Build 1st FJ40, '76 - SMOKEY - Puttin’ her Back Together

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2thdoc said:
A speedo drive rebuild kit will have what you're looking for. There is a little o-ring inside as well that comes in the kit. The part # escapes me right now, but it is available thru Toyota.
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2th - you are right, and the transfer rebuild kit has those parts in it, minus the o-ring (by mistake). Actually, the speedo housing, in my case, has room for TWO o-rings, side by side inside the housing. Really odd.

Anyone seen that before?

Fortunately I had to buy a box of 10 from HD so I had extra. I need one more for my (evidently says OrangeFJ45) ancient transfer shift cover plate that has an o-ring instead of a seal. Not sure why my truck has a 4spd transfer case (ie newer) with an old cover. Wish I knew the history here.

She's beginning to look like the Bride of Frankenstein here - parts from everywhere.

Here's the speedo housing that the two 3/8"x1/16" o-rings went in.

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Speedo Housing

I'm going to play with it a bit but it looks like they both fit.
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So My wife and kids all went out of town yesterday and today, and I'm left here to my own devices. Since I own my own company and don't have a set work schedule, I decided that this afternoon I would work on the truck a bit more.

I spent a couple of hours yesterday wire wheeling some parts. It is a quite difficult task that I'm growing quickly to dislike. I've been looking for sandblasting equipment, but after reading that it seems to be much more expensive and much more trouble than it's worth.

I've decided that I'm not going to media blast the whole body by myself, as that seems like a very large task. One best left to professionals. I have invested in a few more wire wheel attachments to help with the task, and it is helping somewhat.

Here is my current arsenal of wire wheel attachments and tools.

Anyone got any suggestions to something that will speed things up?


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(PS - forgot to mention - get a face shield and wear thick pants. Those wire embed themselves in my pants when using the angle grinders. Had one pierce a soda can 10' away recently)
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Phares said:
Still following this thread with extreme interest. The trans/transfer case rebuild is moving up on my priority list...
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Transmission rebuild kit is here from Japan. Bob at TPI said it was due for delivery tomorrow. I'll drive and pick it up.

Clutch is next. Actually, Rear Main Seal, then clutch.

Still have to rebuild parking brake, and the final few bits of the transfer case.

This Coolerman thread is the resource I used. We all owe him a case of really good craft beer for all his efforts on his site.

http://www.globalsoftware-inc.com/coolerman/fj40/34A.htm
 
I like flap discs for grinding down welds and rivets. You can get them in any where from 36 to 120 grit. Also, Harbor Freight has there 50 lb glass media on sale til the end of May , with a 20% off coupon its $37 I believe.

Curious how do the twisted wire wheels work compared to the non twisted?
 
If you feel like heading to Northern GA you can look up Allison's Sandblasting Service. They are very reasonably priced and can even lay down a coat of epoxy primer once they are done blasting. If you want to keep on taking down the paint on your own you could use an orbital sander with 80 grit pads. This will strip of a majority of the paint on the body. You could then use a product from Gator to get off the stubborn paint and rust quickly. The hard to get to nook and crannies are best served with the arsenal of wire wheels you currently have. You could go nuclear and use aircraft paint stripper. It stinks and will burn your skin if touched but the paint will bubble up and scrape right off.



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Sold at Home Depot and Lowes


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Sold at most auto paint stores
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Monty231 said:
I like flap discs for grinding down welds and rivets. You can get them in any where from 36 to 120 grit. Also, Harbor Freight has there 50 lb glass media on sale til the end of May , with a 20% off coupon its $37 I believe.

Curious how do the twisted wire wheels work compared to the non twisted?
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The twisted ones are some serious stuff. They last a lot longer and take off the tough stuff. I'd only use them on non-body panels though - they can gouge.
 
I just looked down and noticed I'm wearing black nitrile gloves while I'm typing this on my phone - in the house in a recliner. Too tired to take them off. Dang things are too expensive to waste too.

Things only car-people do.
 
Vae Victus said:
Thanks TC - missed hearing your progress lately. They working you too hard?

How long would you estimate in hours it took to strip all your body paint?

I'm sore after one dang part!
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Quite the opposite,.. I am in Destin Florida getting some much needed R&R. Unplugged from work but still mentally planning the next move with Bigger Blue.

It is hard for me to say the total number of hours because it was done over many weekends. Keep up the solid work!
 
Vae Victus said:
So My wife and kids all went out of town yesterday and today, and I'm left here to my own devices.
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Uh oh......

Vae Victus said:
I spent a couple of hours yesterday wire wheeling some parts. It is a quite difficult task that I'm growing quickly to dislike. I've been looking for sandblasting equipment, but after reading that it seems to be much more expensive and much more trouble than it's worth.
Click to expand...

I have one of those gravity feed guns that holds a pint or so of media. I have used similar guns on bicycle frames in combination with wire wheels in the past with good results. The key is to have a cabinet to contain the mess with a shop vac for collection VENTED TO OUTSIDE AIR. The resulting particulate is the type that you don't want in your worst enemy's lungs. Lead poisoning + silicosis = a terrible lifestyle. Wire wheeling should be done with the aid of a respirator too, really.

Vae Victus said:
I've decided that I'm not going to media blast the whole body by myself, as that seems like a very large task. One best left to professionals. I have invested in a few more wire wheel attachments to help with the task, and it is helping somewhat.
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I think you can get a body blasted for several hundred dollars. Check around with some collision shops in Nashville. I bet they will give you a deal if you tell them you are planing on putting an airbrushed likeness of Hank Williams Sr. on the hood.:p

Vae Victus said:
Here is my current arsenal of wire wheel attachments and tools.

Anyone got any suggestions to something that will speed things up?
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I really like the 1/4 in. arbor pneumatic die grinders, both straight and 90 degree, because they are a bit more manageable than a cordless drill. If you have a largish compressor they are nice to have. A/c units are available too. The Fordem flex shaft tool is nice. It's like a dremel on steroids. Flap discs and those crazy abrasive pumice sponge thingeys like that one TCSTARK has up there^^^^are good for flat stuff like body panels. These things can add up but pneumatic tools can be found pretty inexpensively on ebay and easily rebuilt if you get good ones.

You are going at a breakneck pace by my standard. Keep it up:beer:!
 
FishTacos said:
Uh oh......

I have one of those gravity feed guns that holds a pint or so of media. I have used similar guns on bicycle frames in combination with wire wheels in the past with good results. The key is to have a cabinet to contain the mess with a shop vac for collection VENTED TO OUTSIDE AIR. The resulting particulate is the type that you don't want in your worst enemy's lungs. Lead poisoning + silicosis = a terrible lifestyle. Wire wheeling should be done with the aid of a respirator too, really.

I think you can get a body blasted for several hundred dollars. Check around with some collision shops in Nashville. I bet they will give you a deal if you tell them you are planing on putting an airbrushed likeness of Hank Williams Sr. on the hood.:p

I really like the 1/4 in. arbor pneumatic die grinders, both straight and 90 degree, because they are a bit more manageable than a cordless drill. If you have a largish compressor they are nice to have. A/c units are available too. The Fordem flex shaft tool is nice. It's like a dremel on steroids. Flap discs and those crazy abrasive pumice sponge thingeys like that one TCSTARK has up there^^^^are good for flat stuff like body panels. These things can add up but pneumatic tools can be found pretty inexpensively on ebay and easily rebuilt if you get good ones.

You are going at a breakneck pace by my standard. Keep it up:beer:!
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Photo of your gravity fed media blaster and cabinet please!

I have a 6CFM-ish dual tank California Air Tools compressor. Good enough for plasma cutter but is it enough to run pneumatic tools?

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Compressor

Fordem - I've seen those. Like a dental drill almost.

Been wearing a full respirator when grinding except today as we have a 5-10 knot breeze. Snot is still black though, so should have used it.

And last but not least - Hank Sr? Seriously. You are going to go and make fun of Sr? Junior I can understand, but Sr?

You don't get it - this is NASHVILLE baby. Land of country. You NJ people! ;-)

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Did you know Johnny was a Case Knife man? See there's all kind of stuff 'bout country you don't know.
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TCSTARK said:
Quite the opposite,.. I am in Destin Florida getting some much needed R&R. Unplugged from work but still mentally planning the next move with Bigger Blue.

It is hard for me to say the total number of hours because it was done over many weekends. Keep up the solid work!
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Excellent! Love Destin.
 
Vae Victus said:
Photo of your gravity fed media blaster and cabinet please!

I have a 6CFM-ish dual tank California Air Tools compressor. Good enough for plasma cutter but is it enough to run pneumatic tools?

Hank Sr? Seriously. You are going to go and make fun of Sr? Junior I can understand, but Sr?

You don't get it - this is NASHVILLE baby. Land of country. You NJ people! ;-)
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I will get a pic of the blaster but the cabinet I have used is back in Madison, WI. I'm thinking about building something similar. If I do I will make a thread in Tools and Fabrication. Incidentally, I am NOT a NJ person. I was born behind the Cheddar curtain and I am proud of it.


And I would never make fun of Hank Sr!

Hank Jr is a talentless clown.

HankIII gets my props and day. Must skip a generation.

It wasn't Hank, I was making fun of Nashville;)

I bet that compressor would work. If it cycles too much, big tank compressors are cheap on CL all the time around here. You would need something bigger if you want to do any HPLV painting anyway.

Cheers!
 
For a 4.5" angle grinder these work the fastest by far -

http://www.fastenal.com/web/product...lckqRhpX34LNQGWxhm2vxTq!-799979082!1119852750

http://www.pferdusa.com/products/208c/208c03/208c0302.html

Both of these brushes are designed for very fast removal and require almost no pressure on the tool - be careful as you can damage body panels quickly but they will easily go through any coating ever applied to the sheetmetal including rubber products . Just a note about that - don't ever expect complete results from blasting - anything rubber or silicone that is soft will not be removed unless using a very aggressive media . You must also consider media types on panels that will be painted as they can leave a pretty porous surface finish . Glass bead or Soda is the best choice and for large stuff leave it to a pro shop - money well spent .

For air , no small compressor will keep up with any decent sized blaster - takes at least a good quality 5hp/80gal unit to keep up . Got an old Speedaire here for free - just had to haul it away and build a new set of legs , had it now for 12 or so years and never a hiccup . Newer compressors , unless you really spend the coin for a good one are a joke at best . CFM ratings are seriously exaggerated compared to the older units . You need at least 15+cfm to keep up with any decent blaster , cabinet type or otherwise . I use a pressure-pot type from TSC which is good as well as an old cabinet I got used (Snap-On) . The amount of work you ever plan on doing is how I guage what to invest in equipment - everything I own has paid for itself several times over easily .

Anyway , wear serious eye and lung protection n git 'er done .
Sarge
 
Hank Sr? Seriously. You are going to go and make fun of Sr? Junior I can understand, but Sr?
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FishTacos said:
I will get a pic of the blaster but the cabinet I have used is back in Madison, WI. I'm thinking about building something similar. If I do I will make a thread in Tools and Fabrication. Incidentally, I am NOT a NJ person. I was born behind the Cheddar curtain and I am proud of it.

And I would never make fun of Hank Sr!

Hank Jr is a talentless clown.

HankIII gets my props and day. Must skip a generation.

It wasn't Hank, I was making fun of Nashville;)

I bet that compressor would work. If it cycles too much, big tank compressors are cheap on CL all the time around here. You would need something bigger if you want to do any HPLV painting anyway.

Cheers!
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Nashville? Seriously? You are going to go and make fun of Nashville? Memphis I can understand, but Nashville?

We have our own TV show, haven't you see it? It is utterly realistic and so... darn good. Where's your show about your fancy city? Oh I can see it now "Oshkosh - It's not just Overalls!"

LOL. Sorry for the NJ slam. You know your country, you are excused.

Ok, better get back to tech as we will get chastised.
 
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