Builds Here we go (FJ-40 getting a 3B/Turbo/H55f)...

[DanS HJ-45]

How did you get your axles powdercoated? you obviously didn't stuff em in your oven, did you use heaters or bring 'em to a shop?

The axles and frame are not powdercoated. Just painted (with POR15). All of the parts that bolt to them are powdercoated (like the axle knuckles and things). I'm not a fan of powdercoating axles and frames, because it means you can't ever really weld to them again. I don't weld cast metal anyhow, so it's no big loss (also, I figure the baking relieves some internal stress in many cast parts).

I have to get up at 5:30 tomorrow to go to work, but....

Thanks to Alia176, beno, Bad Mojo, and sl33p3 we got it on. I'll let the pictures do the talking. Thanks guys!






Dan

 

[Combat Chuck]

Looks drivable to me!

The painters did a great job!

 

[crushers]

big happy faces, congrats.
feels good eh?

 

[BreckenridgeCruiser]

Dan, I like how you are the only one actually putting the body mount bolts in while they all watch!

Took me second to find you in the pics!

 

[Combat Chuck]

Dan, I like how you are the only one actually putting the body mount bolts in while they all watch!

Took me second to find you in the pics!

Good eye.
Dan, are you sure you don't actually work for some airborn version of CalTrans?
If so, how do they let you bring a leaning shovel on the plane?

 

[Chamba]

Looks damned good Danny-boy!! What happened to your hair?!

So.... I hear all the cool kids are powder coating their transmissions...

tu amigo,

Josh

 

[tmarx]

Looks great !!

Now for the really rewarding work

 

[Awl_TEQ]

So.... I hear all the cool kids are powder coating their transmissions...

tu amigo,

Josh

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Man, the bedliner we used is impressive! The paint sticks to it like no other, and it's "rubbery" but not delicate by any means. I can say this definitively because I spent hours today with various taps chasing holes in the body so that things could bolt up...

That said, I rolled it outside and cleaned holes and bolted lots of miscellanous things back on. The wiring harness is also back in the body. I'll let the pics to the talking...






To end the night Dad and I lifted the fuel tank into place. That is a bear of a job! But, it's done, so that's a great thing...

Dan

 

[crushers]

i use ear plugs in the holes when i install the bed liner, makes that part of the job so much easier and faster.

looks real nice.

nice thing about the bed liner is how quiet the cab is when the top is back on.

 

[Rambrush]

looking great coming along very well.

 

[Chamba]

i use ear plugs in the holes when i install the bed liner, makes that part of the job so much easier and faster.

looks real nice.

nice thing about the bed liner is how quiet the cab is when the top is back on.

That is a bloody good idea... why didn't I think of that?!

Josh

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Not a whole lot to report/take pictures of, but....

The controls are all back in the dash. Pretty, eh?


Then I reattached the VIN and data tags. Looks SOOOOO much better than masking them for paint.


And, while we're waiting for the turbo to come back from rebuild, we had the turbine housing ceramic coated too.


If the turbo would have come back the other day, I am confident it would have been whining around the neighborhood. I'll be down at the shop again Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, and I'm really, really hoping the turbo is back. If it drives around on Tuesday, then it's easily making CM2011. Easily.

Dan

 

[wongtsenhin]

What a amazing job. Can you guys look at the date for this very thread to the latest one. It's coming to 3 years.

 

[crushers]

yes, bubba, it is pretty.

 

[subzali]

Nice touches Dan, love it and can't wait to see it in person when you bring it up to CO.

 

[Isaacjohnstar]

Dan, Just came back to your build and I'm loving the progress! Keep it up!

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Why can't the turbo be back?????

The guy at the turbo shop who was handling my broken intake plate and the rebuild kit for the fairly mysterious Safari turbo apparently got sick. Today when I called they said they'd just found out he was in the hospital, so they're trying to figure out what the status of his projects was (which includes our turbo). I'll cross my fingers he is allright, and that they find the bits for our turbo and get it back with the quickness.

Because in the absence of the turbo, I've been buys bolting as much as possible on, and otherwise tying up loose ends.

Brakes are bled. I love new stuff, it bleeds so easily!

I got the battery tray back on. I really, really am glad that this should be the last time I have to bolt the air compressor in.


Then the windshield frame (which now has a windshield in it) onto the tub....


And then a test fit of the fenders...

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Finished up a couple more odds and ends under the hood, and put the fenders and bib on.


Because I was on a roll (and because I need the aprons installed to get the rest of the electrics in)....



It LOOKS ready to go..... It's close, very close. I may cut out a blockoff plate for the turbo housing, just to maybe drive it without a turbo, just because I want to drive it now. It looks better and better, and goes together easier and easier...

 

[DanS HJ-45]

One more for good measure...

Dan