- Thread starter
- #1,221
Progress. Yesterday, 72 holes.
Today, primer and more holes.
Getting there.
Today, primer and more holes.
Getting there.
Build 1st FJ40, '76 - SMOKEY - Puttin’ her Back Together
- Thread starter Vae Victus
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #1,222
Last few steps on completing the rotisserie. Some pics of progress. This thing will allow me to roll the body around easily. I love these wheels. Just gotta let paint dry a bit more then bolt all the big pieces together.
Mockup of the ram before I welded in the tabs to hold it.
Swivel points
Main connector between halves.
Mockup of the ram before I welded in the tabs to hold it.
Swivel points
Main connector between halves.
Looking good!
- Thread starter
- #1,225
Or just buy my spare 40 power steering box
Now that's an idea!
- Thread starter
- #1,226
98% done with a hand built rotisserie. Gotta cut and switch two arms, and install the Rams, and I'm done.
Now ... Frame to powder coating and start the long body repair class/journey.
Now ... Frame to powder coating and start the long body repair class/journey.
Want to ship it up to MD when you're done with it? 
In all seriousness, great work.
In all seriousness, great work.
Now what makes you say that?..
The frame for my '32 is at the powder coating place as I type. (I've changed camps...)
I thought you were in the anti PC on frames camp. There is even a quote in this thread from you a few months ago.
This was and is still the hardest decision that I have made yet on my frame off. I still have second thoughts about the glitz and glamour of powdercoat. Even when I dropped the frame at the finishers, the guy in the shop asked why I wasn't going with powder.
Yes. I was afraid of powder coating not making it all the way into boxed areas and leaving bare metal to rust. I've been corrected in that mistake by a reputable coater. They use a wand to reach inside and (I had to remember that) since it's an electric charge, the powder hunts for bare metal and sticks. My guy, the one VV will go back to, actually goes over the frame twice (he calls it 2 coats) and makes sure the coat is thick after baking.
That's why I changed camps.
I am not beyond being corrected. And I don't mind.
That's why I changed camps.
I am not beyond being corrected. And I don't mind.
The coater here assured me that it would hit most areas. I am not sure if I will be adding a family cage with frame ties in the near future and did not want to have to grind powder and then patch.
An interesting point made by a powder coater is that they are coating bodies as a primer after rust repair but before filler. He said they are getting really good results.
- Thread starter
- #1,233
SMOKEY got topless today. And bottomless.
And look how clean!
With the infamous Rainman (who turned 55 yesterday!)
You can't see it but I got the back end mounted on the rotisserie. Have to get the body bolts out of the front mounting points (have to cut them again to get them out), but so far, it's bitchin'!
Better pics later.
Wow - I'm really at the next phase!
And look how clean!
With the infamous Rainman (who turned 55 yesterday!)
You can't see it but I got the back end mounted on the rotisserie. Have to get the body bolts out of the front mounting points (have to cut them again to get them out), but so far, it's bitchin'!
Better pics later.
Wow - I'm really at the next phase!
- Thread starter
- #1,235
Today I got it fully on the rotisserie, balanced it (nearly) and was able to rotate the body.
Lining up the front of the body to the rotisserie
Balancing it
Rotation
Rotation point
Lining up the front of the body to the rotisserie
Balancing it
Rotation
Rotation point
Woohoo!
- Thread starter
- #1,237
Looking now for advice on how to attack the body problem areas. Should I clean the paint off in the heavily Bondo'd places and see what's under, fix it, then primer that area? It'll rust in about 5 minutes here in TN if I leave it bare.
Basic question above is: can I just rattle can the primer back on until it's ready for paint assuming I've gotten it down to bare clean metal?
I plan to blast down to bare metal and paint it completely after fixing the rusty spots.
Floor pans, rear sill, rear quarters all have some degree of rust. Inside the rear fender wells near the roll bar attachment points has some spots of rust thru.
Basic question above is: can I just rattle can the primer back on until it's ready for paint assuming I've gotten it down to bare clean metal?
I plan to blast down to bare metal and paint it completely after fixing the rusty spots.
Floor pans, rear sill, rear quarters all have some degree of rust. Inside the rear fender wells near the roll bar attachment points has some spots of rust thru.
I've never done this myself, but I've done lots of web-restorations vicariously through MUD... so take the following advice for what it's worth.
Shouldn't you weld in some bracing from the A pillar to B pillar (across the door openings). Also, shouldn't you weld in some bracing across the rear opening? And ideally, shouldn't this have been done while the body was on the frame?
In theory, since your rotisserie uses the actual body mounts for anchoring points there should be no distortion. But as you roll that thing around and rotate the body I would imagine it is deflecting moreso than when attached to the frame itself. As you cut and weld in new panels you'll be distorting and warping things ever so slightly... done repeatedly over-and-over again across the body you may change the overall geometry of the tub. Many of the builds I've seen around here have incoporated this type of bracing prior to extensive bodywork.
Not to rain on the parade... just wondering if you thought of this or if I'm mis-applying my web-restoration knowledge.
Shouldn't you weld in some bracing from the A pillar to B pillar (across the door openings). Also, shouldn't you weld in some bracing across the rear opening? And ideally, shouldn't this have been done while the body was on the frame?
In theory, since your rotisserie uses the actual body mounts for anchoring points there should be no distortion. But as you roll that thing around and rotate the body I would imagine it is deflecting moreso than when attached to the frame itself. As you cut and weld in new panels you'll be distorting and warping things ever so slightly... done repeatedly over-and-over again across the body you may change the overall geometry of the tub. Many of the builds I've seen around here have incoporated this type of bracing prior to extensive bodywork.
Not to rain on the parade... just wondering if you thought of this or if I'm mis-applying my web-restoration knowledge.
- Thread starter
- #1,239
Hmmm, that's a good point. I may have read that once but it was not top of mind. I'll search for some info on bracing the body while off the rotisserie.
There must be a lot of flex longitudinally since only the 4 outer most mounting points are being used.
There must be a lot of flex longitudinally since only the 4 outer most mounting points are being used.
When I lift the entire vehicle by the rear frame member (working on springs) with the top off it flexes enough to make the doors stick, and my frame and body are in good health. There's a lot of flex in there.