BJ44V Restoration started last week

[Folkert]

Hi all,

after waiting for a while, with the cruiser stored in a dry place, i finally started the restoring process!!!

this is what happened last week:
- I found myself a great place to work on my cruiser
- I disassembled the cruiser for a paintjob
- I got dissapointed because of the bad rust in my doors
- I learned how to weld
- I got happy!!!!



Since i would like to keep a step by step log, i started a wordpress blog site where you can follow the restoration of my bj44...

therefore i will not post all the pictures here as well, but will post when i update my blog.

please feel free to visit my blog : bj44

it is still in development, not happy with the looks right now, but at least all the updated info and pics are there.

and please leave some comments when you visit!!!

thank you all!!

greets, folkert

http://bj44.wordpress.com

 

[baas]

Hi folkert,

Looks good, best of luck with the resto, looking forward to following your progress! What are you looking to do with the cruiser and when do you think you'll finish? That workshop looks like a good concept, can you tell me a bit more about how it all works?

 

[lostmarbles]

Hi Folkert.

Wow!!!!!!

That is pristine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've got to throw some pics of your engine bay in here:








But what are those cylindrical thingies to the left of your clutch master on the firewall?

 

[Folkert]

Hi Folkert.


But what are those cylindrical thingies to the left of your clutch master on the firewall?

haha, eeeehhhh good question....
since the engine is running soooo nice and quiet, i mainly focused on the body and not the engine..

the whole engine thing is a new to discover area for me so at this moment I kinda look with a blurred view to every part underneath the hood... all impressive tubes and cilinder shaped thing under there... but what they do.. for most of them i have no idea..

 

[Roberto]

I seen this on a rig from Japan and the owner responded and said that was the vacuum activater for the 4WD???

R

 

[JohnnyC]

great looking truck

love the site as well

 

[Folkert]

I seen this on a rig from Japan and the owner responded and said that was the vacuum activater for the 4WD???

R

then that might have something to do with the F.D. knob on my dash? still have to find out how and when i use that one... all instructions are in jananese..

 

[Folkert]

great looking truck

love the site as well

thanks johnny!! will keep the site as detailed and updated as possible... i have the camera always besides me during this restoration...

 

[Folkert]

Hi folkert,

Looks good, best of luck with the resto, looking forward to following your progress! What are you looking to do with the cruiser and when do you think you'll finish? That workshop looks like a good concept, can you tell me a bit more about how it all works?

thanks baas,

i will mainly focus on the visual part of the restoration, the engine etc is looking and working great, no need to do anything on that, besides a new suspension...

i will fix all the rusty spots, clean the seats, restore the knobs, dash, instrument panel, fix/replace all the weather stripping, give it new wheels (upgrade option 6 spoke totota steel wheels), tires and suspension and of course an new thick layer of paint.. with beige 464 in mind... and off couse a lot of other things need to be done, i will explain step by step on my site the upcoming months, but will start with lots of updates since i'm free and can work as much as possible on this rig.

the plan is to finish this one in spring, so lets say april/may 2011.

the workshop is a cool concept, it basicly is a large space where you can rent a spot to restore/fix your car. Special tols like a welding machine, or special kind of wrenches etc can be "rented" by the hour.. you pay what you use, buy basicly you only pay rent for the workspace... like 140 dollar a week..
the workshop has a professional paint "tunnel" where you can paint you car yourself, or let them do it.. if you do it yourself you pay by the hour for the equipment, the tunnel and the paint.. you van buy everything you need at the spot, like sanding paper etc.
there is specialised staff who you can ask anything you like, they will help you with difficulties..

very efficient and a good idea if you like to learn welding or spray painting on your car/motorcycle

because the ambiance is so good, often other people working on their car help each other when needed.. really nice and social..

i can imagine this concept has good potential, also because of the crisis and people not want to spend a few hundred dollars to a garage for just swapping an exhaust etc...

 

[Jacket]

Man - that's a nice starting point you have. Look forward to watching your progress.

 

[waiting for time]

Hi Folkert,

Good start, I like the way your handling things..
Maybe we can meet sometime, I'm in Amsterdam region every now and then. Just pm me if you are interested.

 

[Folkert]

Thank you all for the support!!! this week i will keep you all updated on the progress, will restore the emblems, grill and some hardtop weather stripping...

merry Xmass for now!!!!!

 

[JohnnyC]

i may have the FD instructions in english or french in pdf...i will have to look for ya...its at work.

its actually an owners manual ....cant recall if it was eng or fr

 

[DSRTRDR]

....cant recall if it was eng or fr

the Dutch learn both in school - he should be good

 

[Bigslug]

You do realize that posting pics of medium-length wheelbase Land Cruisers only serves to make Americans hate you?

Mirrors mounted on the fenders. . .bad because you can't reach them, but good because the won't pivot out of alignment every time you slam a door. . .

Even if you don't plan to mount them, keep your stock wheels and get them cleaned up and painted. Specter Off Road has the original matching hubcaps for pretty reasonable money. These give a look that no aftermarket wheel can match.

 

[destin]

That cruiser is a beauty!!!

Keep her stock!

If you end up swapping out the stock steelie rims, i am sure someone here will take them off your hands

I would leave them on though, stock steelies look mean!

 

[Folkert]

the Dutch learn both in school - he should be good

haha
merci monsieur!!!
je foudre ta mode d'emploi..
francais c'est pas de problem...

 

[Folkert]

You do realize that posting pics of medium-length wheelbase Land Cruisers only serves to make Americans hate you?

Mirrors mounted on the fenders. . .bad because you can't reach them, but good because the won't pivot out of alignment every time you slam a door. . .

Even if you don't plan to mount them, keep your stock wheels and get them cleaned up and painted. Specter Off Road has the original matching hubcaps for pretty reasonable money. These give a look that no aftermarket wheel can match.

hmm yeah i like the hubcaps too, but non us versions have no clips that hold the caps... i'm not planning to sell them though, might change my mind later on....

the 6 spoke wheels i bought are not aftermarket, they are factory toyota rims and a "luxury" option for my cruiser at that time in japan... they became stock on the BJ46v in 1982..

 

[baas]

the 6 spoke wheels i bought are not aftermarket, they are factory toyota rims and a "luxury" option for my cruiser at that time in japan... they became stock on the BJ46v in 1982..

That's a tough choice on the rims. The new ones you bought look very similar to those on my BJ42LX, 6Jx16 4.0 (dated 84/2), except mine are chromed. I have seen a couple of late model 4x LX models with these rims - I thought they were standard on these but an unreliable source said that they were dealer options. Anyway, not sure if that means anything, but your build is looking good and thanks for keeping us updated with pics!

 

[Folkert]

That's a tough choice on the rims. The new ones you bought look very similar to those on my BJ42LX, 6Jx16 4.0 (dated 84/2), except mine are chromed. I have seen a couple of late model 4x LX models with these rims - I thought they were standard on these but an unreliable source said that they were dealer options. Anyway, not sure if that means anything, but your build is looking good and thanks for keeping us updated with pics!

here's a good example of the year 1984 (BJ46v), in the lineup you see 2 choices, the "standard version" with grey upholstery and grey steel spring rims, and the "luxury version" with the white 6 spoke rims and "zebra stripe upholstery"...

1984_15 « bj44

my bj44v was the luxury version of 1981.. with mixed upholstery, AC, front faced rear bench...