Builds 1963 FJ45LP SWB Fixed Top "Sweet Simplicity" (4 Viewers)

[middlecalf]

@Unimogguy that does help. Looks like 14-7/8“ to 15” is close enough! Thanks. @Redgrrr is sending me a set of the catches to copy, and (hopefully!) a set of hinges to boot (purchased). Gettin’ there! BTW, have I missed your build somewhere?

 

[Unimogguy]

@Unimogguy that does help. Looks like 14-7/8“ to 15” is close enough! Thanks. @Redgrrr is sending me a set of the catches to copy, and (hopefully!) a set of hinges to boot (purchased). Gettin’ there! BTW, have I missed your build somewhere?

No build thread….yet.

 

[middlecalf]

And it just struck my puny brain that your rig @unimog is the infamous brown turd referred to by Nolan @wngrog. Wasn't this a possible arcade center for @jmlockwood 's game room at one point in alien time?

 

[wngrog]

And it just struck my puny brain that your rig @unimog is the infamous brown turd referred to by Nolan @wngrog. Wasn't this a possible arcade center for @jmlockwood 's game room at one point in alien time?

45

 

[jomelo]

And it just struck my puny brain that your rig @unimog is the infamous brown turd referred to by Nolan @wngrog. Wasn't this a possible arcade center for @jmlockwood 's game room at one point in alien time?

I was just thinking the other day that I’m sad I sold that truck.

 

[wngrog]

I was just thinking the other day that I’m sad I sold that truck.

Jesus not me

 

[mmcinnis]

Hey, not to hijack but I will need a tire carrier and hinges for my 62, if anyone has this for sale. If the 40 is the same I'm game.
Build looks great.
Mike

 

[middlecalf]

Mike @mmcinnis I’ve had good luck with John @pardion for these things. Maybe he’ll have one. The 40’s carriers are the same, just needs some trimming as pointed out above. I cut those tailgate catches that are on my rig - nonstock PO versions - and the carrier closes fine.

 

[middlecalf]

I thought I’d used up my allocation of square one’s. Guess not.

Doesn‘t look like @tahoe40/45 ’s rib is trimmed, but looks like mine needs to be to clear the tailgate latch. Sup?

Carrier and lock location seem to be spot on to where the tailgate hinge will sit.

 

[tahoe40/45]

Looks like the angle iron on mine is reversed compared to the FJ40 one you have.

 

[middlecalf]

Sure does @tahoe40/45. Also on the tire side there’s added square channel to gain more room for wider tires I assume. The PO of my ’65 40’s carrier added nuts under those bolts to gain height, so I guess that’s common given modern tire widths compared to back-in-the-day tires. Doesn‘t look obvious though that that angle iron was flipped and rewelded. Maybe that’s another difference with the FST tailgates.

I suppose I can judiciously trim the flange for fitment without losing too much structural integrity. Probably easier than cutting all the welds and redoing. I’ll think about it for a bit.

 

[tahoe40/45]

Sure does @tahoe40/45. Also on the tire side there’s added square channel to gain more room for wider tires I assume. The PO of my ’65 40’s carrier added nuts under those bolts to gain height, so I guess that’s common given modern tire widths compared to back-in-the-day tires. Doesn‘t look obvious though that that angle iron was flipped and rewelded. Maybe that’s another difference with the FST tailgates.

I suppose I can judiciously trim the flange for fitment without losing too much structural integrity. Probably easier than cutting all the welds and redoing. I’ll think about it for a bit.

I added 1"x 1" square tube to my tire mount bracket also to make room for slightly bigger tires.

Someone years ago made a few of the bolt on brackets a little bigger so you could run bigger tires without adding something like the square tubing to get the extra clearance.

 

[middlecalf]

Ok, wrapping this adventure up. Made the cut for the hinge clearance and the cut for the latch clearance. Pics suck. On to the cross members.

 

[middlecalf]

Finally got some unobtanium. Thanks @Redgrrr !

 

[middlecalf]

One more down. Two (small ones) to go.

 

[middlecalf]

More or less done

 

[middlecalf]

Glossed. Time to move topside and outside. Only so long you can hang on the underside but this took forever.

 

[middlecalf]

Tailgate is pretty bad. Got the broken latch bolt out, so those weld nuts and the chain bracket mount weld nuts are good to go. The bottom and hinge weld nut mounts were toast. Replaced those weld nuts with, literally, welded nuts as I need the reduced height in that area for a more tapered close out to allow clearance for mod‘d rear sill. Wished I’d planned better .

Not sure how strong these tailgates are, appear to be 18-g. I’ll be sliding heavy stuff across it, so a little concerned. Considerations in play are no tailgate (removed for when I’m hauling the heavy stuff, but kind of a pain for this design), remove the chains and drop the tailgate down (but I’d have to go without the bumperettes), or use a barn door tailgate like my 40.

 

[xtremeVA]

As a member of the "cut, bend, weld, grind...repeat" club I'm impressed with your progress.

 

[middlecalf]

@xtremeVA thanks, but don’t be too impressed . Maybe we need to organize a gathering of the CBWGR club members. But we need a better acronym than that. I’d attend the SITSD convention too. In fact I might be a founding member, me and Forest G.