Builds BJ-43 restoration (1 Viewer)

Mack BJ43 · Nov 18, 2019

After 6+ months wasted with the wrong shop (live and learn!), delivered my 1982 BJ-43 to start restoration! Still have a few challenges ahead, but I'm very excited!
Truck is in generally good condition, I think, despite serving the Paraguayan armed forces, first, and then on a couple of different cattle ranches. There is at least some rust the PO chose to cover with Bondo. Has a B Diesel engine and pretty much stock everything, except doors and soft top/frame. Currently running 7.00x16 inch tires (that I plan to keep for now) on two-piece steel rims (that I plan to change out, for convenience, and sell onward once I'm settled back in the US). The current aftermarket soft top is old and needs to go, so I'm investigating whether my guy can fabricate a hard top from salvaged parts -- more on that later. More on everything later, in fact, as the plan is to try to post pics at each stage. Hope to use this as a daily/local driver at our home in rural Vermont, once my tour here in Paraguay ends.

FJ43 1980 · Nov 18, 2019

Nice BJ43, not many around. It does look like there is body work on floor pan and in the rear particularly the rear doors. Are the rear barn doors welded together? Hard to tell on my phone,

As to a hard top, you may want to consider one of the after market ones common in SA particularly Colombia. Being fiberglass it would likely hold up better in the North East rust belt... Check with @sandergielen if you want a hard top from Colombia.

YoYoHo · Nov 18, 2019

Cool so it is a MWB with a B Engine, FST Config , 4 Speed Trans , Semi Floating rear diff, does it have disc brake front ?

Mack BJ43 · Nov 18, 2019

FJ43 1980 said:
Nice BJ43, not many around. It does look like there is body work on floor pan and in the rear particularly the rear doors. Are the rear barn doors welded together? Hard to tell on my phone,

As to a hard top, you may want to consider one of the after market ones common in SA particularly Colombia. Being fiberglass it would likely hold up better in the North East rust belt... Check with @sandergielen if you want a hard top from Colombia.

Yes, there was so-so body work done on the floors up front and in the cargo bed, at some point, and there's some rust...so both will need more work now. Doors at rear are half ambulance type -- separate, not welded together. Very convenient with the current soft top, but I'll need to give some thought to what makes sense with a hard top. Thanks for the tip on tops from Colombia. It's about 2,300 miles from Asuncion to Bogota, and there's not much direct trade between the two countries, so I expect the freight charge would be very high...still, worth investigating. They do some fiberglass work here, too...so maybe that's another option. Thanks!

Mack BJ43 · Nov 18, 2019

YoYoHo said:
Cool so it is a MWB with a B Engine, FST Config , 4 Speed Trans , Semi Floating rear diff, does it have disc brake front ?

I can say for sure it's a 4 speed, B engine and it has (recently installed) FJ60 discs in front and drums in back...believe the rear diff is semi floating...not sure what MWB and FST mean, though -- sorry!

YoYoHo · Nov 18, 2019

MWB - Mid Wheel Base
FST - Factory Soft Top

Mack BJ43 · Nov 19, 2019

Ha...well, it seems obvious once you explain it!

Def MWB...but the soft top was made locally (according to the tag) and pretty sure the frame is not/not factory as the bows/ribs over the cargo bed seem about 3-4 inches short, I think. I suspect the army guys removed any roof there was and the cattle ranchers had one fabricated for some shade.

Mack BJ43 · Nov 23, 2019

We've started in serious, making some good progress! Unfortunately found A LOT of bondo, on especially the rear quarter panels, with significant Frankenstein-y metal repair work under that. Not a surprise, really, even if I hoped neither would be the case. Body work guy says it looks worse than it is, and is upbeat about getting the surface a whole lot smoother so we don't have to follow the PO's bad example of excessive bondo use. Some pics below...

Varty Yo · Nov 23, 2019

You def have your work ahead of you!!!

BONDO!!!!

JohnnyC · Nov 23, 2019

Where in VT?

Several great mud members in that area... I used to live in Grand Isle and pownal areas for a bit of time ... currently I live outside of Albany ny

Are u north east kingdom area?

When u get it to VT you can get it oil undercoated

Mack BJ43 · Dec 9, 2019

JohnnyC said:
Where in VT?

Several great mud members in that area... I used to live in Grand Isle and pownal areas for a bit of time ... currently I live outside of Albany ny

Are u north east kingdom area?

When u get it to VT you can get it oil undercoated

Hey Johnny C! Our house is in the outer reaches of northern Chittenden County, about half way between Burlington and Smugglers Notch...not technically NE Kingdom, but w/in striking distance. Really love VT, year round, but working to pay the bills (including for my BJ43 renovation!) has us here in a Paraguay for the time being. p.s. Getting an undercoat here, and will see what more makes sense once we get to VT!

Mack BJ43 · Dec 21, 2019

Body off chassis....

Mack BJ43 · Dec 21, 2019

...and we found a bit more rust, and more not-very-thorough body work done by PO or PO's. Some of this was at least partly visible earlier, and some was predictable given everything else we could see. So, not surprised or disappointed...bodywork guy has a lot to do and will get started next week replacing all rusted metal, cleaning up previous work done, and then undercoating inside and out.

Mack BJ43 · Dec 21, 2019

Varty Yo said:
You def have your work ahead of you!!!

BONDO!!!!

Yup...mechanic estimated they took off 15+kg (30+ lbs) of bondo...in places it was sev'l times thicker than metal underneath...but the body guy is still enthusiastic -- thank goodness, as finding a reliable and skilled guy here is not easy. He and mechanic start in seriously the week of Xmas...unless, lol, they get started on the holiday bottle I dropped off today!

Mack BJ43 · Dec 22, 2019

Mechanic starts a full rebuild of engine (B model) and a reconnaissance on the gearbox and transfer case on Monday. Fingers crossed!

Have started sourcing a replacement wiring harness as PO(s) really chopped up the original. OEM not available here, so -- after consulting the many wise cruiser owners on Mud -- will likely buy something aftermarket in the US. More later!
Related...mechanic knows "a German guy" who is a dashboard/gauges "genius"...more on that later, too.

Mack BJ43 · Dec 23, 2019

Engine removed...

...and being disassembled.

Mack BJ43 · Dec 29, 2019

More progress on engine rebuild...
Turns out that blue paint color, while a close match to what we found under grease and grime, is not the original paint color...which should apparently be flat black or dark gray. Maybe this will help me spot future fluid leaks?