Hi everyone. It’s been a long time since I was here. I’ve finally got to a point where I can get started on my 79 FJ40. I have most of the body panels I need I think. I plan on replacing floorboards, rockers and quarters. I’m thinking rockers first and working my way back. After bracing the existing body first. I have a complete front floor from TROA and a complete rear floor from Cool Cruisers. I’m thinking I’ll just patch the front by using big pieces of the complete front floor. I’d like to keep as much of the original as possible but there’s not a lot there. What are your thoughts. Thanks in advance for Any advice.
Advice on rust repair
- Thread starter steveola
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There are some very good build threads. I watch a lot of youtube sheet metal work, some of the those folks make their pieces, other cut and fit sections. Original sheet metal is likely rust and bondo so replacing it is the solution. I haven't seen many aftermarket parts that bolt/weld right in - but making them from scratch would be a lot harder than modifying a poor fit aftermarket part.
- Thread starter
- #3
I watch a lot of those too. Japhands is a great channel. I definitely agree that making anything from scratch is going to be way harder. I think when I do floors, since I have the complete front and rear floors that’s what I’ll do. I’m sure cutting and fitting will be involved. I’ll post pictures when I get started.
If I hit the lottery I'd buy one of those sheet metal forming machines that don't require dies and make stuff like door panels, 1/4 panels, front fenders. I would bet that you could easily sell every thing you could press - do like lots of 50.
The issue will be space to warehouse, the price of steel and shipping.
The issue will be space to warehouse, the price of steel and shipping.
You have nothing to fear but fear itself…
Go for it. Passenger side got a donor floor and the driver’s side we built out of 1/16” stainless steel from scratch. The roll bar is now tied solidly into the body cross members above and beside the body mounts to the frame with 1/2” steel plates that’s 6” x 18”. The roll bar feels so much more solid bolted through the floor and 1/2” plate… rather than just sheet metal.
Go for it. Passenger side got a donor floor and the driver’s side we built out of 1/16” stainless steel from scratch. The roll bar is now tied solidly into the body cross members above and beside the body mounts to the frame with 1/2” steel plates that’s 6” x 18”. The roll bar feels so much more solid bolted through the floor and 1/2” plate… rather than just sheet metal.
When my son and I replaced all the floor between the A and B pillars we had a trip to leave for. So the replacement transmission tunnel had to wait. We’ll be swapping in a 60 series top cover for the stock 4 speed so the stick shift will be back in the factory location. By replacing the early style t-case shift lever with a modified newer one I plan to also have it in the stock location.
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- #7
Wow! I’m impressed. That inspires me to jump into this thing. I’ll get some photos of what I have so in the disassembly of the truck. Did you brace everything beforehand?
RevISK
SILVER Star
I'd be curious to hear your opinions about the TROA pan you have...
wimberosa
SILVER Star
If you take a look at my thread (in my signature) you can see the parts I used as well as the order
of completion. I liked doing the floor pans last...as by that point I had a rotisserie built and it made
the effort somewhat easier. The rear replacement parts were done while it sat on the frame.
Mine is a 79 as well
of completion. I liked doing the floor pans last...as by that point I had a rotisserie built and it made
the effort somewhat easier. The rear replacement parts were done while it sat on the frame.
Mine is a 79 as well
- Thread starter
- #10
Absolutely. For far it looks good, but I haven’t tried to fit it yet. I’m hoping to get to that point within the next couple of weeks.
Way faster and easier to pull full panels out and replace with full panels. You also gain access to all the pinch seams completely. There is always rust under those.
Do the rockers first because the floor pans attach to the rockers. Then rear corners and sill, to stabilize things. Floors last.
I made all my own panels and rear sill, but I am cheap/crazy. Feel free to check out my ‘72 FJ40 build thread (link in sig) if you want to see how I went about things. My truck was pretty far gone, but it’s now on the road and I’m having a ton of fun with it.
Good luck!
I made all my own panels and rear sill, but I am cheap/crazy. Feel free to check out my ‘72 FJ40 build thread (link in sig) if you want to see how I went about things. My truck was pretty far gone, but it’s now on the road and I’m having a ton of fun with it.
Good luck!
- Thread starter
- #13
I see what you’re saying. I think that is the way to go. I have a ton of rust so that’s my plan. The only parts I’m reusing are the cowl assembly, the b pillars and the hat channels on the top of the quarter panels.
- Thread starter
- #14
That’s what I was thinking. First I have to repair the cowl assembly. The toe boards are pretty bad and the bottoms of the cowls are rusty. Once I get that done I’ll do the outer rockers and then the front floor. Quarters and rear sill after that.
If you do have as much rust as it sounds like, I'd highly recommend sand blasting before any work starts. It exposes all the problem areas and gives a fresh, clean surface to weld to.
A wire wheel is not enough prep for any rust, it needs to be mechanically or chemically stripped to bare metal, and a wire wheel will not mecanically remove enough. I really like file belting all seams and then preping with naval jelly or phosporic acid, then coating with a solid weld through primer. I run Upol UP0768 #2 copper primer on all sandwiched surfaces on reassembly. A spot weld cutter will be your best friend, the cheapo scamazon replaceable carbide ones work extremely well for the cost. Should be around $20 a kit for 10 of them. Saves a ton of time for all the spot welds you will need to be removing. Cleco Pins can also be handy for consistent mockup placement.
Measure all your door openings before you pull it off the frame for a baseline. It's pretty easy to get them out of square pulling rockers, quarters, and floors.
I make just about all of my panels besides rear sills, the CCOT ones fit okish, but the radius usually needs to be adjusted. If you have any plans for running larger tires, or flipping springs, now is the time to make those changes. I'd recommend deleting all holes you don't need, it gives a much cleaner overall finish to the build once it's done.
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- #16
Sounds like incredible advice. I will definitely measure everything beforehand. I’ve already found out that wire wheels aren’t going to cut it. I’m not sure if there is a sandblaster in my area so I may have it chemically dipped.
Chemical dipping is the way to go if you have someone local. It truly gets everywhere.
No… I’d figured since everything was still bolted together it would be fine… in hindsight I’d brace it up if I were to do it over.
That said, my tub was a mess before I started so even braced it would likely still need some finessing to get it all fitting right.
Here are a few more pictures.
Original sheet metal scrap.
It had gotten to be really bad. Bracing what was left would have been somewhat challenging.
What a statement to go with such pictures!
With that much rusted....I'd be looking for another tub. Even if the replacement tub needs work, you would still be ahead.