ih8mud inspired build

[Dagha Boy]

Hey Sarge. I can confirm they howl and not only at the moon. I've spent the past 10(?) Xmas to New Year in De Kalb, so have a bit of experience of your winters. Debi has a farm and family there. We have decided that we will skip winter there this year and go over for April/May next year. No specific dates yet. I probably won't recognize the place. We need to get together for a beer.

I'm a bit doubtful that the product I used will stand up to pressing, but I'm going to give it a try.

I have a 2k Etch Filler that I'll be using. The product was recommended because of the roughness of the sandblasted metal and to combat rust right from the first layer of paint. We don't have nearly the salt/rust problems you guys have but these Land Cruisers seem to be very prone to rust. I don't want that again in a hurry. I spent hours putting mastic into all the open seams and in some places dinkum holes resulting from the way the body is put together. Seriously sticky stuff, but it has set nicely and I pretty sure there'll be no water/dust/mud getting into the places it normally does.

On the underside and interior I will put on a couple of coats of the really tough blacks stuff I used on the frame.

I was going to get Rhino Liner over that and then top coat, but the price is horrific and it would mean two trips to town and perhaps even an overnight. The paint supplier has recommended one of their bed liner products sprayed on with an under body gun. Three coats is what they put on truck load beds, so that is what I'm going to put under and in the tub. (4 hrs to touch dry and 24 to full cure) I hope that with all that I will seal out all moisture.

 

[Dagha Boy]

Today I finally cut out the cancerous hump. It is gone!

With all the seams sealed with mastic, the real job for the day was to give the whole tub a good clean up and then spray on a couple of coats of 2k Etch Filler. That was not to be, the wind has blown to bust all day long.

MASTIC ON THE SEAMS

THE HUMP IS OUT AND THE BRACES SHOWING.

When I took the tub off, I struggled for hours to get the front tub mounts undone as it was impossible to get a wrench in there. I cut them off today and welded in new ones (50x6 flat bar) which allow a wrench in from both front and back rather than from the sides where there is no space. It will now be easy to tighten it all down when the time comes.

MODIFIED FRONT BODY MOUNT

While I was about it, I also welded a bracket into the left rear corner of the tub to hold the jack. The bracket used to be in the engine bay, but that is an invitation to that large part of our community that specializes in recycling such poorly protected items. Better it is locked in the cab. I'm going to have to build a lockable battery tray for the same reason.

NEW JACK PLACEMENT.

As you can see from the photo, I have also removed the clips used to hold the jack rods and handle from the rear wall. I am going to mount those in a special tool bag integrated into the upholstery at the back of the passenger seat. Much tidier and easier to get to I think.

TOOL KIT PLAN

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I've always wondered if you could, actually, use the hand-crank starter to actually start a TLC. I've several friends with cars that require crank starting (Model Ts, etc), and flywheel-start (such as old John Deere tractors)... but all of those had 2-4 cylinders, really low compression and a lot of ether... I can't imagine the arms required to get a 232 straight 6 started.... seriously, pushing it would be easier.

and funny story to go with that. I had a friend who claimed that, while there was no way to hand-crank-start a 350 chevy, that you could start it by gutting a starter and using the small wheel to spin the flywheel.... so I bet him he couldn't. He couldn't - was fun to watch him try, though.

 

[JohnnyC]

@SuperBuickGuy

Yes it does start... Don't try it when standing on an icy driveway (don't ask how I know this first hand experience lol)

There are several threads ... But... This says it all...

Video from iDave here on mud

 

[Dagha Boy]

No chance with a diesel. You would have to have some kind of decompression system to allow you to get the engine turning. Push starting a diesel LC requires it must either have some weight on the back or be in 4WD. I know this from experience. Otherwise the wheels just lock up and skid. In the absence of working glow plugs you have a serious problem on your hands. They do eventually start though if you tow them far enough with a tractor or similar. Probably doesn't do any of the components any good.

SPG's original musings set me thinking too. So I checked out my H engine. The pulley does not make allowance for a hand crank. Mr Toyota did not allow for the impossible. I've got to believe though that somewhere along the line some wise guy has tried with a socket... But it's got to be impossible to turn it against compression.

H ENGINE NO HAND CRANK SLOT.

 

[Dagha Boy]

Started at 06:00 this morning to get the spraying done. No wind!

But the dust! It is everywhere. I ended up cleaning about a square metre (10 sq ft) and spraying it, then the next etc etc. Apart from the dust I discovered all manner of midges, hoppers, crawlies, you name it are all over the place. Never even notice them under normal circumstances, but they came to the party this morning. I am now convinced that it is going to be an impossibility to spray final coat here.

I have done the underside and inside of the floor with two good coats of 2K. There are still some spots that I just could not get to and will have to go over with a brush. Some runs and unevenness but it is well covered and that was the aim.

NOT PERFECT BUT "GOOD ENOUGH"

When originally buying the paint, I bought a pouring spout which I was told is great for eliminating wastage, spills and the general mess associated with decanting paint from a 5 litre/gallon can. I really hate the mess this causes.

I have used this thing now on 3 cans of paint and not a drop spilled or run down the side of the can. No cleanup needed and you can leave it on the can for storage in place of the lid.

THE EEZI-POR

The can in the photo below had its full contents poured out of it and I them used it to mix batches of paint in and poured the mix into the spray gun, probably about twenty times. The photo says it all. No mess!!! And of course not a drop of paint in the lid groove. The workbench top shows the mess I used to make before I discovered Eezipor.

CLEAN CAN

This is really one of those ideas that works so well and is so simple and obvious that you have to ask yourself why you did not think of it in the first place. Just think of the mess one always has when pouring wall paint into a roller tray. Paint in the can groove, paint running down the sides of the can and getting onto everything - mostly the carpet. And getting on your hands when you pick the can up to pour again. None of that with this little gadget. Cost R24 - about $2 US. Worth every penny.

But wait!!! That's not all.... If you order one of these now, we will give you 2, not 1... but 2 Eezipors and an old rusty Land Cruiser! For just $9.99. Phone now!

We're coming to the end of our dry season now, in fact it should have rained already and that is why there is so much dust around, and why the animals spend so much time hanging out close to the remaining water sources.
2
These old Dagha Boys could still find some dagha to hang out in next to the road. As mean and ornery a bunch as you could ever hope to see.

REAL DAGHA BOYS.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

but how are they with steak sauce?

I believe that bugs are wired to fall into paint. There really is no other answer - the only real way to avoid that is to paint when they're still asleep. Fortunately for me their schedule is the same as the programmer that works at Microsoft. If I can get the paint down before he leaves for work, life is pretty bug free.

I like the easy pour. I have a couple that just attach to the side and sort-of work, however, my normal method is to steal measuring cups from my wife. I get away with it because she has floppy-ear'd terrorists that countersurf with abandon and get particular joy grabbing then chewing up those... one or two extra missing really isn't that big of a deal.

the terrorists, be ware if you see them, while, they only bite when provoked, they drool. To my OCD friends, that's actually a fate worse then death.

as you can see, the front one (Stella) is less-then pleased... I think my wife lost 3 shoes for that little adventure.

and for completeness, my little guy.

 

[handcannon]

The last pic posted by SBG made me think of an e-mail sent to me by my daughter. Try googleing "somewhere in the world there's a boxer upside down smiling" and see what you get. I know this isn't tech, but try it and see what you get. I think it will make you smile, and not because you are upside down.

Don

 

[Dagha Boy]

Hey SBG, pretty impressive hounds you got there. There's enough skin on that boy to cover two.

We saw their African cousin on our drive this morning.

Spotted Hyena. This was a big boy, probably weighs about 150 - 160 lbs. These guys are bad news and best avoided. He will come into your tent at night and pull you out. Normally by the face. Apparently they know to bite onto the part where the breathing happens. (Roof top tent is a good idea in hyena country) A few years ago a lodge worker about 50km south of us was in his room in the compound cooking chicken and a hyena came in and killed him right in the room. Jaws designed to crunch bones to pieces. I have seen them chew tin food cans to pieces.

Hey Don. Ja, I've seen those. There's only one thing worse than a loose-lipped dog and that's a loose-lipped woman. From Duck's perspective we are indeed "upside down" especially since getting our arses kicked in the rugby world cup by the Kiwis. (You live in a beautiful part of the world. Good wine and those hops....)

We've been without internet connection since Friday afternoon so I have not been able to post progress.

I had some fairly deep pitting on the bottom of the firewall where it joins the floor plate. Not enough to cut the whole damn thing out (Good enough) so I put two fibre glass patches on the underside.

FIBREGLASS PATCH

The nicely primed areas were just too much of a temptation. I was dying to see what the bed liner would look like. So I succumbed and put one coat on the left hand side floor, even though I wanted to do some more smoothing out of the joints between the new and old steel. Had to do it.

Well, what a surprise. It went on easy. Being water based it cleaned up even easier. Only problem is that I have a problem with water based paints. In my old-school mind its got to be sticky, smelly and just about knock you down with fumes in the first minute.

According to the instructions it requires two coats for light duty and three for heavy duty. I just put on the one to see how it works and what it looks like.

It looks GRRRRRRRRRREAT. All the little imperfections I was going to spend hours fixing are invisible, even fairly lumpy welds are "softened" to the extent that they are no longer unsightly. Touch dry was 4 hrs and full cure 24hrs. (The label said so too.)

CLOSE UP. 1 LIGHT COAT - PRIMER STILL VISIBLE.

NICE UNIFORM TEXTURE WITH ONE LIGHT COAT. ALL IMPERFECTIONS HIDDEN.

But the acid test. How tough is it? This afternoon after 36hrs on, I took a screwdriver to it. No point in posting the before and after photos I was going to take, because I could make no impression on the stuff. What I really like about it is that it is not rough and/or abrasive, but while being lumpy (textured) it is smooth and will not collect and trap dirt. I like this stuff. I'm going to do all the visible inside of the tub with 2 coats and the floor with 3 coats. All of the underside of the tub 3 coats. (Hopefully no further moisture and dust penetration and NO RUST ever again.) Then over coat with body colour.

Speaking of which...

It is a fact that I have no "eye" for colour and that my "taste" is allegedly sometimes "off." This is according to the Mid-West Farmer's Daughter. ( Henceforth M-WFD) I did, however, this afternoon after doing some test panels get her approval on the following: Body colour will be Toyota "Dune Beige" the normal bits like front bumper, headlight bezel etc Toyota "Pewter" and the wheels in the appropriate Toyota "Grey." All the normal other bits and pieces in "Satin Black." This is what I wanted and it has been approved.

Upholstery we also have a unanimous verdict. It will be a "greenish khaki" in REAL COTTON CANVAS. (NOT artificial ripstop canvas.) with brown leather accents.
This for the seats, door panels and visors. This idea is from my favourite chair.

THE INSPIRATION FOR THE UPHOLSTERY.

Damn!!!!! Internet is off again. (It won't upload the next photo) I'm going to have to try again in the morning.

My great fortune is that I have discovered somebody who can actually do proper motor trimming as opposed to upholstery just 2 hours away. I met a guy at the sandblaster who restores and customizes vehicles. (He was there with bits of a 1927 Buick). He does incredible work. Lots of Alfa Romeos which come to him from the UK. Also plenty other British cars, Triumph, BSA, RR etc. His daughter does the interiors. This guy is meticulous. Perfection beyond perfection. I looked at a steering wheel she was covering in leather for a 1975 Alfa GTV 2000 last week. It is mind blowing. This is what I wanted for the "WOW factor"; the "kerb appeal" that will set it apart from all the others for sale. (Apart from that, that is what I would really want if it was for myself.) I hate that I have to sell this LC.

 

[Dagha Boy]

THE INSPIRATION FOR THE UPHOLSTERY

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I had a Rhodesian ridgeback a dog or two before Buick (the one with the skin) - badass dog for a country where most everything is trying to kill you. Beside their well-known ability with lions, they can also cross train on black bears - which was good when we had a black bear try to get the garbage cans..... Buddy (the dog) treed him, I painted him pink with my paint gun.... we haven't see his lilly tail around here since. I still imagine the razzing he got from his bear buddies

I keep thinking that upholstery would be a good thing to get into... when I was in high school, I took home ec (mostly to get in the pants of a particularly lovely girl I went to school with) but despite failure on that front (thank heavens for that, she has more issues then the library of Congress) I learned how to sew. Around my area, they have lots of folks who do upholstery... and oh are they proud of it. This isn't a joke, I paid less for my brand-new 2007 Hummer H3 then they charge for a full-dress interior....

but wait, I thought you were doing this for a safari vehicle for yourself...

 

[handcannon]

Still not tech, but several years ago my parents neighbor had a Rhodesian Ridgeback. She was a good looking dog, but very difficult to get close to. Apparently she had been abused by men before the neighbor got her, and she wouldn't have anything to do with any man except the neighbor.

Don

 

[Dagha Boy]

It's a sad story.

I got the LC in a hurry. Didn't look before buying and found out too late that mechanically it is shot. Transfer box overhaul, every bit of suspension and steering, engine needs rings and bearings at the very least, drive shafts (The drive shaft refurb alone was $450. I think I was shafted...) entire brake system and both axles need refurb. None of these things was "optional" or border line, they simply had to be done even if it was to be used off road only.

By the time I was fully aware of what needed doing it had been totally stripped down and was just a heap of basically useless parts. Apart from the body, frame, gearbox and steering box everything else is scrap. I had paid R45k for it and even if I sold the parts I would not come close to recovering that.

There was only one way forward, and that was to repair the mechanical and put it back together. The mechanical repairs are going to cost a bomb so it would be a very expensive vehicle at the end of the process. I don't want that much tied up in a vehicle at this point, so it has to be done for sale, and for sale a a high price to hopefully break even.

To get an adequate price it is necessary to make sure that all of it is really, really nice and properly done. I guess it will cost and additional R60k. When I see the quality of the vehicles and the (poor) workmanship of LCs on the market for between R100k and R150k (even R200k) I am sure that my end product will be superior.

Adding the extra nice upholstery will hopefully put it at the upper end of the 100 - 150 bracket or at the least will ensure a quick sale at not too much of a loss. Small loss is fine considering the fun I've had doing it.

Next year I will take my time, look carefully and find a decent one at a good price to do for myself. That's life!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

that bites, but you've saved another one that would have ended up on a scrap heap or abandoned because it failed catastrophically then scraped.

 

[Dagha Boy]

Ja, you live and learn. I assumed all kinds of good things based solely on the words "recent roadworthy test" and "comes with roadworthy certificate" It had and it did, but it is easy to pay a bribe here. The one wheel did not even have brake parts in it!!!! A disaster waiting to happen.

Plan for today was to spray two coats of 2k primer all over. I sanded everything with 220 grit. Used spot putty on all the little dings and imperfections, sanded it all again. Wiped it all down with thinners and then, not happy with the surface gave it a thorough wash down with soap and water and a good rinse. Left it out in the sun to dry and bake. Man, it looks good!

Just as I was starting to get the paint ready, the wind got up. No chance to spray. Maybe a good thing as it now had another 6 hours baking in the sun. We'll try again tomorrow.

The problem rocker has turned out 100% after following 2fpower's suggestions and instructions. (Thank you!!!) Long board all the way. Picture below of the final outcome. The black is not low spots. It is spot putty covering the very last of the imperfections. Nice, nice.

SMOOTH AS A BABY'S BUTT. (AND FLAT AND STRAIGHT)

I decided to tackle the doors that have been lurking in the background for months. In my experience normally rotten at the bottom. There was some visible bubbling on these and I did not know what to expect.

The mechanisms, locks, catches, window regulator - all of it is worn out beyond redemption and into the bin. The left hand door had about six inches of solidified dust, leaves and what appeared to be rat parts in it. I spent about an hour getting both doors well washed out inside. Things did not look too bad.

WASHED DOORS DRYING. (Most of what looks like rust along the bottom edges in the photo is actually glue from the weather strip)

There were some small rust bubbles under the paint. The acid test was to put a grinder to that and see what was underneath. I ground down all the suspect areas on the outside of the door. (One had no indication of hidden rust) I was pleasantly surprised. Very little damage under the thick layers of paint.

ALL SUSPECT AREAS GROUND DOWN

The metal turned out to be mostly very good still, with only two spots with real rust requiring repair.

RUST HOLES ON THE DOOR.

The rest of the metal is fine. Strangely there is very little rust on the inside of the doors which I feared would be badly rusted. This rust seems to have gone from the outside in and from under thick paint.

I had the normal cracks around the door retainers on both doors which, with the help of the Chinaman took no more than 10 minutes to fix. I'm going to wait with the rust repair until after sand blasting. Probably Thursday or Friday.

As bad as the mechanics are, the body is so good. I'm embarrassed that I even complain considering what I see most rebuilders on mud have to contend with.

Slooowly but surely.

Rhodesian Ridge Backs are wonderful dogs, but you don't mess with them, especially if it is not yours. One man dogs. And they bear grudges. During the troubled times here, the police used to do regular farm patrols. On one farm there was a Ridge back pup and the policeman used to rough it up every time he visited. (Nothing nasty, but rougher than the dog was used to.) Once the dog grew up, the policeman could not get out of his vehicle until the dog had been locked away. It would jump onto the Land Rover's hood and try to get at him through the wind shield when he stopped in the yard.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

My mastiff is the same way - of course, he's still a pup and 160 - but we have a guy in our local SAR who does "personality tests" of dogs that mostly is him riling the dog up (still not sure what the point is because the actions defy everything we know about dogs). Buick gets a scent of him and that guy best be headed for a tree - normally he's a pretty calm dog and never actually tracks down an aggressor.... he makes an exception for Chris. Of course, I don't help - I warned him - so when Buick is chasing him I'm saying "Buick, come back, hahahahaha, come back, hahahaha" the only time he ignores me I don't much like Chris either, so I figure Buick's one bite can be him (all dogs are entitled to one bite is actually a legal rule) if that one bite completely consumes Chris I figure a problem is solved.

those doors look pretty good... I bought some for parts where the glue was all that was left of the bottom (don't know why Toyota didn't simply make their trucks out of that glue)...

 

[Dagha Boy]

AAARGH!!! Little bit of rain in the night. Now 65 F, 83% humidity and a stiff breeze blowing and drizzling. No spraying today. At least the dust has settled. We do need the rain desperately at this stage so no complaints in that regard.

 

[Dagha Boy]

The lousy spraying weather continues and according to the forecast will do so until Friday afternoon, then gets nasty again for a week. I'm going to have to be ready for the Friday afternoon window.

In the mean time I have been messing with odds and ends.

The one thing that has to be done is to make the fibreglass moulding for the floor hump. Only problem is I don't have any mould release agent to put on the mould.

A ridiculous suggestion came from the MWFD in response to my lamentations. RIDICULOUS I tell you. "Use cling wrap," she said. Have you ever heard anything as stupid. Anyway, to humour her, I did a little test, fully expecting the resin to chew up and froth up the cling wrap, so I could have a laugh. Well, it didn't... I did not mention the result, but have stopped bitching about not having release agent. Maybe she will forget my reaction.

I took some of this sticky cling wrap, and wrapped it as tightly as I could around the mould. The fact that the bottom side is sticky really makes it a piece of cake to do. Very few wrinkles, and the stuff is so thin, I do not think the wrinkles will leave much of an impression.

THE MOULD.

MOULD SNUGLY WRAPPED IN "PRESS 'N SEAL"

THREE LAYERS OF FIBRE AND RESIN

TWO HOURS LATER - SIMPLY LIFT CLING WRAP AND MOULDING OFF MOULD.

TURN OVER AND THE CLING WRAP COMES OFF ALMOST BY ITSELF...

All that is left now is to trim it to proper size, secure it in place on the floor and than give it a bunch more layers of glass and resin and a bit of reinforcing.

Where the wrap was wrinkled it left very slight ridges and dips, but these will disappear when the next layers go on. The top is smooth as a baby's but and will in any event have to be sanded smooth and blended into the rest of the floor once fitted. Then once covered with the bed liner it should be invisible.

As must be obvious, I know very little about working with this stuff, so will appreciate any advice from anybody out there and please correct me if I'm going wrong with what I plan to do.

I'm thinking of pop rivetting it to the braces under the floor on which it will rest. The new floor where it rests on the braces is 2mm thick. Once rivetted down, I intend adding more layers (I guess about 5) until it is level with the floor. Then turn the tub over and add another 5 or so layers to the bottom encapsulating the 20 x 20 x 2 square tubing brace and the 30 x 6 flat bar brace into the whole thing. I'll also add some foam for rigidity along the outer edge.

Hopefully that will do the trick.

 

[Dagha Boy]

Another lousy-spraying-weather inspired project has been preparing the stuff to go to the upholsterer - sorry - motor trimmer.

Both the visors were shot. The cheap plastic covers are cracking along the edges and the interior foam fill is crumbling to dust.

TOAST. BUT FOR THE WIRE FRAME AND METAL CLIP

At first I thought of making a "blade" out of hardboard to fit into the metal clip, and covering that with thin closed cell foam on both sides to provide the padding and then give that to them to cover.

Closer inspection however revealed that the wire frame is actually spot welded into the metal clip and I'm scared I will mess the clip up totally if I try to get that out, so the wire frame will have to stay. (The three spot welds can be seen at the left top of the metal bracket and another three at the bottom just to the left of the slot at the top.)

I cut a piece of closed cell foam to fit inside the wire frame.

A PIECE GOES INSIDE THE FRAME. (THE FILLING IN THE SANDWICH)

A PIECE CUT SLIGHTLY BIGGER THAN THE FRAME GOES ON THE BACK

AND ANOTHER ON THE FRONT COMPLETING THE SANDWICH. ALL HELD TOGETHER WITH CONTACT ADHESIVE.

All that is left is to clean up and paint the metal parts, glue it all together and then the trim lady can cover it in nice canvas to match everything else... Better than new.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

MWFD?

looks good, but am I to understand you can handle hyenas, giraffes, water buffalo and the occasional lion but throw in a touch of rain and you melt? About fiberglass, it itches but also you it needs to be pretty thick to so that it won't crack (like 1/4" or 6mm). I'm not a fan of fiberglass bonded to metal because inevitably the metal will get moisture on it and rust away; with that said, beside making another bit out of metal there really aren't many other options..