Builds 1965 FJ45lv build up/resto thread

buckroseau · Jun 27, 2005

Chef said:
Holy crap Matt! Did you take the body completely apart? Man, you're making my project look really, really minor dude

Not completely, but a several body parts have to come off. That panel was barely hanging on there. The vehicle must have gotten hit on that quarter many, many years ago. It was replace with a factory toyota quarter, but it was done so crude. Inner panel needs to be fixed also, so I decide to take it off and do it right.

Matt

buckroseau · Jun 27, 2005

fjwagon said:
....and the second and third tool..... I'm in the process of collecting items for the wagon. I still need some rubber for the windows, seat covers and horn assy. I'm also getting tools I don't have so I can do some body work. I have rebuilt several engines but never done body work and the wagon is going to need some help.....lots of help. Any advice would help. Thanks

Sorry, I was incorrect with my previous info. That list user: MIKESTA, made was not a few pages back on my thread, it was on his build thread.

Post #6

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=46782

Basiclly everything.......

Sorry again, Matt

Mikesta · Jun 27, 2005

Axles

Hey Buck... I've read this thread again... actually skimmed it... I thought about PM'ing you, but with your throurough descriptions... thought it may be better to reply to your thread as your answer will most likely benefit every other LV owner that reads it.

I am getting ready to blast, but before I do, I want to grind off the stuff that doesnt belong on mine... which is about 100lbs of added metal.

I'm curious about the saginaw power steering plate you welded on... did you fabricate that plate? If so, what was the guage of steel used.

Second question is regarding your axles... looks like you have one with disk brakes and one with drum... was there any reason for this? Just curious as I hear that Disc all around is more sought after? Just wondering what your reasoning is for this? I am modeling alot of What I do to my truck around your build... heck maybe the license plate will even read "BUCKRO" :doh:

Cant wait to get my frame done and rolling and looking forward to seeing yours get closer to done! Is your wife going to let you drive it?

Cheers
Mikesta

buckroseau · Jun 27, 2005

Mikesta said:
1. I'm curious about the saginaw power steering plate you welded on... did you fabricate that plate? If so, what was the guage of steel used.

2. Second question is regarding your axles... looks like you have one with disk brakes and one with drum... was there any reason for this? Just curious as I hear that Disc all around is more sought after? Just wondering what your reasoning is for this? I am modeling alot of What I do to my truck around your build... heck maybe the license plate will even read "BUCKRO"

3. Cant wait to get my frame done and rolling and looking forward to seeing yours get closer to done! Is your wife going to let you drive it?

Cheers
Mikesta

1. No, I did not fabricate it. I did have to modify it though. I got mine from user: Orange45 for $60 I believe. He had laser cut up a bunch and was selling them off. BTB products sells the exact same plates for $80, you may have to go through them though as Orange45 may have none left. I believe the thickness was 1/4", but don't quote me on that. When I first tried to fit them up I thought I got some hokey plates and kinda shot off my mouth about how they didn't fit, that was wrong of me. The more I looked into it, a 45 frame is taperd back at the front x-member about 15 degrees, so the plates I had wouldn't square up. The plates were absolutely perfect for a 40 though, but now one makes them for a 45. I actually used a piece off the back of the plate and welded it onto the plate on the x-member side, ground it down, you can't even tell I did it. This actually will make more sense after you have the plates in your hand and are trying to fit them. When you get them it would probably be easier to answer this question more in detail then.

2. Yes, I have one with discs and the other with drums. Reason for this, it's what came out of the 79 FJ40 I bought for parts. I wanted disc's up front and I also wanted the 3.73 ring and pinion which comes in 79 + model FJ40's, just a little taller gearing to get the RPM's down when the wife is cruise'n at 80 Mph. Disc's all the way around would proably be more desirable in terms of performance, but you would have to buy an aftermarket kit or some other donor vehicle parts I believe and convert the rear axle over to rear disc's. I'm not sure on all that stuff, I'm sure they would know more in the 40 tech section about that stuff, but I think I'm in the ball park. I believe for my application the stock axles out the 79 will work just fine.

3. Probably not :frown:

Matt

TJDIV · Jun 28, 2005

jeez.....this thing still isn't done.......

???

hahaha....................JK. Keep goin' dude!

buckroseau · Jun 28, 2005

06/27/05

Got a couple hours out in the shop tonight. Figured I would tear into that rear sill that is all bent to hell.

I removed those covers that cover the rear hinges on the sill. I'm pretty sure this vehicle was orginally red on the lower half, always kinda suspected it, but confirmed once I removed those covers.

I blasted the tops of the philips head bolts to get a better bite with the impact driver. I busted the bit in one of them, absolutely rusted solid on all 6 of them. So, I drilled all of them out.

You can also see the spot welds I drilled out on the rear sill, and then cut into a portion of the upper sill on each side of the hinge mounts, it was bent pretty bad in between that area. Sheared along the back side, that was also bent pretty bad, so took all of that off. Figured I would go with all new straight stuff.

Got the rust stuff blasted and primed tonight, so next time I'm out there I can start fabbing and welding in sheet metal

Matt

buckroseau · Jun 28, 2005

lot more to go

buckroseau · Jun 28, 2005

more

buckroseau · Jun 28, 2005

What is this little small part with the wire on it? It was floating around inside the boxed in area in the rear sill? I'm assuiming it bolted or screwed into that rear hole in the sill that I took a pic by a few photo's down????

buckroseau · Jun 28, 2005

even some more

buckroseau · Jun 28, 2005

oh yea, fun

buckroseau · Jun 28, 2005

3 more

buckroseau · Jun 28, 2005

last 2

treerootCO · Jun 29, 2005

the little box with the wires is the contact for the licnese plate light. Turns off when the tailgate is open, on when shut.

cruiserdan · Jun 29, 2005

So, I guess it was a basicly a sound body except for all of the body then............

At the rate you are going you will have a hand-built copy of the body....

Chef · Jun 29, 2005

They were hand built at the factory, so that's all good

buckroseau · Jun 29, 2005

cruiserdan said:
So, I guess it was a basicly a sound body except for all of the body then............

At the rate you are going you will have a hand-built copy of the body....

Well it was pretty sound, ya gotta have a starting point right

I still would consider it a pretty good body as far as rust was concerned. It has/had some rot, but better than some I've seen. Floor for the most part was completely in tact, wasn't to much to do there. Rust in the usual spots for any vehicle that's 40 years old I guess. I would also say that those boxed sections I'm pulling apart with all the rust inside....... Every LV has that inside I bet. None of those parts were treated on the inside with primer or anything. If you have an LV and it hasn't been taken apart to get inside those boxed areas, it's got rust in there. Not saying that everyone should go out and do what I'm doing, I've just got it apart and most of that metal in the back was bent up bad, so figure I'll kill 2 birds with one stone while I'm here.

I would say the biggest problem with this body is how bad it is bent up, and it is bad!! I'm pretty sure it was used in a demolition derby at one time in it's life. I'll just keep straigtening and replacing steel until I'm done.

Now fabricating an aluminum body from scratch would be possible and very cool.

Matt

buckroseau · Jun 29, 2005

06/30/05

Got another couple hours out in the shop tonight.

Started by fabbing up part of the new rear sill piece I cut out between the hinge mounts. As I said before it was bent to hell pretty bad, not so much rusty, just bent up as it had been hit in the rear at some time.

Anyway, pics of the new part, welded in ground down and primed. I am very happy with it, after primer anyone would be hard pressed to see what I did

Also started taking apart the hinge mounting boxes that were inside below the sill. I think I will be using one of those mounting boxes and most of the other, just have to bend up a new piece of tin that holds the large plate with the threaded holes. I also cut up and tapped 2 new plates that will be going in there. Pretty basic, 1/4" thick steel, 2" wide, 3 3/8" long with 3 - 8mm x 1.25 holes.

Anyway, pics, Matt