Builds Just another 79 build..... (1 Viewer)

[c2dfj45]

It's a big concern. I'll have a good policy on it though. If it was a 'show' truck and didn't rack up miles it would be easy for a nice policy but because it will be a semi-daily driver, that will make things a little tougher. I'm sure I'll get it all figured out.

 

[c2dfj45]

Yeah Beno.....That's what I was told by somebody else about the parts being in the Japan warehouse here a while back. It's been a huge help. I found another source for diagrams too which has been an even bigger help. I could never figure out a way around the toyodiy website to see images.....

 

[c2dfj45]

We finished a couple of important pieces this week....had to make half(actually kind of a quarter) of a fan shroud as the way everything lines up on this truck necessitated the cutting of the right part of the shroud to clear the fan. I'll have this piece powdercoated flat black and it should blend right in. Kind of a neat piece.

Next week I want to get on the shifter stuff and the wiring....tidy up some motor stuff too.

 

[rojjim]

wow!
good photography too.

 

[gifu]

... the frame assy for a 79 series is available in the US master and can be ordered in about 26-28 weeks from Gifu ...

For the record... I have no frames in stock. Heh heh.

 

[OGBeno]

For the record... I have no frames in stock. Heh heh.

At least someone got the joke...

 

[BCR4619]

Not really related to the thread, but in Canada talking to a parts Lady at the local Toyota she said she could not get HDT Glow plugs brought it normally because they are a "Forklift" part, she said if I really wanted them she could send an email to get them released... I would assume this would be the other method of ordering Beno?


To keep this on track this is one sexy truck

 

[c2dfj45]

Really solid week of work this week. Got a lot accomplished. I think we'll be in a very good position to start with the wiring after the 4th. Maybe even next week(I'd like to mount the ECU early next week...then we do a whole lot-o-wiring).

Ran into a snag with the coolant reservoir....we didn't leave any room for one. Looked at a bunch of Toyota ones, looked at some universal ones, looked at racing ones. I think we'll build an aluminum one to fit the oddball space we have.

Because we had to move the front crossmember forward(to allow the radiator to drop in the frame), we had to fab up a bracket for the steering stabilizer. Part OEM bracket, part our bracket. We'll build an extension to the passenger side frame rail now that the rad is out. We finished up all the brackets for the trans cooler, condenser and things that mount to the rad support....off to powdercoat for those on Monday. Would like to button up the front end for the last time once we have all of our pieces back.

 

[c2dfj45]

The boss(me) made this cool bracket for the power steering lines....used the clamp off the old power steering cooler tubes. Trying to keep it all Toyota. The only way to go.

Cool shot of the motors face....probably the last time we'll see it. Once this puppy is buttoned up, I plan on driving it a LOT.

 

[c2dfj45]

New location for the engine compartment fuse box.....will probably necessitate us having to extend wires. Not a big deal. I think it fits more towards the rad support on the 80 series. Made a bracket to hold it in...just like OEM.

Had to figure out a way to get front turns AND marker lights in the corner lights of the head lamps. I would assume that these are turns only on these trucks in other countries as they have a single pole bulb. I want turns AND markers up front so I found a dual pole socket that we adapted to fit in the OEM opening. We'll obviously run the side blinkers in the circuit as well. I bought all the plugs, wires, connectors from Toyota(except the dual pole socket)....again, keeping it legit.

 

[c2dfj45]

Lots of progress this week...lots of freshly powdercoated parts which is always fun. I decided to paint the inner fenders of the truck, they were kind of beat up from all the fitting/building/etc. Most of the scratches would be covered or hidden but I'd know they were there, I'd rather have them nice and fresh. So those are off at paint....back on Monday. We'll put the front end together for the last time at that point as everything is fit/painted/coated. We'll run some wiring and things will be good up front.

 

[c2dfj45]

Worked on the shift levers today.....they have always been one of my primary concerns BUT I have an ace up the sleeve....my lead tech. He can do just about anything.....an incredible wrench. From day one I wanted this build to be legit....to look and drive as a proper Land Cruiser should....nothing worse than looking inside of a custom build and seeing things that just aren't right. Without any reference pics for a 79 series factory auto, we're going to have to do things are own way while trying to achieve a factory look. Looks like we have things pretty good so far. We did the 4WD selector first....made an aluminum plate to shift it up, forward and to the right. That was pretty easy. The gear selector won't be as easy....lot of things going on with it. It's also quite high and not really ideal but we'll get it. That will be next week's goal. Then it's wiring. Then it's driving.

 

[c2dfj45]

The dog approves of the truck....perfect window height. Even better than our daily driver 45 pickup.

 

[c2dfj45]

We've been working heavily on the truck for the last week or so.....we're going to be in really good shape to be doing nothing but the final wiring here very shortly. I would expect to have the front end buttoned up for final this week....will do the interior stuff next(easy on this truck and then run our wires. Everything else is on and done(shifters need finishing too but we have those figured out).

Had the inner fenders quickly sprayed....they were beat up from the fabrication portion of the build and probably from the miles this body has covered in shipping. Got the jack and tool area done up. Made a cool little shroud for the 80 series booster as it looked a little screwy the way I cut it out a long time ago. Didn't really have a good way to blend in my cuts either so we ended doing this. It will get powdercoated....should look pretty good. I probably should have just got the proper booster but I didn't. When I build a 4 door, I'll do it differently.

 

[c2dfj45]

Really cool shot of old and new.....

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Is the red one a FJ or an HJ?

 

[c2dfj45]

66 FJ. It's my baby.................until the white one is done. Red one gets a light restoration once the white one is running. Motor rebuild(3FE), new body mounts, maybe some bedliner in the cab or something. I'd like to clean up the engine compartment a tad and make the 3FE a little cleaner. We kind of shoved it in there with the intention of coming back to it once it was all built and running. That was 2 years ago....it's been my daily driver since.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

The 45/47 Series trucks have real character.
I regret selling mine.

 

[Clint79]

The 45/47 Series trucks have real character.
I regret selling mine.

That's the first step to recovery

 

[Gun Runner 5]

That's the first step to recovery

....and all this time I thought alcohol was the first step to recovery...... oh well.