It's a start 45LWB (1 Viewer)

[green73]

Snagged an Aussie lower 1/2 of a cab and tailgate. Pretty bare, but a start on parts. It'll be a few years, decades, millennia before I really get to doing anything with it, but every puzzle starts somewhere. The pictures make it all look better than it actually is. Rockers are in need of replacement, the tailgate...well I'll snap a few pics of it when I start peeling that onion. Couple of questions on parts interchange. Is the steering column the same RHD vs LHD? What about the under hood blower motor? I never paid too much attention to 45series trucks as I always thought I would never have one. Do they not have a cowl vent? Yep I jumped off in the deep end with this one. I don't even have a frame. Like I said this won't be quick, there are a couple other non Land Cruiser projects ahead of this one. Still it gets me enthused to get my 40 back on the road.

 

[whitey45]

Did you buy that from Henry? Steering column is interchangeable, heater blowers are not.

 

[green73]

I totally forgot the gentleman's name. It was near Fraizer Park Ca. Thanks for the interchange info. I kind of figured, but wanted to verify.

 

[middlecalf]

Windshield “cowl“ vent for ‘66 (IIRC) and earlier.

 

[green73]

Yes at the base of the windshield. I am talking on later models between the windshield and back edge of the hood.

 

[Garrissey]

copy and paste the RHD to a LHD.

 

[whitey45]

Yes, Henry is in Frazier park, he still has some frames doesn’t he? I bought a frame from him about 7 years ago.

 

[green73]

Yes, I am betting the same guy. He has an HJ47 and some 76 and newer frames. He is starting to assemble the mostly complete FJ45 from what he has. He also has most of the cab from a '64/65 SWB 45, well the forward portion of it that is.

 

[sneaky]

Might be easier to swap the firewall from a rusted LHD fj40 than source all the RHD gear. Likewise, have you considered an 80 series frame to stick under it?

 

[Michael B]

A cowl swap with a US spec 40 is very easy with readily available parts I did this to my AUS spec 45. I’m very pleased with the end results.

 

[middlecalf]

Yes at the base of the windshield. I am talking on later models between the windshield and back edge of the hood.

Well what year is this tub suppose to be? If ‘66 or earlier, no cowl vent. If later, then it’s been edited.

Looks like there’s been editing on the driver’s side firewall brace. So probably lots more been done.

 

[green73]

I am very undecided on keeping it RHD. Definitely looking at the cowl swap. It needs lower bracing work anyway, so...

Can't go with the 80 series frame due to VIN and California smog.

 

[Michael B]

You might consider an Aqualu frame.

 

[green73]

Aqualu. Exactly. But I have to have a registerable VIN to start with, hence needing a 74 or older frame. Doing a project like this in Cali has a bunch of hurdles that make using a blank complete frame like Aqualu manufactures quite difficult. Using a stock front 1/2 of an actual frame provides the untampered with numbers stamped into the frame that will be required.

 

[1969FJ]

Find a good frame, cut out your frame number and weld it into the good frame. The legality of this has been gone over and over. Reason being if you needed to repair ANY frame, how much etc... Modern vehicles are different. So, if a frame is rusted out except the front, what is the difference if someone welds / completes the rusted part. Kind of silly but no big deal. I believe TLC4x4 works out of California and in restorations has to repair frames. Perhaps call him as if you repair 99% of the frame and all that was good was the VIN area, it is now repaired.

 

[green73]

Took a few minutes with a cut-off wheel and grinder to take "repair" panel off the tailgate. Yep a sheet of galvanized welded to the steel...yikes! The 2 vertical braces in the mid section are pretty tweaked. Maybe I can convince Real Steel Cruisers to sell me just those. I am planning on blowing the tailgate apart and straighten each piece individually. I think it will look better in the end going that route. We'll see if I stick to that idea after I get the braces off. Once I get the braces off and burn out the plastic filler I'll hammer and dolly what I can. Gonna be a fun challenge refreshing the lettering stamping.

 

[cult45]

Well what year is this tub suppose to be? If ‘66 or earlier, no cowl vent. If later, then it’s been edited.

Looks like there’s been editing on the driver’s side firewall brace. So probably lots more been done.

For some odd reason they dipped their toe in and out of the water a few times with the cowl vent, at least on all the trucks I've seen. My original 1970 cab had one. My current 1974 cab has one. Then they disappeared in 1975 but made a resurgence in 1976[?] for a year or two and then disappeared again.