Builds 1963 FJ45LP SWB Fixed Top "Sweet Simplicity" (16 Viewers)

[middlecalf]

Some progress, 3 of 4 corners roughed in along with the entire base perimeter. Doing this really skookum must take some serious fab tools, not my seat of the pants approach . As my wife says, “better than it was” (in this case cuz there wasn’t any was, lol). Backside welding.

Got the McMaster Carr weld nuts tacked in the drip rail. Cracks me up, there’s 20 6mm bolts holding this rail/roof on. I guess that means I need 500 tack welds to hold the roof to the rail. The way I weld, better make it 1000.

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

Nice work Paul! I applaud you for saving that roof it’s definitely a big undertaking. Certainly a tough job with all those compound curves Keep up the good work.

JP

 

[middlecalf]

Last corner in. On to remaining holes and restoring the piece that seals to the windshield frame. Fun, it’s curved and shaped. Unless I can find a replacement.

And the 40 got a new water pump (SBC) and I mowed the lawn for the first time this year. 190 bales of hay fed this am. Beer in hand now.

 

[cult45]

Big job mate but you undertook it! Well done!

 

[middlecalf]

Roof work continues, all the holes “filled.” Now lots of grinding, sanding, hammer-dolly finish work, oil-canning removal, then some filling. And that’s just to get it down to maybe a 20-footer. It will look used.

 

[middlecalf]

Then this part. Either gets repaired or replaced, but replacement is a long shot it appears. There’s about 5 to 6 inches rusted away on both ends, plus the drilled out spot weld holes, plus what‘s left is pretty crusty.

 

[middlecalf]

So after that hard part is done, I have to relocate it on the roof. That’s going to be real fun. Here’s a pic of city racer’s early windshield seal, and how it’s shown installed on his website (and a mud thread).

But what’s not shown is how it seals against the part in the previous post. Is this how it seals, just by bearing? I thought maybe that part flange would insert into the rubber seal, but fitment doesn’t really point to this. I can’t find any reference pictures, plus my ‘65 40 has a McMaster Carr rubber seal, so I don’t have an available reference. Help needed.

 

[middlecalf]

And endless picture posts continue. Now to the rest of the roof seal. Here’s city racer’s 45 LPB seal. It’s close when it gets stretched, but interesting. I thought the legs over the doors would be short because the cabs on the fixed tops are smaller in length, but this seal actually fits without stretching over my doors ??. And the holes along that part align with frame holes, so I guess that’s common with the removeable top cabs. The corners are tighter, so not sure where the removeable top cabs get there extra length. The rest of the holes don’t match, not surprised.

Here’s how the seal sits unstretched on my rain gutter frame.

Not sure the best approach to make this fit, I’ll invent something. Didn’t find where anyone’s documented this, one mud person has one they were going to use at some point.

 

[middlecalf]

Looks like that channel mounts further forward, at least on my 40 with a fiberglass roof. Now that rubber seal‘s orientation and function makes even less sense to me mounted facing aft. It has to mount facing forward.

 

[middlecalf]

@dmaddox installed the seal pointing forward and up-ish (pic from his build thread). Looks like the bump in the roof channel seals between the two rubber flanges. Still looking for pic or info on such.

That interior paneling cover matching the seats is so skookum.

Unrelated stuff, didn’t reuse these cuz of age but just noticed the part number.

 

[dmaddox]

That is correct, the bump/seam on the roof cap sits in that channel and it orientates forward.
Here is what I believe I ordered (its been a few years) from SOR:

108-01A-A

REPRODUCTION TOP WINDSHIELD WEATHERSTRIP - Fits 1958-1965 FJ40/FJ45Pick Up - Aftermarket

 

[middlecalf]

Set the roof aside for a bit, waiting for some more beating and grinding instruments to show up. Need a break from that anyhow.

So on to the wire harnesses. I’ll rebuild the chassis harness, wiper harness ok, and new front bib harness in hand. Some fixes and changes to the main harness, about ready to reinstall. The BR wire now comes off a constant fused terminal, the main W (WB) wire has a fusible link, the W jumper wire at the fuse box is eliminated (using a new city racer fuse box that has just two power terminals, one switched, one unswitched, unlike the original three terminal box), defunct connectors replaced, and a new starter switch plug is wired in place. Rewrap done where needed.

I was hoping to implement the CHG idiot light, but in order to do that I need a VR with a idiot light switch, and only the original VRs that work with the original generators (both long gone and virtually non-existent that functions) or the IR 3-wire alternators such as the GM 10SI have that. The 10SI won‘t mount on the original Toyota mount without mod. Dang.

 

[middlecalf]

@Cruiser_Nerd pointed me to these brackets, ordered. A200, Universal Alternator Bracket, Generator to Alternator Conversion
So going with a the 10si alternator and hopefully the idiot light will function for this idiot (me).

 

[middlecalf]

Cowl and wiper harnesses back in, always fun trying to get enough length to terminals in old harnesses. Measure twice, cut once, but I’m really not cutting anything lol. Flipped the new fuse box, relabeled, and had to swap the wiper and meter terminal positions because of Y (meter) wire length. Didn’t want any splices if possible. The spare now fuses the BR wire, which is live all the time (powers ignition switch). Just the meter, wipers and turn signals are switched.

 

[middlecalf]

98 plug welds and the gutter and roof are now one. Maybe a 20-footer.

Now the fun part. Templating, building, locating the visor.

 

[Michael B]

Nice reflection in the windshield!

 

[middlecalf]

That is correct, the bump/seam on the roof cap sits in that channel and it orientates forward.

How did you get the seal to have that shape? That’s a good condition I’d like to get mine in to so I can work on rebuilding the visor piece. Thanks.

 

[middlecalf]

This ought to work. I love ad hoc tooling.

This is how I remove rust from long skinny parts using only a little over a gallon of evaporust. Hopefully I can scavenge a fair amount of what’s left of the visor.

 

[scoobiedubes]

This ought to work. I love ad hoc tooling.
View attachment 2292199

This is how I remove rust from long skinny parts using only a little over a gallon of evaporust. Hopefully I can scavenge a fair amount of what’s left of the visor.
View attachment 2292198

I like the views in the background!

 

[middlecalf]

Getting some views checking on spring tank put in last fall. And of course social distancing.