Builds 79 Aussie BJ55 build (1 Viewer)

[RUSH55]

Gawd dayum! Fight the good fight!
Kind of a crazy place to see that much rust, don’t think I’ve ever seen the middle front of an A-pillar rusted out that bad in that spot. Was there any debris built up below in the cowl?

 

[brisveganbj42]

Gawd dayum! Fight the good fight!
Kind of a crazy place to see that much rust, don’t think I’ve ever seen the middle front of an A-pillar rusted out that bad in that spot. Was there any debris built up below in the cowl?

No there wasn't anything built up below the cowl that I could see.. it was all fairly clean.

I suspect roof rot near the gutter kinda had a capiliary action drawing water into the top section between the outer skin and that top photo, then travelled down the A pillar and got trapped again on the lower section.. Thats my theory anyway..

 

[Ol Yeller]

No there wasn't anything built up below the cowl that I could see.. it was all fairly clean.

I suspect roof rot near the gutter kinda had a capiliary action drawing water into the top section between the outer skin and that top photo, then travelled down the A pillar and got trapped again on the lower section.. Thats my theory anyway..

Or it was upside down in a lake for a few years?

Wow the tin worm was hungry!

 

[brisveganbj42]

Forgot to mention, i tested the drivers door with the new upper B pillar and it fits!

Its more rounded than stock so may need some more massaging with a grinder/body filler or hammer.. but hey it fits.. might try the rear door tonight.

 

[RUSH55]

Sweet!!

 

[brisveganbj42]

With temps hitting 40c during the day and still pretty warm at night I gave the shed a miss and focused on identifying the right turbo for my build.. and came up with this GENUINE HOLSET HE221W 2835140 4043282 4047747 CUMMINS ISDe 4.5L Turbocharger 7CM | eBay

 

[brisveganbj42]

slightly distracted this weekend... shed got a little bit of a clean up and re-org with a heap of stuff in boxes that've been there the 5yrs we've lived here so figure whatever is in them isnt that important..

got the engine out ready to remove injectors, pump and flywheel.

With the engine out I got busy removing the fuel tank as I had been a bit worried about fumes with all the panel work...

still more cleaning up to be done but I'll get there, once done I'll start checking and making sure everything is good for taking photos for the engineer..

 

[brisveganbj42]

Bit more tidyig up done tonight, even found a spot for the roof. Kinda procrastinating a bit while trying to be productive..

 

[RUSH55]

Forgot about the BJ73 floorboard....

 

[brisveganbj42]

Forgot about the BJ73 floorboard....

It was easy to miss hiding under all that crap.

Im not happy with the saw horses for stability or being safe to work on as ill need to lift up one side to access and weld out underneath better. So after being woken by a child for the umtienth time and while laying awake between the hours of 3am and 6am schemed up a frame to build to sit it on. It should bring the body down lower, support my weight if i need to work inside, and make it easier to move around.

 

[RUSH55]

How well does your rigging setup work? Does it lift the whole carcass pretty level and even?

 

[brisveganbj42]

How well does your rigging setup work? Does it lift the whole carcass pretty level and even?

It does now! Adjusted a few links and its level side to side but still bum heavy. Its a lot more sturdy on the jack stands. Idont have enough scrap to build a frame so this will have to do.

 

[brisveganbj42]

skin above the sunvisors along the top edge of the windscreen is off ready for clean up.. its not nearly as bad as I thought it would be but lets see how to scrubs up first.

 

[brisveganbj42]

Cleaned up and the top side looks ok but the lip for the windscreen thats on the other (inside of the vehicle) is a bit sad in places..

Got this out of the 80 to see what it would take to make it work in the 55.. I like the idea of a map light, possible switches or gauges if I can't get 2 tanks in there.

Nuts ready to weld in for the console..

The visors swap over and screw straight in too.. cept the clip is about 20mm outboard of where it needs to be for the 80 visor. Vanity mirror will keep the wife happy (said no cruiser owner ever!)

Still pitted but no holes through the middle part..

Still need to clean this up, started tackling it with the finger file.. but I ran out of steam..

And finally the one thing I did get to cross off my list.. is remove the rust here

 

[RUSH55]

That’ll be nice having good mounting points for an overhead console like that. Definitely like the idea of overhead lights and switches and other things. 55’s are a touch shy on headroom which can cause an overhead console to walk a fine line between being handy and being an obstruction.
We recently got a 2019 Ford F550 where I work. The console in it is pretty sweet.

 

[brisveganbj42]

That’ll be nice having good mounting points for an overhead console like that. Definitely like the idea of overhead lights and switches and other things. 55’s are a touch shy on headroom which can cause an overhead console to walk a fine line between being handy and being an obstruction.
We recently got a 2019 Ford F550 where I work. The console in it is pretty sweet.

View attachment 2201207

Valid point, well its a nice to have at this stage, if we're NOT short on head room at least theres somewhere to bolt things now.. Also considering replacing the single interior light with the 1st, 2nd and add a third row interior light/ with door trigger function.

 

[scrapdaddy]

Mount everything right down the middle, no worries...

 

[brisveganbj42]

Mount everything right down the middle, no worries...

View attachment 2201720

Something similar to what you've built @scrapdaddy has crossed my mind but is not nowhere near the top of list of priorities at this stage unfortunately.. im just doing this now cos i have access.

 

[brisveganbj42]

Cleaned up the roof above the windscreen and theres a fair bit of pitting around the seal area.. will see if i can successfully mimic the existing curve with a small bit. before committing too much.

Finished removing and cleaning up the bottom A pillar and other misc bits of rust that are going to be replaced.

Well thats the last of the rust cut out (cept for the bits in the first few photos) so now theres no excuse not to start getting some fresh stuff put back in..

 

[RUSH55]

Woohooo!