Builds 78 body off restore (cruiser #2)

[Curtice]

Did a bit of “fabrication” today. It’s in quotes cause I really don’t know what I’m doing. The underside of the old tub, floor, and rockers had these support brackets. So as I’m putting my new metal together, I figured Toyota must have done it for good reason. So my son figured out how to make some new ones and we cut them and bent them.

Also, started work on the seat bracket. In every car I’ve ever driven, I feel like I sit too low. So I wanted to mount the drivers seat on this one higher. I’m going two inches higher and modified the stock bracket for this. Need to do the other 3 bolt points as well, obviously.

 

[dmaddox]

Very nice work. I’d say you know exactly what you’re doing!

 

[Curtice]

My son started work on the transmission. Discovered we are missing some parts, and need some replacement parts. So those are on the way. But in the meantime, got it all torn down, cleaned, and ready for paint. Pulling the bearings was a bear...

Some homemade sst to pull the bearings. Ended up following what some other folks have done and just welded the puller to the bearing in one case.

Transmission apart, along with a pic of my son working on it. Lastly, he does need to work on his organization...

 

[Curtice]

Also got working on my tailgate. I had a set of barn doors fabricated by Relik Garage to go with my tub. But decided I wanted a tailgate, so got to work fitting it and began welding. I’m learning sheet metal welding is a bit difficult...

It’s just tack welded in a few spots now so I could test fit. I think I’m gonna struggle a bit to get it all welded up and look nice, so I will probably practice a bit first.

 

[dmaddox]

Looks awesome. I think you'll be happier with the tailgate. You can work on them, cook on them, use it as a table in any way. Very cool idea.

I meant to ask, where did you get your front shock upper pins? The bolt that goes through the shock tower to mount the shock to, and all of the nuts for the four shocks. Just curious! Thanks man.

 

[Curtice]

Thanks, that was my thought too.

On the pins, pretty sure I picked them up from SOR during an order at one point. There were several parts in addition to the pins, such as the big and small washers, mounting nuts, castle nuts, cotter pins. If you want, I. can go find what I ordered and shoot it over to you.

 

[dmaddox]

Cool, thanks man. Don’t stress it! If you ordered from Sor I’ll take a look on their website and place an order when I get closer. Thanks for the update!

 

[Curtice]

Been a bit of frustrating few days. Having a very difficult time getting the tub parts and body panels aligned. I haven't bolted or welded anything yet, just trying to get the tub, floor, rockers, and cowl to fit properly so that the front doors will shut and latch. Can't seem to make it work...it seems like my rocker panels are slightly too long. Can someone measure your rockers panels, end to end? I measured on my old tub at 34 1/4", but think it might have been warped a bit from rust. My new rocker panels measure at slightly longer than that, by about 1/8".

I bolted up the cowl and tub to the body mounts, attached the doors to hinges and installed the latch on the door and catch on the B pillar so I could test. I got it lined up so the door closed at where it would hit the latch just right. But the rocker panels were too long to fit here. So widened the tub mounting holes slightly and slid the tub back just enough to fit the rocker panels, but now the door gap is too wide and the door latch comes up short. I've attached the door to the hinges with as much extended as I could (there is some play in the hinge bolts).

The other problem with sliding the tub back was that it caused the mid tub body mount to be too offset...the frame mounting bracket is wedged up against the tub floor where it angles down, making it so the tub sits uneven. Picture below.

Any ideas? Has anyone done this before like this? I'm starting to regret not trying to patch the rusty old tub...i've spent days messing with this and its getting to be quite frustrating.

My next step is to start over and make sure everything is perfectly level...i've realized an unlevel cowl can make a difference. I think the tub needs to be forward a bit, but the rockers don't fit.

 

[White Stripe]

My thought would be to cut the rocker in half nicely, mock up each half. Looks like some fab work is needed on the rocker to make it line up. Are your old rockers totally rusted out? If you just use the old rocker door lip you could weld new metal on below the lip.

 

[Curtice]

Thanks. Was mulling cutting them in half yesterday. Old rockers are completely rusted out and the lip on one is bent up from an accident.

When you say mock up each half: so cut it in half, attach one side to the tub and get it fitted. Then, measure exactly what is needed for the other half and cut/grind to exact length. That what you were thinking?

 

[White Stripe]

Thanks. Was mulling cutting them in half yesterday. Old rockers are completely rusted out and the lip on one is bent up from an accident.

When you say mock up each half: so cut it in half, attach one side to the tub and get it fitted. Then, measure exactly what is needed for the other half and cut/grind to exact length. That what you were thinking?

Just a thought yeah. First see if u can move the rocker downward until the curve in the rocker matches the curve in the door. All your fab will be based on that. That's my opinion anyway.

 

[dmaddox]

Ugh, sorry you are having some troubles with this. I'd 2nd White Stripe on this one. There is no easy way, but the curvature of the door opening will not only be quite visible (top of the rocker) it is critical on the latch and opening (as you are witnessing). Cutting in the middle, or perhaps in an area clear of the front curve upward and not in the way of any braces will give you that 1/8" in itself. This way you can clamp in the rear half of the rocker, ensure fitment of door/tub/etc.. and then tack it in place. Repeat for the front half.

My only concern is the bigger picture. You go through the trouble to correct the rockers, what else will need to shift? Floor? Rocker on the other side? Mounts?

I guess if everything lines up, doors, hard top panels, floor, body mount holes, etc.. you'll be safe.

Good luck man!

 

[Oregon LC]

Been a bit of frustrating few days. Having a very difficult time getting the tub parts and body panels aligned. I haven't bolted or welded anything yet, just trying to get the tub, floor, rockers, and cowl to fit properly so that the front doors will shut and latch. Can't seem to make it work...it seems like my rocker panels are slightly too long. Can someone measure your rockers panels, end to end? I measured on my old tub at 34 1/4", but think it might have been warped a bit from rust. My new rocker panels measure at slightly longer than that, by about 1/8".

I bolted up the cowl and tub to the body mounts, attached the doors to hinges and installed the latch on the door and catch on the B pillar so I could test. I got it lined up so the door closed at where it would hit the latch just right. But the rocker panels were too long to fit here. So widened the tub mounting holes slightly and slid the tub back just enough to fit the rocker panels, but now the door gap is too wide and the door latch comes up short. I've attached the door to the hinges with as much extended as I could (there is some play in the hinge bolts).

The other problem with sliding the tub back was that it caused the mid tub body mount to be too offset...the frame mounting bracket is wedged up against the tub floor where it angles down, making it so the tub sits uneven. Picture below.

Any ideas? Has anyone done this before like this? I'm starting to regret not trying to patch the rusty old tub...i've spent days messing with this and its getting to be quite frustrating.

My next step is to start over and make sure everything is perfectly level...i've realized an unlevel cowl can make a difference. I think the tub needs to be forward a bit, but the rockers don't fit.

View attachment 2377662View attachment 2377663View attachment 2377665

Who is the manufacturer of that tub? Maybe you should get a hold of them and ask for advice, just a thought. Good luck.

 

[SteveH]

Great work on this truck - and a ton of it. Good job! Good that you are involving your son here, too.

As someone who installed a Columbian fender on an '80 FJ40, I went through some of the same pain. A couple things I see: If you are running a hard top, you MUST test-fit the entire hard top NOW and study the fit: both on the tub flanges (where the bottom edge of the hard top engages the tub) and up against the front and rear doors. I had a miserable time with my fender, the first of which was off by 1/4" and wouldn't even engage the hard top. The 2nd fender was better in that regard, but still had all sorts of fitment issues, both at the leading edge and back by the rear doors. In some places, my 'fender' was off by 1/2" and I had to weld in new steel to make it long enough to engage the new and old parts. If I had waited to fit the hard top, the job would have been doomed. I also borrowed a single side panel for my fitment, which is much easier to manhandle than an entire hard top. Since your hard top is in pieces, you can do this, too. I gave up on the other Columbian fender and patched my OEM fender. I wrote a Toyota Trails (TLCA) article on the fitment issues, which were many.

Another observation is that your welded-together tailgate doors (which look great) appear to be touching the tub at each outer edge. I would think you'd want a 3/16" (roughly OEM) gap so that your tailgate doesn't stick or rub all the paint off the gate or tub. You may need to simply grind down the outer edges of this welded gate-pair to make it narrower, and then re-weld the ground areas and smooth them to make them fit.

IMO, your triangular support brackets will trap water just like the OEM ones. If you use them, would get some grease in behind the plates (the jelly in your sandwich, as it were) so that water can't rust out your new tub. I would not install the brackets, for this reason, by YMMV.

Steve

 

[Curtice]

Thanks a ton! Great tips, and timely as it’s getting quite frustrating. @fourlow&go has been giving me some tips much in the same vein. So helpful. One thing he suggested is to not test fit on the car lift, as it might settle differently each time I move it and change measurements. I also will probably go ahead and test fit on my actual frame (rather than this old one). I made sure measurements on the frames were the same, but would probably be best to use the actual frame I will be using. I just didn’t want to scratch it all up, since it is already “restored”.

1) I have been continuing to test fit, with the hard top. I actually plan to get all sheet metal on before any final assembly, to make sure it all works. I’ve just been focused on the rockers because I’m trying to get those measurements at expectation first.

2) I’ll check the tailgate closely. I tried to get it at the right length to be super close, but not touch. If I do need to shorten the length, it ought be easier to just cut the tacks I put in the middle. This is why I didn’t fully weld the middle, in case I needed to reverse.

3) I didn’t know about the brackets trapping water. I just assumed they were needed for support reasons. Would you suggest doing anything in their place?

 

[rickpaw]

3) I didn’t know about the brackets trapping water. I just assumed they were needed for support reasons. Would you suggest doing anything in their place?

I would paint the back side of those support brackets in weld thru primer.

 

[Curtice]

Thanks! Yeah I have some, but need to remember to put it in all required areas. But first I need to get this stuff to fit!

 

[merbesfield]

Thanks! Yeah I have some, but need to remember to put it in all required areas. But first I need to get this stuff to fit!

Also be sure to use liberal amounts of Brushable Seam sealer. Do use the cheap stuff as it will shrink to quick and might have cracks which will allow water in and defeat the purpose. Also think about water entry and if you seal something make sure it’s 100% sealed or not actually trapping water, if it gets in, from getting out.

 

[Curtice]

Thanks! Any good brands of seam sealer that are recommended? I've known I need to do that, but haven't given it much thought up to this point...

 

[rickpaw]

I used 3M sealer, and plan on using it again when the time comes to fix my 74