79 fj40 replacing tub

[reservefj40]

Hi,
New here, I just bought my first fj40 and I can't wait to start fixing it up. I'm looking for advice on a tub vs. replacing parts. The rear is pretty much rusted out, so I need a new bed, cross members, quarter panels and wheel wells. Quarter's aren't that rusty but the PO banged them up pretty well so would probably be easier to replace. I also need a new driver's side floor pan.
My question is: with this much rust, should I just get an entire tub (alum. or fiber) or stick with the steel replacements. I want everything to fit right and look as close to original as possible. And who is the best in following factory lines, so that it does look original.
I know this is a long question, but any help would be appreciated.
thanks

 

[HI^C]

depends on your skills or if you have to pay someone else to do the work?

 

[Pskhaat]

From the picture alone, you do NOT have a rust problem!

 

[reservefj40]

The bed and wheel wells are almost completely gone, as is the driver's floor pan. I was thinking about a Cool Cruiser bed and other body parts, but their cross members are expensive. Mine are completely gone, so I don't have a template to make new ones. I have enough experience to do basic body work and some friends that can do more, I'm not sure if it would be better to look at tubs or cut the back off and replace with steel.

 

[big mike]

If you aren't too bad at welding, I would think the CCOT steel panels are the way to go. There is a place in Canada that sells the same thing for cheaper, and that might be the way to go, but I haven't heard too much about the fit of their product. If its more than just panels, just get an aluminum tub. I replaced the drivers side floor panel with just a piece of sheet metal from the local metal fab supplier and its worked pretty good.

When it comes down to it, its really how much work or money you want to put into it... either shell out the big scrill and get an aluminum tub or save some money and put a lot of work into welding a bunch of replacement panels on.

Sweet lookin cruiser by the way... what is the suspension setup on that? Its a good stance, tall and wide!

Hope this helps,

Big Mike

 

[reservefj40]

I've been to the canada web site, but I wasn't sure of their fit either. I'm stripping the interior this weekend to pull the body off the frame. Maybe once I pull the body and flip it, I can get a better idea on how far forward the rust goes, especially under the gas tank and around the transmission hump. This might help me decide between panels or tub.
If anyone has comments on who manufactures panels with the best fit and original lines, I would appreciate it.
Big Mike, it has 35" Mickey Thompsons with 3" Rough country lift springs. It needs new shocks and I was thinking about going with Old Man Emu, when I get done with the off-frame resto.

 

[snowdude]

If place you are talking about in Canada is 4wheelauto.com, just give him a call and ask about the fit. With all my dealings with them they have been completly honest with me all the time. All and all they are a great place to deal with. And they know diesel curisers inside out. My .o2$

 

[reservefj40]

No, I was looking at canadacruisers.com. I hadn't looked at 4wheelauto.com until just now. Thanks for the heads-up, the pictures and prices on their site look pretty good. thanks

 

[fsusteve]

http://www.aqualu.com/

These guys also make quality products IIRC.

 

[Herky]

I've got to throw Robert's name out at http://www.liquidoffroad.com/aluminumbodypanels.htm

That's who I got my tub through. Couldn't beat the price. As far as I know, pretty much all the tubs are aquala tubs and it just depends on how much mark- up the distributors want to charge.

 

[smcruisin]

Hey reserve FJ40,

Nice looking truck. I know what you mean when it looks good from a distance, but the cancer is everywhere inside and underneath!!!

I've redone my truck with CanadaCruiser panels. The fit is top quality. From what I've seen, the CCOT panels have a little more of the original detail of the Toyota body (like the ribs in rear floor and wheel wells). However, CanadaCruiser panels are thicker and address many of the problems that the stock (and CCOT) panels have. The case with 99% of the rusty trucks is that they rust out from the seams first. CanadaCruiser panels reduce the number and redesign the placement of the seams so the new body won't die as soon as the original. From the exterior, CanadaCruiser panels are identical to factory, and they only differ slightly from the inside (see the restoration pictures at www.4wheelauto.com). They install very well, and Spencer Redshaw (the owner the company and builder of every panel) has a good set of instructions and is a great help. He will lead you through every step.

However, if you say that your floors/crossmember are gone, I'd say an Aqualu tub is the only way to go. CanadaCruiser panels are around CAD$1500 and a tub from Aqualu is around CAD$2800 (and I havn't totaled up all the CCOT panel needed to build a tub, but I'm pretty sure it would exceed an Aqualu tub). CanadaCruiser doesn't make crossmembers, so you are on your own to design and fabricate your own. To build a whole tub out of CanadaCruiser panels will take hundreds of hours for a first timer to do a slow and steady job. Book time on an Aqualu tub is around 40 hours.

In regards to fit/factory lines, the Aqualu tubs got a bit of a bad rap from some people about their first generation tub (only in regards to hard-top & front door fit -- otherwise an excellent product!!). The 1st generation tub is perfect if you run soft top/soft doors. The 2nd gen. tub addressed these issues so you can use factory hard-top/door (fits like stock).

I went the CanadaCruiser route because I couldn't justify the price difference with the Aqualu tub, but it became quicky evident that I would have been far better to work and save a little longer, and do it right from the start with a whole Aqualu tub.

Good luck,
Steve.

 

[Herky]

Hey steve, do you know if you have to cut the posts on the hard top to fit second gen aquala tub?

 

[fsusteve]

http://www.aqualu.com/FJ40 Pics/1979 Newer.html

It looks as though you may have to.

 

[dylan]

http://www.geocities.com/crusherresto/
heres a good link to a aqualu tub installation.

 

[dylan]

sorry, its for an earlier model (78 and older)

 

[Herky]

Thanks dylan, that's a good site. As I've said before, I've purchased the tub, but Robert at LO has it. Does it come with body mounts? anything else I should think about ordering for instalation?

 

[axlechassis]

the aqualu tub comes with all the hardware. If you ever considered a body lift its a good time to do it.

 

[smcruisin]

Sorry Hercdriver, I don't know about the hard-top posts. If you give Aqualu a call/email, they'd be able to tell you the final word.

 

[dylan]

i cut my door posts, but i could have left like 2". any more and they would hit the door striker bolts

 

[Herky]

[quote author=dylan link=board=1;threadid=14922;start=msg141199#msg141199 date=1082330272]
i cut my door posts, but i could have left like 2". any more and they would hit the door striker bolts
[/quote]

good to know. Thanks.