Build BJ and my best friend Bear

[fullthrottle]

So, what have I been up to with old BJ lately.

Well, pulled the engine a gearbox housing out to assemble everything again. All new bearings and seals throughout for the gearbox and transfer.
Found the filler plug thread on the transfer as a bit stuffed, so managed to score an M18 recoil repair kit and 18.5mm drill bit. So will do both the filler and drain holes.
The casting on the filler plug is not a complete thread, so a bit weak. The new recoils will make them much stronger.

Anyway, getting there now.

Will then bolt the engine and fully rebuilt gearbox on the floor to do one last check to make sure everything mates up ok, before putting it all back in the truck.
Before it goes back in, I'm stripping back the engine bay, chassis and underside so it can be re-painted / coated. Bought some TEXOL paint stripper which should help with the job, instead of grinding all the paint off.

 

[fullthrottle]

Note to self....sensor specs for Haltech...

 

[fullthrottle]

I must say what an easy conversion from mechanical to electrical for the speedo with the Trail Gear adapter.

 

[fullthrottle]

BINGO!!! Did some measuring of everything and she has mated up perfectly. Slid on like a well oiled glove

 

[Broski]

Very nice work. Looks great !

 

[fullthrottle]

I feel like Mrs Mop, cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning. Almost 40 years of undercarriage goodness.

Just preparing the underside before the engine and gearbox go in. I am seriously considering just separating the cab from chassis as everything is out now. But would it be worth it???

Was planning on giving it a waterblast, degreaser, strip back to bare metal where there is anything surface rust (which there is bugger all) and a ittle coat of rust converter here and there to catch and small rust pits, spray with 2k epoxy primer, then a good 2k top coat, then a layer of dinitrol.

 

[fullthrottle]

So I'm planning to pull the cab off the chassis so I can really give it a good clean and paint. Was thinking it would be so much easier to mount the engine, gearbox, new fuel lines etc just into the chassis and then just drop the cab on top.

It seems logical and straight forward.....AND a good idea....maybe.

Are there any pitfalls in my mad method?

 

[OGBeno]

So I'm planning to pull the cab off the chassis so I can really give it a good clean and paint. Was thinking it would be so much easier to mount the engine, gearbox, new fuel lines etc just into the chassis and then just drop the cab on top.

It seems logical and straight forward.....AND a good idea....maybe.

Are there any pitfalls in my mad method?

I mean, that’s how it’s done at the factory.

 

[fullthrottle]

3 hours later....... I was actually surprised at how quick it was.

Removed the remaining dash, loom, heater unit and everything else bolted to the cab. Ready for lift-off.

Labelled and photographed everything.

 

[fullthrottle]

I'm on a roll. Trying to get at least the chassis all painted up before the last of the warm weather is gone.

Stripped most of it back to bare metal. Gees what a mission to clean the chassis up. 40 years of caked on crap.
Welded up some of the terrible factory welding jobs. So is all much cleaner and stronger now.

I've gone with two coats of Brunox Epoxy Rust Converter. Will then coat with 2 coats of 2K epoxy primer. Then a nice 2k black topcoat.

Overall the chassis was pretty tidy. Just some light surface rust here and there. I also flushed out the inside of the chassis to check condition, and just some light surface rust here and there. What little came out of the rails seemed to be river sand/stone, which would probably explain its pretty good condition. Hasn't been near much salt.

I'll run some cavity wax inside all of the chassis internals. Will use Dinitrol ML as the first layer, then a final coat of Dinitrol 1000. That combo should treat and stop anything for 1000 years

 

[Broski]

NICE !

 

[fullthrottle]

Nothing like some good autumn weather to finish the chassis.
Have managed to complete the 2k epoxy primer on top of the Brunox, finished off with a nice 2k black that the army uses. That stuff went on very nice and flattened out perfectly.

Will give it a few days to fully harden and then I can start putting it back together.

 

[fullthrottle]

Making progress....

 

[OGBeno]

Fũcking sick dude. Legit work homie. And you are doing a mechanical PTO.

Great work, @fullthrottle

 

[AirheadNut]

The paint job on that valve cover is awesome!

 

[fullthrottle]

And you are doing a mechanical PTO.

Yeah, I was going to install an electric winch, but the truck came with the PTO.
I didn't realize how much control you have with the Toyota vs Nissan PTOs. Basically you can shift through all the gears to choose your speed for the winch.

I am just going to set it back further. So I'll chop the PTO drive line and already have a shorter radiator to sit above it.

 

[jblueridge]

I am just going to set it back further. So I'll chop the PTO drive line and already have a shorter radiator to sit above it.

I’m looking forward to see how that goes.

 

[fullthrottle]

Right-o, I've done as much as I can in finishing the chassis, gearbox and motor. Now a swap around in the garage and time to focus on the tub.

I'm going to drill out the spot welds and remove each panel as I go. First up the firewall and windscreen area. Surprising what is lurking behind things.
First small section off...hello hello!!

I'll patch new steel into it, paint and weld the panels back on. Then some really good sealer. I have a stock of Dinitrol ML and 1000 that I'll be layering inside all the seams.

 

[fullthrottle]

Just call me Mr Patches.... Gees when you start to open things up it becomes rather exciting.

So the outer cowl (that covered the window wiper mechanism isn't too bad at all, but oh my, oh my.... underneath it's a bit of a mess. Found some interesting repairs.

So I've left it in place so I could patch most of it up to give it strength before separating it from the firewall. Just have the left top corner section to rebuild.
It's not beautiful...YET...but its amazing what you can do with a grinder, vice and some hammers to shape 2mm steel. Anyway, the picture says 1000 words. No wonder it have water leaking into the cab, and not easy to see until you remove the cab internals (heather, wiring, etc) and the outer cowl.

Anyway, getting there. Once patched for strength, and to keep the shape. I'll drop the cowl back on top for alignment and a few more repairs and then separate from the firewall. Then weld it all up and paint. My poor welder it having a heart attack with all this exercise

Surprisingly the firewall is in great condition. Bugger all in the seams either. The firewall seams had this thick black film, straight on top of bare steel. And the steel wasn't corroded at all.....where do you get that magical stuff I wonder??

 

[fullthrottle]

What I enjoy about doing these builds is the rabbit hole one finds themself going down from time to time....what else have I been distracted with then you may ask???

• Seats - The wife said "I'm not going touring in that bloody thing unless it has comfortable seats" I didn't tell her it has leaf springs, and what additional driving pleasures that brings. Anyway, found some options. A couple of places still make the adaptor plates for mounting just about any seat. Huracan Fabrication in Australia, make the adaptor kits/plate which mount to the factory floorpan: 79/76 series dualcab kit Bloody nice seats to.

Planted Technology also do some, but have seen mixed reviews about these requiring some modification to make work.

Anyway, you can pop a number of seats on top of these.

• Wheels - I would love a set of beadlocked polished alloy wheels. Unfortunately (as I've found out) they are not legal in NZ.
• Power setup - As the truck is 24volt, but the upgrades are all 12volt (engine, dash, etc) I've worked out that I'll run the batteries in a series setup for the 24volt, but take a feed from the 1st battery for the 12volt. The alternator will also charge the first battery (since it;s 12volt) Then I'll just have a Victron Battery Balancer across then to ensure the 2nd battery remains charged and powering the 24volt system.
• Brakes - A mate of mine has mentioned a remote booster, so you end up with two boosters in series for the brakes. Some places say this is not recommended. So I'll just upgrade the existing to a dual diaphragm booster. I've been told an 80 series dual diaphragm booster will fit perfectly??

That's enough dreaming....back to work!!