45swb project - 2short (1 Viewer)

[Gumby]

Just picked up a new project.

I really don't need another crazy rare cruiser project. I have the never ending FJ-50 and the stalled 1FZ-LV. I don't need another pickup. I have a Tundra dd and a D350 tow rig. But, this one came my way at the right price and in the right place and the pieces fell into place.

And as the modern poet Todd Shaw has said Life Is...Too Short

Luke can correct me where I'm wrong but I believe the history of this truck is the last owner was a high school son of a metal worker. They did some repairs to the cab and fabricated a replica of the bed. They also painted over the factory green, (it is an OG truck, originally green) with the gray and fancy 80s stripes.

LukeZero found it poking out from behind a dumpster after it had sat for many, many years and rescued it. He dragged it home and began a major truggy project on it. His title date is 02. He parked it in the lower level of his really cool 1920s-era car dealer building and began working on it. Recently he traded a mill for a buggy and the 45 was put aside. Then he lost his way and sold everything. I was second in line for the 45. After looking at extensive pictures of what is not bad rust for the midwest, but terrible for TX, buyer #1 sensibly opted out. I'm not so sensible.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/vehicles-trailers-sale-wanted/430168-1964-short-bed-fj45-project.html

As of a few hours ago I am the proud owner of frame number 16634. A fixed top SWB FJ-45 with some issues. The title says it's a 66, the VIN tag says 65 and the frame number says early 64.

 

[Gumby]

I was planning on just dropping it at the shop and going home for a nap, but I put a few pieces in place before I went home.

 

[Gumby]

The plan is to put the top back on, but maybe on a flange so it can be un-bolted. I have a 350 with vortec heads and a Hybrid 4x4 TH400/16 spline case. That'll work well. The 99 Burban that donated the heads will also donate the serp belt system and the hydro-boost. discs on the front. Scout p/s. Hard tonneau. 33 AT or MT skinnys.

 

[Gumby]

Looking for some parts.

I'm hoping to grab Whitey's spare top so I can put the hard top back on.

The axles I was going to put on are SOA and cut and turned. I'm thinking about going SUA for this one. Need a set of SUA axles with a big knuckle disc front.

Need a set of fenders

Need some w/s hinges and dash latches.

Need a decent hood, preferably a split hood.

and probably whole lot more

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

we probably need to talk. I have the roof top from that rig and am converting mine to a removable top cab. have a whole new cab assembly from 4puppies. I"m honestly in no major hurry to pull the tub off the truck but getting closer to that process. it's sitting idle in a spare garage so it's not like it has to move.
TLCA 1800 # can find me. Leave Jenn a message and #. IF you wanna go back to stock cab I have what you need. If you wanna go removable then your on your own. food for thought. otherwise when i get to that point the cab i have will go on ebay. Sky is the limit with that rig. gotta make some decisions on which direction you wanna head.
ERik

 

[4rnr]

God damnit!

I know how this is going to end.....

I had better put some serious time into this with you, cause I wont be able to stomach driving something that someone else built.

I better start saving my pennies too. You sure you dont want a sweet camry?

 

[Gumby]

I forget to take pics while I'm working.

We disassembled the major chunks.

Put the frame on a hoist. Bolted the motor and trans together and dangled them in place.

re-built the rotisserie to fit the cab and got that hanging.

 

[Gumby]

Looking through boxes of parts today looking for some csb mounts I might have fabbed and I found some 45 tail light assemblies. They say 66 on the lens, but that's the year on the title so if a cop knows enough to find the model year on an old car by looking at the lenses it'll match. The ppo put Grote assemblies in the bed.

Major score from a ton of Brother Andy's purge a few years ago.

I found a bag of t/s lenses and a bag of 60s-era dash switches too.

 

[Gumby]

outside of the cab is mostly stripped.

tunnel hump is all sandblasted.

moving right along.

Etching primer and DP90 epoxy primer showed up today.

tracking number says the bead roller I ordered should be here today too. I'm going to use it to roll beads in the floor panels and put flanges on the body patches.

pulled the heater box that was in the passenger footwell out. Doesn't look very factory. Was there a dealer installed after market heater put in the no heater trucks?

I'm liking the grey on the dash. At least the lower part where the dash pads would be on a later truck.

 

[4rnr]

I bet its nicer to work on a tiny open cab than that giant LV! I kinda like the grey too....im off to go look at 45 colors.

 

[Combat Chuck]

I'm gonna post up so this isn't "The Gumby and 4Rnr Thread Show".

I believe the early heaters were a dealer job, and many 25's, and early 40's had several different makes of heater that I've seen.

Looks like a near project Gumby! I'm eager to see what you to to flange the cut into the hard top, it's a shame the PPO would damage what's an otherwise pristine cab for its age.

 

[Gumby]

I'm not a huge fan of Tracy David, but occasionally he comes up with a decent tip. He did this one when mocking up the motor on his Power Wagon. Better than trying to make mounts with it swinging from a chain.


and no, it's not adjusted yet. I'll put on the exhaust manifolds and crossover and all the accessories first to make sure there's no surprises.

 

[Gumby]

Today didn't feel all that productive. I had no less than 6 people come by the shop that wanted something from me. Too many wanted to chat. you would've thought the sandblaster would have dissuaded them.

Most of the day was fighting with the sandblaster. I got a cheap pressure tank blaster that it a giant pain to set up so it flows right. I went through 4 60# bags of black magic coal crystal media. I still have 4 more, but it was cold and nasty outside.

When I pushed the rotisserie inside we put the cab on a hoist to support it and test fit the seats so we could see how tight it was going to be. That led to putting the top panel on to find out how far the seat could angle back, then the wind shield and driver door.

The answer is very tight, but very, very cool.

4rnr came by for a few hours and did some rust repair on the bed. One more patch and it should be done. It is all stripped.

 

[Gumby]

Couple of interior pics. Still got a bunch of blasting to do on the tub, then all the other stuff.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Looking good!

 

[Gumby]

Made panels for the left side sill. I had to two piece it because my brake won't bend a chunk that long. I bent the panel at the top to help create a base for the door opening lip, at the bottom 'cause it's supposed to have a flange there and at the ends to re-create the proper seam.

Made a patch for the bottom of the cowl to tie into the sill.

I made a new panel for the inner lip at the back of the gas tank, along with the channel behind that panel that goes up behind it.

I got them all tacked in and a good chunk of the seams TIGed in. No pics yet, but the passenger side is looking pretty good already.

Cab corners next.

 

[4rnr]

Made panels for the left side sill. I had to two piece it because my brake won't bend a chunk that long. I bent the panel at the top to help create a base for the door opening lip, at the bottom 'cause it's supposed to have a flange there and at the ends to re-create the proper seam.

Made a patch for the bottom of the cowl to tie into the sill.

I made a new panel for the inner lip at the back of the gas tank, along with the channel behind that panel that goes up behind it.

I got them all tacked in and a good chunk of the seams TIGed in. No pics yet, but the passenger side is looking pretty good already.

Cab corners next.

Pics!!! I cant see s*** on my cell phone.

 

[Gumby]

Getting there. Still got a bit of finish work to do. The little pieces behind the stuff you can see took a lot of time.

I wore a helmet and a welding jacket almost all the time, but I am sunburnt, smelly and my eyes are tired and dry. I sure wouldn't want to do this for a living.

 

[4rnr]

Dont take credit for your students work.


Looks purdy though.

 

[Gumby]

Got the passenger floor panel repaired and installed yesterday. Pretty burned out on welding and out of sheet metal.

Cut out all of the patches and rust out of the left side sill and corner.

Off to NI Steel this afternoon to pick up a couple of sheets. Then gotta fix the tow rig for next weekend. I'm meeting a guy at a wheeling even to pick up a rust bucket 78 for the axles.

Hopefully, that'll get me re-energized to get back at it this weekend.