Joe’s '77 FJ40 Dream Build

[FJsnoozer]

Yesterday was a a good day with plenty of help. We removed the body and placed it on yet another big cart with casters that my dad happened to have. It came off easily with three people. I am not embarrasses to say that we had to flip the lift. We had our the fronts on the rears thanks to poor instructions. I also re-installed the leveling blocks that the truck had before. The truck now sits level.

I have a few small projects for the middle of this week: gauge restoration, steering wheel and column cleanup, and install the new fuel pump and spacer. My current one was leaking like a garden hose spigot while still averaging 10 mpg. So, I've got high hopes!

I am now waiting on my chassis paint, and will start prepping the frame. The picture below is before the springs were flipped. I also picked up this high lift which was my great-grandfather's, my grandfather's, and now mine!

My much appreciated help...

 

[kling-on]

Wow cool I need to pull the body off mine someday

Sent from outer space via my mind

 

[FJsnoozer]

I spent a few hours wire wheeling and sanding with the 36 grit. I've heard so many negatives and positives about the various products out there, and at this point, I just want it black! I Have a little more sanding and prep to do before hit the frame with solvent and the pressure washer one last time.

I am still undecided on the paint of choice for the frame, but it will most likely be Rustoleum primer and satin black. Maybe I will have pictures of a black frame by next week.

Progress:

 

[Sea Knight]

I am still undecided on the paint of choice for the frame, but it will most likely be Rustoleum primer and satin black. Maybe I will have pictures of a black frame by next week.

Is there any advantage to using this Eastwood frame paint instead of plain old Rustoleum? Aside from costing 2-3 times as much, I wonder if it's superior in some way.

Chassis Black Satin Aerosol 14 oz - Chassis Black Aerosol - Eastwood Chassis Black

 

[FJsnoozer]

Ive looked into theirs. Between masterseries, Magnet paints chassis saver, chassis black, Por15, VHT chassis and rollbar, and rustoleum, there are disadvantages and advantages to all of them.


One of the major disadvantages to some of those products is accessibility. The fact that they are at shops on the opposite side of the city that I cant ever get to is a negative. My surface was part smooth original paint and part rust scale. A lot of those listed above could have adhesion issues and will peel off my painted or rust free surface or bare metal that is not rough enough.

We have some portions of my Parents house (4x4 steel beams) that we have done in the rustoleum professional black and it has stood up well to the elements.

I have been researching all day and am content with the 20-30 dollars I will spend to do a good rustoleum job using (Rusty Metal Primer and Satin Black) . I'm ok with being a guinee pig after seeing good time-tested results on Jeep, corvette, and other chassis restorations.

 

[Sea Knight]

Ive looked into theirs. Between masterseries, Magnet paints chassis saver, chassis black, Por15, VHT chassis and rollbar, and rustoleum, there are disadvantages and advantages to all of them.


One of the major disadvantages to some of those products is accessibility. The fact that they are at shops on the opposite side of town that I cant ever get to is a negative. My surface was part smooth original paint and part rust scale. A lot of those list above could have adhesion issues and will peel off my painted or rust free surface or bare medal that is not rough enough.

We have some portions of my Parents house (4x4 steel beams) that we have done in the rustoleum professional black and it has stood up well to the elements.

I have been researching all day and am content with the 20-30 dollars I will spend to do a good rustoleum job using (Rusty Metal Primer and Satin Black) . I'm ok with being a Guinee pig after seeing good time-tested results on Jeep, corvette, and other chassis restorations.

In our mild climate and with no chemicals being used on the roads, I'm inclined to believe Rustoleum is adequate. I painted my frame with it in 2006 and it appears to be holding up well after 6 years of Texas weather.

 

[FJsnoozer]

Spent a fair amount of time last night wire wheeling and grinding. It got pretty difficult as is got dark, but, I was able to clean up the welds on the custom bumper.

There is a 70% chance of rain this saturday. I am going to pray that it comes in the evening in order to give me some work time during the day. However, curing paint in the rain doesnt quite make sense

 

[FJsnoozer]

I've been held up by rain in regards to my frame progress. It's okay because we really need the rain here in Texas. In the mean time, I work few minutes a day (literally) on my at-home project. I should have this done this weekend.

 

[FJsnoozer]

Here are couple of pics from tonight's progress. I primed the frame in preparation for the enamel coating I'm going to put on this Saturday hopefully. I just finished.

 

[FJsnoozer]

One step closer ...

I need to wet sand the bezel, remove the tape and install the glass.

 

[FJsnoozer]

I tried out my new pressure washer powered sandblaster today for the first time it was very happy with the results.

Here is a test piece.

 

[TCSTARK]

Excellent results. What kind of set up did you use?

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[78GroundUp]

I've been held up by rain in all o the frame progress. It's ok, because we really need the rain here in Texas.

In the mean time, I work few minutes a day (literally) on my At Home project. I should have this done this weekend.

Did you use a kit on your gauges? Or did you make this yourself? What black paint did you use? Did you like the result?

 

[FJsnoozer]

Excellent results. What kind of set up did you use?

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

-Honda 5 HP pressure washer, which at first I was worried about.
-Black Magic 20/40 media from Tractor supply. --This nozzle attachment, that my uncle picked up from Walmart clearance for 20bucks a few years ago. He said he had done an entire flatbed trailer easily this thing is great for anyone doing a frame at home.

Nozzle is similar to this one, but the sand comes in near the tip of the gun like the industrial ones listed online.
http://m.northerntool.com/northerntool/product/detail.do?itemId=2260

 

[FJsnoozer]

Did you use a kit on your gauges? Or did you make this yourself? What black paint did you use? Did you like the result?

I used Biscuit's kit for 33s

It is great, because it includes so much. (needle paint, sand paper, gauge letters with alignment guides that make application easy, screws to reattach the Faces after you remove the aluminum rivets. and detailed 6-8 page colored instructions!) In fact, it's an unbelievable deal.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/merchandis...peedometer-upgrade-non-stock-tires-diffs.html

You will need a little file to remove the rivets and other tools you have around the garage.

Paint is rustoleum matte black performance wheel paint. And Duplicolor "light tarnished silver metallic" BGM0530

I had to try a few different colors before I got it close enough.

Here it is against the original paint.

 

[FJsnoozer]

Despite the early morning fog and slight mist on Saturday morning I Sybila waited out until the sun texted driving out that I painted the entire frame with the product that was recommended to me by the new body man that I met. He was kind enough to offer help, so, we'll do a lot of the work on my truck together. As it turns out my new neighbor is a 30 year seasoned body and paint guy!

This is a two-part low gloss enamel ( the color I chose) has optional Hardner that you can purchase. They carry this at tractor supply and possibly Lowe's.

I played around a bit with textures on an old rusted flatbed until I got exactly what I wanted.

 

[FJsnoozer]

Seeing the dry frame after a two week cure was great. I am very happy with the color, coverage and finish.

I am staying at my parents for the weekend to work on the house and a little bit on the cruiser. Today we went down to get parts of the tub reblasted and primed. There were a few spots that did not get enough coverage and flash rusted with our humid air. Stan at blast the past was great! He made me an appointment and had it blasted and primed while I den errands. So this gave me a great opportunity to hit up an famous old cafe that sells one of the best burgers in Texas. How could you not get excited about a place that looks like this?




And the goods...




And the finished product from our days adventure:




View attachment 618955





View attachment 618954

 

[Seth Evans]

Keep up the good work....

 

[Sea Knight]

So this gave me a great opportunity to hit up an famous old cafe that sells one of the best burgers in Texas. How could you not get excited about a place that looks like this?

that's a great looking...uh...burger. So where is this cafe? Name?

 

[FJsnoozer]

That's bracken cafe. It's about two miles west of Selma/schertz