Builds Hard Ways - Rigger's 1969 FJ40 (1 Viewer)

[Rigger]

OK - Friday evening update. Mark Algazy has me a carb, all rebuilt and ready to roll, plus the associated bits. He will deliver same to my place next Saturday (June 9) as he travels thru here on his way west. This will be interesting. First of all, I'm looking forward to meeting Mark and chatting with him. Second of all, installing a carb will be a new adventure for me as I have never done this before.

@65swb45 you and your wife are welcome to eat lunch with us on your way through.

I started in on my tube door install this evening. Lots of snafus, which I'm going to share in hopes it will help others. I'll post up some pics later this evening to explain things. It got sort of complicated, frankly.

Goal: install MetalTech tube doors with @69LC Quick Hinges.

I cleaned and painted the Quick Hinges. The tube doors arrived powder-coated and ready, so no paint required. I installed the paddle latches. A little tricky, because you have to watch the latch pin flat end orientation to get them in place. So far so good.

The Quick Hinges separate into two pieces. Install one piece to the tube door, and the other piece to the truck. Easy peasy. NOPE! The door part of each upper hinge interferes with the tube door end. No one's fault; it just looks to me like the tube door is designed for a factory hinge and is not clearanced properly for the Quick Hinge. Took some grinder work to sort that out, and of course, some repainting. D'oh!

Then I started installing the half of the hinge that goes on the truck, starting on the top hinge on the passenger side. My captive nut plate was shifted inboard so badly that I could not start the bolts. Access is very difficult. I ended up drilling a hole under the windshield edge, fashioning a coat hanger hook, and jiggling the captive nut plate around before I could get things lined up and bolted in. Took a few hours. Passenger side door is mostly mounted. My young son, whose hands are smaller than mine, was a big help. The door latch hole spacing is off a bit from the latch nuts, so can't get those bolts started. I need to do more grinder work there. Tomorrow, I guess.

 

[Rigger]

First photo is how stock hinge relates to tube door.

Second photo shows how Quick Hinge does not fit to the door.

Third photo shows Quick Hinge after grinding and clearancing.

 

[Rigger]

This is the tube door latch strike plate. It is supplied with the door set. The vertical distance between the holes does not jive with the captive nut spacing. Not sure why. I need to do some fixing and grinding here. No big.

 

[Rigger]

This shows the hole I drilled under the windshield edge to fish the upper hinge captive nut plate back into alignment. This whole task was nerve wracking!

 

[Rigger]

One door is on.

 

[Rigger]

Started in over on driver side. First I have to get that last hinge bolt off. Disconnected the battery. Pulled the gage cluster. The access is not any better with the cluster out, but it does allow some light in there.

On my cluster is a bare wire for the left side dash light. The bulb socket is a mess and the wire is exposed. I covered that wire to prevent a short.

It would be nice if I could pull the headlight switch out. Anyone know how to do that?

 

[Rigger]

This is the back side of the headlight switch. Very hard to reach. The zip tie indicates to me that someone already was in here and pulled this switch apart already. How do I get the switch out? Anyone know?

 

[Rigger]

Ok. Last hinge bolt removed. Victory!

 

[mtquivr]

This is the back side of the headlight switch. Very hard to reach. The zip tie indicates to me that someone already was in here and pulled this switch apart already. How do I get the switch out? Anyone know?

View attachment 1714442

There's a setscrew on the underside of the knob. Loosen that and remove the knob. The bezel then unscrews and you remove the switch from behind the dash.

 

[65swb45]

Pandora’s box. Looks like the original mounting tabs that secure the bakelite circuit board to the housing are missing. Had we known, I could have packed you a replacement.

 

[Living in the Past]

This is the tube door latch strike plate. It is supplied with the door set. The vertical distance between the holes does not jive with the captive nut spacing. Not sure why. I need to do some fixing and grinding here. No big.

View attachment 1714246

The reason for the wrong spacing these were made for 75+ doors. The catch on the B pillar changed. The reason for the slot being so long is the 75+ plus is recessed further. Shouldn't require that much adjustment. It's like that made them to fit early-74 and 75+ thinking the spacing is the same. I have a set of OEM safety straps from a 78. One of the holes is slotted up and down to fit both style. But these do not have to take in account the difference in depth.

This shows the hole I drilled under the windshield edge to fish the upper hinge captive nut plate back into alignment. This whole task was nerve wracking!

View attachment 1714247

You weren't able to get something in from bottom to push the plate up? I can feel the bottom of the plate from the back side of the A pillar. Back in the mid nineties when I got my first set of factory bows and soft doors I switched the hinges a couple times a year. Only time I ever gave up on a top hinge was in a wrecking yard when I didn't have my full selection of wrenches along. Has surgery on my left wrist in 2016. Removed one bone and grafted four together. Lost dexterity in that wrist but can still fill the four bolts from the bottom on both sides. Disconnecting the battery is a must on the later models to move the fuse panel out of the way.

As for your light switch I know you can use a later one if you want. I ran one from a 78 on my 68 for number of years. Require relocating wires in the connector. Seems a blade had a bend that needed to be straightened out. Wasn't really that big a deal. Besides a lighted switch also had a dimmer for the dash. Had all the knobs converted over as well. Then started switching back for what reason I can't remember.

 

[69LC]

@Rigger

Would you send me the amount you needed to clearance the top hinges for the metal tech doors? You’re the first person to mention the issue. If I know ahead of time that someone wants to use those doors maybe I can post the mod to my website.

Matthew

 

[69LC]

Also, for aligning the A-pillar nut plates it works to insert the hinge half and then use a smaller screw or wire chunk to work the plate up enough to get one bolt started in another hole.

 

[Rigger]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the input.

One of the problems with me and the struggle with captive nut plates is that I have AS. Because of that, I have lost some mobility in my wrists and fingers. A fully able-bodied individual might have had an easier time with it.

 

[Rigger]

I decided to replace my light switch. Ordered a new one from @Racer65

I’ll update more later.

 

[Rigger]

Had guests today - a short visit with Mark & Tina Algazy. Wishing them safe travels home. (My wife Rhonda on the left.)

 

[Rigger]

 

[Rigger]

Mark brought me a rebuilt carb and accessory items, and also had a quick look at Hard Ways and offered some advice. Thanks @65swb45 !

 

[Dizzy]

Why the hose clamp on the end of the high-speed-shaft?

 

[65swb45]

Why the hose clamp on the end of the high-speed-shaft?

That is a good and interesting question. I did not install that, nor did I remove it. When I saw it, I smiled a smile of recognition.

It’s probably been over 10 years now since I did a carb for forum member @HK40. After install he complained that he had a momentary bog when the mechanical secondary kicked in on his 73-74 (don’t remember the exact year any more).

He told me he started experimenting with adding weight to the counterweight and eventually ended up with a sufficient amount of extra resistance that it kept his truck from hesitating when the secondary opened.

Alfred has a ways to go yet on his engine adventure. Based on what I saw firsthand, I advised him to do some homework on the distributor before swapping the carb.