Builds CA18Sean's HJ75 Troopy - Build & Restore Thread (1 Viewer)

[scrapdaddy]

Just snooping around and found your repaint, awesome! What a nice looking wagon. I'm with Andrew, Moab 2018. I'll bring the 55 back if you 70 guys show up and maybe Andrew and me won't get lost this time.

 

[tmarx]

Also, if anyone is interested, the Troopcarriers of Australia facebook page has a .dxf CAD file for all the rear panels so anyone can cut them with access to a CNC machine. I didn't use it, but it's cool to know it exists!

Does it include the floor ?

 

[Doughood]

What a great build. I like the tall mirrors and it looks like they are convex. Where did you source them?
Thanks,
Doug

 

[ca18sean]

Does it include the floor ?

No floor, just side and door panels.

 

[ca18sean]

What a great build. I like the tall mirrors and it looks like they are convex. Where did you source them?
Thanks,
Doug

Thank you! Sourced from eBay. I believe the guy is mostly a 40 and 60 series parts dealer, but I guess some of the 60 guys run 70 series mirrors. One arrived broken and he quickly sent a replacement. Not cheap, but so much better than the garbage aftermarket mirrors that I originally put on there.

Land Cruiser 70 Series Black Side Mirrors - Also Fits FJ60

 

[DamoPeru]

They're 20" gas shocks with 100 lbs of force.

how do they actually open with 100 lbs? like do they open soft and close soft, or is there a hard close or a fast open? i saw all the posts on the TOA page, but few talked about force and the speed/softness with which they actually open. i am thinking that because the weight is already supported, you could go really low force on the small door especially and get smooth opening and easy closing. might even go a shorter one on the small door. what do you reckon now after fitting yours?

 

[ca18sean]

how do they actually open with 100 lbs? like do they open soft and close soft, or is there a hard close or a fast open? i saw all the posts on the TOA page, but few talked about force and the speed/softness with which they actually open. i am thinking that because the weight is already supported, you could go really low force on the small door especially and get smooth opening and easy closing. might even go a shorter one on the small door. what do you reckon now after fitting yours?

I believe they could be much lower force. They do fly open right now and they're hard to shut. Luckily they don't slam open, they open quickly but slow down before the end of the shock travel. The first foot is fast then it goes softly. But I imagine you could get away with half the force or less. Lengthwise I believe they are just about right. You can choose the full open point by where you attach the door side brackets. The truck side brackets mount right on the seams pretty well.

 

[DamoPeru]

Yeah the one post on TOA which mentions force uses around 50 pound struts, but they also have the spare wheel on the door... I'm thinking of trying around 25 to not stress anything, all I want is to hold the doors in place on inclines and not hit my swing aways

 

[ca18sean]

Been enjoying the truck. Still have some stuff to finish up. Need to do the headliner and finish the rear build out. But for now I'm driving it around on the weekends and doing some off-roading on local trails. Replaced the AC blower motor and resistor. AC is working pretty well, for an 80's Toyota that is.

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

A bit of bad news, I managed to snag my roof load bars under a low hanging tree at the off-road spot. Ripped the gutter, bent up the roof, and busted one of my rear sliding windows. Silver lining was I had a spare sliding window glass, I had replaced another one last year and I had the matching second half still. I also rewelded the gutter and added reinforcing bars between my load bars to make it more of a roof rack. Much stronger now. Unfortunately this truck's gutters have always been an issue. To make it completely correct it all needs to be sandblasted and repaired, but for now the budget doesn't allow it. Maybe one day... Here's some pics

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

 

[ca18sean]

And here's a repaired and reinforced shot. Not as good as new, but certainly good enough for a trail rig...

by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

 

[cruiserdan]

Time for a loaded chain saw scabbard.

 

[ca18sean]

Took these awhile ago and forgot to post them. All loaded up to go paddle Weeki Wachee springs.

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

 

[ca18sean]

Had a leak from the rear output shaft of the transfer case. Was weirding me out because it was splattering gear oil everywhere but didn't seem to be coming from the seal. Removed the driveshaft, a bunch of gear oil spilled out. It was leaking from around the threads! Weird. Changed both front and rear seals and put FIPG on the threads to seal. Also replaced U-joints in the front and rear shafts and re-plugged the front driveshaft grease hole. Whenever I would try and grease it all the grease would run out. Made a round plug and welded it in place. Works perfectly now and no more wobble.

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

The U-joints also solved a persistent clunk I had from a stop ever since I had the truck. I couldn't tell if it was in the transmission or the diff, turns out it was the u-joints! I used Moog 389 joints.

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

And finally, with some coordination with the Aussies, made a "TROOPCARRIERS OF NORTH AMERICA" windshield sticker in the same font etc. that the TOA guys have. Happy with how it turned out

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

 

[ca18sean]

Took the troopy out to cars and coffee this weekend. Ran the sub tank out of fuel on my drive there, killed the battery trying to crank it off the main tank. Nothing like a mouthful of diesel and waiting on a jump from a friend at 7am. Tried manually priming it, but without any tools (I know...) it had trouble building a prime. Felt like I was pumping air. As soon as a buddy got there with jumper cables and a 10mm to loosen the bleed screw it started right up. My fault for not paying attention to how low my sub tank was. My main battery is also getting tired and I haven't hooked up the dual setup yet. I'll hopefully get to that wiring this week.

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Anyways, there was a big turnout. Lots of cool cars. GT3-RS is my personal favorite The troopy was a big hit. Lots of guys coming up saying all the exotic cars are cool, but the cruiser has "character" haha.

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

 

[ca18sean]

Then on Sunday, I dove into exhaust manifold gaskets and general turbo overhaul. It hasn't been building much boost ever since I've owned it. Even with the wastegate line plugged it only builds 4psi of boost. It also has a pretty nasty exhaust leak. So I pulled it all apart. While I have it down I will be dropping the turbo off at a local turbo shop to inspect/rebuild it and have the exhaust manifold ceramic coated. I'm also going to do valve cover gasket and paint the valve cover and intake piping while I have it all off.

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

 

[OGBeno]

I recommend replacing the studs and the lock nuts for the manifold to the head interface as well as for the Turbo and down pipe hardware as well.

Don't take a shower and put dirty undies back on.

 

[80jay]

Reminds of a cartoon quote. "I wear them front. I wear them back. I go inside out, then I go front and back"

I recommend replacing the studs and the lock nuts for the manifold to the head interface as well as for the Turbo and down pipe hardware as well.

Don't take a shower and put dirty undies back on.

 

[ca18sean]

I recommend replacing the studs and the lock nuts for the manifold to the head interface as well as for the Turbo and down pipe hardware as well.

Don't take a shower and put dirty undies back on.

I plan on replacing all the hardware for sure. Not a job I want to do twice. It's missing one stud (bottom stud on cylinder #1) and I haven't probed in there to figure out if it is broken or just missing. Chances are broken I know. Surprisingly the one that was leaking the most wasn't the one missing a stud! Haha.

 

[ca18sean]

Pulled all the exhaust studs. Having the right tools makes that such an easy job. And yeah, one is definitely broken off kinda deep in the head. Gonna try and drill it out tonight.

https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Iron-16...F8&qid=1502282879&sr=8-1&keywords=stud+puller

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Here's some turbo info if anyone is interested. It's a Schwitzer (Borg Warner) s2a that is sold with a Denco turbo kit. I guess Turbo Dynamics doesn't exist anymore.

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

 

[80jay]

What a great rebuild! Im in Naples and have a 73, would love to come check out the troopy some time.