Awesome to see how far this has come just read through. Looks great, how long did the knuckle rebuild take? Getting ready to do this I don't have any experience taking apart a 60 axle.
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- #42
It took me a couple of days to go through the knuckles, but I spent a lot of time cleaning (I used a small parts washer from harbor freight, then water, then brakekleen) and then painting every part before reassembly. I also tend to work at a snails pace.
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- #43
Progress pics
When I started
Now...
When I started
Now...
Where did you get the seat cover?
Man that looks good! Night and day great work makes me wanna clean more.
So what's next?
So what's next?
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- #46
It is an entire passenger seat from a truck that was being parted out. All I had to do was swap over the driver side brackets. I'm pretty sure I could have moved the foam and cover to my seat, but I decided it wasn't worth the effort / time or the risk of damaging the fairly nice parts trying to disassemble/reassemble them.
I need to rebuild the panels in the cargo area, still trying to decide if I should attempt to save the upholstery or just go for a more utilitarian exposed plastic sheet.
That's what I'm considering last time I just covered with some outdoor fabric, but I'm considering maybe trying to make some that look similar to stock with new materials.
Look forward to seeing what you go with.
Look forward to seeing what you go with.
I know I'm late replying about your side view mirror as I just signed up last week. I purchased the glass for mine at a local glass and lock shop. It was made by Burco... $25 I think.
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- #49
Lighting upgrade time.
The pic above is garden variety sealed beam headlamps with the passenger side light powered by the IPF/ARB harness and the driver's side powered by the stock harness.
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- #50
After verifying function of the harness I pulled the sealed beam lamps and replaced them with hella e-code housings and standard h4 bulbs. This also made a nice improvement, but not one that shows up quite so obviously in a cell phone pic.
These low beams put out noticeably more light than my high beams did before and have a nice clean pattern. The high beams are huge improvement as well.
I haven't had a functional highbeam indicator since I did the 60 front clip conversion, but after following the instructions in the kit it now works again.
These low beams put out noticeably more light than my high beams did before and have a nice clean pattern. The high beams are huge improvement as well.
I haven't had a functional highbeam indicator since I did the 60 front clip conversion, but after following the instructions in the kit it now works again.
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- #51
AC system resurrection!
When I bought the truck it's AC system was non functional and open (missing the line between the evaporator and the receiver/drier). Not knowing the condition of the remaining components or how long the system had been open I decided to replace everything while I had it apart so I installed a new...
Evaporator
Condenser
Receiver/ Drier
Compressor
Pressure switch
Expansion valve
I reused the lines/ hoses and thankfully Deo (TLCJUNKTION) had the line I was missing and the small hard line that the expansion valve and pressure switch attach to.
While I had the evaporator housing out I washed and dried it and the blower housing thoroughly and replaced all foam. The original foam on the doors the allow for recirculated or outside air crumbled to dust if touched. I reinstalled all the parts and took it to a local shop so they could pull a vacuum and charge the system with R134.
Nasty old evaporator
Cleaned & re-foamed
New condenser
When I bought the truck it's AC system was non functional and open (missing the line between the evaporator and the receiver/drier). Not knowing the condition of the remaining components or how long the system had been open I decided to replace everything while I had it apart so I installed a new...
Evaporator
Condenser
Receiver/ Drier
Compressor
Pressure switch
Expansion valve
I reused the lines/ hoses and thankfully Deo (TLCJUNKTION) had the line I was missing and the small hard line that the expansion valve and pressure switch attach to.
While I had the evaporator housing out I washed and dried it and the blower housing thoroughly and replaced all foam. The original foam on the doors the allow for recirculated or outside air crumbled to dust if touched. I reinstalled all the parts and took it to a local shop so they could pull a vacuum and charge the system with R134.
Nasty old evaporator
Cleaned & re-foamed
New condenser
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Great news! I bet it feels good to have that done, especially this time of year. How well does the system cool with the R134a?
I've got the system in my newly-finished '86 FJ60 project put together, pumped down, and ready to charge with R134a. I was just waiting for the rebuilt 3FE to get through the initial break-in before charging the A/C, just in case I had to tear into something if I ran into issues. As of this morning everything looks good, so I may be charging the A/C later today.
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- #53
I drove it to the beach and back last week and I couldn't be happier with how it works. 1255 miles total and my co-pilot (13 year old daughter) used a blanket & wore a sweatshirt the whole time we were on the road.
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- #54
Also, this trip was by far my longest in the cruiser. For the first few hours of the trip I averaged 16mpg while traveling roughly 60 mph. With an increase to 75-80 the truck seemed perfectly happy, but mileage definitely suffered for an over all
average of 13mpg.
average of 13mpg.
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- #55
Remounted the crossbars that I pulled a while ago to reseal the gutters and decided to change to 31x10.50 tires.
According to GPS when the speedo displays 60mph the actual speed is 62.
I decided to to head up to one of the nearby passes and the carb fan came on for the first time.
According to GPS when the speedo displays 60mph the actual speed is 62.
I decided to to head up to one of the nearby passes and the carb fan came on for the first time.
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- #56
The cargo area side panels in my truck have definitely seen better days. At some point it in the past the stock rear speakers were replaced with some 6x9 garbage. The correct brackets/ supports are long gone and the panels are hacked up and failing as the speakers were mounted directly to them.
I will need to create a new bracket to carry a 6.5" speaker behind a new panel.
I have decided to experiment and build a set of panels from 1/4" plywood that will be stained dark gray.
The panel below has the outer dimensions I want, but I will need to tweak a few of the hole locations.
I am planning to install rivnuts where th factory plastic pins went so that I can fasten them with machine screws for a much more solid connection. The square below is just there on the mockup so I can verify hole location accuracy.
I'm also thinking about integrating a speaker grill directly into the panel
I will need to create a new bracket to carry a 6.5" speaker behind a new panel.
I have decided to experiment and build a set of panels from 1/4" plywood that will be stained dark gray.
The panel below has the outer dimensions I want, but I will need to tweak a few of the hole locations.
I am planning to install rivnuts where th factory plastic pins went so that I can fasten them with machine screws for a much more solid connection. The square below is just there on the mockup so I can verify hole location accuracy.
I'm also thinking about integrating a speaker grill directly into the panel
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- #57
Next mockup version. I moved the speaker location down to clear the fuel release cable.
Temporarily help in place with with some interior push pins
Close up of the current version of the speaker grill. I liked the look of the first attempt. But it was just too fragile. In the first version the voids in the middle of the center character (looks like a backwards "E") were roughly as thick as a playing card. I cut a grill pattern using larger "teq" logos, but I did not look ke the way it came out. Enter pattern number three... this started as an attempt at using Fibonacci, but has been morphed / distorted away from that.
Whole panel. I am satisfied with the layout, need to start on the driver's side now.
Temporarily help in place with with some interior push pins
Close up of the current version of the speaker grill. I liked the look of the first attempt. But it was just too fragile. In the first version the voids in the middle of the center character (looks like a backwards "E") were roughly as thick as a playing card. I cut a grill pattern using larger "teq" logos, but I did not look ke the way it came out. Enter pattern number three... this started as an attempt at using Fibonacci, but has been morphed / distorted away from that.
Whole panel. I am satisfied with the layout, need to start on the driver's side now.
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- #58
Mockup completely installed with speaker & mount installed as well. I had planned to install rivnuts/nutserts in the factory trim mount locations, but I would have had to ream out the holes to do so. Instead I used "U" nuts. This actually gives a small (but useful) margin of error, which greatly eased assembly. I'm going to run it like this while I finish out the driver's side panel. I was concerned about audio quality, but So far it seems to work well. In laying out the driver's side I am thinking of running a single large panel with a hatch for access to the jack/ tools instead of three separate panels like stock.
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- #59
Driver's panel version 2
This one was never installed as there were a couple of holes that needed to be moved, and the washer reservoir opening needed to be clocked, so that it is oriented correctly when the plastic part is installed.
Version 3(final mockup) installed, I will be making a few minor tweaks, but overall I am pleased with this one.
I thought about using the OE closure system from the stock panel, but decided I would rather keep the panel as smooth as possible. So I spent a while in the cabinet hardware section at Home Depot and found some spring loaded magnetic door catches that both hold the hatch closed, and help pop it open when pressed. The picture above shows them out, but still holding the panel via the magnets.
Door catch "out"
Door catch "in"
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- #60
Detail view of the latch's striker. These are meant to be screwed to a cabinet door so the magnet has something to pull against. I put a pocket on the back of the panel and for the mockup just used metal repair tape to hold the striker in place. My thought was to use epoxy to hold the striker, but this worked so well I may use the tape again on the final