1997 80 series body swap

[bubfuji]

Back Ground:
Every November is our annual trip to Pismo Beach, CA. This started more than twenty years ago as the Surf n Turf Land Cruiser party. A four day event playing in the sand with every type of Toyota Land Cruiser/Pickup. It then morphed into Turf n Surf when the founder Jim Brantly (Pismo Jim) retired. Then the Snowy Plover, Costal Commission, Air Borne Silica, Park Service, BLM, and Covid closed the park. Then the park re-opened with a limited use plan and 300 less campsites (from 1000) with a long term plan to re-purpose the area that would not include vehicles. Never mind the loss of $245m coming into the area (park/tourism). Thanks to several local non-profit legal groups. The park is open and thriving again. The most recent lawsuit; called into question the costal commssion's authority in trying to close the park. (sorry for the rant).

My 2023 pismo trip resulted in another 80 series coming over the top of a sand bowl and punching in the rear passenger quarter panel. Initially I thought, just section in a rear quarter panel. After a more detailed inspection the damage is more extensive. The body shifted on the frame about one inch. The rear body bolts are bent. The floor by the tail gate is buckled. The hood is out of alignment from the body shifting on the frame. The frame is straight.

This is a 1997 40th Anniversary with 200k miles, triple locked, and running perfectly. No Rust, No mechanical issues. A really solid daily driver. All is not lost.....we can rebuild her.....

With the help of others DasBeast, NorCal510. I found a complete 1997 body in white (engine fire part out). The body is straight, no rust, no damage. I will repaint the body the requisite 40th Emerald Pearl Green, swap the body and transfer my interior, etc.

So, I built a rolling dolly to support the replacement body, rented a trailer, and with the help of others. On Dec 17th we pulled the replacement body from the rolling chassis and transferred the good body to the dolly.

More to come.

 

[bj70bc]

giddyup

 

[bubfuji]

Pictures of the replacement body:

 

[Outsane]

how did this go?

 

[bubfuji]

Process has been slow.
After pulling the Blower, Chiller, and Heater box.
I rebuilt the heater box. Added new foam to various doors that direct the airflow.

I painted the firewall using the factory color.
The rig will get repainted to the factory Emerald Green.
So I wanted the firewall to match the body.

 

[bubfuji]

More progress.
Rebuilt Wiper Motor.
New Wiper Linkage.

 

[bubfuji]

Swapped the wiring harnesses.
Installed the heater box, chiller, blower

 

[bubfuji]

Installed wheel arch carpet
Added felt sealing to HVAC air ducts during reassembly
Cleaned the 2nd row heater motor and squirrel cage fan
Pressure washed the carpet (not installed)
Installed 2nd and 3rd row seat belts
Repaired cracks in the windshield defrost vent
Installed the dash
Installed the steering wheel
Hood hinges
Back windows
Door latch strikers
Interior door light buttons
Rear taillights
All electric harness to the taillights
Replaced the roof insulation with a foil lined version. Same type of insulation, with a foil radiant barrier
Insulated under the sunroof cassette as well. Not sure why there was no insulation here. The gap between the sunroof and inner roof with the sunroof retracted has plenty of space.
I will use this same type of insulation under the carpet also

radiant barrier

 

[bubfuji]

donor rig
No insulation under the sunroof assy.

 

[bubfuji]

Gas Tank is out (Will install a new fuel pump, and fill hoses).
All under cab piping (brake, fuel, read heater piping, vapor lines, heat shields) that attach to the under carriage have been disconnected.
Cab to frame bolts are out. All except the passenger rear (damaged area). It is bent in place, and will come loose when the body separates off the frame.

I have a toyota body and frame manual (FSM) with measuring points and dimensions. I will check to make sure the frame is square. If I find the frame is bent. I will find a frame shop to realigned the frame. The rig tracked straight during the 200 mile trip back home. I am not worried about the frame. Once the body is off. I will replace all suspension and sway bar bushings. I will then repaint the frame and suspension components.

I used a mini carpet cleaner on the headliner. Picture below. 1/2 of the headliner was cleaned. The difference shows
I carefully hand washed the A, B, and C pillar trim pieces. Before and after pictures below.

 

[FIDO96]

Amazing story to follow. In!

 

[alia176]

Woof, that's a lot of love right there. You have any pics of the accident? Driving home after getting hit would be a tough mental thing for me.

 

[Malleus]

Gas Tank is out (Will install a new fuel pump, and fill hoses).
All under cab piping (brake, fuel, read heater piping, vapor lines, heat shields) that attach to the under carriage have been disconnected.
Cab to frame bolts are out. All except the passenger rear (damaged area). It is bent in place, and will come loose when the body separates off the frame.

I have a toyota body and frame manual (FSM) with measuring points and dimensions. I will check to make sure the frame is square. If I find the frame is bent. I will find a frame shop to realigned the frame. The rig tracked straight during the 200 mile trip back home. I am not worried about the frame. Once the body is off. I will replace all suspension and sway bar bushings. I will then repaint the frame and suspension components.

I used a mini carpet cleaner on the headliner. Picture below. 1/2 of the headliner was cleaned. The difference shows
I carefully hand washed the A, B, and C pillar trim pieces. Before and after pictures below.

View attachment 3823215View attachment 3823216
View attachment 3823217

@bubfuji
What product did you use to clean the fabric? That's truly a labor of love.

 

[bubfuji]

For the headliner I used a the Bissel little green carpet cleaner and shampoo. I was concerned about the fabric releasing from the molded headliner form.
I would wet an area with the carpet machine and use a tooth brush. For problem stains, I used diluted ZEP Heavy Duty citrus cleaner from Home Depot.
The carpet machine has great vacuum suction. Wet, clean, and vacuum area by area.

For the A, B, and C pillar trim(s). I use 50% diluted ZEP cleaner and a tooth brush. The trim pieces are fabric over plastic. Scrub, rinse in the sink and dry with a towel. On one of the pillar trim pieces, the fabric lifted. 3M Super 77 contact adhesive works great.

My RIG is a 40th Anniversary with 220k miles, triple locked, no oil leaks from anywhere. Seat leather is going, paint was fading. Aside from a $50.00 OME two inch lift (PMC-Petaluma Swap Meet). My rig is unmolested. With the exception of a yearly thrashing at Pismo Beach Dunes. It has always been my run from the Zombies Rig. Others have asked WHY? If my rig had other issues, I might have stepped back and sold for parts. My RIG is always mechanically sound. I will do this once, I like a challenge. Take apart everything, clean it, maybe upgrade as needed. Ever look inside the blower fan, or AC chiller? Wow, how did that stuff get in there.... My rig will be queen for a day. It won't be babied. My kids call me "EXTRA" when a drive over the center median or put two wheels over the curb to clear that car and make the light. My RIG is stored with gas stabilizer in the tank, fresh fluids, and intelligent battery charger.

Woof, that's a lot of love right there. You have any pics of the accident? Driving home after getting hit would be a tough mental thing for me.

The other rig had no damage. The ARB bull bar hit my side while I was moving forward. Scrape and rip.... The body shifted on the frame, third row floor buckled.

 

[Norcal510]

Exited to see this coming together.

 

[man0fsteel]

[/QUOTE]

More progress.
Rebuilt Wiper Motor.
New Wiper Linkage.View attachment 3822844View attachment 3822845View attachment 3822846View attachment 3822847View attachment 3822848

Was your wiper motor functioning before rebuilding it? Mine have stopped working and I'm wondering if rebuilding the motor is something that an average joe like me can attempt successfully or if I'm better off trying to find one from a parted out LC?

I'd have loved to have known about the Surf and Turf get together. I haven't been to Pismo since 2002? Glad to hear the 'good' folks won the battle to keep it open.

 

[jbee]

Great work! Keep it up. Thanks for sharing the process. I would love to help out, maybe post up a list of parts that you’re needing or missing. I have a wrecked truck as well.

 

[bubfuji]

Was your wiper motor functioning before rebuilding it? Mine have stopped working and I'm wondering if rebuilding the motor is something that an average joe like me can attempt successfully or if I'm better off trying to find one from a parted out LC?

I'd have loved to have known about the Surf and Turf get together. I haven't been to Pismo since 2002? Glad to hear the 'good' folks won the battle to keep it open.
[/QUOTE]
Surf n Turf (now Turf n Surf, under new management). Will be back for 2025. We met the organizer last year on the Dunes. He mentioned, their putting the band back together... Now that Pismo has opened up more camping areas, it supports starting Turf n Surf for 2025. Look for posts from @sethzilla later this year.

As for the wiper motor rebuild. I'm sorry I didn't take pictures. The grease inside turns to a sticky mess that fouls the contacts/timing disk. The hardest part was removing the one-way washer clip (round spring washer teeth) that hold the timing disk in place. I do not know how to explain clearly. There is a push washer that holds the timing disk in place. The washer clip bites into a plastic pin. If you can remove the washer clip, you can clean the wiper timing disk. The rest is easy. Remove all the old grease. Replace the carbon brushes on the motor. The wiper motor is NLA, however there are several toyota models that used the same motor assy.

 

[bubfuji]

New posts coming. The rains in California and travel have slowed things down. I recently built the A-frame gantry Crain with a 1 ton winch (chain winch) to lift the body off the frame.

 

[man0fsteel]

Was your wiper motor functioning before rebuilding it? Mine have stopped working and I'm wondering if rebuilding the motor is something that an average joe like me can attempt successfully or if I'm better off trying to find one from a parted out LC?

I'd have loved to have known about the Surf and Turf get together. I haven't been to Pismo since 2002? Glad to hear the 'good' folks won the battle to keep it open.

Surf n Turf (now Turf n Surf, under new management). Will be back for 2025. We met the organizer last year on the Dunes. He mentioned, their putting the band back together... Now that Pismo has opened up more camping areas, it supports starting Turf n Surf for 2025. Look for posts from SETHZILLA later this year.

As for the wiper motor rebuild. I'm sorry I didn't take pictures. The grease inside turns to a sticky mess that fouls the contacts/timing disk. The hardest part was removing the one-way washer clip (round spring washer teeth) that hold the timing disk in place. I do not know how to explain clearly. There is a push washer that holds the timing disk in place. The washer clip bites into a plastic pin. If you can remove the washer clip, you can clean the wiper timing disk. The rest is easy. Remove all the old grease. Replace the carbon brushes on the motor. The wiper motor is NLA, however there are several toyota models that used the same motor assy.
[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the info - Any idea which toyota wiper motor is the same? That may be the quickest way to get my wipers working as personal time is short at the moment.

I'll keep a lookout for SETHZILLA's post too. Are you planning to have your new rig ready by then?

Cheers