Builds 1977 FJ40 - USA Spec Restoration - Father & Son Project - AKA "Belle" (3 Viewers)

[SteveH]

Per some reading in the Garage Journal forum, overlapping panels is not recommended, and butt welding IS recommended. In the experience of people there, over time, the overlap welded joints started to show through the filler, due to expansion/contraction issues in the overlapped areas.

Great job on removing the nasty undercoating!

 

[dad4x4]

Would definitely tear it back down and start over. If it’s not right fix it now rather than when it’s re-painted and put back together. It will be another adventure for you and your son.

 

[Lifelong40Fan]

Dang, sorry to hear that. Sounds like new quarters may be in order.

It’s a project. No hurry. The fun and learning is in the process. Repeat.

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

Who sells the best replacement quarter panels?

MM

 

[Lifelong40Fan]

I found these:

FJ40 Landcruiser Parts

two rear quarter panels for a 68-79 Toyota FJ40 Landcruiser. Purchased new from Cool Cruiser out of Texas. Never got around to project. 16 gauge steel- already has cut outs for lights and has tank....

fayar.craigslist.org

And I have a vague feeling that I saw some new rear quarters along the west coast on CL the other day.

 

[SteveH]

Real Steel (I think on eBay) seems to be the preferred vendor for repair panels for rear FJ40 quarters.

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

I had a GREAT day in the shop today. NFL on the TV and a cutoff wheel in my hand

Good news... I am going to be able to save my quarter panels!!! That saves me $350

Now that I have one of them off, I am convinced that the PO either...

1. Did not know what in the world he was doing.
2. Was in a huge hurry to throw this tub together.
3. Was slacker and didn't care enough to do the job right.

It could be a combination or all three of these... whatever the situation, it is fixable. It's going to take ton if time that i was not planing for, but I will be able to sleep at night knowing it was done right!

First, I cut along the "overlap" weld.

Second, I drilled out all the original spot welds on the inside. These were still attached to the small strips of the original quarter panel that the PO failed to remove.

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

It took about three hours, but I took my time and slowly worked my way from the front of the panel to the back. It came off pretty straight and without much bending because other than the overlap weld, the PO just tacked the other spots in place. There was tons of rust underneath. The PO clearly didn't take the time to clean anything up before he started welding the the new quarter panel on.

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

Here some pics of the quarter panel after I got it off.

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

Here is a couple of pics of the strip of the old quarter panel that is still attached to the new panel. I plan to use a "air chisel" and take my time removing it. Once I get if off, I will hammer out the edge and make sure everything is straight. I will clean up all the rust on the panel and the tub. Cover it with a coat of epoxy primer. I will use some weld through primer on the edges and the part I will weld to the wheel tub. I should be able to "butt weld" the panel back on and can move on to the other side

 

[Lifelong40Fan]

Glad to hear your good news! Great job too!

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

Glad to hear your good news! Great job too!

Thank You!!

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

Did some hammer and dolly work to straighten out the metal and started cleaning up the rust.

Still got some work to do, but i'm moving forward (one day at a time).

Here is the back side of the quarter panel. I just started cleaning in up with some 80 grit.

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

I started to remove the old quarter panel strip with a air chisel. It is going to be harder than I thought .

My plan is to cut the strip every inch or so and then chisel it off in pieces.

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

It worked... It took about an hour, but I got the old quarter panel pieces off.

First, I made a cut about every inch or so...

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

Then I used the air chisel to get under the lip and pop it off.

It came off pretty evenly. I used a flap wheel to clean it up after but forgot to take pic. I will take some pics tomorrow.

 

[UGA2018]

I love reading your thread! Great job. I’m in Atlanta and would love to see the finish product one day.

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

I love reading your thread! Great job. I’m in Atlanta and would love to see the finish product one day.

Thank you! I love reading yours and others. They inspire me to keep working. Logging my progress also helps me to keep pushing ahead on my own as well.

I try to give lots of pics and info that will be "entertaining"

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

Here are some pics of the inside of the quarter panel once I cleaned it up.

 

[DirtDauberGarage]

This seam where the front of the tub, the back of the tub, and the wheel well come together had rust inside. It was swollen and expanding from the rust inside.

1. I drilled out the old spot weld.
2. Separated the three seams
3. Cleaned out as much of the rust as possible
4. Sprayed some KBS zinc phosphate rust blast inside and let it soak for about 1 hour