Builds 76 Fj40 Face Lift (1 Viewer)

[Chungas Revenge]

Last shot of the aft section of the ole Mule for 2015...

Try to add some new "legs" and a "hat" in the next few days...

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Up and out the door early this AM. Trugg'en accross the tundra mile after mile. Quick stop at St Alfonso's pancake breakfast for the house special.

The old "garage" seemed rather nostalgic, no heat, lights or power, had to fight back a tear . Brought back some of the last big ticket items. U-bolts for the springs, the hard-top, ambulance doors and gaskets all made it in one piece. I'll post up some pics later Monday afternoon.

My Festivus gifts are inbound from the post..4 speed shift boot plate, Tool bag retaining band, fog light switch, shocks and a Lee 45-70 die set (other bad habit).

My Festivus miracle @GA Architect is sending me a tool bag retaining clip unsolicited and free of charge. Nothing but class in the "heart of Dixie". Many thanks and much obliged!!!!

 

[handcannon]

I don't call putting a 45-70 die set to proper use a bad habit. I call it being frugal. You are not putting out the big bucks for somebody else doing what you can easily do yourself. You are saving money.

For another part of this hijack, I envy you, as I've never shot a 45-70 or 45-90. Always wanted to since I have this thing for something that throws boulders out there, but the money needed to buy such a critter is scarce as hens teeth now. So, I live vicariously through those like you that were wise enough to purchase said item back when the money was a bit more easily found.

By the way, keep those pictures coming of your build, and your stories of course. I love it!

Don

ps-- I used to have that same habit, before money became scarce as hens teeth. Currently I'm trying to scratch up the pennies so I can get me a Lee 4 die set for a .223, and of course the basic accouterments that go with it.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Thanks Don!!! The 45-70 ammo has gone through the roof..

The "Cannon" is a one of the last Marlins made up in New Haven. I ran across some .405gr bullets of the round nose variety I am itching to load up. Swapped out the brown GBL furniture for the grey green a few years back (before everything went nuts). It's a fun shooter and surprisingly very accurate...

I like the Lee products. If your shooting any Mil Brass IMHO I would go with the carbide set.

your stories

I am a tad reluctant to keep those "stories" posted. Don't want the thread police hammering me for "misadventure". But, I do have a draft of "The summer Granny taught me to shoot Part II" I may kick off the new year with (most of it's even true)..

 

[handcannon]

I'll try to keep this brief as we're definitely getting beyond grey areas of hijacks. I've never used Lee before, but it is on the high end of my budget now, and I've only heard good reports about Lee. The die set I'm dreaming about is a 4 die set, with the fourth die being a carbide neck sizing die. I doubt I will be using any mil brass as I'm not aware of any in .223 caliber. It's all 5.56 to my knowledge, and you can't put 5.56 into a .223 chamber. The only reason I'm in this position now is because I was gifted a brand new Remington 783 (never look a gift horse in the mouth). Currently never having been shot, and wanting to go through proper steps for barrel break in, I'm anxiously awaiting when I will have a good day to do the complete break in procedure, and really hoping for one of those budget rifles that turn out to be a tack driver.

I'm not sure what to do to pull tech back into this post, but do keep up the good work on your Mule.

Don

 

[TCSTARK]

I just pulled an ignition switch for my 76 if you need it. It was new prior to installation and has not seen much action

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Hey Jeff did you get a chance to check that taillight cover?

 

[oldschool4wheeling]

Primary mission for today was to dialing in the cooling system..

The ole' mule was bone dry for the better part of a year, save for a few mad dashes in and out of the garage this spring. Picked up a "burp kit" from my new found friends at NAPA for $28 and change. Walmart, pronounced Wahhlmaht in the native dialect, had the same kit for $25. I calculated the extra $3 was well worth avoiding the super store during the "mad season"...I imagine every spandex clad, dimple knee-d Goddess of the feed store would be wheeling a buggy today.

Pretty straight forward kit. Great stocking stuff-er for your Mrs, if you haven't already bought her a Ginsu skinning knife or some Mosey oak lingerie.

Ohhh my, that is what I needed this morning, A BIGGGG LAUGH!!!

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Hey Jeff did you get a chance to check that taillight cover?

Kick it on over the fence..Just what I needed!!

 

[Chungas Revenge]

76 if you need it

The Festivus miracles just keep coming!! I sure could use one.

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

I will try to send it out here in a couple hours!

 

[Chungas Revenge]

It's all 5.56 to my knowledge

Yep sure is...I wasn't sure what "platform you were using" Me amigo's and I use the term ".223" as a term of art. Like asking for a Coke..

 

[Chungas Revenge]

couple hours!

Absolutely no rush...Take your time and send it when you "git roun to-it".

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

I have to run out here in a few anyways to meet the misses for some dinner! Might as well hit the USPS while I'm there.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Pics of the hardtop. Apparently I had cultivated a colony of some yet undetermined fungi, algae or undiscovered phytoplankton along the edges of the rain gutter. The top has been in cold storage for the better part of a year so, everything is good and dry. Third pic is a "hickory bite" from the 1st hunting season with the mule.

The organic matter grew around the gutter mounts (Yakima) for my roof rack. After I get this cleaned up and "fixed" I don't believe I'll remount anything to the gutter..If I go with a roof rack in the future, I'll seal the deal on a Gobi (no affiliation).

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Couple shots of the "Ambi" doors...Good and solid with no major issues to contend with. Repairing a loose door gasket will put me in the "tall oats" with the doors. May have to break down and pick-up a set "Jessel or Hozan " JIS screw drivers. The hinge screws may take some persuasion with the Dune Beige Acrylic Enamel paint holding them in place. I want to use stainless hardware..

 

[Chungas Revenge]

hit the USPS

Your call, but don't make a special trip..I have plenty to keep me busy!

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Hit the top with some diluted bleach water. No resistance from the dried up colony of fungal refugees..I'll take a soft tooth-brush (invented in WV, otherwise it would be called the "teeth brush" ) in the AM. I used a little paste wax on a 12"x12" section. Looks like it will polish up nicely and it won't be necessary to buff it out..

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Chasing down some of the electrical gremlins. One non- functioning bulb. I'll pull the cover and have a look-see later. I think I may have overlooked a bad bulb (optimist view).

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Top is cleaned and tapped off for the addition of some seam sealer to the inner portion of the gutter (clear/flexible/paintable). It does not leak and I have no rust at this time. I do have some very slight paint separation where the old gutter mount(s) were located.