71 FJ Build- "UGLY BETTY"

[bsmith123]

progress

One step forward and two steps back sometimes

I had a bit of a snafu when I had the whole thing back together and running I discovered I had put the throwout bearing in the wrong way round. Having looked at others since it is pretty obvious but the style I got was pretty flat both sides.

On top of that the oil pan leaked in the rear. I saw oil dripping down and my first thought was ---OH not the new rear main! but I thought I saw it coming out the right rear corner of the pan but after some tweaking it seemed to stop. After looking closer I thought I might have torn it putting a bolt through

Okay some heartache but tranny out and tranny in and new oil pan gasket and everything tight as a drum and dry as a bone!
Happy days!


I had hoped to salvage the gas tank but wound up with some rust in my new carb inlet and it wouldnt let gas in, the float dropped but the needle stuck--got that cleared out sucking on the carb inlet. so now new gas tank, filter and lines are on hand and next on the agenda.


to get the tranny out I had to remove the tunnel cover, seat frame and seats, and the header first header pipe following the headers to get to the motor mount. removed the rear mounts and put a tall sawhorse i built to rest the tub on in the tub and used a couple ratchet straps to hold the tranny.


I ran the engine for a good while till she was all warmed up and then tried out the clutch cause the driveshafts are out, 4 wheel drive works and all the gears and reverse and the clutch engages and disengages with no weird noises and feels good


I was gonna move the slave to the right but I will leave that for another day as I am not much in the mood for sorting out any new self induced problems at the moment!


So back up and running where i was a few weeks back but feeling good cause I know this next weekend will be a garage cleanup, fuel system install and put the interior back in. Then the driveshafts. I got the shafts lengthened at a local hot rod shop and they have the old bolt pattern on one end and the new on the other to mate up with the 79 drivetrain. at $270 bucks for the 2 I am going to look into cheaper options for spares. I will just have to be nice to them in the meantime.

Could be a test drive up and down the driveway???? That would make it all worthwhile!

So no pics or anything pretty to look at till next time just the news that she is running again

 

[My71FJ40]

All very nice! Can't wait so see the final project....well its never truley done right!?

 

[sls019]

Well, your build is coming along nicely. Are you going to continue to call her 'ugly'? I really like the way your tub turned out using the durabak. My tub has some pitting on the floors. Would the durabak possibly feel or mask the pits?

 

[bsmith123]

pitting

The only change I would make is to use the smooth duraback cause the rough is pretty rough I'll have to put a mat in the back for the dogs---but things wont slide around anyway. I have heard that painting the smooth over the rough takes care of hat though


yes the durabak will cover any pitting it is very textured. POR is quite good at it too--I had a small area of pitting in a corner by the drivers side but it wasnt very deep and the por filled it nicely


Got the new tank in it today but my rear heater core started leaking so I pulled that and was too lazy to take any pics

 

[sls019]

What prep work did you do to the pitted area before coating? Did you just follow the process in your thread on the durabak application?

 

[bsmith123]

prep

Well by the time I used the duraback I had already taken it down to metal, POR 15 metal prep, Aqua clean, then POR-15, then POR 15 top coat primer, then single stage polyurethane, then sanded the poly and applied the Durabakl

I suppose If I hadnt done all that I would at least use the acid and maybe cover the pitting with some zinc chromate primer then just DURABAK it per the instructions

OSPHO acid at ACE hardware will do the same as metal prep I put it on let it do its stuff then clean it off with a 3M paint and rust stripping wheel

my pitting was localized and not deep if it were bad enough to be a strength issue I'd of cut it out and welded in a patch

i am thinking a coat of epoxy primer would not be a bad thing either but I would check the Durabak instructions. I am pretty sure that stuff will stick to just about anything though but if you miss a little spot the primer would keep it protected especially in the corners and seams---Or POR 15 for that matter

 

[sls019]

Thanks for those tips. My tub has light pitting but not enough to harm the structural integrity. This process you have done will help me when i repair my tub this summer.

 

[bsmith123]

She drove under her own power!



Today is the day!

Ugly Betty drove around the block today under her own power. fortunately none of the neighbors were out when I did it! Clutch and brakes feel good, engine is good and the tranny went through all the gears fine.

Steering slop is horrible I'll have to look at that but it was great to have her move under her own power for the first time in over a year!

The pics show the new gas tank I got from SOR. Today I threw the drive shaft in and serviced up the tranny and xfer case and while I was at it I installed the bypass hose. my rear heater spring a leak after reinstalling the seats, it had been fine through the initial engine runs but I thik it may have got jostled around a bit putting in the tank and seat frame and it was delicate. For the time being I looped the hose and I think I am just going to cap it off until I move


still a bunch of stuff to do and I am trying to decide if I should take the plunge on the bodywork and paint or just get everything working and put back together for shipping to the UK in June when we move

 

[Mudbug81]

Sprinkler Man

Looks like you have come a long way. Just goes to show, with the time and money you can make anything great. Keep up the good work. Check out My Photo Gallery below for pictures of my rigs.

It was nice talking with a fellow cruiser head yesterday.

 

[TRoss]

Nice build. I'm diggin the camo dash

 

[bsmith123]

mudbug

It was nice talking with a fellow cruiser head yesterday.

What a coincidence eh? Man that Aussie 40 looks good! I should of asked ---who's your shipper? I got send mine to the UK

It's great the interior is so complete

 

[bsmith123]

thanks

Nice build. I'm diggin the camo dash

thanks, some of the best ideas come from laziness I was so tired of sanding at that point and the paint job I did was going to need some rubbing out to flatten it.


I am going to do the center console and a storage box across the back of the seats with the same stuff, then that's it dont want to get carried away with it

 

[bsmith123]

lights

began working on the lights today and got power to the headlight and turn signals. Coolermans schematics came in handy ---easier to read than my old beaten up FSM!

The headlights had no power at first so I shot the switch and it read power sometimes/sometimes not ---ran a wire from the power side of the fuse to the dimmer and got lights.

Cleaned up the fuse connection with some sandpaper and presto

Only had one turn signal hooked up and it worked with the headlamps as a marker light and the turn signal relay would try to throw with the turn switch but, it would just clunk once and quit --I figure it needs the other lights to put enough load on to make it work--bi metallic switch and all

Toying with the idea of installing a little junction box in the rear to split up the power for the rear combi lights and side lights and I may separate the brake circuit ala Coolerman style since I will need amber turn signals when I get to the UK. So the rear combis will be markers and brakes with OEM side and aftermarket rear amber turn signals till I get back. Prolly just stick em on the bumper.

The wiring for the lights has been previously molested with some speaker wire, solder and press clip splices which I do not like. With the junction box I can put round terminals on and run wires to each light off the block. Some heat shrink over the terminals and some silicone over the screws and mount it underneath somewhere. Should work out nice and neat I think.

With company in town I am only doing a little here and there


Got the kit for the w/s washer from SOR and found the old mount and it fit right on there--good! didnt really like the little flat mount that came with it. The OEM is nicer

Also got my windshield wiper stuff in so I am praying the motors work!


I'll try and get some pics of the lighting set up in the rear and the w/s wiper kit install ---prolly a few folks needing that


nothing like driving it to stoke you to get alll the little junk done!

 

[Mudbug81]

yea i think i really lucked out but i won't know for sure till it gets here. The seller used his shipping company, the company is Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics. You might be able to ship yours out on the same boat mine is coming in on. The ship is scheduled to leave Savanna, Ga. on May 25 and arrive in South Hampton, UK on June 16.

 

[bsmith123]

clip for e brake

Romey look at what I found


https://forum.ih8mud.com/newreply.php?do=postreply&t=204950

will get it off in the mail along with the input shaft coupler

 

[bsmith123]

progress

well I have been chasing wires and getting the wipers, washers, lights, and so on working--not installed yet cause I am refurbishing the light assys a little as I go but progress

got the twist fasteners and grommets for my top so I installed that


as you see the rattle can olive paint is a go at least until I get it shipped in July--just running out of time for that pretty white paint job, oh well gives me a project when I move

 

[bsmith123]

progress

of course its da rims that add all the bling

 

[bsmith123]

progress

Wow seems like I hardly ever post anymore cause there are so many time consuming little jobs--no one really wants to see the clamp I installed or the grommet I replaced I am sure

But getting the grill and fenders back on today felt and looked like progress--well not all the way on yet but tacked in place anyway.

Now where did I put those rubber apron stops I bought 8 months ago?

Also got new OEM turn signals and lic plate light and reverse light
and installed a set of ROUNDEYES which I think look pretty cool!

trying to get it bolted up to ship out some time in late may early June--I will have to start working most weeknights I guess

 

[bsmith123]

pics

a couple of the new lights

 

[tmarx]

Looking good. Keep it up