"Flood Resistant" Build Up

[fj x8]

Smooth out the bare metal, and used bondo to minimum and prime. Oh and the gutter is ready and put the top back.
As you can see there is a gaping hole that needed to be done. I called somebody whose daily life works with fiber,
and he is preparing to join the top now. It should be ready next week. While he is working on the top, I spent time searching for
parts and score some amazing stuff.

To recap, I got the rear control arm from the 70 series, but not the front. And lucky me, finally found the front ones, good then.
Also score coil springs, and transfer case from hj60 with 4x4 electric switch button in the dash, and floor gear lever for hi – lo.

See you next week guys!

 

[Combat Chuck]

VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really like the windows arrangement, the whole thing looks like it belongs that way!

 

[JohnnyC]

x354 Nice Job !!!

love the two larger windows in the back...can you get or make sliders for them?

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

I do enjoy this build

 

[waiting for time]

Nice work Josh, youre making good progress.

 

[BJ44V]

Josh you have been doing awesome work. If someone didn't know any better they would think this was stock...well, at least it will when you are done.

 

[josharre2000]

real nice fab work Josh. I really like what your doing with this rig!

 

[mattcamp]

Looking really good, you are doing a great job! I have toyed with this idea for a long time, I always have wanted just a little more room on the inside of a 40. -Matt

 

[Bigslug]

WOW! That is one ambitious build you've got going. I think if Satan wanted to wheel, he'd be using your spec list.

Unfortunately, Toyota never imported the FJ43 to the U.S. - just the little 40 and the big 45, 55, 60 wagons, which has annoyed me ever since I got into Cruisers. I love my 40, but the small bed area can be. . .challenging at times. To my mind, you're building the perfect beast. Keep the pics coming!

 

[fj x8]

Thanks a lot for the feedback guys!! Always glad to find people as fj nuts as I am. I was so swamped with work and with the little time I have left, I took pictures for updates. And what do you know, the camera slip off my hands and crashed on the floor. damnit. So went to get a new camera and continued taking pictures of bit progress. When I opened the files, just realized that the settings were all wrong, the pic size came out small.

Remember last time I called a fiber guy who joint the top? I was so shocked when I saw the top droop when you looked at it from inside. Grreaaattt!!! Called him up to complain, and he said that's the best he could do, and told me that if I don't like it, don't pay (guilty card). Finneee!!! Thank god I haven't paid, and no I'm not guilty for not paying. Actually I did pay for the materials he used, but not the labor yet.

So called another guy who redo that top, and so far it look ok.

 

[fj x8]

And continued with the body work on the inside.

 

[fj x8]

I suddenly need to go to DC for work, but I don't think too much of work , what's in my mind is the parts for FJ that I can't get locally. So busy with work I didn't have time to look for parts, so I spent 3-4 nights surfing ebay amazon etc and slept only 4 hours. Anddd I got lots of good stuffs shipped to the hotel, ohhh can't wait to pick them up and open my own Christmas presents . You guys will be surprised! you'll see.

You know some of the things that sticks in my mind about stuff in America is this:

 

[fj x8]

I wonder how do you explain it to the kids? it's self explanatory and it looks like nothing but "that"

Have a nice weekend guys!!

 

[fj x8]

Back from the DC with some nice goodies!! I also bought the Bilstein 5100 shock absorber and it was just too long to fit into a luggage. Questioned for an hour in the airport, dangit, and not even for the reason of terrorism, but speeding tickets!! I liked to speed and got so many speeding tickets all over the states. Ames, Iowa, DesMoines, Story County, Omaha, Minneapolis, Texas, Kansas, and on and on and heavily in CA. I paid them all by the way, remembered the days when I went to Long Beach court, LA court, sheesshh... When you total them all, it is such a waste of money for little gain of time. But what can u say, it's the rush right.

Oh and continue with the hardtop, it is finally finish and then painted epoxy.

 

[fj x8]

I'm going to put two indicator lights in the dash, 1 for the brake light, and another one for the alternator when it's not charging the battery.

I like the look of Marine cigarette lighter plug. I bought 2, 1 for the dash, and 1 for somewhere around the rear seat.

 

[fj x8]

I like this battery monitor and you only need to plug it into the cig lighter. It shows the voltage and whether the alternator is charging or idle.

Love this map light and the amber toggle switch for the 4x4 in the dash.

 

[fj x8]

Also, got tie down rings. I hate it when it rattles and this is the anti rattle one, hope it works.

Since I will use the 12ht diesel, it is essential to have a fuel water separator / sedimentor. The stock filter is about 10 micron, and this is the 30 micron Racor 120AP. I use it for the water separator purpose only.

 

[fj x8]

I haven't took pictures of other parts, so will continue with the parts next week. I have lots of catchup to do at work and so time is running out. Weekend is coming, and I so need a rest.

Ok, continued on with the bodywork, it's done finally, and so painted the gray epoxy. And then primer.

 

[fj x8]

Some other parts. Btw, excuse the foggy misty picture. It's the paint dust. Ok time to leave work, so glad tomorrow is weekend. Have a nice weekend guys!!

 

[hindsight]

Truely inspiring! Keep up the good work.

Doc