finally done - 5yr 79fj40 gozzard parts build

[456z]

Greetings to all. I have been lurking and posting a few time on your great informational site for years and gleaned many ideas for my build. Thank you.
I don't know what if any interest there is in a gozzard parts build so I will keep this short and if anyone has any questions or would like more info just ask and I will try to answer everyone.
I bought the mustard yellow 1979 in the early 90's with a cracked head and a snow plow from the original owner. Rebuilt the motor, changed the western plow to electric over hyd. and it never let me down.
Tub was not salvageable in my opinion and after I came home one day with the spare tire hanging from the carriers top mount I decided that was the sign and ordered new fiberglass tub, running boards, front fenders and rear doors from gozzard.

Frame was sandblasted then along with the axles painted with KBS frame coating then inturn painted matte black. All brake, fuel, clutch,evap lines and exaust are now stainless

Gozzard parts are built really strong but fenders don't match!!!!!!!!

 

[456z]

Where would you buy the door seal for this even if you could stand how it would look ????? want to know more about gozzard parts just ask as the list is long!

Tired of loosing belt loops so

Almost sad that it is done (except for a few little things) Anyway after 5years 2months headed to town for some fresh fuel. . Took over an hour at the gas station because of people wanting to look and ask questions

 

[78fj40mg]

Nice cruiser! Good work!

 

[456z]

Wheel wells are longer and taller than stock so jump seats and roll bar have to be modified to fit. No room for the jack(needs repainted) in the stock position. Tub above the wheel wells is double wall so no room for the jack extensions there but I felt it would make great speaker box's .Enclosed the rear part of the wheel well to make little storage areas on each side with doors held open or closed with an over center spring same as kick vents.

Wires and coolant lines to rear heater now run under the tub. Rockers in the front part of the center console are for the snow plow.

 

[456z]

Wheel wells are longer and taller than stock so jump seats and roll bar have to be modified to fit. No room for the jack(needs repainted) in the stock position. Tub above the wheel wells is double wall so no room for the jack extensions there but I felt it would make great speaker box's .Enclosed the rear part of the wheel well to make little storage areas on each side with doors held open or closed with an over center spring same as kick vents.
View attachment 1113730
Wires and coolant lines to rear heater now run under the tub. Rockers in the front part of the center console are for the snow plow. View attachment 1113731

View attachment 1113733

 

[spotcruiser]

I hate to say it, but I've lost belt loops jumping into and out of my trucks. I lost one jumping into the truck just recently, in fact. Good effort, though.

Tired of loosing belt loops soView attachment 1113726

 

[sterling]

Looks good, nice job

 

[GA Architect]

Really nice job....Oh, and a great final color choice.

 

[lostmarbles]

Looks good, nice job

Glad to see someone else is having trouble with double-posting. (ih8mud is playing up badly for me too.)

 

[73fj40lc]

I didn't get the loosing the belt loop thing at first. I didn't understand until Spotcruiser commented. I don't know why but I have never had any problems with that. Great job on the 40. My favorite colors are dune beige and cyanus white for a 40.

 

[acy76]

I'd like to hear about any other tub issues you had, as I am considering buying a Gozzard myself.

 

[winnie]

interesting ... I've always considered a Gozzard tub, fenders etc, a viable option down the road if/when my tub finally bites the dust ... I heard he's a real stickler for quality so the door opening and fender issue is a little surprising ... Crushers has done a couple of builds for people with Gozzard's stuff ... they look great when completed, as does yours ... of course, what it looks like in the end doesn't speak to the work or bs encountered to get to the end ...

congrats, its been a long journey but, again, it looks great ... I too am interested in your experience with this tub option ...

 

[hairynuckles]

Looks great, I like that you hide the wires and heater hoses underneath. They look messy when they are in the original spot.

 

[bikersmurf]

I didn't get the loosing the belt loop thing at first. I didn't understand until Spotcruiser commented. I don't know why but I have never had any problems with that. Great job on the 40. My favorite colors are dune beige and cyanus white for a 40.

Our Pre-75 Tubs have a different striker... So catching belt loops isn't the same problem.


Great work... How did you square up the door? Did you give Gozard feedback?

It certainly gives me pause, if this is the norm.

 

[SteveH]

Great job - lots of work went into that. Running the heater lines under the tub is a slick idea.

 

[winnie]

more and more I'm wondering if the Teseven tub is the best option between Aqualu, Gozzard and Pacol, even with the shipping cost from France ...

 

[456z]

Let me first say that I am really impressed with the heavy construction of the gozzard parts but after that I think we all have a different ideas on what is right and acceptable.
I will start with the tub.
1 B pillars lean to the right( see the 2nd picture in 2nd post). Right pillar not as bad as the left. If you are going topless and no doors then not a problem but I intend to run the hardtop and doors. So the only way I could see to fix it was to cut inboard of the pillars - chamfer the bottom side of the cut - move pillars into the correct position and re-glass.

2 Top rails of bed line up low on A pillars which cause a gap between roof and top of B pillars. Around 20mm if I remember correctly.I fixed this by cutting the center tub body mount bushing long to actually bend the tub over the frame and into alignment. Both sides are different.

3 Left kick panel in front of A pillar takes of in board. I did nothing to fix this as I felt it would not be noticeable and its not, still wish now I would have fixed it as I still see it.

4 From the top of bed rails rear corners to the rear door openings they slope down. I see from the pict I will add 4mm to the left and 9mm on right to make them flat.

 

[456z]

5 A pillars have a piece of aluminum running up then for strength and pre-drilled for the door hinges. Now you will need a mill to slot the holes in your hinges as the pre-drilled A pillar holes are wrong but not wrong enough to let you just drill them in right place.

6 The cup that holds the gas tank filler neck to the tub is glassed on upside down. Cut/break it of with a wood chisel then put it wright yourself.

Front fenders have different bends which makes for a really messed up looking front end. 3rd pict of 1st post shows the right fender already had the nose cut off and lengthened 13mm and now has its corners cut so it can be clamped to the left one and then glassed to match. Then when I had the fenders clamped together I notice a problem with the left fender. Pict below shows the wedge I cut out of left fender and will now pull together and glass it up. Always something so just make it right

Rear doors are great-well once again we find the pre-drilled hinge holes are wrong so more time on the mill.

 

[456z]

5 A pillars have a piece of aluminum running up then for strength and pre-drilled for the door hinges. Now you will need a mill to slot the holes in your hinges as the pre-drilled A pillar holes are wrong but not wrong enough to let you just drill them in right place.

6 The cup that holds the gas tank filler neck to the tub is glassed on upside down. Cut/break it of with a wood chisel then put it wright yourself.

Front fenders have different bends which makes for a really messed up looking front end. 3rd pict of 1st post shows the right fender already had the nose cut off and lengthened 13mm and now has its corners cut so it can be clamped to the left one and then glassed to match. Then when I had the fenders clamped together I notice a problem with the left fender. Pict below shows the wedge I cut out of left fender and will now pull together and glass it up. Always something so just make it right
View attachment 1114000 Rear doors are great-well once again we find the pre-drilled hinge holes are wrong so more time on the mill.
After looking back at the post before this one I wanted to add this pict to show that I had not left those goofy holes around the front of the left

running board

 

[TCSTARK]

Can you detail the work required to get the roll bar to fit? That is one of the last 'big items' I need to address on my gozzard tub.

How did you route the wiring for the rear marker lights? So you have any photos of the cut outs that were made?

What influenced your decision to not use the rear reflector lights on the rear quarter panels? (As a gozzard tub owner I know the answer, I just want your opinion)