Everyone.......... Meet Sully

[Rockrawler]

Nice work you're doing there, I like the simplicity of the bumper.

They you'd be stunned at the simplicity of the builder! Good work Tony, your welds are looking better all the time.

 

[rockcod]

They you'd be stunned at the simplicity of the builder!

Terry, I can always count on you for words of encouragement and over all morale boosting

 

[Rockrawler]

Thats what I'm here for chopper! Hey, I did say your welds are looking very good - you seem to do better with a Hobart than a hatchet...

 

[Rockrawler]

to the top so Mike can check the thread

 

[retiredranger]

I am SO jealous-I just saw this thread and almost creamed my jeans looking at the rig sitting on the trailer. NO sill rust, AND a factory glovebox light? What is up with that? Did some old lady's husband die who hadn't driven it in 25 yrs because of bad health sell it? How could you keep from thinking up a lame excuse and keeping it for yourself?

I caught the 'cruiser bug when I live in southern CA after college, and even then I don't recall seeing many un-molested rigs like that. Now, living on the Least Coast, a rig like yours just looks like a dream......

I would die a happy man if ONE of my sons shows an interest when they get older in my 'cruiser like yours. You must be very proud. Just make sure he drives and wheels it after the mods; don't let it become a garage queen (like another project I saw my 16-yr old brother-in-law kill slowly, never driving it...). But from the looks of the work you're doing, you two look smarter than that.

Congrats, you're both very fortunate!

I'm a newbie to this site, but not to Land Cruisers as I've owned my 77 FJ-40 since it was new. Is possession of the original factory glove box light a real plus? I still have mine and I don't think I've ever used it. I put in engine lights a couple of months after I bought it. I don't think I've ever used any of the factory tools either, but seem to remember having to replace the bag a few years ago. I haven't had the original rubber strap to hold the bag to the floor for many, many years now.

I'm enjoying watching this thread. I really wish I knew how to weld and had at least one automotive engine rebuild in my experience. I have a chainsaw and a couple of lawnmover rebuilds under my belt, but not a 2F at this point. That makes following this project all the more interesting.

 

[rockcod]

retiredranger, Thanks!!

I spent the last 4 days at work (96hrs) , but, I found some time to disassemble, clean, re-drill for spring flip, paint and re-assemble the spring packs with new center pins and bushings. Tomorrow, the springs will make their way back on the car after I trim the excess center pin bolt and paint the frame.

I also received in the mail my steering shaft and tie rod ream, more on those after Christmas!!!!

 

[Sully]

Just found this thread. Sully, meet Sully. Nice name for a nice truck.

 

[rockcod]

Hi Sully!!

Today I finished up some more welding and painted the frame. The springs went back on and my pass. side steering arm and pitman arm are being re-reamed for GM 1 ton tie rod ends, they should be back next week.

Before and after.

 

[rockcod]

Since I am doing PS conversion, I needed to make a firewall anchor for the steering column. I used 7"x4"x1/8" sheet metal to fab up the anchor plate. I laid out a template on paper and outlined the shape onto the plate, and transferred my hole measurements and drilled them out. I still need my center bearing for the steering shaft and cut off excess tubing and steering shaft and weld the column to the anchor plate.

 

[rockcod]

On the column.

Here you go Rob!!!

 

[rockcod]

Installed, just need to clean up the column and weld it up.

 

[landcrusher909]

very cool Tony I will taking some pics of my firewall today maybe tommorow the wife says no cruisers today ( yea right ! ) its a great day and hope you all have a great and safe new years. by the way went down to the shop and the factory soft top bows were gone , get er done Calico coming up quick LOL let me know if we can help with anything else Rob

 

[khaledster]

i got mine when i was his age , fill in love with it ever since.... would never sell it.... good luck with it kid... ^_^

 

[rockcod]

Wyatt and I got to spend most of the day in the garage. We got the axle under the car and steering knuckles on the axle.I ground the axle to accept the bigger mini truck birfields, while Wyatt set up the preload on the knuckle bearings, a bit of trial and error, but he got it set at 5 lbs of pull. Would have been done sooner but we did not have a fish scale (do now, though!!!). The parts pile is quickly dwindling, it is so much nicer handling clean parts and Sully is looking pretty good!

 

[rockcod]

I am suffering from a bad case of "cruiser interuptus", every time I have a free day, life gets in the way and my plans are changed. But today, I put the boy to work, after school of course, he disassembled the front donor front axle all by himself while I finished the steering column, linkages, firewall plate (welded) and resealed the power steering unit. The fenders are back on and it is looking like a cruiser again!!! With any luck, I should have it back on the ground on all fours (fingers crossed) A few pics.

 

[rockcod]

GM 1 ton and FJ80 rod ends and Sully starting to look complete again.

 

[rockcod]

Well, we got Sully out of the garage today under its own power. There are still a few things to finish, but the hard part is over. My next task is the drive shaft, I have a mini truck CV front DS I will be using for the rear shaft for the cruiser. Since I rotated the pinion to be in-line with the T-case out-put flange, my question is what are you guys doing to make it work with the LC course spline flanges? Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated. A few pics.........

 

[fj40forlife]

Tony,

I have a pretty much mini truck drive shalf up front. The flange is round and they sell it to bolt on to mini. or or fj40. Im pretty sure you could get one rounded and drill it to fit!

Eric

 

[rockcod]

Thanks Eric,

I bought a course spline pinion flange from Kurt (Cruiser Outfitters), that I will be able to drill the mini truck pattern into. The drive shaft is going to the shop tomorrow to get lengthened. I am using the rear DS I had made for my car. I finished making brake lines today and bled the system, it will stop now without having to use the E-brake. PS pump will go in tomorrow and new hoses made. Shocks will be the last thing to do, almost there.

 

[fj40forlife]

Glad you got the drive line deal out.. Plan on doing a snow run shown with the fj40 soon ! welcome to tag along if we do go. If not ill try to make it to calico clean up

Eric