Builds Build #2 - 45 Extended Cab, 80 Frame, iForce 5.7 3UR (5 Viewers)

[UZJ40]

Looks great! I like what you did with the rear center window. Perfect.

Thanks Dennis. Trying to decide if I want to keep those body lines between the hatch and hard top sides or smooth them. Might look funny smoothed though, unless I widened that window also.... which I've contemplated. The body line breaks up that 8" or so area between the windows. Without the line I think the center window would need to be about 4-6" wider.

 

[MOTOV8R]

You may already know this, but those pop out window divider bars can be welded into earlier top sides to convert them to pop out windows. You can probably sell those or keep them for another project.

 

[thatcabledude]

That's one of the best 'proportioned' 40 ute chops I've seen!

It’s perfect.

 

[merbesfield]

Awesome build. Mad skills, major props for not farming stuff out. I’m like you, I don’t like paying others to do stuff I am more than capable of doing, but unlike you, I seem to never get the time or energy to get it done. So my stuff sits .

Will the back panel be a lift gate or fixed?

 

[Vandal FJ]

Probably too late but I wonder if someone (me) should snatch up that piece of roof for a potential stretch project?? Hell... the side pieces too! LOL Hmmm...

 

[PDFJ40]

the hard top is exactly what I am envisioning for my build... I have a fj40.. that I want to make into a stretched 45 and I have an 80 chassis. Thanks for being a very detailed guide for me!
THIS IS AWESOME!

 

[Vossie]

Nice. One of the few extended 45s with an extra side window that actually looks good

 

[Tank5]

Thanks Dennis. Trying to decide if I want to keep those body lines between the hatch and hard top sides or smooth them. Might look funny smoothed though, unless I widened that window also.... which I've contemplated. The body line breaks up that 8" or so area between the windows. Without the line I think the center window would need to be about 4-6" wider.

I think it looks good as it is but I suppose I would need to sit in it to see what the visibility looks like trying to look out the rear window. If it works for you leave it alone. You could try mocking up the larger window with paper or cardboard to get an idea of what it looks like with the seems covered and the wider window. The extra frame support between the windows I expect would be structurally stronger.

I get how much aesthetics matter to the builder when trying to see your own vision for the build. I would do it, If you think not widening the window is going to bother you down the road.

 

[UZJ40]

I have been able to finish up some tedious welding in the past couple days... I wasn't really happy with how the rear hatch looked. I shaved the handle portion, but it still looked off, so I decided to make it look more like an OEM 45 top.

After looking at some 45 pictures, I drew what I thought was close to correct on some scrap and sent it through the bead roller a few times -

Looks like it will be about right -

Tacked in -

And now we have more more stock looking rear panel -

Hard top sides are done as well. Hoping to shoot primer on the remaining raw metal this weekend.

 

[EWheeler]

I have been able to finish up some tedious welding in the past couple days... I wasn't really happy with how the rear hatch looked. I shaved the handle portion, but it still looked off, so I decided to make it look more like an OEM 45 top.

View attachment 3447199

After looking at some 45 pictures, I drew what I thought was close to correct on some scrap and sent it through the bead roller a few times -

View attachment 3447200

Looks like it will be about right -

View attachment 3447201

Tacked in -

View attachment 3447202

And now we have more more stock looking rear panel -

View attachment 3447203

Hard top sides are done as well. Hoping to shoot primer on the remaining raw metal this weekend.

Beautiful.

 

[mtn biker]

I hope so.... I'm aiming for overkill!

Late to this thread but it is not overkill when you are driving around a mobile oven

 

[UZJ40]

I've been making good progress the past few weeks getting ready to paint -

I finished the metal work on the inside of the hard top. I made filler pieces for a more factory look around the rear hatch -

On the bottom too -

All done with that project -

 

[UZJ40]

Everything that was still raw metal was sprayed with epoxy primer, then the body work began. After epoxy is 3 coats of Evercoat 4 to 1 high build -

After the high build, everything is blocked down. This took about 40-50 hours. After blocking comes the 2k primer, which again, needs blocked and wet sanded for another 40ish hours.

This is the process -

Graphite guide coat -

Knock off the high spots and orange peel with 320 dry on the DA -

Wet sand/block with 400 -

Should be a pretty smooth and paintable surface when done -

All wet sanding is complete. Hoping to shoot paint tomorrow or Wednesday, weather permitting. I have about 100 hours of paint prep in as of right now... my arms are sore and the shop is a mess!

 

[UZJ40]

Well, the good news is that I have a white FJ45.5. The bad news is that its in about 500 pieces right now. The color is Toyota Natural White 056. It was on the first gen Tundra. Its much more yellow than the current Super White, but not as yellow as Cygnus. I want some orange peel to mimic the factory look. Not sure how much cutting and buffing I'll do.

I'm happy with the paint and now is the fun part of putting all of the shiny new items on... hopefully for the last time!

 

[G-Cat]

The color is Toyota Natural White 056. It was on the first gen Tundra.

Also 100 Series Land Cruisers…my 99 is 056. Fantastic work, as always…

 

[UZJ40]

Also 100 Series Land Cruisers…my 99 is 056. Fantastic work, as always…

Good to know. I wasn't sure what else it was on, but figured other late 90's / early 2000's Toyotas.

The paint was a ton of work, but honestly turned out much nicer than I anticipated. I had some great guidance from a buddy that walked me through the process. For spraying outside in the dirt, I was amazed at how clean it looks.

Here's a 056 Natural White sample in front of my Super White Tundra in the sun and shade.

 

[MYSHERPA]

Those black pepper spitz are the best seeds. What is Evercoat? You honestly sprayed that out in the dirt patch? There must not have been any wind that day cuz it looks good!

 

[UZJ40]

Those black pepper spitz are the best seeds. What is Evercoat? You honestly sprayed that out in the dirt patch? There must not have been any wind that day cuz it looks good!

With a bag of black pepper Spitz and a Mountain Dew, I'm unstoppable on road trips and projects. They keep me going!

Yeah, I was going to wet the dirt down in the immediate area, but after spraying a test panel and having no contaminants, I decided to keep spraying. There are definitely a few things that made their way in, but nowhere near what I was expecting.

 

[Vossie]

nice! looks great. and you beat me to punch. Im spraying next week, hopefully, also white, but just a 2K white for me.

Mind talking me through your prep and spray method? also working out in the dirt

 

[UZJ40]

nice! looks great. and you beat me to punch. Im spraying next week, hopefully, also white, but just a 2K white for me.

Mind talking me through your prep and spray method? also working out in the dirt

Thank you!

My paint process -

Sandblast
Epoxy prime
Sand with 80 grit
Evercoat 4:1 High Build Primer
Block with 150 as many times as needed till guide coat is uniform
PPG 2K primer
Wet sand/block with 400 until guide coat is uniform
Wax and grease remover
Paint (I used single stage urethane enamel)