JD Cruiser's 1981 BJ42 Body Repair & Restoration

[JDCruiser]

P Side Fender Removal
Hello all,
I made some good progress on the truck over the weekend. Was able to get the following removed to expose the LH side of the 3B Beast!
- P Side FR Fender Top Vertical Section
- P Side Indicator Light Housing
- P Side Battery Tray
- Radiator Tank Overflow Reservoir
- Main Battery Bracket to Frame
- P Side FR Fender Assembly

Most of the bolts came out pretty good. I used PB Blaster to loosen up the bolts, let them soak over night then gave the ones I could access a little tap with a hammer. Stuff works absolutely amazing. I had 2 bolts that didn't make it, those were the ones that hold main Fender support brkt to the frame. The heads were completely rotten and lost their flats. I was able to get my strip out wrenches (grubbed teeth that bite into the bolt head as you ratchet the wrench) to bite on 2 of the bolts, but the other 2 wouldn't bite. I used my air chisel to work the bolts out, messy, hate using that tool. I should have ground off the bolt heads with a grinder and then later on use easy out bits or drill the shank of the bolt out of the weld nut. In the process of trying to get my socket to bite on the top bolt, I punched out and popped the weld nut, so will need to fix that before galvanizing the frame. Here are some pics:

 

[JDCruiser]

 

[JDCruiser]

Kids Helping & Playing
This post isn't really related to the repair thread, however, I wanted to share it as it is on of the reasons why I continue on with it and find great joy that even an non running cruiser can give, sharing time on the truck with my 2 girls, age 7 and 5.

Although neither of them were born when I got the truck and never met the guy that willed it to me when he passed away in 2006. Also, neither of them have seen it running since my eldest was only a few months old when I started the repair. Yes this does remind me of how behind I am, which is sad, however, I am now using the truck as a way to teach my girls how to use wrenches and the basics of autowork, something that I hope they will enjoy and use in the future.

Was so funny, my youngest just wants the truck running, after we finished removing the battery tray, she says "Ok daddy, so now it is ready to go, let's take it for a ride" Ah if only it were that easy... So I let them pretend they are driving it around. Look forward to the day I can take them down a trail and drown some worms in the land cruiser... The smile on my face will be bigger than a kid on Christmas morning...

 

[handcannon]

Good for you!! So many kids don't get even the basics of mechanical training, especially girls. It may be something they seldom, or never, use later in life. But, just that knowledge will be a big plus for them. I never spent a lot of time on mechanics with my daughter in her younger years and I'm kind of wishing I had as she has a great mind for design, great with art.

Don

 

[JDCruiser]

D Side Fender Removal
Last weekend I got some more time to the truck and successfully removed the D Side Fender. PB Blaster was my best friend along with my impact wrench to remove the larger bolts. Sheared off 2 lower bolts that hold the fender bracket to the frame. I also removed the horn components and windshield washer fluid tank. Getting closer to getting the truck preped for removing the tub off the frame.

 

[fhawk5]

D Side Fender Removal
Last weekend I got some more time to the truck and successfully removed the D Side Fender. PB Blaster was my best friend along with my impact wrench to remove the larger bolts. Sheared off 2 lower bolts that hold the fender bracket to the frame. I also removed the horn components and windshield washer fluid tank. Getting closer to getting the truck preped for removing the tub off the frame.

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You know when you are young like your daughters, they will remember these events and love them dearly. Also, I have done a few FJ40s and always, always, those fender bolts snap and it is to the situational ez out tool to remove. New bolts ALWAYS receive anti - seize.

 

[JDCruiser]

fhawk,
Thanks for the kind worries about my kids... Totally agree, my old man had a Ford bronco for only a short period of time while I was growing up, some of my fondest memories are handing him tools to work on it and taking it out 4 wheeling...

Absolutely on the anti-seize... will also replace mostly all fasteners with stainless.

 

[jgeoffr]

P Side Fender Removal
Hello all,
I made some good progress on the truck over the weekend. Was able to get the following removed to expose the LH side of the 3B Beast!
- P Side FR Fender Top Vertical Section
- P Side Indicator Light Housing
- P Side Battery Tray
- Radiator Tank Overflow Reservoir
- Main Battery Bracket to Frame
- P Side FR Fender Assembly

Most of the bolts came out pretty good. I used PB Blaster to loosen up the bolts, let them soak over night then gave the ones I could access a little tap with a hammer. Stuff works absolutely amazing. I had 2 bolts that didn't make it, those were the ones that hold main Fender support brkt to the frame. The heads were completely rotten and lost their flats. I was able to get my strip out wrenches (grubbed teeth that bite into the bolt head as you ratchet the wrench) to bite on 2 of the bolts, but the other 2 wouldn't bite. I used my air chisel to work the bolts out, messy, hate using that tool. I should have ground off the bolt heads with a grinder and then later on use easy out bits or drill the shank of the bolt out of the weld nut. In the process of trying to get my socket to bite on the top bolt, I punched out and popped the weld nut, so will need to fix that before galvanizing the frame. Here are some pics:

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So if I'm looking at the picture of the battery tray support it looks like Toyota is using basically the radiator support shims. The battery tray shims are NLA so if the radiator support shims would work, that'd be cool.

-Geoff

 

[winnie]

hmmm, not sure about the "this does remind me of how behind I am, which is sad ..." thing ... what matters is progress and you're making progress ... when its done you'll have something pretty special to share with the girls ...

 

[sggoat]

Fuel Tank Removal

After several days of fighting with the fuel tank it finally dropped. I am so glad a site like this exists because there is no way that I would have believed just myself that it could drop without dropping the rear axle or taking the floor out, but like everyone said with the right combination of twists, suspension compression / sag, it came out.

I don't recall a lot of the detailed positions becuase I tried so many different twists that I got lost in the positions and sequence. I basically need to to walk the thin portion of it (Passenger side) to the right rear corner of the truck as much as possible and spin it almost 90 degrees to get the driver side to drop in between the diff and the frame tube cross member.

It was joy when it did finally shift and fall out, never mind that it almost crushed my head becuase there was still a half a tank of diesel in it.

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Hope you took notes--you'll need them when the tank goes back in----ha!

 

[JDCruiser]

winnie, thanks for the pep talk and kind words. Cheers...

 

[JDCruiser]

Side Step Removal
Was away from the cruiser for a couple weeks on vacation in Vegas playing poker. Wish I had of won a few grand to help cover the costs of the rebuild. Anyway, made some progress this past weekend as I continue to strip the body down and prep for tub removal. I first worked to remove the side steps. These were very rotten and the previous owner had a body guy work the truck that had no clue what he was doing as he put a rectangular piece of checker plate over the side steps, couldn't even be bother to remove the old one and make new. Instead he bondo'd the bottom surface to hide the rust cancer. The outrigger support connection wasn't even contacting or bolted down so there was a lot flexing when stepping up on them which would flex the sill body panel. Here are some pics of the side step removal.

 

[Wes]

So if I'm looking at the picture of the battery tray support it looks like Toyota is using basically the radiator support shims. The battery tray shims are NLA so if the radiator support shims would work, that'd be cool.

-Geoff

The battery support tray shims are different part numbers than the radiator support shims. I just used EPDM rubber sheet (1/8 thick) to make new ones on mine. It should last for a long time, and you don't see the shims when everything is installed. You can get it at most hardware stores.

 

[JDCruiser]

What is the purpose of the battery shims?

 

[JDCruiser]

Wiper Motor Removal
On the weekend I also removed the wiper motor. Started with the cover, was in pretty good shape. Will need a new gasket and some resurfacing / painting but not much else. Wiper motor seemed to be in pretty good shape and it popped off pretty easy. Hardware was good and clean.

 

[JDCruiser]

Wiper Arm Removal
I next removed the wiper arms. Came off really easy. Here are some pics of removal.

 

[MrMoMo]

One of these days we will have to have an "Ontario 40 owners" meeting. We can all show up in our other vehicles because the 40's are all being torn apart!

Progress is always good! When I started I was hoping to be done in 6-8 months, I'm coming up on a year and still no where near where I need to be.... Mine started as a "simple" engine swap to stick my 3B in.... That lead to decision to pop the body off, which lead to frame repairs, which lead to frame galvanizing, which since I had the body off.... Well, you know how it goes - so now I am doing bodywork instead of fitting an engine! (Link in sig). I try to get at least 2 hours a week on mine (one hour, two nights) even if all I do is go out in the shop and stare at it. I figure if I even undo one bolt, I'm making progress.

Keep it up - you will have an awesome truck and a huge smile when it's done!

 

[Wes]

What is the purpose of the battery shims?

Heck if I know. I guess just to keep metal off metal.

 

[JDCruiser]

Side Vent & IP Upper Dash Removal
Tub removal prep continued this weekend. Next on the removal list was the side vents and the IP Dash which was ultimately prep for removing the windshield. The anchor bolts for the windshield are tucked behind the side vents and figured it would be easier to remove without the IP Upper pad there. Here are some pics of this:

 

[JDCruiser]

Windshield Removal:
The windshield came off pretty simple. Hardest part was discovering and disconnecting the subwire for the wiper motor that runs through the glove box, up a hole in the cowl to a matting hole to the inside of the windshield frame. Was originally trying to route the wiper motor connect through the holes back into the glovebox, but it wouldn't make it through the windshield frame hole, was too big. Found a 4 wire connector in the glovebox, with lots of electrical tape covering it. I disconnected it and then it ran easily through the holes. The subwire though has seen some rubbing on the hole into the windshield frame as there are some bare wires and I will need to replace them. Will have some rubber grommets installed on all the body holes to ensure this condition can't be created again. The wiper hose is also really chewed up from the bare hole. Here are some pictures: