FJ40 rear tub repair

[jimmyt]

Hi all,

For those of you that are thinking about replacing your sheet metal on your tub, this is a horror story. First off, I purchased a rear floor, left & right fender/wheel well combination pieces and left and right rocker panels from Land Cruiser Heaven. Their ad describing their parts was very misleading (best overall fit and construction). After waiting 7 plus months, they finally showed. Started to lay them out for assembly, the floor was to be shorten so I could utilize part of the existing floor that was still usable. The new floor was 1/4" wider than the existing, the support that set on the frame was an inch too short (height). both supports were a different gauge than original. The floor was also twisted and warped (bolt down may help?) So, removed the two supports, used the old one for the frame support and fabricated a new front support (right gauge). Now the fenders-1/4" too short in height, 1/4" too long, wheel wells are welded in at an angle. Tried to set the hardtop on- wouldn't fit because of the length and the back corners didn't return to a 90 degree. Next task at hand is to remove the fender wells, redo the corners, reweld the fender wells in place and try to salvage what I have. All in all these pieces are just garbage-I guess you get what you pay for. BUYER BEWARE DON'T DEAL WITH LAND CRUISER HEAVEN

Will post progress later.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Did you contact/look at Cool Cruisers of Texas for body parts?

 

[40Man]

Hi all,

For those of you that are thinking about replacing your sheet metal on your tub, this is a horror story. First off, I purchased a rear floor, left & right fender/wheel well combination pieces and left and right rocker panels from Land Cruiser Heaven. Their ad describing their parts was very misleading (best overall fit and construction). After waiting 7 plus months, they finally showed. Started to lay them out for assembly, the floor was to be shorten so I could utilize part of the existing floor that was still usable. The new floor was 1/4" wider than the existing, the support that set on the frame was an inch too short (height). both supports were a different gauge than original. The floor was also twisted and warped (bolt down may help?) So, removed the two supports, used the old one for the frame support and fabricated a new front support (right gauge). Now the fenders-1/4" too short in height, 1/4" too long, wheel wells are welded in at an angle. Tried to set the hardtop on- wouldn't fit because of the length and the back corners didn't return to a 90 degree. Next task at hand is to remove the fender wells, redo the corners, reweld the fender wells in place and try to salvage what I have. All in all these pieces are just garbage-I guess you get what you pay for. BUYER BEWARE DON'T DEAL WITH LAND CRUISER HEAVEN

Will post progress later.

Unfortunately heard the same thing from a few other users on Mud. I was close to ordering parts from LCH and am very glad I went with Real Steel.

 

[jimmyt]

Did you contact/look at Cool Cruisers of Texas for body parts?

No, I didn't check with Cool Cruisers. I thought I had a "budget" to work with but now all of that is out the window. I just hope I can salvage most of this-if your time is worth anything, even a new tub would have been cheaper.

 

[cruiserpilot]

To be honest, there is a fellow in France making full tubs for FJ40's. Expensive - yeah. But I built mine
and with all the time and delays and finally buying from CCOT and making of outer quarters..
It would have probably cost the same. And been done years earlier.
But CCOT parts are really perfect fitting. I always recommend them.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, Brings back memories of Paul Pilgrim. Mike

 

[SteveH]

Exactly my experience with a Pacol quarter panel, except some measurements were off by 1/2" (rather than 1/4") and others were more than that. I kept a spare hardtop side panel handy for frequent test-fitting so that there was some hope of my full hardtop ever fitting when finished. And actually, you don't really get what you pay for!

 

[jimmyt]

Exactly my experience with a Pacol quarter panel, except some measurements were off by 1/2" (rather than 1/4") and others were more than that. I kept a spare hardtop side panel handy for frequent test-fitting so that there was some hope of my full hardtop ever fitting when finished. And actually, you don't really get what you pay for!

SteveH,

You are right, you really don't get what you have paid for. It seems that Frank (Land Cruiser Heaven) is more concerned about his "vacations" to Columbia than he is about his customers and products. I emailed him my concerns about the panels and no reply. He did send me a survey to fill out asking to grade the quality of the panels. After returning the survey I received an email stating it (the survey) was being looked at for their approval.

Jim

 

[White Stripe]

You need to brace the tub b4 you start cutting it up or else things .warp and the hard top and doors won't fit .

 

[cruiserpilot]

Like this

To this, CCOT parts except for the homemade outer skins.

 

[CHCP]

What about a Aqualu 3/4 aluminum tub. I got one and am very happy with it, I think the cost and work involved in welding a tub piece meal must be pretty comparable.

 

[cruiserpilot]

What about a Aqualu 3/4 aluminum tub. I got one and am very happy with it, I think the cost and work involved in welding a tub piece meal must be pretty comparable.

Ironically, with the aluminum price and competition Aqualu is now over twice the cost as it used to be. I have an
Aqualu FJ45 box I'm making into a trailer now. I couldn't afford to buy one now. Its very close in comparison in
price now between the two.
I built mine for reasons: 1: I wanted steel. 2: I wanted to do it myself 3: In the future, value of proper restored
build was a factor. 4: Wow, I can do that, I learned by myself

 

[White Stripe]

Aqualu tub:

 

[CHCP]

Ironically, with the aluminum price and competition Aqualu is now over twice the cost as it used to be. I have an
Aqualu FJ45 box I'm making into a trailer now. I couldn't afford to buy one now. Its very close in comparison in
price now between the two.
I built mine for reasons: 1: I wanted steel. 2: I wanted to do it myself 3: In the future, value of proper restored
build was a factor. 4: Wow, I can do that, I learned by myself

I don't know what the cost for a 3/4 aqualu tub was when you bought the FJ45 box, but I bought mine last May and the price has not increased since that time. I think the over riding factor here is where you live. If the towns and state highway dept. salts roads like here then you need something that doesn't rust out. If I could weld steel would have been nice and I looked around and found steel bodies were more expensive than aluminum. The only thing I don't like about aluminum is if I get hit there will probably be a higher cost in repair than with steel.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I got mine back in '07. It was much cheaper then. I sold an FJ45 project for what I paid for it, at less
than half of what it would have cost a year ago. Repairing aluminum is always the issue.

 

[3_puppies]

I'm thinking with the aluminum body Ford trucks and others that the repairs are going to be inline with any other body work.

 

[seventysixers]

Real steel sent me rear 1/4 panels for my 84 bj42 they were completely wrong. They kept telling me they were for 79-84 and that they are the same as pre 79 which they are not. Finally they just stopped answering my calls and would not help me. I had to refab them completely to make them fit. Why is it so hard to find an honest, affordable body panel supplier? Seems like this has been a theme for many many years.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, You have to under stand metal ,tool works and fabrication . You also have to understand how each piece is part of a complete system . Then you have to have passion and a pride in what your doing . Cranking out parts that someone else originally made won't cut it. Mike

 

[TCEd]

Many years ago I was a jig and fixture builder in the auto industry. We built the checking fixtures that the quality people used to check body panel stampings for fit and appearance. Although some of the defects being discussed are huge dimensional errors it would be difficult to make an aftermarket panel that fit well enough to put in place and use as is. The vehicle itself has changed physically, the dies used to make the aftermarket panel are reproductions and the material used for the panels could be a different gauge. I admire what many of you accomplish with the materials your stuck with.
ed

 

[cruiserpilot]

Many years ago I was a jig and fixture builder in the auto industry. We built the checking fixtures that the quality people used to check body panel stampings for fit and appearance. Although some of the defects being discussed are huge dimensional errors it would be difficult to make an aftermarket panel that fit well enough to put in place and use as is. The vehicle itself has changed physically, the dies used to make the aftermarket panel are reproductions and the material used for the panels could be a different gauge. I admire what many of you accomplish with the materials your stuck with.
ed

I can agree with this, but I am curious as to why no one uses CCOT anymore?? Their stuff is factory tight in fit and finish.
The tolerances on my tub are easily within factory specs now.