ih8mud inspired build

[cruiserkreutz]

Those parts don't look like they even cleaned them, let alone platted them.

Your Cruiser should sell for $25k in a heart beat once state side, RHD or not. I will have way more than that into my '45, and it's just a gasser.

 

[handcannon]

My self-imposed and arbitrary completion date, 30 November, has come and gone. It is not only the engine that has held me up, but I misjudged just how much time consuming detail comes at the end, and how long it can take to "just connect the handbrake" and you have to fit and take it off 3 times to get everything right.

There have also been many last minute cleans and repairs, which should have been done earlier but had for whatever reason not been done. Like, the "fuel separator"(?) I had not cleaned and repainted them. All in the baggie, but still dirty and rusted. So it is clean up, paint, wait to dry and then fit. A 5min job becomes and hour.

IT'S ALL WORTH IT IN THE END.

View attachment 1361341

Yesterday I tightened the windscreen hold down knobs in preparation of putting on the roof supports. One would not tighten properly - the captured nut was -not stripped but worn so could not hold against the torque. And so it goes.

My point is, it is easy to badly under estimate the amount to time needed for the myriad "quick little jobs" right at the end. I find that I was getting all stressed about that and then jumping from job to job and not completing any one and having to go back to everything and getting more stressed in the process. An unfinished job essentially remains an unfinished job, whether it is a quarter job or a half job.

It is not so critical during the broad-brush-strokes early part in the build, but at fine-brush-strokes end of the build, discipline and planning becomes essential. (apologies for the MBA speak) Half an hour's planning is worth hours in efficiency. Now it is by the LIST. List it, tackle it, COMPLETE it, and cross it off. Ah, that feels better. I think I'll have a Klippies and Coke.

Another unforeseen hold-up was the quality of plating I had done. The same @#$^$^&(#$%$ that screwed up the paint work plated three items for me. The only things I had plated. They came back beautifully wrapped, so I resisted the temptation to unwrap them until I needed them. When I did, they were beyond s***.

PROUDLY PLATED BY CK CUSTOMS, NELSPRUIT. (Look at the rust on the filler neck)
View attachment 1361342

Now I have to send them off to be re plated and wait for them to get back.

My second unrealistic completion date is 15 December. I don't think (know) it will be possible, but the MWFD and I are off and out of Plett on the 16th for three weeks to avoid the worst of the summer holiday crowds. The plan is to travel around the Karroo (semi-desert area) looking for Cruisers and Cruiser bits and try to get them to follow me home.

I haven't been posting, but I have been keeping up on what you are doing. I like what I have been seeing!

I fully understand your frustration about how long it is taking to get things finished. I spent many years installing cabinets, and trim, and understand how easy it is to underestimate the time needed to finish a project. There have been many times when I was still working to finish an install at 8 or 9 in the evening because I had told my boss that I would be able to go to the next install in the morning. Underestimation of time, or not seeing what some of the details require, really can rapidly change completion times/dates.

Hang in there, you will get it.

With all your attention to detail I sure would be proud to call your project mine when it is finished, but I know it is not to be since I'm living on monetary fumes. But, I can dream can't I?

Don

PS-- Here is a good example. I just HAD to edit to make a capitalization correction. I can't stand seeing spelling mistakes, etc, in my posts. The same went for my work.

 

[Vossie]

looking good dagha, completely understand your frustrations as they are pretty much exactly what im facing right now.

will all be worth it in the end tho

 

[Dagha Boy]

Thanks Guys. It's one job at a time gets it done. No magic bullets.

Ja, Cruiserkreutz, I had given them a superficial cleaning when I removed them and he seems to have just stuck them in like that. You can't see it in the photo, but a little piece of the filler neck was not even submerged in the bath. No pride, no self respect. $25k would be about break even, which is better than a losing about $10k if I sold it here - and it would take a long time to get sold. The real value for me in this one for me is what I have learned in the process.

Any suggestions on how to go about selling it once I've got it there and titled?

Thanks for the encouragement Don. I have spent most of my life doing legal work where details are of paramount importance and time not... well, time is for billing so it's OK. What really frustrates me is that I had to spend money and time re doing the cab back, the fenders, hood aprons and roof due to the poor paint adhesion. The other parts, tub etc I had prepped so there is no problem there, just the parts I paid him a great deal of money to do a better job than I can. In the end, what I did is superior to what he did. It could have destroyed the whole build.

I have also overspent on things like all new brake and clutch system. The stuff that was on there is OK and re buildable and I will do them in the new year. But once I had decided to sell it I felt I could not take the risk that anything like that may fail after a few months. To my mind it gives more satisfaction to do that than spend money on new stuff.

Howzit Vossie, I've been watching your goings-on too. Man, I'd love to do one with a 12HT, power steering, OME suspension, discs all round, nice radial ply tyres, aircon, electric windows, comfortable heated seats etc.

Just a few more hours and I can get back at it. Geeterdone!

 

[erics]

Those parts don't look like they even cleaned them, let alone platted them.

Your Cruiser should sell for $25k in a heart beat once state side, RHD or not. I will have way more than that into my '45, and it's just a gasser.

"$25k in a heartbeat, RHD or not" I would suggest is a pretty optimistic statement...

 

[Vossie]

Thanks Guys. It's one job at a time gets it done. No magic bullets.


Howzit Vossie, I've been watching your goings-on too. Man, I'd love to do one with a 12HT, power steering, OME suspension, discs all round, nice radial ply tyres, aircon, electric windows, comfortable heated seats etc.

Just a few more hours and I can get back at it. Geeterdone!

now thats a lekker plan.

i long ago decided that my 45 will never be for sale, and as such, mt take on it is that i will make it what i want it to be, the looks and feel of the old 40 series, with the drive and ability of a newer 70 series

 

[Grant Woodbridge]

Keep pushing your almost there. I feel your frustration. With all the good artisanze leaving the country,very difficult to get things done right the first time.
You almost there keep it up.

 

[apeterson]

Awesome thread!

 

[Dagha Boy]

Got a call from the engineering works to collect the engine just before lunch. Dropped everything and rushed to Knysna to get it. Oh happy day.

No flywheel, pressure plate and clutch fitted, and the two bolt holes for the rhd front engine mounting not cleaned out and re threaded as instructed! It took more than two hours to find the parts. Took another hour to fit them and sort out the bolt holes. Got back to the workshop after 4, dropped the engine off and took to the bottle. AWA.

Hi Grant

I saw pics of your engine on the "what did you do..." thread. That has set a whole new standard. I know that when I start assembling mine I'm going to have a picture of yours in my head. I suspect that I am not going to be happy with the standard of the bits and pieces and will probably end up re-doing them to get a bit closer to your standard.

Thanks Apeterson, I just hope the final product matches up.

 

[Dagha Boy]

Got the engine onto the engine stand after a bit of a struggle. It is HEAVY! At the end of that I was black from head to toe. seems nobody cleaned their hands when working on it, so I spent half the day cleaning washing degreasing, cleaning some more and eventually repainting it all before starting to re assemble the outside bits.

So nice working with all new stuff. As expected I was just not happy with the condition of the stuff I had refurbished. Lots of chips and scratches from storage and moving them around. So it was back to the bench grinder wire wheel. Stripped off all the new old paint on everything and repainted. Finished all but the alternator by 15:00 on Saturday. No access to the workshop today so they have had a good opportunity to dry properly before being handled. Monday is the day.

Also got a guy to flat the outside of the load bed and the back cab panel and resprayed those. I had had a batch of paint mixed which the guy I'm renting space from said was not the right colour. I couldn't see it, but he's the professional. I had another 4 litres mixed, because I still had the tailgate, running boards, and undersides of the front fenders to do, plus the inevitable touch-ups at the end. Put down a very nice thin coat and it looks good. The colour has been pronounced a perfect match.

I now have two good solid running boards. Was hoping to do the repair to the one's support brace, but I am concerned about the exact position of the bolt hole. The others I have all have that part rusted away but show what may be part of a bolt hole. The problem is that those partial holes do not line up with the good one I have and I don't know whether its bolt hole is in the original stock position. Looks like I will just have to wait until the cab is finally bolted down and then locate the correct position.

I used my electrolysis set-up to take the paint and rust off the last step I acquired. I am so happy that I "discovered" this method of paint/rust removal. It literally happens all by itself overnight. Just a bit of brushing to remove the stubborn stuff and it is perfect. I was more than happy with the topside, but a bit of rust remained underneath, which I am sure another few hours would have sorted, but being in a hurry I sandblasted the underside to get rid of the residual rust.

MY COLLECTION OF RUNNING BOARDS. (ORIGINALS AT TOP)

RESIDUAL RUST AFTER OVERNIGHT ELECTROLYSIS AND WASH DOWN

CLOSE UP AFTER ELECTROLYSIS.

The bare metal one was covered in layers of thick paint and a tar substance of some sort and looked really bad. 18hrs in the tank and a quick wash down under a garden hose with and old rag and the surface turned out beautifully. You can even see the scratches left from a previous clean up. The process is really kind to the metal

I have noticed that the parts done this way do not flash rust like sand blasted parts and can be left for days without any discernible rust forming. I love it.

 

[120mm]

I just discovered electrolysis as well.

You are only limited to the size of your container, and you can custom build those.

Definitely something I will do in the future.

 

[Dagha Boy]

I am very enthusiastic about it and will definitely be using it a lot in future. I am using a very poor quality little battery charger coupled directly to the item - not through a battery. I think this is giving me dirty DC current which is detracting from the cleanliness of the final product. Lots of slimy black stuff that has to be washed off. I intend building a tank big enough to take up to the size of doors, hood and fenders and to couple that to a battery and a better charger to get clean DC current. I plan to use 22mm ply wood and fibre glass to build the bigger tank. As long as it is big enough to take the items lying down flat it should be quite strong enough to hold the water. (About 500mm deep only)The surface is so much better than sandblasting.

Presently I am using a 200 litre garbage bin which is fine for the smaller stuff.

 

[Grant Woodbridge]

Please tell me more about the electrolysis. I have been using pool acid with very good results. But it's a mission, and burns the skin if you don't were gloves.

 

[120mm]

 

[Dagha Boy]

Howzit Grant

I also started with pool acid. BUT, I had to throw away a whole centre arm and a cast iron alternator pulley. I left them too long by mistake and it destroyed them. Also if you do not neutralise properly before coating the acid carries on corroding and buggers the part up for all time. It can just crumble. Takes the threads off a bolt. Using acid you are fighting fire with fire and it can bite you badly if you're not very careful.

Electrolysis on the other hand you cannot over do as it is not corrosive and takes off only existing corrosion and muck, including tough paint. If however your part comes disconnected from the negative it corrodes badly. Why I don't know, but it does. It is reversible though - you just connect it again.

Just don't do what I did and let on that it is the best way to clean potjies back to brand new. you will be inundated as I was.

Have a look at the articles below. The bottom one is really comprehensive and worth a read.

Electrolysis Rust Removal: How to Remove Rust with Electrolysis and Electrolytic Rust Removal

By the way, your damn engine is haunting me as I've started assembling mine...

 

[Grant Woodbridge]

I am defiantly giving that a go this weekend.
Dagha boy don't stress over my engine. What you have done on you cruiser, is just as remarkable.

 

[Dagha Boy]

Hi Grant

You're going to love it. even at this late stage I use it everyday now for little things that I missed.

Today was the BIG DAY that the engine came together. All done but for the side covers which will go on tomorrow morning. Then it is gearbox on and into the frame. I was hoping to be driving by this time, but it should be quick as all the rest is basically assembled and it should be plug and play. Two problems did arise today. The engineering works failed to cut new threads into the head for the left hand bolt holding the lower thermostat housing/alternator adjuster arm. I'm going to have to load the whole thing on a trailer and take it to them. I'm not letting that stop me from installing it in the frame tomorrow. Also found that the threads for the three little screws that secure the alternator fan to the pulley are a bit suspect. Easy fix. Drill and tap.

Well, here it is. The next one has to be better. All the paint instead of plating just doesn't look right.

Difficult to take photos of this black engine and even more difficult to see to work on. Why did Toyota do them black?

I'm still trying to decide what to do with the valve cover. Paint, polish or just clean it a bit and leave it?

It is difficult to see, but in the first photo one can sort of see the homemade dipstick including a hand made retaining chain. It's rough and ready but somebody obviously spent a lot of time and effort making it. I'll just stick it in the glove box as it is a real piece of folk art and shouldn't be thrown away. I have a brand new one in the cupboard which goes on tomorrow.

Not in your league Grant, but it's been a good day and I'm happy with the outcome.

 

[Dagha Boy]

Did it today. Engine in. Transmission in. Tub on. Load bed on.

ENGINE IN.

THAT LOOKS LIKE A SMILE

THE THEATRE IS PREPARED.

THE SURGEON'S INSTRUMENTS. (BELL HOUSING TO CLUTCH HOUSING)

WAITING IN LINE... NEXT LADY FOR A SHAVE!

 

[Dagha Boy]

The transmission operation.

READY AND WAITING.

LUBED

IN

JUST HANGING ON THE BACK

THE TORQUER'S MARK. DONE!!!

That great big transmission hanging unsupported off the rear of the engine just looks so wrong, but that's the way it is.

The little yellow marks are my way of keeping track of what I have tightened to the correct torque and what not. I find this essential at my advanced age and reduced ability to remember where I was once I have been distracted.

I installed the engine and gearbox separately because I had serious doubts about the el cheapo engine crane safely holding both. In the end it ended up being a piece of cake just slipping the transmission in the frame.

 

[Dagha Boy]

I got distracted half way through posting last night which is why these posts have come through bit by bit.

After securing the transmission and engine, It was time for the tub to go on. I commandeered 6 young guys who had come to get a quote on their vehicle and were waiting for the owner to lift it over the engine and position it on the frame while I supervised and lined everything up. I modified the front mounting on the body to make it easier to bolt down as I was unable to obtain original mounts at that time. The front mounting rubbers I'm using are about 15mm too high, so I'll have to cut those down a bit. Shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

The same guys then helped align the load bed that was already sitting on the frame. Another quick and easy job.

Now the Dagha Boy is actually starting to look like a truck again. No longer just a collection of parts and assemblies.

Unfortunately, the MWFD has prepared a long list of things for me to do before we leave on Saturday and the Dagha Boy is not on it. So today will be spent tucking things up for the 3 weeks I'll be away. Damn, I'm so close now.

Well, no use complaining.

Here's wishing you all a very happy Xmas and a Cruiser filled 2017.

REAR VIEW

LOOKS LIKE A CRUISER

HANDSOME BOY

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I FEEL THE SAME WAY... CAN'T GET THE SMILE OFF MY FACE