78 FJ45 demo pics

[Rhinoliner]

More pics

 

[Rhinoliner]

There's just a little bit of masking tape to dig out from around the edges and removing the tape cones from the threaded holes in the morning, but other than that, this thing is done.

 

[Chamba]

Looks great! Can't wait to see it all back together. Are you worried that the Rhino Line will show at the bottom of the door?

Cheers,

Josh

 

[Rhinoliner]

Looks great! Can't wait to see it all back together. Are you worried that the Rhino Line will show at the bottom of the door?

Cheers,

Josh

Thanks Josh,

No, I'm not worried about that at all. I'm also going to Rhino Line the running boards black. I think that will be a pretty cool little accent and also be functional.

My wife will sell this truck when I am dead and gone, or pass it to someone in our family if they want it. I have been rebuilding or restoring vehicles for almost 30 years and I have always done it with "that" thought in mind.......would that hurt the value or make it less marketable. I've sold them all. This truck is different, it's special to me.

I feel like I'm running out of time and energy to pull off projects like this. It will be like I want it to be and I am not really very concerned if I am doing things that may hurt it's resale value.

I can tell you that I truly believe that this truck will never rust out again, like it did initially, in "our" lifetime. Beyond that, who knows?

After everything is said and done, it's just a truck! Granted, someday it will be a pretty cool truck.

I just want to get it to where I can drive it again. It's been a long time.

 

[Chamba]

I agree with you: build for yourself. I'm the same way with Patches. I put a Vortec in my troopy, and many people told me that I was insane and would never be able to sell it. I love the Vortec, and it drives SO MUCH better than the turbo charged 2H did. Now when those same people see it and ride in it they sheepishly say that it really is better this way.

I think it will look good- especially with the running boards Rhino Lined. I was just thinking out loud/on the keyboard.

 

[a.greenspan]

Cheers
Peter

 

[merbesfield]

Great job. What brand of liner did you spray?

 

[Rhinoliner]

I agree with you: build for yourself. I'm the same way with Patches. I put a Vortec in my troopy, and many people told me that I was insane and would never be able to sell it. I love the Vortec, and it drives SO MUCH better than the turbo charged 2H did. Now when those same people see it and ride in it they sheepishly say that it really is better this way.

I think it will look good- especially with the running boards Rhino Lined. I was just thinking out loud/on the keyboard.

Hey Josh,

I didn't mean to come across as an ass in my response, and I'm sorry if I did.

This truck draws quite a bit of attention at my shop and a lot of my customers are older men that are pretty stuck in their ways. I get questions from some of them fairly regularly about what I am doing and whether it will hurt it's resale value. My dad is one of those old guys and so I usually bite my lip.

Anyways, I have made some progress on putting this truck back on the road again. Getting that cab section done was a major hurdle for me. I had already blasted, rebuilt and painted most of the rest of the stuff that needs to be re-installed. Things like the steering wheel, steering column, brake and clutch pedal assembly, gas pedal assembly, clutch master cylinder, brake master cylinder, gas tank flushed and sealed, blower motor box, and heater box.

The night before last, I cleaned up the wiring harness and re-taped it. These pictures are from yesterday and the day before. I failed to take any pictures tonight. I am getting very close to being able to drive it again. I'll come back later and refinish the dash knobs and such in my spare time, but I am getting anxious right now.

It will not be complete, but I fully intend to drive this truck again before July the 4th, 2009.

 

[Rhinoliner]

Great job. What brand of liner did you spray?

Thank you, but I didn't really do it all. I did all of the paint and body work and laid out the outlines for the Rhino Lining, but a very nervous 20 year old kid named Tate that works for me actually sprayed on the lining. He did a great job and I have let him know that several times. He told my wife and my dad the other day that it was very nerve wracking for him to do that job on that truck. I can only imagine.

I am a Rhino Linings dealer and the interior floor is sprayed with their product called Tuff Grip out of high pressure spray equipment by Graco. The chemical is all heated to 140 to 150 degrees and we usually spray at about 2500 to 2750 psi. The machine can do 3500 psi. It goes from a liquid to a solid in 2 seconds or less. Pretty cool technology, really.

All of that doesn't really matter, because Tate did a beautiful job and he is my hero this week. We stayed late that night to finish up the job. Cheers to Tate

Oh, he can't drink yet. Bummer for him!

 

[merbesfield]

It turned out great. He must have been really nervous, I can only imagine doing the bosses truck.

 

[richardsc]

nice work

 

[Rhinoliner]

I went crazy putting parts back onto this thing last week and finally got it running. I was pretty surprised at how quickly it just fired right up.

But, the bummer was the little knocking sound coming from the front of the engine. At first I thought it was coming from the fuel pump but I unbolted that and started the motor and the knock was still there. I did a bunch of research here on MUD and learned that the cam gear can cause such a knock. I put a long screwdriver to my ear and held it to the timing cover and sure enough, that's where it was. I wish I knew about those threads a long time ago when I put the cam into this thing.

So, I trailered the truck back to my house and yanked the cam out it the other night. I should get my new gear from Toyota when UPS comes tomorrow. There is one small area of the rubber ring on the back side of the gear that doesn't look 100%. I sure hope like heck that this fixes the knock. It didn't have any knocks before I started taking it all apart.

It kind of sucks to have to tear half way back into the engine right after I finally get it running again.

I also realized another of my screw ups while trying to bleed and adjust the brakes. The rear shoes that I purchased and installed probably around 2 years ago are the wrong parts. I really can't believe I didn't notice back then how poorly these shoes fit. Evidently the shoes that I need are 3" wide instead of the normal 2 1/4". I've got a call into Marks Offroad to see if I can get a set of those on the way to fix that little situation.

I suppose you have to expect to have a few hickups along the way on a project that has been dragged out as long as I have this one.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

I also realized another of my screw ups while trying to bleed and adjust the brakes. The rear shoes that I purchased and installed probably around 2 years ago are the wrong parts. I really can't believe I didn't notice back then how poorly these shoes fit. Evidently the shoes that I need are 3" wide instead of the normal 2 1/4". I've got a call into Marks Offroad to see if I can get a set of those on the way to fix that little situation.

If Mark doesn't have any, I bought a set from CDan about a year ago. I'll snag part numbers off the box when I'm up in the shop this afternoon. There's the large FF drums, and the small FF drums. I got a part number because Kurt (Cruiser Outfitters) had a note somewhere that there might be such a beast out there, and a part number with a question mark by it. That part number crossed to a current Toyota part (which was really all CDan was able to find), but when they arrived they were good to go.

Like I said: I'll snag part numbers for you this afternoon.

Dan

 

[Rhinoliner]

Thanks Dan,
I appreciate any help you can give. I haven't heard back from Mark yet.

What's really amazing to me is how long ago it was that I installed this camshaft. I scrolled through part of this thread this afternoon and I think it was almost exactly 3 years ago. Wow! It doesn't seem like it was that long ago. There has been a lot of change during that time period.

I'm hoping to get my cam gear tomorrow and I should be able to get the engine and front end all back together this weekend to see if that fixed the knock.

Best regards,
Marvin

If Mark doesn't have any, I bought a set from CDan about a year ago. I'll snag part numbers off the box when I'm up in the shop this afternoon. There's the large FF drums, and the small FF drums. I got a part number because Kurt (Cruiser Outfitters) had a note somewhere that there might be such a beast out there, and a part number with a question mark by it. That part number crossed to a current Toyota part (which was really all CDan was able to find), but when they arrived they were good to go.

Like I said: I'll snag part numbers for you this afternoon.

Dan

 

[Rhinoliner]

Well, I can't hardly believe it. I just got it back together and fired it up a couple of minutes ago and it sounds like a fricken sewing machine. The knock is completely gone.

I never would have guessed that the cam gear could have made that noise. Even with a very close inspection you can't really see much of anything wrong with the old gear. Learn something new everyday. Thanks IH8MUD guys!

 

[olaggie01]

Truck is looking great. I'm moving to Cedar Park this summer, perhaps I'll see it driving around the Hill Country soon. Good luck getting it ready by the 4th.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Like I said: I'll snag part numbers for you this afternoon.

Dan

Update on the search for part numbers: the brake shoe box/receipt should be in a box hiding in a pile of cruiser parts. So I haven't gotten around to getting the part number for you. Tomorrow hopefully. Amazingly, I didn't snap a picture of the box clearly with the part number either. Very unlike me, I've got pictures of just about EVERYTHING.

Glad to hear it's ticking over nicely! That's got to be a good feeling.

Dan

 

[Mathew]

Hi,
Did you ever figure out the measurements to your engine stand. I would like to fabricate one as well.
Thanks.
Mathew

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Finally found it!


04494-60021

Those were the wide brake shoes for my FF rear axle.

Dan

 

[Rhinoliner]

Thanks Dan,

I finally got my new shoes from Toyota yesterday and put them on last night. Same part number as yours.

I'm sure glad I still have all of my original parts because the shoe retaining pins needed for these wider shoes are longer.

I snapped these pics last night. First pics I've taken in a while. I need to snap a few more because I've made some good progress. The windshield and wipers are all installed. I cut out the holes in the sides of the bed for the rear marker lights the other night.

We have to go out of town for a wedding this weekend, but I hope to take it for a test drive at some point next week. I did drive it a few weeks ago but just to load it up on a trailer. Not exactly what I had in mind. One of these days.