Fixing up my '77 (1 Viewer)

[Jpilot]

So I bought this '77 back in June and have started to do some work on it. I am taking some pictures, and I know you all appreciate pictures. So here is where I am going with this project.
History:
I had 3 landcruisers (fj40s) in the past and when I went into the military back in '97, I sold my last one (a '78 in Yellow). I then spent 16 years+ overseas. Came back to the states in '13 and every time I saw a landcruiser, I would point it out to my wife and then to my growing kids kid of like the punch buggy game , without the punches). I always had a dream of having another cruiser, but life gets in the way and priorities of raising a family kept the dream in the background.

So then back to this year.

Started with an ad on Craigslist about 8 months ago. I was always browsing the ads and Ebay, saving some ads and keeping some in mind in case I won the lottery.
One day, my wife and I saw a beautiful, restored cruiser in the parking lot of a local business and she said, 'OK, lets get one, I think it would be a lot of fun for the family'.
So I called the guy with the old ad, and sure enough, he still had this one for sale, at an affordable price.
We went to Wyoming and picked it up within 24 hours.

 

[Jpilot]

Immediately took the top and doors off and started some light maintenance. I had a lot of frozen bolts and screws. Those got drilled out and replaced with new hardware. A lot of surface rust on the frame, bumpers etc.

 

[Jpilot]

Mostly surface stuff, so sanding and sanding and sanding, followed by a couple of cans of Rustoleum rust inhibitor. Followed by some spray on truck bed liner. Took the front light surround off, sanded and painted at the same time. Drilled out a couple of busted off bolts in the rear and stripped and painted there too.

 

[Jpilot]

Took it down to the Colorado emissions station and tried to have it tested. They told me that because I had swapped the engine (small block 350 chevy) that I had to have it tested as a 1989 truck. Took it back when the guy who does the special cars was in and he promptly failed it. Said I needed a catalytic converter and full fuel tank evap system. Yay, gotta love the gov't. Took it down to the muffler shop to add a cat and he quoted $800 for a whole new system. Good and bad news. Bad news with the price and that the old system is not done very well. The good news is, I get a new pipe that is not so loud (sounds like a hot-rod now) AND if I spend over $715 to fix the truck, I am exempt from the rest of the emissions process.

 

[Jpilot]

In the mean time, I am looking at the body and see that the worst of the surface rust on the outside is on the hood. So I decided to pull the hood, give it a good sanding and then repaint.

 

[Jpilot]

First coat of primer and rust inhibitor...

 

[Jpilot]

Fully primed and ready for paint. I am out of sunlight, and want the primer to fully cure, so paint will wait until tomorrow. I am afraid that the hood is going to look 10X better than the rest of the vehicle and I will be forced to do the entire thing, one piece at a time.

 

[Romer]

Nice! Red 77's are my favorite I have owned two of them

You should join the local club for our annual 40's only run on Sept 17th 2016 40's Only Run Sept 17th - Rising Sun Member Forums

 

[airon23]

Wow nice job @Jpilot that thing looks nice. Good luck on the project and I look forward to continuing to watch your progress.

 

[Jpilot]

Got some bumperettes from CCOT. Tail light covers.

 

[Jpilot]

I also got some new shackles and energy poly bushings for her. Still sitting in the box. Anyone have any tips and tricks of the best (easiest) way to swap the shackles and bushings?

 

[brian]

i'd be checking under that diamond plate before you get too carried away. it's covering all the common rust prone areas.

 

[TheHardWay]

Hell yes - I'm REALLY curious what it looks like under the plating, and I hear yuh on the hood, that's why I haven't repainted anything on mine yet

 

[bikersmurf]

I also got some new shackles and energy poly bushings for her. Still sitting in the box. Anyone have any tips and tricks of the best (easiest) way to swap the shackles and bushings?

View attachment 1305694

BFH, torch, large drill bit. Hopefully because it's SOA, they've been replaced in the last decade and they'll not be to bad.

Do you have an axle wrap bar of some sort on the rear axle? SOA rigs with SBC often bust TCases without them.

I'm SUA with 3-4 full length leaves to help limit wrap.