1969 FJ55 Build Thread (1 Viewer)

[TuffMudder]

@scrapdaddy @J Mack
Did you guys replace your rocker panels?

Trying to decide what to do now that replacements are no longer available. I seem to remember reading early on of someone putting a flex hose on their paint gun, running up the length of theirrocker and spraying por15 but didn't find it on a quick search.

Any thoughts?

 

[scrapdaddy]

Here's some discussion on rockers....Rocker Panel Tube Replacement Pics

 

[J Mack]

Trying to decide what to do now that replacements are no longer available.

Are you talking about replacing these rockers?

 

[TuffMudder]

yes, running along under the front and rear doors

 

[J Mack]

WOW, must of use dream about rockers that good, what are you wanting to replace them with?

 

[TuffMudder]

I wasn't wanting to replace them, but i went to check it out recently and found a spot where it looks to be rusting through presumable rusting from the inside out. Prior to paint and primer, they looked great. I was in a rush, so i need to get back out and take a closer look to see just how bad it is, so I haven't decided how aggressive I'm going to be yet.

The thread Ron linked was extremely helpful. I loved your solution Jim, especially with it being 1/4". How'd you make that?

By the way, I've put some more thought into what you said about me doing more of the work. I think what has really stood in my way is thinking about the parts that i can't do (like welding in a new rocker) instead of what I can do. Honestly there's more than i can than can't. Space is still a problem but not insurmountable as a lot of the work is on smaller pieces and I'll just have to get the wife and kids to come sit out in the garage with me so work time can become "quality time" as well .

Still a bit overwhelmed with the 'order of operations' but I'm going to decide what to do with the rockers, then work on the pieces that form the engine compartment (many of them still need to be blasted and primed). I can get those finished and start bolting them back on. After that I can either figure out a radiator solution or i can start working on the window mechanisms and getting doors back on the body.

So you can consider your duty of inspiring other mudders fulfilled for the week

 

[J Mack]

I wasn't wanting to replace them,

Then I wouldn’t, unless this is going to be a show pig as opposed to a driving pig.

Why focus on things you can’t do yourself that don’t necessarily need to be done and leave this awesome project sitting for the next few years and drive a 60 VS. rolling up your sleeves do what you can and wing the rest to get this beast on the road. No matter who finishes this pig or how long it takes you’re going to have issues for the first year or two working through the bugs that come with this type of project, look at all the finished 55 projects that are as complexed as yours and we all have had issues. My point is this, I would worry more about getting it on the road and less about making it perfect because it’s going to be coming back apart to some degree and you can tinker with all the things you don’t like then or learn to live with them, at any rate your vision will be much clearer after you’ve put a few miles on it good or bad.





Look through my build thread and you can find the product I sprayed in my rockers and other prone to rust areas.

 

[TuffMudder]

Very good advise, and advise I think I'm now on the same page with you.

As for this particular issue, my concern was it rusting through at a later date. Since my plan is to spray the body with bedliner, my thinking was, once its sprayed, i will be limited in what I can do for the rockers.

I was also thinking i wanted to do the bedliner now while it was all pulled apart, as opposed to finishing it and then pulling it back apart for the bedliner. Of course that was when I thought thisnow going on 4 year project would be drivable after 2 years, so maybe its time to rethink...

 

[J Mack]

I don’t like bedliner for beds so it’s a hard sell for me to put on the exterior of a classic like a pig. The interior surfaces could benefit from a polyurea spray coating (bedliner) but getting the prep correct then finding a qualified applicator could prove to be a challenge. FYI all the DIY brush on bedliners are just chunky paint and IMHO your body is too nice to do that to it.


Good luck, I’m looking forward to some updates on the project

 

[61twpw]

I have a 40 that I took as partial trade for my TownWagon. PO did entire rig in herculiner in 2010. It is coming off in big sheets now. What is still attached is faded and will take some serious time with a sander to remove. Not real sure why anyone would want to use bediner on these old rigs.

 

[TuffMudder]

Yeah, I knew when I made the decision, many would consider it sacrilege. I will be taking this rig into the woods regularly, a duty that currently goes to my wifes sequoia and it has deep scratches running the length of both sides that are too numerous to count.

I may postpone the bedliner for expedience sake. The body is painted, so I can focus on other areas and get it running then just strip the interior when I'm ready. When the time comes i'll either do it in Protex or have it done at Linex, both of which are pretty solid products

 

[J Mack]

I will be taking this rig into the woods regularly, a duty that currently goes to my wifes sequoia and it has deep scratches running the length of both sides that are too numerous to count.

I had the same thoughts, look at Acrolon 218 HS Acrylic Polyurethane, Acrolon 218 HS Acrylic Polyurethane - Protective & Marine

A very durable coating designed to give you about 6 dry mills per coat, a great option for those of us that want bedliner protection in a paint product. I'm closer to 10 to 15 dry mills on my body.


Specifically formulated for in-shop applications.

For use over prepared metal and masonry surfaces in industrial environments

such as:

• Structural steel • Tank exteriors

• Rail cars and locomotives • Pipelines

• Conveyors • Ships

• Bridges

• Wind Towers - onshore and offshore

• Offshore platforms - exploration and production

• Suitable for use in USDA inspected facilities

• Conforms to AWWA D102 Outside Coating Systems #4 (OCS-4), #5

(OCS-5) & #6 (OCS-6)

• Acceptable for use in high performance architectural applications

• Acceptable for use over and/or under Loxon S1 and Loxon H1 Caulking

• A component of INFINITANK

• Over FIRETEX® hydrocarbon systems

• Suitable for use in the Mining & Minerals Industry

 

[TuffMudder]

Ok, i can give that a try.

I'm going out to the land cruiser today to look it over and take some pics. I had gotten lazy about documenting progress, so i'm not entirely sure the current state of the clutch and brakes and I want to take another look at the rockers. If the brakes and clutch are finished as i suspect, I will probably mount the gas tank and run the fuel lines before starting on reassambling the pieces of the engine compartment.

I was thinking I would repaint the tank and just use undercoat paint. Do you think the acrolon would be a better product?

 

[J Mack]

I used a product called Mathys Noxyde for my undercoat and also painted my tank with it, so far it’s holding up well.

About Noxyde

For ultra-rugged protection in aggressive environments, choose Noxyde Elastomeric Acrylic Coating. This heavy-duty, water-based formula provides one-coat coverage and flexible durability on new or minimally prepared steel, metals and concrete.

• Resists corrosion, rust and water—even in severe marine environments1; 10-year warranty2
• 200% elasticity—bridges small cracks, moves with structure, protects edges
• Performs like zinc/epoxy coatings without the need to abrasive-blast clean
• Single-component, self-priming, high-build; minimal surface prep required
• Meets USDA requirements for incidental food contact; accepted for use in federally registered Canadian food facilities; low VOCs3

Mathys - Noxyde

 

[TuffMudder]

Single-component, self-priming, high-build; minimal surface prep required

Where you able to just scuff, clean and paint with a single coat?

 

[TuffMudder]

Went out to take a closer look at the 55. Looks like brakes are done except I need an extended brake line to reach the proportioning valve, but I can deal with that later. Clutch and steering are pretty well finished as well.





Here is what's happened to the drivers side rocker. When the primer and paint went on, there were no signs of rust coming through



Unfortunately, as I went around the vehicle, there are a couple of places where rust is pushing through the paint. To say I was unhappy to see this is an understatement. The body was sandblasted to clean metal before being painted, so it appears there was a problem with the way it was primed (2 part epoxy) and painted (urethane). I'm going to figure out how to do it right and redo it myself. Hopefully, I can make it turn out ok.

 

[TuffMudder]

Before I tackle the rust issue...again...I think i'm going to mount the fuel tank and run the fuel lines. First I'll need to paint the outside, clean the inside, and i'm thinking coat the inside.

 

[J Mack]

Where you able to just scuff, clean and paint with a single coat?

Blasted and primed before coating on mine.
According to the info they post you can apply over clean scuffed paint.

 

[TuffMudder]

Blasted and primed before coating on mine.

Overacheiver

That's actually a good opportunity for me to do some sand blasting and painting on a less sensitive area. I'm going to try to make it to Home Depot this weekand to pick up some schedule 40 and plastic to make a make shift paint/sandblast booth in my garage that i can take down and put up as needed, then I can prep, clean and prime it in my garage.

I looked up fj55 fuel tanks today, and from the pics and diagrams I saw, it looks like i may have some other tank on mine. Does this look like an fj55 tank to anyone?



It was mounted before, so that really isn't an issue, but it only has provisions for 2 fuel lines. Do in need to a third port added for a charcoal canister?

 

[scrapdaddy]

Stock tank should have four vent lines coming out of the tank and one overflow line coming down from the fill neck. The line going to the char. can comes off the fuel separator. Yours doesn't look stock to me, but I'm no expert on any subject.