coming from my shop. No such luck.

 

[whitey45]

Pretty epic pic!!

 

[middlecalf]

Quilting

Changed the design of the wheel well support channel, maybe it will help keep crap out of itself.

 

[mmcinnis]

Quilting
View attachment 2686651

Changed the design of the wheel well support channel, maybe it will help keep crap out of itself.

Looks good, I've been thinking of all the ways to get these made. My bed is worse than yours. Looks like I'll be down the same path eventually. Awesome job.
Mike

 

[middlecalf]

Thanks Mike @mmcinnis If you have access to a bead roller of significance (I don’t hence the patching) you could roll out a whole or big section of the replacement floor and then spot weld it in place at the original panel edges. The welding of all these pieces is very time consuming, and will not look all that great, but functional, in the end. It’s taking me about one small roll of welding wire per support channel and underlying structure, .

 

[middlecalf]

Dare I reveal my top secret tooling for getting things mostly straight and level? Ok, John Deere tractor with hydraulic bucket for down force on front cross member, 200-lb tub of protein feed for counter weight at rear, 2-ton floor jack with 2x4 to lift and press it all level from underneath, and ISO certified level concrete pads for precision datum .Perfect. Then 36 plug welds in the new 2nd cross member. No popping so far .

(^picture was taken after I removed the tractor and protein tub, the bed was sitting flush on the concrete when I made the plug welds. That gap is roughly how much curvature was taken out of the floor side-to-side)

Second cross member support almost complete .

 

[middlecalf]

On to cross member #3

 

[middlecalf]

3 down incl the filled filler tube hole.

The rest has to all be removed and repaired/replaced since it all ties together with the rear sill at the edges. This includes the sidewall supports that are rotted at the floor line. And the sidewall holes. At least another month .

Cracks me up, four structural cross members that attach to the frame, and all four are of a different design.

But so far everything fits.

 

[middlecalf]

56 spot welds to go

Dust storm last week, a minute later and the view was completely gone. Now we’re almost 100-deg on edit: 101.5 today. What, we're Phoenix now?

 

[middlecalf]

Done with spotwelds except for what’s left of the sill. Then cosmetic surgery starts.

 

[middlecalf]

Can‘t figure out the purpose of this hefty brace. Serious welding though so maybe it was a high school shop class project.

It’s gone now anyhow. Put on before the repaint obviously but was a definite help with the rust propagation .

Truck will be lighter by 10lbs now .

 

[DomSmith]

OEM Canadian spec wheel barrel retaining brace.

 

[Michael B]

Possibly a spare tire mount?

 

[middlecalf]

@Michael B I was thinking maybe that too but there isn’t much room for a wheel/tire in the bed and there’s no obvious hole for mounting hardware on either side. Bizarre weld pattern on the side. No paraphernalia or illegal contraband on the inside that I found.