Builds complete BJ45 rebuild start next week in Bolivia

[mailking]

I am at the carfair again getting more thing. Just passed a shop where they make these patches, or labels of fabric, I dont know how they are called in English. I was thinking of making some badges, but they start at 100 pieces or more.... Maybe I would have to sell some to you guys?

More images:

The sidewall is warped pretty bad, and heavy tools must be used to get the whole back into shape. Alex is assisting.

This is how it works. Our Land Cruiser is made of real heavy duty steal. Not this plastic stuff they are using nowadays to produce cars.

The left rear is the worst place I guess. This is a real challenge for Esteban.

Little pieces at a time.

Hammer and chisel are his best friend.

This is the almost final result. We have to pre-fit the top part on the tub to see where he might make some adjustments.

There are some nasty spots in the sidewall, but nothing compared the the back part. The whole inside of the walls were sprayed with some sort of resin. A real pain to get of things. It is burning pretty hefty. Look the top of the sidewall is just burning away.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Thanks again for your valuable advice..
Hmmm I was thinking of that at first, but then if there is bad fuel in one tank I have no option of using the other.

This is good thinking. I didn't even consider what would happen if you got bad fuel in the main tank. It would indeed render both tanks useless until you had drained the main tank of its bad fuel.

And of course I could use the 12v pump that is in there now. I could no? And another thing. I would need to drain the main tank first which is neatly in the middle. The aux would still be full in the back. I think it would be nice to drain the aux first because of the weight? Or am I thinking strange things now?

Also a good point. Keeping the weight near the center and bottom of the truck is a very, very good thing. The aux tank setup I was thinking of on my 45 would have the aux tank just behind the cab (my main tank is inside the cab), which I why I hadn't considered the weight distribution of your aux tank.

I like the simple 3-way valve idea more now. You shouldn't need a fuel pump at all that way, which simplifies things a bit.

Patches are a great idea! I doubt you'd have a problem selling them at all.

Dan

 

[mailking]

I will keep you guys posted on badges or what they are called...

more images:

Thursdays and Sundays there is the biggest used car and parts market of the whole of Bolivia. Everything you ever wanted. But you will have to look hard to find your part.

Crazy Transformers between the hardcore car brands. A huge number of cars are being transformed from right hand drive to left hand drive.

I am tempted to buy this mini-hammer [I think he means mini-hummer] for just 5.200 USD. A real 4x4 deal! I have never ever seen this little car in my life... Lawyers make a good living. Open all days to arrange the needed paperwork to close the sale.

I am eyeing this Grand Vitara fuel tank complete with it's protector. For 85 USD it would be a great spare fuel tank under the back. I am not sure yet, because the fill neck is on the wrong side. I would like mine to open up on the right side.

Maybe this would be a nice idea to support the back leaf springs?

Springs, gearboxes, engines, birfields, linkages and the likes. Buy all you can carry.

In San Pedro [the car parts neighborhood] I encounter this nice Oyota. It's right side headlight is harbouring a fish. Next to it is the every populair mini. 20 USD cents you get in and get of somewhere else. Also Toyota, like 95% of all the taxi and min's.

Coen

 

[mailking]

This week:

The end of the raining season is nearing so we get sparse rain now and then mixed with a little sun and this is bringing a beautiful natural phenomenon.

During one of my many ventures in search for usable items to improve our Land Cruiser I end up at a small factory of handmade iron toys. This little Jeep fits just in the palm of my hand and weighs just under 1 kg. They started producing these 22 years ago and since then have expanded their program and are making more than just Jeeps. But I keep liking these little indestructible toys. José showed me one of the very first models sporting a low year and production number on the bottom. Since then they came out with special features like a bull bar, winch, spare tyre, roll bars and different kind of tyres all made out of pure rubber baring the name of the factory. A little grease on the axles and it keeps on running forever. All individual parts are still in stock and so you can order any part from day one on.

Another Transformer. A cab driver told me that 99% of the taxis are Transformers.

Esteban working with Massilla, a kind of epoxy to seal of the welded seams

The local brand.

The welds are sealed off.

 

[Falco80]

What an epic adventure! I'm loving all your photos Coen, it looks like a really interesting place. All the "transformers" are funny and i don't like that pimped shorty 40 either! What's with the rear wing and bazooka exhaust??!

 

[mailking]

Meanwhile I tore out the beam holding the tyre winch because the spare thank is going to be in this place. The spare tyre is moving to the back door.

These two tanks I found in El Alto on the car fair. Now I have to look which one is most suitable as our new spare tank. One is flat and long, but has the intake [for me] on the wrong side. The other is fat and high but comes with an excellent protecting plate.

Esteban and I choose the last. But because the protection plate is not the original one that belongs to the tank, I will have to adapt it a little. I am sending up a rooster tail of sparks with the grinder while cutting the protector.

It has to be a bit narrower so it will fit in between the frame.

These are parts from the front of the frame; the steering gear housing, the steering center and some links and brake tubes.

When I am cleaning the brake tubes, I see some rusty parts. Those will have to be replaced.

 

[bsilva132]

Why couldn't you just spin the long flat tank 180 degrees so the filler was on the side you want it on?

 

[mailking]

Well, there was little room to maneuvre, and it made the fat side of that tank on the end which I did´nt like. Moreover, that tank did not have a very good protective plate and has the same 70 liters. I think I will be happy with the setup I am creating. The tank will be lower and more to the axle as well.

So another question:

I am picking up my new made radiator panel tomorrow and I have to get it welded into the old radiatorbody. Now I have heard people welding some of the rows to the side shut. Because of the car always rocking and moving the places to crack the first are the four courners of the radiator, and when I look at my old one I can testify to that. So weld the first or two first rows shut? Or not?

Coen

 

[mailking]

This is how the front is looking. Soon the tyres will go so I can paint the rims. The front leaf springs will come off as well as I want to replace them. They are one amalgam of leafs from different countries and there is no consistency any more. The gearbox will go off so I can replace the dried out support rubber underneath.

This is a close-up image of the breather plug on the gearbox. I would like to extend this one with a rubber hose to a higher place, together with those of the two axles. Was there a fourth?

Esteban is quickly putting on a protecting layer of paint. Afterwards he will put two layers of some sort of asphaltic paint on there after that the original color will be painted.

Getting the frame in shape is a big challenge. Fire and violence are needed to get the rust out.

The view from the bus to El Alto when I am going shopping at the car fair. With beautiful mountains in the back. Remember this is 4.000 meters.

And here with La Paz down in the valley.

 

[lostmarbles]

...
So another question:

I am picking up my new made radiator panel tomorrow and I have to get it welded into the old radiatorbody. Now I have heard people welding some of the rows to the side shut. Because of the car always rocking and moving the places to crack the first are the four courners of the radiator, and when I look at my old one I can testify to that. So weld the first or two first rows shut? Or not?

Coen

Not!

The radiator should not be subjected to stress if mounted correctly.

The frame should have cushions to absorb vibration/movement and prevent it being transmitted to the actual radiator.

The vibration/movement-absorbing cushioning material is arrowed here:





PS. Better to improve on the "cushioning system than to do something mickey-mouse like "soldering up parts of the core".

 

[mailking]

Thanks again Dan for the quick and good answers you keep throwing at me. I understand about the cushions, but I know from experience that the problem is not the shaking and vibrations, but the flexing of the whole car. And the radiator flexes also because of that. Or don´t you agree? I will look into the cushions for sure...

another question:
the leafs of the leafsprings are hold under the axle with a plate and 4 nuts. Now if rust and dust come into play these nutr can be a real pain. I neede a lot of heat and cold to play with in order to get them off. 2 u-bolts snapped. Now would it be okay to put copper ease on them? Like I put on the bolts of the wheels...

Coen

 

[voyager:01]

Really enjoying this thread! My brother-in-law is traveling through Bolivia right now.. he sent me this pic from Cochabamaba.. thought i would share.



Also i would suggest if they are available to get a new set of u-bolts.. you want them to be nice and strong.. not rusted.

 

[twoyotas]

x2 on a new set of u bolts and nuts. I would say new ones even if the old ones didnt break. no time like the present, and all.

the frame is looking great! especially when you go back to the front of this thread.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Coen:

I put anti sieze on U bolt nuts. Just torque them nice and tight, and check them every so often.

Dan

 

[lostmarbles]

.... I understand about the cushions, but I know from experience that the problem is not the shaking and vibrations, but the flexing of the whole car. And the radiator flexes also because of that. Or don´t you agree? I will look into the cushions for sure...

No I don't agree that chassis flexing should be sufficient to stress a properly mounted radiator.

(If a chassis flexes that much perhaps it is severely rust-weakened?)

But I'd ditch the "OEM cushions and so-called shim" and replace them with "thick rubber". Also I'd bolt things down "relatively loosely" so that the rubber isn't "presquashed".

(I think I may have used rubber on BOTH sides of the brackets supporting my radiator frame.)

And I'd replace the securing "split washers and nuts etc" with "flatwashers + nyloc nuts".

I've had the top header tank brackets (- the ones soldered to the header tank) become detached, but I believe that was from "old age" more than from vibration.

And I've had numerous cracks in my top header header tanks over the years from engine-vibrations reaching the radiator via the top hose. .....I think I'm on top of that problem now though - by applying a thick coat of bitumous paint to that tank (which has been replaced at least twice in 30 years).

I think bitumous paint "stiffens the thin brass" and is ideal because it can be washed away at any time using mineral turpentine etc. (So it won't get the radiator repair shops annoyed.)

..another question:
the leafs of the leafsprings are hold under the axle with a plate and 4 nuts. Now if rust and dust come into play these nutr can be a real pain. I neede a lot of heat and cold to play with in order to get them off. 2 u-bolts snapped. Now would it be okay to put copper ease on them? Like I put on the bolts of the wheels...

Coen

I agree with using copper antiseize grease on these (as well as on a wide range of other fasteners on our cruisers).

 

[JuanJ]

I agree with using copper antiseize grease on these (as well as on a wide range of other fasteners on our cruisers).

Hello,

I thought I was the only nut using this grease on a Cruiser.






Juan

 

[mailking]

Really enjoying this thread! My brother-in-law is traveling through Bolivia right now.. he sent me this pic from Cochabamaba.. thought i would share.

Also i would suggest if they are available to get a new set of u-bolts.. you want them to be nice and strong.. not rusted.

Thanks guys.. Great pic from CCB [Cochabamba]. Great food there and some exiting nightlive...

I have new u-bolts... I was ahead of you guys there...

 

[mailking]

more images:


This is a Volkswagen Brasilia. A model that has never left South America to my knowledge. This is a special edition four door version. Most models sport only two doors.

I have found a fuel intake pipe for the spare fuel tank. Now I have to find a little door and the inside housing for this. Fuel lines I have found. And since our setup will be simple without return lines or emission control stuff I would only need one line to a mechanical three way ball valve.

The secondhand brake tubes I found. Can somebody tell me why they sometimes have these spiral parts in them? Does this have a function or is this only to not have to cut the material?

For 30 USD I bought this very nice looking quality seat. My seat is lacking support on all sides and the middle part is sagged. Although the leatherette looks good, we will replace both our seats with real leather. I saw some very nice nappa, but I guess that would not be sturdy enough for car seats? What do you think? What kind of leather would be the best for a seat? Costs are not to be considered here. Depending on the quality of the leather we would pay between 50 and 100 USD per seat. Ready in one day.

 

[mailking]

next question: I have the spare tank almost ready to roll. I killed the pump and all the returnlines. I kept one breather pipe and I extended the pickup fuel pipe to almost the bottem. I kept the floater and the two wires that come out of it. How can I use these to get a reading from the tank? It is a 12v version for t...he Suzuki Grand Vitara. Are these things standard? Can I just buy a 12v fuel gauge and hook it up?

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Are these things standard? Can I just buy a 12v fuel gauge and hook it up?

They are pretty standard. I would just hook it up and see if it works, but you could test the leads while moving the float to see what sort of range it has. That would narrow down your choices of fuel gauges considerably.

The loops in the brake lines are there to make them semi-flexible. Usually between the body and frame or somesuch, they will absorb a little vibration and flex without cracking. Also, they are used by people too lazy to cut and flare their brake line, but more often than not it's to build in that little bit of flex.

Dan