A Cruiser Christmas For Me

[HeartCooksBrain]

So, I bought a 83 BJ60 in October with the hopes of driving it home about 1300km from Kelowna BC to Terrace BC and fixing it on my christmas break from school. The original plan was to recurve the rear springs before the trip and then fixing the gaping rust holes over christmas. Turned out the truck had a multitude of electrical problems that im still working out. should have checked it over better before i bought it, but oh well. im far to deep in now to turn back. Well, i took the rear springs to Okanagan Spring in Westbank in the hopes that they could recurve them but one look at them after taking them out and i was pretty sure they were toast. They confirmed my suspicion and told me that there was no hope. they had rusted flared out around the centre bolt and i think the main spring may have been cracked. Decided to just bite the bullet and go for the OME 2" kit from 4Wheel Auto. Heres a picture of the truck before i did anything, a piicture of the rear springs sitting beside eachother and then a picture after the lift was in.

 

[HeartCooksBrain]

I managed to get the electrical issues to a level that i was able to drive the truck home except when i was pulled over outside of Houston BC, a few hours from Terrace with no tail or running lights. I was escorted back to the hotel in town to either fix it or stay the night. i couldnt figure it out so i just took out the brake light switch and drove the last few hours with brake lights. I got it home and started tearing it apart and cutting all the rust i could find (and there was lots). Im sorry i didnt take more pictures, but i just never remembered to take my camera to the shop. The only real pictrues i have of the process are these three. one of the POs wiring and some nice rust. one of the piece of 3x3 steel tube that replaces the rusted off rear body mounts and one of the truck patched up before filler and paint.

 

[szester]

Whats the engine lookin like?

 

[HeartCooksBrain]

Had to get in some fun stuff when i was at home. Heres a few pictures at and around Shames Mountain. Its about 30min from Terrace and has the best and most snow ive ever riden. maybe im just bias because it where i grew up riding though. There was some good snowboarding, but definitely sacraficed some riding days for my truck haha.

 

[alkarich]

Huge difference with the springs. Very nice.

 

[HeartCooksBrain]

I didnt take any pictures the truck when i first finished it but heres the picture of it in my driveway in kelowna after the drive back with a load of slush hangin off of it. a bit of a hairy drive weather wise but it was nice to have a cruiser to get me through.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

That's dedication, holy crap! Hopefully my rust repairs will come out as well as yours. Good job!!!

I like the line you chose for the black coming up over the edge of the hood. Have any more pictures of that?

 

[IrollwithTojo]

X2 on the spring difference. Now, I'm pretty sure thats just black paint on you truck,but IMO since there is obviously snow and salt where you are, you should go over the black paint with Rust Bullet or something of the kind, thats exactly what I'm going to do with mine, from that lower body line down, maybe part of the hood like you did. Again, good looking rig

-Carl

 

[HeartCooksBrain]

Thanks Guys. Heres a few more pics. A bit dirty but you get the picture.

 

[Trapper50cal]

Nice Battle Cruiser

Now get some meats and 20 cans of OD Green (or Sand)

 

[MrMoMo]

Oh, now you just can't stop... need to black out that grille, headlight bezels & the mirrors!

Nice!

 

[HeartCooksBrain]

yea i was considering that. still not sure. not a big job anyway. i think ill just leave it for now

 

[jgordon]

Nice save. Where did you get the headlight guards?

 

[Eporter]

That's a great looking fix!

How many hours of bodywork did it take? What level of rust removal did you go to? There's been everything from quick-n-practical to anal-retentive (and beautiful) FJ60 rust repair going on lately!

Just trying to get a mental estimate. I like your results, and you started with a bit of a rough body!

Nice splitboard, too. I have an old 1st gen Burton Split. It's been gathering dust since I lived in SLC, Utah a few years ago. I need to do something about that!

 

[HeartCooksBrain]

The headlight guards were off of my parts 60 that i took the 3b from for a swap into my 40 project. I probably would have tried to save it too if not for it having far worse rust than this one. I wish i had em on the drive up north when a logging truck took my left head light out with a rock. good thing the lights are only like $12.

As for the time it took me. well, i didnt really count but my girlfriend sure thought it took up far to much of my break (im sure im not the only one singing that song though). It probably took me a good 15 or 20 days with varying levels of concentration and workday lengths. It would have been nicer if i had any tin bashing tools and the steel shop had anything thinner then 16ga but i got along with my puny little vise and variety of hammers and inumerable zip discs. I think i forgot to mention earlier that i also bought the rear fender repair panels from 4wheel auto. Real pricey for a bit of bent tin, but i couldnt have gotten all those bends looking good without them. especially in the given time frame. It definitely isnt the prettiest job youve ever seen but it should function well, especially considering the state it was in. I removed all of the rust from the outside. as for the inner fenders and floor along the edges, i just mostly patched over and sealed it all off as well as i could. I think it should last me a while now. At least i hope so.

Mark