1966 FJ45LV restoration/buildup project

[merbesfield]

Rear qtrs are almost done. In my mind they are done, but that is bc the hardest part is behind me. All I have left to do is finish welding and lots of hammer and dolly work to make them as perfect as possible before filler. PS is almost good to go.

 

[merbesfield]

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[merbesfield]

Well I finally put in some time on the old LV. 7 solid hours to be exact. It was feeling neglected. I completed all four rear floor pan braces. There is a ton of work in these. There is the outer brace, which you see, an inner structural support and then the square keeper that traps the body mount nut and a piece of rubber to isolate it from the frame. All of these were completely corroded and had to be replaced. But the really big news is I have another project. Yea I know, crazy. Peter this one is for you, but we cannot talk too much about it or you know who will get mad and I will be banned to the nether world or something.

Thankfully, my new project is really not too much of a project. It is a 1957 356A. Though it may look rusty in the pics, it is actually incredibly rust free. All I will be doing for now basic mechanical services and put this baby on the road. It has been in hibernation for over 30 years.

 

[merbesfield]

more pics

more pics

 

[daniel.watters]

Wow. That's pretty straight I'd say. I did not realize you did metalwork. It you ever get bored I'll drive the troopie up from macon to Atlanta for some classes.
Daniel

 

[Doctor do Little]

.... Peter this one is for you, but we cannot talk too much about it or you know who will get mad and I will be banned to the nether world or something. ************

.....
...nice work on your LV ...love the 356 Coupe
Cheers
Peter

 

[Jacket]

Nice work as usual.

Are you on the 356 Registry? My dad sent me an email last week about a guy that posts on the registry that listed an LV in his sig line. Not many LV's out there; even less folks that own both an LV and a 356.

 

[merbesfield]

Nice work as usual.

Are you on the 356 Registry? My dad sent me an email last week about a guy that posts on the registry that listed an LV in his sig line. Not many LV's out there; even less folks that own both an LV and a 356.

That would be me. I am also on the S Registry. Can't get enough of this car stuff. Ask you dad to give me a shout out on the 356 Registry so I know who he is.

Edit, I see you are in Boulder. My mother and Sister live there. We visit once a year.

 

[merbesfield]

Update: Floor pan is installed, mostly

After many years of hard work, the floor pan is in the LV. The only challenge, other than all the work leading up to this point, was that the pan would not go in in one piece so I had to trim off a few inches and then reattach. No big deal. That is the part that is still not finished in the pics. I also will need to spend many hours spot welding and finishing all the welds, but that will be a joy knowing that the hard work is behind me. Next task will be seam sealing, undercoating and getting it off the rotisserie and onto the frame. Once on the frame I will do the firewall swap. In the first pics you can see my trusty helpers, Scott and Bear. Thanks for watching.

 

[merbesfield]

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[merbesfield]

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[merbesfield]

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[Jacket]

That would be me. I am also on the S Registry. Can't get enough of this car stuff. Ask you dad to give me a shout out on the 356 Registry so I know who he is.

Edit, I see you are in Boulder. My mother and Sister live there. We visit once a year.

I hear ya! My dad is a die hard Porsche guy; he currently has a '59 356 with rebuilt mechanicals (I've never seen him do any body work on any vehicle tho) that he drives around Arizona in the winter.

So when I buy the LV off of you after you finish the body work, you can come out to Boulder and see it once/year when you visit.

Floors look fantastic!

 

[merbesfield]

Quick update with no pictures, I know it sucks and is not real without pics. But anyhow, floor is in, seam sealed and awaiting undercoating. Any recommendations on undercoating/bed liners that others have used and liked?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

U-Pol raptor liner

Fantastic work man, this is going to be one hell of a truck once done! Use a self-etching, zinc rich primer as a base on top of the bare metal, then sand, wipe with xylene, spray some raptor liner. 2 coats should be good and it will look good forever

 

[merbesfield]

U-Pol raptor liner

Fantastic work man, this is going to be one hell of a truck once done! Use a self-etching, zinc rich primer as a base on top of the bare metal, then sand, wipe with xylene, spray some raptor liner. 2 coats should be good and it will look good forever

Part of my under body is coated with Epoxy primer and the new pan has zinc primer with Zero Rust over that. Do you know if Zero rust and Epoxy primer are good bases? I don't think there coming off, not with the amount of prep I have done thus far. I like the fact that my local paint shop reps Raptor so it is easily available if I need more.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

U-Pol lists what are acceptable bases for their topcoats, not sure what they are. Honestly, I just scuffed everything up, wiped down and sprayed. I sprayed on top of Toyota paint, Toyota undercoating, bare metal, etc. Raptor liner is not too fussy when it comes to what you spray it on. Just make sure it's roughed up and wiped down real well.

 

[2fpower]

I called on this before, and they said any primer scuffed with about 100 grit will work. Basically, it will not work as a primer, so just have something on it, scuff it up with sanpaper (not scuff pad) and paint.

I had issues sanding through with 100 grit, so I would mix up some additional epoxy in a cup and paint it on with a brush on the spots I went through on. Wait 12 hours, then spray the raptor.

k

 

[merbesfield]

I called on this before, and they said any primer scuffed with about 100 grit will work. Basically, it will not work as a primer, so just have something on it, scuff it up with sanpaper (not scuff pad) and paint.

I had issues sanding through with 100 grit, so I would mix up some additional epoxy in a cup and paint it on with a brush on the spots I went through on. Wait 12 hours, then spray the raptor.

k

When did you pull your over spray tape?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

When did you pull your over spray tape?

I pulled my tape while the raptor was still wet. This makes for clean lines without having to use a razor or a heat gun. I highly recommend that method.

Once sprayed, the raptor clings, it does not run.