71 FJ Build- "UGLY BETTY"

[bsmith123]

Betty

Just the first thing that popped into my mind when It arrived

primer gray over paint, springs sticking up through the seats , funny little car tires etc

 

[Mudbug81]

Have you been reunited with Ugly Betty yet?

 

[bsmith123]

UB in the UK

Well Betty made it here in one piece and now resides at a local Farm Garage where it is going through the lighting mods for the UK and a list of minor gigs to pass its MOT inspection--kinda like a state inspection.


We have been working flat out on our house getting up at 5 and getting home at 9 or 10 to get ready for our furniture to arrive
trying to get all the painting etc done before then

good to hear from you, hows wrngway doing?

Ill get some pics posted of the new habitat as soon as I get settled in

 

[Mudbug81]

Progress is slow

Progress is slow but still in a forward motion. Got most of the cancer cut out and patched up. There were some pretty big holes hiding under a lot of bondo. I got all the inside stripped out and had the inside of the tub Rhino Lined. That made it look so much better. Now i have started tearing apart the front axle from my '78 getting ready to rebuild it so i can put it under the '81 to gain disc brakes. After that i'll have to get a new exhaust system, the current system is scatered from C-view to FWB.:whoops: All i have left is part of the header.

Here is a link to some pictures. Scroll to the bottom for the most recent.

 

[KOOTENAY KRUZER]

Mudbug81 - did you post to the wrong thread? This is supposed to be about Ugly Betty, not "What did you do to your Landcruiser this week?"

 

[Mudbug81]

Mudbug81 - did you post to the wrong thread? This is supposed to be about Ugly Betty, not "What did you do to your Landcruiser this week?"

Bsmith asked how my project "WRNGWAY" was going in his thread and i replyed. See post #163

 

[KOOTENAY KRUZER]

Bsmith asked how my project "WRNGWAY" was going in his thread and i replyed. See post #163

Sorry, my bad. I guess when I am a day or two away I should read back some earlier posts to get my head back in gear.

 

[bsmith123]

update on the ol build

Well it has been a while hasn't it?---The build is not dead or done but with a move to the UK, getting back in my old house after renting , and now I am away from home for my work ---time has not been on my side!

But, from time to time I get on and spy out the progress on all of my favorite builds to keep myself going!

Well no pics for a few weeks yet but I figured on posting a little something anyway

NEW PARTS
Ordered a new Air Cleaner assy
Ordered a reman manual steering gearbox ----this will have to do until I get my scout system installed but I want to drive NOW!

But most exciting to me is that I got 2 AUSSIE lockers coming so I am looking forward to getting back and installing them and seeing how she does! I think I will be able to keep up with the Land Rovers

I was happy to use the Aussies rather than the ARBs I originally planned on cause they sound pretty good to me and a little bit easier on the wallet, eh?

Summer TO DO list
Knuckle Rebuild
Wire in the Warn 8274 and dual Battery
A real exterior paint job
CB radio install

Hit the local ORV areas!

 

[antFJ]

back home safe! good to hear! i think this thread has general lack of pictures...

 

[bsmith123]

oops, not home yet---definite on getting out the camera when I return. Betty will still be ugly for a little while since I ordered Lockers instead of springing for paint---I guess function over form has won my heart--I also need to get serious about power steering and discs

Getting the discs from Poser and he will mail to me over here and I brought my PS parts with me so thats no prob

but first I just want to get her out in the countryside a little!

 

[bsmith123]

Daily Driver ----at last







Well there's a little more been done, I wont bore you with my saginaw install cause it has all been posted before--but the flaming river column is a little bling I think

Anyway I have hardly posted with work and travel and moving so here's a few pics for now, been driving her for almost a month now with no problems really--had an alignment check done, adjusted the brakes, and had to do some turn signal work but that is about it

its all worth it when you can take the dog for a ride through the English country side! I was gonna pull the back seat but turns out he loves that seat so I didnt have the heart to take it away/

shot some video rolling through the villages around here but it was pretty crazy and shaky so I am gonna try and get better vids to post

still have my rear discs to install and am searching for parts for the front swap and my aussie lockers will go in too

i am away for work for a few weeks but UB is getting painted during that time! There was an auto electrician next door so I asked him to wire up a battery isolator for the second battery and the winch while I am gone

Got a cobra nightwatch uk/Eur CB installed awaiting a cable and a Stereo awaiting speakers

 

[bsmith123]

some bits of canvas

found a few bits of the top around the place so I asked the wife to sew up a few things

just a little place to stick some stuff and a pad for my ammo can console--turned out pretty comfy too!

the wat temp gauge is hanging there awaiting the gauge pod I am making out of some aluminum and I really do need to get a defrost hose with the weather the way it is here

 

[bsmith123]

a few more pics

here is just another shot of the canvas pouch, the old tire carrier puts the arm rest at a perfect height

and the cb partially mounted at the rear of the ammo can

 

[bsmith123]

and a couple more

The new steering column!
Ahh, and I found a string of white LED lights in the bargain bin---but I forgot ---clear ones can produce colors so now I have blue bling bling lights under the dash! ha ha! But, actually they light up the floor good enough so oh well they are gonna stay till they fail. next time I read the box though!

The little monster in my window gets some laugh from kids, but he deserves the ride--sat in my glovebox for the entire build so now he rides up front as a full time job!

it is hard to believe I am driving it everyday now, at first I took it for a few local spins and was listening to every little noise, but I have had her up to 60 on the way to work although usually I drive around at 40-50 which just feels comfortable. That is slow on any on the main roads around here but there are a lot of little roads and forest roads too. So any excuse to go to the store or something and I am all over it now!!!

So when I get back from my trip in a few weeks I should be posting up a very different looking rig if all goes well!

 

[tmarx]

Your Betty is looking good !

 

[bsmith123]

thanks

Thanks

I need to catch up with a lot of builds including your===travelling for work and moving to the UK I have been out of touch with Mud for a while

I am on a trip now with too much time on my hands for a change and have internet access so I can catch up a little

not sure about the blue lights inside, I thought they were white .....I find them a bit funny in the 40 but after I made the mistake and had them in .....well I will live with them until they go bad and they do serve the purpose I suppose

 

[jsuthey]

Hey bsmith,your build is looking really good.Thanks for sharing the pics.
Hey look out-wrong side of the road there!!! JK

 

[bsmith123]

wrong side

Driving in the middle is the only way to be sure I guess

Some pics of the hard top pieces that are soon to be mine
have seen some weather to be sure but I will have to see what I can do with them

 

[bsmith123]

and one more

and one more

The guy who is painting it says he can fab a swing up door but if that does not pan out I am sure I can come up with something

from what I read fitting this later top to my fj will require notching up front for the ws wipers, there may be issues with the roll bar, and in the back I will need a different header to fit the swing up door or go with ambi doors if I could find them, or make half ambi doors


i kind like the idea of the half ambi doors ==prolly depends on what kinda shape the door is in

And on searching for ideas to copy===after all just about everything I think of has been done already

 

[bsmith123]

Guess who has a 1HD-t

Picked up my 1HD-T and am stoked on that

still need 1hz input shaft for an H55 plus an H55
also the fj75 bell housing and all the clutch stuff, rear crossmember and motor mounts

well no pics for a while since UB is in for paint

finished the top today but i did this other thread and need to put the final pics in it but it looks good

https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/419889-canvas-product-try-out-recoloring-my-soft-top.html

Also picked up new door regulators from CCOT and window felts and CCOT Aussie Mat and insulation

Definite lack of pics here I know but soon I will have many new pics of the paint and motor tranny swap but I am off on a trip in the AM and have been busy trying to line everything up

3 weeks till I can even think about putting the motor in but she will be painted by then

since I am going away I havent been able to pick up the hardtop but that is still on ---owing to the patience of the owner, nice that I am starting to make contacts in the cruiser world here in the UK and seems like a good bunch, there are a couple of events I am looking forward to going to but missed out on this year. But when I do go it should be in a nice shiny red 40 with a hardtop, and a 1HD-T/ H55! I think I will be pretty happy with the old girl then