Build 1965 FJ45lv build up/resto thread

[buckroseau]

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[buckroseau]

I bet your absolutley SICK of spot welds, huh?

It ain't the welding, it's the fricking grinding them off is what sucks in my opinion. ;p

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Cruiser ken and foxfab, appreciate the compliments. Gives me a little incentive to keep going......still got so far to go, need a little boost once and a while....

Matt

 

[zebrabeefj40]

On the latches: Since the doorposts have that nice depression in them maybe just bump out the door a little so there is plenty of room for the latch to bolt in nice. Then bolt the latch pin plate to the door post leaving the post shape close to what it already is.

OR figure a way to put the claws themselves on/in the posts and have the door handles poke at a release point or something.

OR just use electric door releases with the claws in the door posts. Turn the door handles into switches. To "lock" the doors, the lock button/keylock disconnects the release solenoids so they don't work when the handles are turned. Makes keyless entry pretty easy to do too.

The rest of the work you've done is amazing! Thanks for sharing the process pictures along the way...

Nick Jennings

 

[cruiser_guy]

Just out of curiosity, why are you changing out the latches? Are yours missing or worn out or are you doing something different? Mine seemed to work OK, not wonderful just OK before I tore it apart.

I'm in need the the rear passenger door hardware if you do swap out everything so don't throw it away (I have some of it but there are broken pieces that need replacing).

 

[buckroseau]

Just out of curiosity, why are you changing out the latches? Are yours missing or worn out or are you doing something different? Mine seemed to work OK, not wonderful just OK before I tore it apart.

I'm in need the the rear passenger door hardware if you do swap out everything so don't throw it away (I have some of it but there are broken pieces that need replacing).

There a little wore, but not to bad. There was another guy with an lv that swapped his lv latches out with FJ55 latches, thought it worked very well.

Also, my body man buddy is familiar with the style of latches that are stock on a lv. He pretty much talked me into some aftermarket ones. He agreed that the stock ones would work, but I would probalby be a lot happier with a new style like the bear jaws with the double lock.

I guess it's like you said, they work OK. I'm not looking for OK, I'm looking for extremely well. I have thought about not doing this, it sure would save a ton of time if I just left it alone. But, in the end, I have always said i want my wife and I to drive the vehilce a LOT, year round. So I want door latches that kick ass.

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

On the latches:

1. Since the doorposts have that nice depression in them maybe just bump out the door a little so there is plenty of room for the latch to bolt in nice. Then bolt the latch pin plate to the door post leaving the post shape close to what it already is.

2. OR figure a way to put the claws themselves on/in the posts and have the door handles poke at a release point or something.

3. OR just use electric door releases with the claws in the door posts. Turn the door handles into switches. To "lock" the doors, the lock button/keylock disconnects the release solenoids so they don't work when the handles are turned. Makes keyless entry pretty easy to do too.

The rest of the work you've done is amazing! Thanks for sharing the process pictures along the way...

Nick Jennings

1. I don't think that would work, the latches I think have to be lower than the handle so that the handle can catch the mechanism, so that puts the catch location on the door post lower, which is at about the bottom of the depression in the post, so it's really not lining up with the depression in the post.

2. I think that would more complicated

3. I'll save that for MTV pimp my ride, I want the cheesy stock door handles hanging out there in the wind, more stock looking.

I'm not backing up the bus on you now, so don't think I'm trying to rain on you parade. Good ideas, couple are just not exactly what I'm looking for I think.

Thanks, Matt

 

[buckroseau]

I have to work all weekend, so not a lot is going to get done. I have to work this evening, but did a little work this morning.

You can see I fabbed up those parts and tenatively tacked them to the mechanism. It actually works very well. I had to move the pivot point down a little to get a little more leverage on that one lever, I think you can see the old hole above the other one. It worked in the old hole, but I thought you had to push a little too hard, now it pops pretty easy.

Also tenatively tacked that other dog ear piece for the inside mech, that is pretty straight forward and should work easily.

I'm not going to weld anything solid until I get it installed and working. Once I make one work well, I'm going to copy that one and do the other 3.

Also, hard to tell, but I was able to tap all 4 of those holes with a 8mm x 1.25 tap. It was absolutely perfect, I don't think I will need a nut on the inside of any of them, so that problem is solved.

Matt

 

[zebrabeefj40]

I'm not backing up the bus on you now, so don't think I'm trying to rain on you parade. Good ideas, couple are just not exactly what I'm looking for I think.

Thanks, Matt

No worries. Just tossing out ideas. If you used them, great! If not, maybe they'll help someone else.

I think you're doing a great job regardless.

Nick

 

[cruiser_guy]

There a little wore, but not to bad. There was another guy with an lv that swapped his lv latches out with FJ55 latches, thought it worked very well.

Also, my body man buddy is familiar with the style of latches that are stock on a lv. He pretty much talked me into some aftermarket ones. He agreed that the stock ones would work, but I would probalby be a lot happier with a new style like the bear jaws with the double lock.

Matt

So are you swapping latches ONLY or the whole mechanism? I am serious on the rear drivers door mechanism and you can send it to my son in Michigan and leave the logistics of getting it to Guatemala to him!

 

[cruiser ken]

Matt, I studied your design and would like to make a suggestion. As it is now I think you'll see a good amount of wear between the plunger and the metal pivot. This is because for your pivot piece to move downward the plunger has to slide along the pivot pivot piece as the end that contacts the plunger moves upward. If you made a short piece that connected the two that is rigid but has a pin on each end there will be less wear. This piece will rotate through the plungers motion. You might have to shorten the existing plunger to put this link in place. If I didn't explain it very well I could try a paint brush drawing. Just a thought. Another option is to make the end of the plunger and your pivot piece out of hardened steel. But this might cause more wear on the part that your pivot piece pushes down on.

 

[buckroseau]

Matt, I studied your design and would like to make a suggestion. As it is now I think you'll see a good amount of wear between the plunger and the metal pivot. This is because for your pivot piece to move downward the plunger has to slide along the pivot pivot piece as the end that contacts the plunger moves upward. If you made a short piece that connected the two that is rigid but has a pin on each end there will be less wear. This piece will rotate through the plungers motion. You might have to shorten the existing plunger to put this link in place. If I didn't explain it very well I could try a paint brush drawing. Just a thought. Another option is to make the end of the plunger and your pivot piece out of hardened steel. But this might cause more wear on the part that your pivot piece pushes down on.

I think I know what your talking about, but a modified pic of what your describing wouldn't hurt.

I do plan on hardening all the components I make, so that should help with wear. I also had the point that is on top of that other latch in a little different place first. I actually was on the inside of that other yellow chromate lever and pushed directly on the latch. It didn't work though, reason was that when the lever rotates it kinda pulls back in the other direction, so not only was it going down, but it was going back so it was binding up.

I lengthen the new plunger/rod and rounded the end a little, so now it pushes down on the other yellow chromate lever and rotates slightly on the top of that one.

Matt

 

[cruiser ken]

Blue is the plunger after it is shortened. Depending on what the diameter of the plunger is you might have to grind or machine it to make it the same thickness as your pivot piece (3/16"?). The green piece would be made of round stock and slotted to fit over the plunger and pivot piece. You could use a roll pin or steel dowel for the pins.

Hardenend and then greased with your design would work fine as well I think.

 

[buckroseau]

Blue is the plunger after it is shortened. Depending on what the diameter of the plunger is you might have to grind or machine it to make it the same thickness as your pivot piece (3/16"?). The green piece would be made of round stock and slotted to fit over the plunger and pivot piece. You could use a roll pin or steel dowel for the pins.

Hardenend and then greased with your design would work fine as well I think.

Ahhhhh...I understand, I thought maybe you were talking about the other end of the piece I made.

I see what your saying about less wear. I may try it with the stock bolt in the handle first, since it has made it 40 years. One thing about what your describing is that I could change it at anytime, so I may try it stock first and see how that works.

Still may have to change to the set up your describing.

Thanks, Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Didn't get a ton of time on the lv, had to work all day, so only about an hour last night.

Well, I figured it was time to s*** or get off the pot last night. After looking, double checking and checking again, I hacked into the door. Actually went really good.

You can kinda see in the first few pics of how I cut it. On the inside of the door it was cut so that the metal plate was flush with the inside of the of the door. Then on the door jam itself, I cut that area about a 1/4" shy so that the plate on the jam would sit on top of the old tin. Reason for that is I needed that extra 1/32" to 1/16" to fit that new striker in, it had to come out just that little bit.

Everything I did last night is just tacked in, still making sure this whole program is going to work. Took a couple times, but I got the outside door handle adjusted really nice, about 1/16" of freeplay and you need to move the actuator about 1/8" to 3/16" and it pops the latch very nicely. When I got my lv a couple of the doors kinda latched, but pretty poorly, so I really have nothing to compare it to. But, I think this is going to work very well.

Might try to get that door post boxed in tonight and the pin in, see if I have time.

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

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[buckroseau]

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[rutbeer]

Is the only adjustment in this scenario at the pin itself?

 

[buckroseau]

Is the only adjustment in this scenario at the pin itself?

Yes, the pin itself is the only adjustment. Approx. 5/8" up or down and the same in and out. I should be able to get it pretty close in the initial weld in, probably within a 1/16" to 1/8" o.c. on the pin.

I guess theres enough travel on the pin to put the upper window bow into the roof or the door into the lower door sill. The door will hit something before the pin does.

Matt

 

[cruiser_guy]

Matt,

I PM'ed you one some stuff that appears to be left overs from your FJ45LV.