- Thread starter
- #161
Got a new 40 for my birthday - I think it's that rare factory "pumpkin" color? And the bezel is right side up!
Bumps on my 78’s rear tub/fenders?
- Thread starter Gusb
- Start date
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Happy birthday!
Happy birthday, hope you didn't eat it all at once.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Wow, what a cool thread. Can't wait to spend some time in here...
- Thread starter
- #165
Home made plug welding - welder helper tool:
Look back at the small, in process patched area on the door in post #159 – this thing is down inside the door, holding a small ¼” 18 GA disc behind the 1/8” hole on the right - ready for weld. Also made up a copper attachment (see below). More “long-winded”
details if you want them at:
http://www.fj40toolbox.com/?q=content/home-grown
Look back at the small, in process patched area on the door in post #159 – this thing is down inside the door, holding a small ¼” 18 GA disc behind the 1/8” hole on the right - ready for weld. Also made up a copper attachment (see below). More “long-winded”
details if you want them at:http://www.fj40toolbox.com/?q=content/home-grown
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Just wanted to say thanks for sharing and I'm following along too. Nice Web site and appreciate all the info and photos. I'm working on rebuilding a 78 too.
Me three on the 78s...musterd here too. Inspiring work. Thanks
incredible work, very inspiring. I am also very interested in the sills awl_teq made for you, as I have been wondering what to do about replacing those corner sills. I have seen a couple of other solutions on the forum, but these are far and away the best. when I get a little further, I think I will have to pursue that.
question - in your photo of the pieces he made for you, post #77, are those other pieces, with the attached nuts, the supports for the rear wheel wells (nuts for the roll bar to bolt to)? replacing those is another problem I have been looking for a decent solution for.
question - in your photo of the pieces he made for you, post #77, are those other pieces, with the attached nuts, the supports for the rear wheel wells (nuts for the roll bar to bolt to)? replacing those is another problem I have been looking for a decent solution for.
- Thread starter
- #169
Everything you see in post #77 is original, just back from the sand blaster. The brackets are cut out of my old sill. Kevin (awl_teq) did the straight section/channels to drawings I supplied with measurements from the original, toasted sill. Mike (miker) linked me up with Kevin (awl_teq) - follow these guys if you want to see some first-class work. If not for parts from awl_teq I'd still be in the garage scratching my head on the sill and my rear bed.
Those 3 support/roll bar brackets are original, patched. The 4th (see post #44) was major toast, but I managed to sort of patch/rebuild part of it. It probably would have made more sense to replace it (CCOT, etc.) but I'm a bit fanatical about trying to keep the original stuff, even if it shows a few honest welds here and there
Kevin has continued to develop sills for various years. When/if I do another one, I might just go for a complete sill from him, depending on how far gone everything is. But still trying to retain as much original sheet metal as possible. There's more work in that driver's side front support and those sill horns of mine than any sane person would waste time on.
thanks for the reply. looking back, I see that is what you said. I was so interested in the work Kevin was doing for you, I misread that post. keep up the great work
- Thread starter
- #171
Trying to bang my driver's side door back into shape. Hoping to get close enough to not need plastic. Haven't decided if I want/need to pull the doors off the truck yet. Might want to get some lower areas blasted.
Also trying to get replacement door parts together (OEM). Most of the window guides are toast - the lower glass guides just turned to dust when I tried to remove them intact. The upper piece (chrome trim) is toast. Got the main door weather strip rubber and a few lower glass guides - still waiting to see if the proper upper chrome/glass guide comes in. Guess I'll need to replace the smashed lock at some point too.
To do it right, I'll no doubt need the same stuff for the other door, even though it's in a lot better shape. That should probably get done before when/if I decide to paint the whole truck at some point.
Also trying to get replacement door parts together (OEM). Most of the window guides are toast - the lower glass guides just turned to dust when I tried to remove them intact. The upper piece (chrome trim) is toast. Got the main door weather strip rubber and a few lower glass guides - still waiting to see if the proper upper chrome/glass guide comes in. Guess I'll need to replace the smashed lock at some point too.
To do it right, I'll no doubt need the same stuff for the other door, even though it's in a lot better shape. That should probably get done before when/if I decide to paint the whole truck at some point.
I really like your pictures Gus. I checked out your web site and the same is true there. Your stuff always looks so professional. You have an eye for photography. Not to mention the quality of work you're doing on the cruiser. Nice. 
- Thread starter
- #173
I really like your pictures Gus. I checked out your web site and the same is true there. Your stuff always looks so professional. You have an eye for photography. Not to mention the quality of work you're doing on the cruiser. Nice.
Thanks Mike,
I’ve been watching your 45 posts for inspiration – as always amazing work.
Two of those last pictures were just an attempt to show off my new Snap-on hammers.
The website is a fragmented work-in-progress, hope to keep adding to it and documenting the build of this truck (and maybe others). Also want to fill out the History, Tools, etc. with as much info as I can gather going forward.
Gus
Thanks Mike,
I’ve been watching your 45 posts for inspiration – as always amazing work.
Two of those last pictures were just an attempt to show off my new Snap-on hammers.
The website is a fragmented work-in-progress, hope to keep adding to it and documenting the build of this truck (and maybe others). Also want to fill out the History, Tools, etc. with as much info as I can gather going forward.
Gus
Good job on the cruiser so far, love your website and nice hammers.
Two of those last pictures were just an attempt to show off my new Snap-on hammers.
I was thinking that those looked like good quality hammers.
thecrazygreek
A.K.A. TheCraftyGreek
I am using my fathers snap-on body hammer that he bought in the late 60's or early 70's. (he owned a auto body shop (Jordans auto body salon in Alamo Calif) for over 20 years) Good stuff, original handle. My father passed a short while back and I feel he is somehow guiding my hands a bit when I am doing body work...
I am using my fathers snap-on body hammer that he bought in the late 60's or early 70's. (he owned a auto body shop (Jordans auto body salon in Alamo Calif) for over 20 years) Good stuff, original handle. My father passed a short while back and I feel he is somehow guiding my hands a bit when I am doing body work...
That is very neat.
I too have a number of tools from my dad who passed away 23 years ago. Everytime I pick one of these tools up and use it, I also have a feeling like he is right there working with me.
- Thread starter
- #178
Very cool crazygreek/miker! I've got a few old Craftsman sockets my Dad (my dad passed 24 years ago) had but that's about it. I can remember him bent over an old 63 Falcon running with the valve cover off - but not a lot of working together memories.
My Dad was more is a wood guy when it came to building stuff but he knew his way around cars as well. He kept a few old cars running when most others would have gotten rid of them long before. I helped him swap out engines several times, rebuild brakes, rebuild manual transmissions, rebuild suspensions, and of course do tune-ups and carb rebuilds. I mostly watched and handed him the tools. I got pretty good at figuring out what tool he was going to need next and I tried to have it in my hand waiting for him before he asked for it. 
Those tools passed through my hands so many times when I was a kid they felt like they were my tools even when they weren't.
He was a stickler for treating tools the right way. And for always putting them back where they belonged and keeping them clean. I was in big-time trouble if I put a tool away dirty. Another big point of his was to always use the right tool for the right job. You better not use his ratchet as a hammer or a screwdriver as a prybar! I turned out to be pretty much the same way however I'd say I'm a little more forgiving. But then again, I was borrowing his tools so I learned to keep things just the way he wanted and use the right tool for the job.
One other of my other Dad's rules was that if you ever borrowed anything, you returned it in as good or better condition than when you got it. If you didn't, that was the last time you ever borrowed it. When I was a kid I remember some of the neighbors borrowing his tools and not following those rules. After they got the lecture when the tool came back dirty or worse, they never asked to borrow anything again. When it comes to that rule, I'm probably even more like my dad than he was.
Sorry for the ramble, you guys got me reminiscing.
Those tools passed through my hands so many times when I was a kid they felt like they were my tools even when they weren't.He was a stickler for treating tools the right way. And for always putting them back where they belonged and keeping them clean. I was in big-time trouble if I put a tool away dirty. Another big point of his was to always use the right tool for the right job. You better not use his ratchet as a hammer or a screwdriver as a prybar! I turned out to be pretty much the same way however I'd say I'm a little more forgiving. But then again, I was borrowing his tools so I learned to keep things just the way he wanted and use the right tool for the job.
One other of my other Dad's rules was that if you ever borrowed anything, you returned it in as good or better condition than when you got it. If you didn't, that was the last time you ever borrowed it. When I was a kid I remember some of the neighbors borrowing his tools and not following those rules. After they got the lecture when the tool came back dirty or worse, they never asked to borrow anything again. When it comes to that rule, I'm probably even more like my dad than he was.
Sorry for the ramble, you guys got me reminiscing.
- Thread starter
- #180
Good thoughts - your dad sounds like a really nice guy.My Dad was more is a wood guy when it came to building stuff but he knew his way around cars as well. He kept a few old cars running when most others would have gotten rid of them long before. I helped him swap out engines several times, rebuild brakes, rebuild manual transmissions, rebuild suspensions, and of course do tune-ups and carb rebuilds. I mostly watched and handed him the tools. I got pretty good at figuring out what tool he was going to need next and I tried to have it in my hand waiting for him before he asked for it.
He was a stickler for treating tools the right way. And for always putting them back where they belonged and keeping them clean. I was in big-time trouble if I put a tool away dirty. Another big point of his was to always use the right tool for the right job. You better not use his ratchet as a hammer or a screwdriver as a prybar! I turned out to be pretty much the same way however I'd say I'm a little more forgiving. But then again, I was borrowing his tools so I learned to keep things just the way he wanted and use the right tool for the job.
One other of my other Dad's rules was that if you ever borrowed anything, you returned it in as good or better condition than when you got it. If you didn't, that was the last time you ever borrowed it. When I was a kid I remember some of the neighbors borrowing his tools and not following those rules. After they got the lecture when the tool came back dirty or worse, they never asked to borrow anything again. When it comes to that rule, I'm probably even more like my dad than he was.
Sorry for the ramble, you guys got me reminiscing.
