Builds 1965 FJ45lv build up/resto thread

[buckroseau]

more

 

[buckroseau]

some more

 

[buckroseau]

even more........

 

[buckroseau]

mmmm.....more...

 

[buckroseau]

last 3 of the lv...

 

[buckroseau]

mmmmmmm..........concrete..................

 

[buckroseau]

Thanks everyone for the words of encourgement and compliments

Doesn't hurt every now and again to get a pat on the back. Keeps me kinda pumped up and the drive alive. I did say that the body work end of the project was going to be the longest and it is easily turning out that way.

Hoping to possibly get the body back on the chassis this weekend, that's why I'm trying to get those mounts wrapped up in the back. I have to work all weekend, but hoping to maybe knock it out the evening.

Did a lot of the metal work on the body, but still have a ton of body work to go. Needs to be back on the chassis with doors latching then a guy can get serious about it, right now it's more, "roughed in" so to speak. The entire thing has to be covered in plastic and then sanded off, that might happend 2 or 3 times to get it straight.

Anyway, thanks again, sure appreciate it!!

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Matt,

Might be a little off topic and may be a stupid question but curious as to why you went fiberglass on the 40 when you have the skill to do this kind of metal work? I know it has been a long process and very tiresome but it looks amazing and as many others have said top quality. I know I for one am (green) with envy. Just thoughts.....

Keep'em coming.

To quote Kenny Rogers, "you gotta know when to hold them and know when to fold them......" Ok...that was stupid of me, but it still applys here.

Several reasons, but a couple major ones come to mind. The tub of my 40 was shot in terms of rust. I don't mean rust like this LV, which is bad and bent up in it's own right, but it was rusted out!! Every panel on it would have to have been replaced or re-worked. Without the jigs from Toyota there would have been no way for me to really keep it straight. Front and rear doors, hardtop, etc...all would have been hard to fit afterwards because I would have been just ballparking tolerence's.

Time, it would have taken me probably at least a 1000 hrs. to fix that tub, and as I mentioned above, would have never been perfect. You do the math...........1000 + hrs of work for a sub-standard product or......write a check for $2500 and wait for your tub to show up?

Rusting out again? I want to use my toys, all of them. There isn't a toy I don't own that I don't use quite a bit. If I don't use one, it goes down the rode. I also live in the middle of the salt belt, where vehicles often get re-claimed by the earth I planned on driveing my new 40, year round and all the time. This meant it was going to get blasted with salt! So, fiberglass, doesn't rust. I have the fiberglass tub, fenders and rear doors. I did have to fix my side doors because Mike Gozzard wasn't making those.....yet. I was also very impressed with Gozzard tubs. I probably wouldn't have gone glass if Mallote was the only company out there making tubs for cruisers. I had seen there tubs and was not impressed . I am EXTREMELY happy with my Gozzard tub and other product!! If I was to do it again, I would do exactly the same thing. And the best part is, I have the satisfaction knowing that no matter how much salt I drive it it.....it will never rust!!

Anyway, those are some of the main reasons. Maybe long, but hope it answers your question?


Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Okay Matt, Here's a business opportunity for you...... Professor Matt, Dean of FJ45lv restoration at ACE University. I know I'm at least the 2nd or 3rd person who asked you for an apprenticeship. How 'bout we all bring our beat up wagons to your place for a restoration summer camp? I'm sure you could charge enough tuition to at least cover beer and trips to the E.R.. Just a thought.
P.S. your on-line course already kicks @$$.

I've PM'd several people back and always asked, "just let me know when your coming up?" No one responds though The funny thing is I'm being serious

We could all take about 3 months off, rent a large shop and speed resto a half dozen or so out during that time with the same amount of guys.

Oh man, that would be fun

Matt

 

[Lito]

Great, now I'm actually trying to convince myself how to take 3 months off work.
Alright, and this is purely hypothetical (in case my wife or business partners are reading), how many potential 'students' do we have out there? Do you think "T.he L.earning C.hannel" (TLC aka Toyota Land Cruisers) would sponsor this major overhauling? Or even Toyota with the debut of their new cruiser just around the corner?
Man, I'm never gonna get to sleep tonight now.

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Your driveway, is that a buntch of 2 inch pink styrofoam and is your drive going to be heated to clear ice and snow?

I built my parents house two years ago and the floor was lined with 3 grand worth of styrofoam as it was radiant heat, damn that stuff rocks.

Rob

 

[cruiserwanted]

Matt,

That does answer my question. Very good points. I was just wondering. Knew you loved the tub. I did not realize you had the skill level tht you do before. When I looked at your resto site (before you ever started this thread) thought you went with glass because of our winters and the expense of having someone patch a tub. Than when I saw your metal working skills started wondering why you did not patch the tub......I do not think I saw your 40 tub before to Gozzard. Looking great. Thanks for answering my question. Also got to feel good to have concrete. It is on my LONG list of someday I will have/do this. I would like to come up but you know how summer gets Looking forward to fall although you may be done with this by the time I have the two week offs.

 

[buckroseau]

Matt,

That does answer my question. Very good points. I was just wondering. Knew you loved the tub. I did not realize you had the skill level tht you do before. When I looked at your resto site (before you ever started this thread) thought you went with glass because of our winters and the expense of having someone patch a tub. Than when I saw your metal working skills started wondering why you did not patch the tub......I do not think I saw your 40 tub before to Gozzard. Looking great. Thanks for answering my question. Also got to feel good to have concrete. It is on my LONG list of someday I will have/do this. I would like to come up but you know how summer gets Looking forward to fall although you may be done with this by the time I have the two week offs.

Tub I replaced on my 40 and also being properly filed in our scrap metal trailer out back

Some may be more durable than me and thought it was fixable and tackled it, no thanks, not me

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Your driveway, is that a buntch of 2 inch pink styrofoam and is your drive going to be heated to clear ice and snow?

I built my parents house two years ago and the floor was lined with 3 grand worth of styrofoam as it was radiant heat, damn that stuff rocks.

Rob

Just walked in from another day of concrete, oh for fun.......

I have 2" styrofoam underneath the entire slab, but it's not heated. I'm not that fancy.

Up in my area the groud tends to heave a lot in unheated areas, such as slabs. Concrete boys have had good luck laying down styrofoam underneath unheated concrete slabs and not having them heave. The thinking is that it stops the frost from going to deep.

Few extra bucks, figured I wouldn't be doing this again and no way to get in there and do it again if it does push up. So...........insulated the whole thing

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Great, now I'm actually trying to convince myself how to take 3 months off work.
Alright, and this is purely hypothetical (in case my wife or business partners are reading), how many potential 'students' do we have out there? Do you think "T.he L.earning C.hannel" (TLC aka Toyota Land Cruisers) would sponsor this major overhauling? Or even Toyota with the debut of their new cruiser just around the corner?
Man, I'm never gonna get to sleep tonight now.

That would be funner than hell to do something like that. Have to hire some old big guy to yell at us and tell us hurry up

I don't know how many guys would actually step up to the plate to do something like that though. Might have a few who would say yes or probably, but when it came time to put your money where your mouth is.............

Who knows though, email Toyota and ask them? I'll start cleaning the shop out and get ready for the TV crew

Matt

 

[cruiserwanted]

Yeah, I would not have attempted to repair that tub or have that tub repaired...

Thanks for the pics.

 

[buckroseau]

Wanted to get more done on the LV tonight, but had some dutys involving my concrete and cleaning up a bit around the house.

Marked and cut out 4 more of the body mounts on the other side. Pretty much the same program as the other side, just one more. The pics show before and after removal. I did actual sandblast and prime that are, but my digital camer took a dump I don't know, might try to beat on it a little tonight, but I think it's toast.

I think in the morning I might try to fab up the new parts and get them welded in. We'll see if I'm that ambitious? If I don't get that done, I won't be putting the body back on Saturday. That's ok, if not then it will be a couple days later.

Need to get a new camera anyway.........

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

more

 

[buckroseau]

last 2 before the camera died

 

[buckroseau]

Did some work this morning on the LV since I have to work late this evening. I would have take pics, but my camera is toast... Working on obtaining a new right now.

I did however grab the one at work here and when I ran home for supper took a few pics of what I did this morning. Finished up fabbing those pieces I cut out with new mounts. Welded in and primed. Also blasted, primed and welded in these little triangle shaped brackets back in the rear.

Anyway, few more photos, with a little more progress. Might, I stress might be able to get the body back on the chassis tomorrow night, have to see how that pans out tomorrow.

Body goes back on for several months of work and then back off for paint.

Kinda anxious to get it back on and get that roof off.........

Matt