HJ47 Project - possibilities, opinions, suggestions??

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dingbatt

dingbatt

Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Threads
15
Messages
216
Location
Perth, Western Australia
Hey dudes,

I plan on starting an HJ47 troopy touring / camping build as soon as possible. The plan is to have a rust free (as far as possible), mechanically sound, safe, straight - bodied and functional camper vehicle within which I can tour this huge island upon which I live.

Here's my starting point:

I have two 1981 HJ47s, one of which is my current daily driver. This rig has had an extra passenger side door installed, Arkana style and is otherwise stock. EDIT - she has an H55. The other is unregistered, has had front disc bakes installed, has an exceptionally good running engine and has an FJ45 power steering setup in parts in the back. These will be installed on my final rig. I also have a schwitzer turbo with manifold which I may or may not end up using.

My first starting point will be body work - more specifically, the tub. Both of these rigs have rot.

My dilemma is which tub to use... So I'll show some comparison pics of each of these rigs:

"Old Yella", my daily driver:
IMG_3992.webp

The green troopy:
IMG_3857.webp
IMG_3992.webp
IMG_3857.webp
 
Last edited:
To Continue...

So I'm undecided on the following three possibilities, and am appealing to the collective skill, knowledge and experience of you guys, which is ample on this great forum :).

Option A:

Restore the tub on the green troopy, and when it is finished I will transfer it over to the frame of "Old Yella". From there I can pick the rest of the panels from the best I have available.

Advantages:
- I can continue driving around in Old Yella during refurbishment
- More 'complete' process - I get to pull apart both cruisers and see their good and bad parts as they really are, and deal with them accordingly.
- Rear sill appears to have been fixed up and appears to be in far better condition than Old yella's
-Does NOT have the extra passenger door, which I believe will be better suited for kitting out as a camper, with a full length bed in the back and long storage drawers.

Disadvantages:
- Bad rust in the footwells and rear wheelwells.
- I am suspect of the PO's rust repairs.
- I will have to swap body mounts to the other frame to accommodate the differences between the modified body (extra door) and the unmodified one.

Option B:

Remove and refurbish the tub on "Old Yella", and pick the rest of the panels from the best I have available.

Advantages:
- I am more confident in the PO's repair skills!
- pretty good wheel wells and rear floor pan.

Disadvantages:
- I will have to find myself another cheap ass daily driver - which means I will not be driving a troopy around :crybaby:
- The cowl has some bad rust.
- Rear sill will need a complete replacement.

Option C:

Do not pull the tub on "Old Yella", but repair rust in - situ, then pick the rest of the panels from the best I have available.

Advantages:
- Cheaper and easier, less time consuming.
- I have the potential to keep my troopy on the road for longer during repairs.

Disadvantages:
- Far less complete a repair process than the above two, I will uncover less problems which may lurk hidden until bringing disaster in the middle of nowhere.
- Repairs will undoubtedly be far less thorough than the above two processes

So, bring on the opinions, I want to hear everything you guys have to say. It should be noted that I have very limited experience with body work (read "practically none") but am pretty handy and really want to learn.

Which option would you go for? Or is there another option that I am not thinking of here?

I can post pictures later. I am required to sink many beers now.

Many thanks,

Matt
 
Best idea would be to fix up the yellow troopy IMO and do it properly, with the tub off the chassis, that is, if finances permit. Hell, that green one actually looks half decent too, sure as hell better than the rustbucket parts troopy I have. I'd love to have the extra door on my '84 HJ 47, since it has the extra forward facing bench seat in the back. Also, the extra door makes the vehicle close to unique and pretty special if you ask me, wouldn't want to lose that.;)


Oh, sorry to go off topic, but do you have the driveshaft specs/lengths from when you had your driveshaft lengths changed for the H55? I have a H55F with split case, plus levers on the way, out of an '84 FJ 40.:grinpimp:
 
id pick the best bits of both and restore

then use the worse bits and slap the together on the current regoed frame so you still have a troopy to drive


or if money is no issue and i mean NO ISSUE order yourself a fiberglass body from ozeast for 15grand build that up and swap it onto a chassi
 
Thanks for the input dudes, very handy :)

Herbs, I know that extra side door is really cool, and very handy. But the final build will be for expedition, I mean, I plan on driving this bad boy right around Australia (and when I finally make it to Qld, I'll pop in and meet you and your rigs :D) so there will be no rear seats at all - just a bed and storage drawers.
But I don't really want to lose that extra door! And I can use that rear footwell for even more storage. hmmm....

herbs said:
Oh, sorry to go off topic, but do you have the driveshaft specs/lengths from when you had your driveshaft lengths changed for the H55? I have a H55F with split case, plus levers on the way, out of an '84 FJ 40.:grinpimp:
Click to expand...

Nice work scoring the H55! If I were to give you a tip, I'd say rebuild it before installing - Mine is a bit clunky and noisy and I regret not spending the extra time / money on rebuilding :doh:
I've lost the the dimensions of the driveshafts, but I'll measure them for you tomorrow.

Missipboy,
The green one would be up for it, but registering a vehicle in WA requires a very thorough government inspection, which I'm afraid - shy of restoring that one completely - it wouldn't pass!

flaminbandit said:
then use the worse bits and slap the together on the current regoed frame so you still have a troopy to drive

or if money is no issue and i mean NO ISSUE order yourself a fiberglass body from ozeast for 15grand build that up and swap it onto a chassi
Click to expand...

Hahaha! 15G! How do they stay in business?

But that's a good idea about slapping a body on the currently rego'd frame - I hadn't considered that, but would save me having to deal with registration and I get to do a trial assembly run!

My main concern with the tub of old yella is the rear sill:
IMG_4487.webp

and the cowl:
IMG_4485.webp

How hard would repairs be??? I know the sill would need cutting right out and replacing .. but the cowl? under the winscreen surround is looking pretty nasty too.
IMG_4487.webp
IMG_4485.webp
 
G'Day Matt.
Were about in Pert are Ya Mate?.
Best ya stick up some photos of the side door on old Yella for all to see.
As Herbs said stick with Yella she more unique even here in OZ with the side door. Cut out the bits you need of the green PC and and remove any other bits and pieces for the rebuilding of old Yella.
Get youself a good 5'' grinder and a small mig welder and go for IT.
I did it 10 years ago on my FJ40 LX. https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/376164-aussie-fj40lx-1983-a.html
Now Its My HZJ 87. HJ47 married to a HZJ80 project.https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/381279-anzac-hj47.html

Good luck with the build.
Millsy
 
Bugger, some nasty rust areas, but, they're saveable, one option would be to get the rear sill and patch panels for the rear quarters from the U.S, there's a bloke on ebay (Realsteelcruiserparts) who seems to have the right gear, but there'd be other options too. As for the windscreen frame, I'd just get another one, there's plenty around. for the cowl, I'm no expert but I'd probably sandblast it first, then see the damage, I reckon it's patchable, though the seam might be a bit of a worry?

Best of luck with it, who knows, I might have even more 'Cruisers by the time you get here.:hillbilly::bang: I know I shouldn't, but when you see a good one, just gotta grab it.:rolleyes:
 
Millsy,

I live right near Midland mate, my green Troopy is in Darlington. You can visit if you ever feel like giving a young inexperienced lad a few pointers! :) Where abouts are you?

That's a great 40 build there, I can't believe you sold it! Beautiful looking Cruiser. Nice work!

And I think you guys are right, I'm sticking with Old Yella. She is more unique, but more importantly for me, it is sentimental value - she is my 1st cruiser!

Herbs,

I posted those driveshaft dims on my install thread, to keep things on topic:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj45-owners-club/302432-old-yella-gets-5th-gear.html

Cheers for the link to "left overs", that guy has some skill, not to mention some balls to hack away at so much of the body and to craft his own panels! While I don't think I'll be going as far as he did, its a good demonstration of how simple the body actually is on a 40-series Landcruiser.

Inspiration - tick! :)

Now I just need to find a workshop or at least a more suitable workspace, I'm sick of crawling in the dirt!! :p

Cheers guys!
 
Yeah mate, great to meet you too. That screw in my tyre luckily hadn't penetrated right through to the tube. So no dicking around with tyrepliers! I'm sure I'll catch ya again! I'd love to see the progress of the 47 on the 80 frame first hand when you start that project. Should be interesting! Cheers mate
 
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