Builds Hygge's Sawdust FJ62 (2 Viewers)

[hygge]

So that was fun to do...

Still need to get the Throttle knob off. I've been having trouble figuring that part out. Any ideas? Was able to get the tiny screw out to take off the knob, got the retaining bolt off on the inside of the dashboard and a retaining clip too - but no luck on getting the cable to disengage.

 

[hygge]

Took out the side cargo window since there was rust that I could see. After removal - there is definitely rust, but luckily its just surface rust for the most part no need to weld on this, just clean it up and put in the new gasket. I have new window gasket replacements for pretty much every window and intend on tackling all of these before the rains come back this Fall!

But need to also finish plug welding 33 holes in the roof from the old roof rack. Need to replace the headliner too ( which I have sitting in a box ready to go).

Lots of order of operations going on in my head recently. And in the middle of all of this swapping out the interior of all the brown parts for grey parts I've acquired over the last year. Selling all of the brown interior parts - since no need for them anymore.

 

[hygge]

Got the rest of the bottom of the dashboard out today. Was able to also make a nice trip over to Lake Lagunitas yesterday with the family. Took the 100-series.

And decided that it would be a "good" idea to take the family into the overflow parking lot that is habitually flooded with mud.

There was definitively a moment when we were sliding backwards and I had zero traction - where I was thinking to myself - yeah probably not a smart idea.

But after getting the family out of the Land Cruiser, throwing on the rear locker and gunning it, I got enough traction to pull myself out.

Had a Park Ranger drop by and chuckle - since he said a lady got stuck in the lot last week. Glad I had my Falkens and my Land Cruiser to get me out of my own self-created mess.

 

[hygge]

I am at the stage where since I tore everything out - I am thinking I HAVE to do the following before throwing it all back together.

1. Finish welding the roof DONE (7/3/20)
2. Replace windshield gasket and repair rust around A-pillars on driver/passenger
3. Replace side cargo gaskets (cruiser corps purchase)
4. Install new headliner (got one from Cruiser Corps a month ago)
5. Purchase new stereo head unit with Android Auto and Car Play - get one reasonably priced - Looking at Pioneer 1400 NEX. Budget is around $300-400
6. Install new to me Grey Dashboard ( bought off of MUD last Fall)
7. Purchase additional weatherstripping so I don't have to worry about rain for another 20 years
8. Clean gutters and reseal with self-leveling sealer
9. Buy Noico/Kilmat or other for entire interior and then install
10. Get new carpet and install
11. Repair any additional rust on windows before reinstalling the gaskets and existing windows
12. Get bodywork done and repaint
13. (order of all of this depends on budget)

Okay, so that's a lot of work and not sure how quickly I can both accomplish the work and fund it, but its got me thinking hard about the rest of the summer and what I want to accomplish. Hope I can chomp through the next few projects quickly and get the truck back to a functional, working condition ASAP.

 

[hygge]

Knocked the first priority out of the park today with my day off.

Welding most of the day - got 32 holes in the roof plug welded. For a non-welder this felt satisfactory and I was starting to feel by the end of the day that I kind of understand some of the rudimentary aspects of welding.

It mostly plug welding for 29 of the holes. 2 of them were really big and I cut out circles to fill the old antenna holes and one of the holes was just really rusty and required extensive TLC. I kept burning through the old sheet metal since there was extensive rust.

Here are some before photos from two years ago.

 

[hygge]

And the AFTER !!

 

[hygge]

While I was looking at rust yesterday, I also took a moment to look around the tailgate.

Gosh - shouldn't have looked there. Not fun.

First, I knew there was rust on the Lower tailgate. So I took that off carefully for inspection. After a few whacks with my hammer/ screw driver quite a lot of rust started disintegrating/falling off the tailgate.

 

[hygge]

Since the tailgate was off and rust is definitely a "While You're In There" type of thing that you can't sit still on. I started to look around the tailgate for rust. I took off the weatherstrip and BOOM more rust for me to play with. And behind the rear bumper more rust. This is probably rust I do not want to work on - but due to budgetary constraints - I will try my best to work on. It looks almost structural since both of these spots are where the rear of the body mount to the chassis.

Not really sure how I am going to tackle this area. I tried to pull off the old tow package and the rust and the bolts were stripped so I'll probably have to use some heat/ cut off saw/ sawzall to get this taken apart. Will also be good to get the rear bumper off anyway just to clean up the rear chassis. There is classic rust in the C-Channels and now that I am welding - I could probably think about cleaning up this area and maybe installing some beefy C-Channels by Trail Tailor. Or another option that probably makes sense is to box it in and that should help out long term with things.

 

[hygge]

One interesting note - I 've been selling old Fj62 brown interior parts however and whereever I can to help me keep this project moving forward.

In order to expand my budget ( which is $400/month), I have been selling off things I don't need. Old Dewalt Router - SOLD on Craigslist, Old brown bezels, steering wheel, door bezels - SOLD!

Every dollar counts. I've used the money from old parts to buy a new carpet kit, new interior LEDs for the dash, sound deadener, welding supplies and for each brown interior piece sold, I can buy another old shadow grey interior part for my interior swap.

 

[hygge]

Since this is my thread - I am allowed to vent on it for a moment.

I've had decent success acquiring shadow grey interior parts for my swap from brown.

However, there have been a few parts that have eluded me or been too expensive to acquire easily.

I found a dude on the Facebook forum for FJ60s & FJ62s who says he is starting a "business" in reselling parts...

Anyway, I bought from him a few pieces - the front driver/passenger B-Pillar seat belt covers, the steering column cover, a smog pump, and the shifter handle.

Here is how he sent them to me...

 

[hygge]

Best part is the packaging for the steering column. No styrofoam, paper, or anything. Literally a steering column cover sandwiched around a heavy ass smog pump.

 

[hygge]

After contacting him about the garbage he shipped to me - which was not broken when he sent me pictures - his response was -

"Nice shipping is insanely slow rn (right now)"

"You want a refund"

"It's used stuff not new"

"I want to make things right but it's used"

" 35 year old plastic"

 

[hygge]

I have a feeling that any reputable "business" in the world would not ship goods like this AND they would not give me the run-around with this type of BS answer.

 

[joebattle1]

Kristian, Harbor Freight sells a little welding cart for dirt a$$ cheap.

Nice work plugging the wholes. And f#$k that s***ty vendor! Worst shipper ever.

 

[hygge]

Kristian, Harbor Freight sells a little welding cart for dirt a$$ cheap.

Nice work plugging the wholes. And f#$k that s***ty vendor! Worst shipper ever.

Many Thanks @joebattle1 !!!

Yeah I have a cart in my shed. Was easier to throw the welder in the back of the truck this time around. But I should bring it back to working condition.

Been a while we should kick it soon - whenever all this crap ends.

Camp trip with some wheeling up in Mendocino National Forest?

 

[joebattle1]

Many Thanks @joebattle1 !!!

Yeah I have a cart in my shed. Was easier to throw the welder in the back of the truck this time around. But I should bring it back to working condition.

Been a while we should kick it soon - whenever all this crap ends.

Camp trip with some wheeling up in Mendocino National Forest?

This crap ain't ending anytime soon so let's just go wheeling/camping.

 

[hygge]

I've escalated my attacks on the drip channels and gone after all the old seam sealer. Its not surprising that there is rust in the channels - luckily its fairly light and I don't see welding as necessary - just clean it out, use some rust converter and prime it. The old stuff is cracked. Unfortunately some of the water penetrated through both the top of the seam and underneath. So trying to get that all taken out before repairing with new seam sealer.

Also been cleaning up the rust on my rear tailgate. Lots of projects happening simultaneously - but its summer and not raining so its a good time to get cracking on all of this. I've also almost decided to take apart my front quarters to access the spots where seam sealer breaks down and water can enter below the windshield. I figure its as good of a time as any to tackle any and ALL spots where water can enter the vehicle.

 

[SteveH]

Thanks for the update. You're getting a lot done. Hope you can park it inside after all the rust repairs.

 

[hygge]

@SteveH I wish. But no garage at my house. Just a driveway. Might get a car cover.

 

[hygge]

Since I had the tailgate out from the truck and was doing work on it anyway, decided now was a good time to look at performing the "tailgate storage" mod.

To do this, I admittedly just looked at what others have done in the past. I am not done yet, but in-process (with 50 other things).

First, mark out with a pen where you want to cut the metal. If you look at Trail Tailor, Wagon Gear or some others - you see that they use a lip and the holes that were in place for the old tailgate carpet as anchor points. Its important to not cut through your door latch, so use special care on this section (see the XXXs).

Next, drill a pilot hole.

Following this, bust out your jigsaw and a few metal bits ( I went through two). And do your best to cut a straight line.

At the ribs ( there are three ribs holding the metal in place) you can either use longer blades or bend the metal up and cut with an angle grinder.

Lastly, in order to get access to the ribs, you might need to knock through the spot welds with a chisel and hammer.


I've started to look at either fabricating a down and dirty wooden lid - with wood I have in my reserve pile, while also looking at buying a sheet or two of 6061 Aluminum. Either way, I will be using my beefy Festool router to round the edges and route out a lip for the doors to sit on.

Piano Hinges and compression latches are next up on the purchase list. I figure all in this will be a $250 project since its just raw materials I am buying.

This is my "budget" tailgate storage build.