Builds 76 Fj40 Face Lift

[Chungas Revenge]

Ok, I’m holding on to the lip of the “Rabbit Hole”, just wish Alice would get the h£ll outa my way..

”Wilson is a beast”

@Jdc1

 

[knuckle47]

I check this out every day and see the amount of work that gets done…..i wonder how many people it takes working on the truck during a day?

I know that if I were to undertake a rebuild like this, I would need to take a year and possibly two between disassembly, rebuild/replace and re-paint and I just don’t have that kind of time anymore at this age to have any of it make sense….again, thinking out loud. This is the single most reason I had to buy my truck already re-done. It just took me 6 months to realize that. This is going to turn out great

 

[21NDone]

Ok, I’m holding on to the lip of the “Rabbit Hole”, just wish Alice would get the h£ll outa my way..

”Wilson is a beast”

@Jdc1

View attachment 3529861

View attachment 3529862

Be strong sir, be strong.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

I check this out every day and see the amount of work that gets done…..i wonder how many people it takes working on the truck during a day?

I know that if I were to undertake a rebuild like this, I would need to take a year and possibly two between disassembly, rebuild/replace and re-paint and I just don’t have that kind of time anymore at this age to have any of it make sense….again, thinking out loud. This is the single most reason I had to buy my truck already re-done. It just took me 6 months to realize that. This is going to turn out great

Honestly, it was a perfect storm of circumstances…Selling a house, moving myself, no plans, time or space to do a tire change. Then, the planets aligned, clouds parted and ray of light smacked me in the forehead. The only real debate was Aq tub vice other. East coast tin worm is more than a nuisance, it’s an infestation. So, AQ in the end.

Now, everything is moving at the speed of light. Awesome team. “Wilson is a beast”, Dr J burns both ends while juggling hand grenaides and The young Jedi, aka Alex is a metallurgical prodigy..

Best part, I’m neck deep in it too. Shot below is from the office, slaving away to orchestrate this endeavor . It’s tuff but someone has to tend the fire..

@Jdc1

 

[OlYellr]

That looks lit!

Q about your seat rails in the pictures above, you taking them apart and freshening them up? I ask, cuz I'm wanting to pulling mine apart and looking for a button to smash (AKA MUD post) that doesn't involve grinding off the rivets in the track.

Attached is my resume - should you be hiring at your office...

@Jdc1 - a) awesome work b) I got a resume for you too

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Attached is my resume - should you be hiring at your office..

I predict a bright future for you… I’m always up for an interview.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

The seat covers/jump seat covers were custom made “local”. They will be going on the “for sale” pile shortly TBD. Color difference is the lighting conditions.

 

[Jdc1]

i’m

Honestly, it was a perfect storm of circumstances…Selling a house, moving myself, no plans, time or space to do a tire change. Then, the planets aligned, clouds parted and ray of light smacked me in the forehead. The only real debate was Aq tub vice other. East coast tin worm is more than a nuisance, it’s an infestation. So, AQ in the end.

Now, everything is moving at the speed of light. Awesome team. “Wilson is a beast”, Dr J burns both ends while juggling hand grenaides and The young Jedi, aka Alex is a metallurgical prodigy..

Best part, I’m neck deep in it too. Shot below is from the office, slaving away to orchestrate this endeavor . It’s tuff but someone has to tend the fire..

@Jdc1

View attachment 3529940

That looks like a pretty decent place to orchestrate a lot of different projects.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

i’m

That looks like a pretty decent place to orchestrate a lot of different projects.

It has been the scene of more than one misdemeanor..

 

[Jdc1]

That looks lit!

Q about your seat rails in the pictures above, you taking them apart and freshening them up? I ask, cuz I'm wanting to pulling mine apart and looking for a button to smash (AKA MUD post) that doesn't involve grinding off the rivets in the track.

Attached is my resume - should you be hiring at your office...

View attachment 3529969

@Jdc1 - a) awesome work b) I got a resume for you too

Thanks, @Ol Yeller , my interview process would be simple- cone washer removal….

On the seats- If you are worried about the sand blasting because of the grit, dipping would be a great way to strip them without taking them all the way. As the mule isn’t a full restoration(alot of semantics), we won’t be taking the rivets apart. Remember there are rivet head bolts that can be used in place of true rivets.

 

[knuckle47]

I make no comments about costs for this work but I’m no stranger to them. My dad had a 1937 Mercedes 320K convertible and my mom drove a 1957 Ford T-bird those restorations when I was a kid were $50.00/ hour plus parts. That was 1971 and what they could set you back. If the name Amos Minter should ring a bell, then you know today $125,000 is a steal and a deal. I wish you the absolute greatest time loving your new truck. There is so much value there that you cannot list on any f’ing balance sheet

I did a few things back asswards by looking for FJ45’s and i looked at so many FJ45’s…… have found a few that are good enough to enjoy, drive around and tinker with and are also good solid candidates for an eventual re-build while driving around while doing some of it…..a re-build like yours..while searching and buying one there is one problem. With old guys like me, they think like 25 year olds but perform like 70 year olds. Once I started crawling around under these trucks on my soon to be replaced knee and trying to hang on to wrench’s falling out of my arthritic hands It became very apparent. Dropping small nuts and bolts and trying to crawl back under and find them is ripping me up.

@cruisermatt came up with a plan to change to a 5 speed , rebuild transfer case, differentials and go disc brakes on all wheels…that was a great idea but the costs add up fast…shipping was going to be around $2600 round trip as well as parts an labor added in

I deciderd instead to buy one of the nicest ground up, frame up complete rebuild FJ45’s I could find fully restored and rebuilt With heat and air conditioning Not cheap but I can hop in and drive to California and back and still go back to the other truck and re-build and work as slowly as I want without the angst of wanting to drive it. Ultimately the 45 will be sold and I’ll just hang on to the FJ40 (my true first love for 50 years) and the restored FJ45 being I have never passed one on the roads around here

i do congratulate you @Chungas Revenge for developing a working plan and seeing it through… for that you’ll get this beautiful laurel
and hardy handshake!

 

[Chungas Revenge]

@knuckle47

Testify…!!!

I couldn’t have ask for a better group of people to work with. They tolerate me most days . They’re even letting me plan the “After Party”.

The thing is, it’s not a nameless faceless group executing the Mule 2.0 update. We’ve bird hunted together, broke bread together and more often than not we’re on the phone talking/texting at 0700 talking about the Mule, kids, cars, hunting, the state of the union etc etc etc.

The bulk of my old “garage buddies” are Snow Birds in the winter and golf course junkies in the summer. I always enjoyed the social aspect of a garage full of Ner’ do well friends pilfering wobble pops out of the mini fridge and clamoring over who gets to use my power washer next. So, the thought of rolling around in the storage bld this winter, which is currently semi-stuffed full of future garage sale items, was just not that appealing if not impossible. Been there done it and I’m still wearing the t-shirt.

I’ve been accused of doing this “refreshtomod”, in order to weasel my way, through subversion and subterfuge, back into the Barbie garage.

I assure you ”Pumpkin” (aka Ms Revenge), if your reading this, that‘s simply a rumor and has no merit.

Now, if I can just get @dlzadl to collaborate with me on a design for an “old man garage lounge” in the new shop, I may just move to OH. Every shop needs a couple of “Old Guy‘s” sitting around in lounge chairs “color commentating” on a knuckle rebuild.

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

I may just move to OH.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Red scourge suspected, detected and soon to be eradicated. Pretty good indication (IMHO) that the HT was never apart. 854 Sky blue is apparent. Same with the doors. Dune beige acrylic enamel respray. All in all, not bad for a mid 70’s offering…

 

[Jdc1]

Only 3 broken bolts in the top disassembly. It was a good day. Drop off at the blaster tomorrow.

** photo edited by @Chungas Revenge revenge to hide neglected wiring projects

 

[21NDone]

@knuckle47

Testify…!!!

I couldn’t have ask for a better group of people to work with. They tolerate me most days . They’re even letting me plan the “After Party”.

The thing is, it’s not a nameless faceless group executing the Mule 2.0 update. We’ve bird hunted together, broke bread together and more often than not we’re on the phone talking/texting at 0700 talking about the Mule, kids, cars, hunting, the state of the union etc etc etc.

The bulk of my old “garage buddies” are Snow Birds in the winter and golf course junkies in the summer. I always enjoyed the social aspect of a garage full of Ner’ do well friends pilfering wobble pops out of the mini fridge and clamoring over who gets to use my power washer next. So, the thought of rolling around in the storage bld this winter, which is currently semi-stuffed full of future garage sale items, was just not that appealing if not impossible. Been there done it and I’m still wearing the t-shirt.

I’ve been accused of doing this “refreshteration”, in order to weasel my way, through subversion and subterfuge, back into the Barbie garage.

I assure you ”Pumpkin” (aka Ms Revenge), if your reading this, that‘s simply a rumor and has no merit.

Now, if I can just get @dlzadl to collaborate with me on a design for an “old man garage lounge” in the new shop, I may just move to OH. Every shop needs a couple of “Old Guy‘s” sitting around in lounge chairs “color commentating” on a knuckle rebuild.

“After party”? I’ll be keeping a close eye on the mailbox for the invite

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Only 3 broken bolts in the top disassembly. It was a good day. Drop off at the blaster tomorrow.


** photo edited by @Chungas Revenge revenge to hide neglected wiring projects

Wiring? What wiring???

Things bout’ to get real….

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Phase I is in the History Books.

Phase II begins.

 

[OlYellr]

Finding all the ways to flip a bezel?

Looking great and the progress is moving quickly!

 

[Chungas Revenge]

In house media blasting. “Wilson, Wilson, Wilson”..