Builds Just another 79 build..... (8 Viewers)

[c2dfj45]

I'll just make sure to not let the 79 out of my sight.....I have a Tacoma that gets left out at night, left at the airport, left anywhere. The 45 and 79 are just my fun trucks. House to shop, shop to house during the week with runs to the bait shop and beer store on weekends. The 79 is going to really be able to be used daily as it will basically be all new. Part of the reason I'm keeping the mechanics of the truck exactly as they were on the FZJ80 donor. Easy to replace parts, easy to maintain. Should be a great ride.

I will get you the PN for the key set tomorrow gifu.

The 45 is a 1966. It's a beauty....one of the least rusted Cruisers I've ever owned. About 3 spots of rust. Originally on a dairy farm in Idaho for 30 years....did the next 10 in Spokane covered in a garage. It was 100% complete when I bought it....everything was there. I've never had one this complete. It had fender flares on the rear but nobody cut the fenders under it. No headache rack or tailgate when I got it.....no biggie. Fortunately I found those pretty easily. 3FE, 4 speed, disc brakes with a cool remote electric booster(did not have to cut the rib on the firewall), AC, PS, OME suspension, modern gauges(sort of). Everything else is stock. Contemplating taking it back to the original white paint but I like the patina on it. She's not pretty BUT she doesn't miss a beat. I've built enough garage queens....I promised myself I wouldn't do that to this truck. The 79 will be the pretty young one. lol.

 

[Clint79]

Nice work so far looks like your doing a top job.
Having the choice to drive the 45 or 79 is superb.Very lucky.
How come your using a pre 99 7X series cluster and not a 79 series style cluster, easier to work with ?
I'm also digging the window wipers at the top of your 45series window frame.

 

[c2dfj45]

Having a 45 and a 79 is very lucky indeed. I'm fortunate to be in a position to have them both.

Using the pre-99 cluster simply because that was the easiest one to get from one of my parts sources. The cluster was a little difficult to get actually so I wasn't going to be super picky. For what we're doing, it will work perfectly.

The wipers up top on the 45 are very cool....they both work AND return. Pretty amazing. The best part of that windshield setup is the vent at the bottom.....wish the 79 had one.

 

[c2dfj45]

Lots of progress today. Finally put the bed and body together on the newly stretched frame. Obviously we still have a lot of fab work left as well as getting the body exactly where we want it but this is pretty much going to be where everything goes. Monday we'll finish the welds on the frame(the inner channel was made today), get the lower locating bar mounts back in, tidy up any thing that we need to and start figuring out the front mounts for the cab and the bed. I would also like to start thinking about the gas tank location next week so we can start getting that ready. Hoping to have the frame done by the end of April so we can get it out for blasting/coating.

I included a pic of the lock set for you gifu. This was the 4 piece set.

 

[gifu]

thanks so much for the part number. Quick question: what year is your steering column?

They did make a few minor changes in the lock tumbler for the ignition... Thanks again, and the truck is looking good.

 

[c2dfj45]

I think it's a 75 series....not sure of the exact year. It was RHD that we converted to LHD. Needed a new switch assy mount as well as a switch assy. It all fit like a glove....

 

[c2dfj45]

Cool shot of an SLS next to the 79....probably not too many 79s getting built next to SLSs.....maybe in the Middle East.

 

[swamprunner]

man looks like i need to get to work on mine...been out of the country for a couple months goofing off. looks like you will have yours finished way before me. paying work season is coming up for me also so i won['t have much free time to work on the truck.

fyi i don't think the stock tank will fit where the spare tire goes...i ended up using a 70 series sub tank back there and it worked well. I mounted the stock 80 tank in pretty much the same place it was when the 80 body was on the chassis

keep up the good work.

 

[c2dfj45]

Swamprunner......you mounted your 80 series tank to the 79 body, right? Not sure if I want to do that or if I want to mount it to the frame. Either make a removable cradle for it or suspend it above the frame(maybe use OEM straps of some sort).....I'm sure it won't be a big deal...there's so much real estate when you stretch that frame.....seems like it needs to go there. I really want to use the OEM tank/pump on this truck. I considered buying a HZJ79 tank and retrofitting my pump in but I didn't want to chance that.....expensive roll of the dice. I have zero knowledge of diesel fuel systems.

 

[swamprunner]

I actually mounted it to the body and the frame using the oem straps...i know some will say this is a bad idea b/c of flex but its not going to flex the way i have it mounted. I have a factory 75 series tank that goes under the cab...b/c of the way the frame tapers that tank won't fit in this truck. It would have been awesome to use this b/c it would bolt right in but of coarse it wasn't that easy.

our builds are really similar...I'm even using those same wheels except I'm powder coating them black.

thanks for the part #... I need to order one b/c the guy i bought my column from lost the damn key. You don't want to get sell you old ignition cyl do you.?

 

[c2dfj45]

I hope to have the tank under control next week.....hopefully we'll be back on the project for a few days. I really am pushing to get the frame done so we can get it out for blasting and then powdercoating.

I purchased a FZJ79 radiator for my truck with a shroud. Slight issue....they don't fit the front radiator support of the HZJ79. Pretty stupid on my part to assume that it would fit.....the HZJ opening is wider. Also ran into another fun issue...the front crossmember of the 80s frame won't allow the radiator to drop down so we'll have to remount it. We were thinking of reworking the front frame horns anyways so I guess it's not that big of a deal. Just more work. In order to fill the gap between the wide HZJ79 opening and the narrow FJZ radiator, I think I'll make some adapter brackets. Should be invisible when it's all mounted but I'll know they're there. Plan B would be to get a complete front radiator support from a FZJ79....a fairly expensive proposition. I should have just done an aluminum radiator on this thing.....trying to make it look as legit as possible though.

Sorry Swamprunner.....the ignition cylinder with my original column had no key. I'd gladly give it to you if it did. I'm using black wheels for mine I think too....we stole this wheel from under my Tacoma. Looks pretty good on the truck. Might do 4 of them in grey....

 

[swamprunner]

no worries...I will most likely order a set like yours. I couldn't get the part # to work though.

the radiator issue is a pain b/c of that cross memeber. I ended up using an aluminum ron davis that was intended for a mustang. The dimensions and inlet/outlet worked perfectly. The stock 80 radiator might have worked if i was using a 1fz.


I have a question for you as it looks like you do a lot of high end work. I plan on doing some sound deadening and thermal insulating to my interior. I have a loud diesel and no a/c. I was wondering if you would recommend one product over another. I've read some much crap about all the different products out there that my head is spinning about it all.

 

[c2dfj45]

I just looked up that part number as well and it didn't show up. Strange as I know I looked it up and actually found them in the US. Not sure what that is all about....

I don't know what to do on the undercoating/sound deadening either to be honest. We don't really have a use for it on the high dollar cars so my experience is limited. I've built a few aluminum storage/subwoofer boxes for interiors of trucks that we've done in Line-x(mostly for Hummers...the Line X matches the interior very well). I've thought about doing the 79 a few different ways. I thought about having it all done in Line-x....bed, under the bed, under the cab but for some reason I'm worried about doing it under the bed and cab. I know I'll be doing the bed and top rails in tan....it will match my oak interior and I think it will look pretty tight. I'm intrigued with that Lizard Skin product for a thermal barrier/sound deadener in the cab. I like that it's water based and I can spray it in my shop. Then I think about my 46 year old FJ45 that has virtually no rust....no coating on it at all. I intend to keep the 79 forever so I'm not sure. We don't have snow here and this truck really won't be taken off road on a regular basis so it won't be exposed to anything but rain water.....with the gas motor, it won't be loud and I don't expect heat to be an issue either. I'll probably talk to the Line X guy and see what he thinks....I just hate to create something that could become a problem....none of that stuff seems easy to remove once it's on.

I'd have to believe that Toyota would undercoat these things if they had issues with them.....maybe it's engineered to rot out at a certain point. Maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about. I'll let you know what I come up with....check out the Lizard Skin product line....it's pretty cool.

 

[swamprunner]

I've read up on the lizard skin stuff and almost ordered some in this winter. I then found a company called Cascade Audio Engineering – Sound Damping and Sound Blocking – Anything Else is a Compromise. They seem to have some good products and deal with higher end stuff. They were very knowledgeable an actually spent ample time with me on the phone describing how all there products work. I think I will most likely order from them.

I'm torn on whether or not to linex the bottom of my bed and cab. I live at the beach and so salt/corrosion is a big issue here. I have a friend that uses a 45 to run tours on the beach in the summer. He has the bottom of the cab and bed sprayed in line x. It has seen severe use on the beach for five years and is holding up great. The only hesitation I have is that once its sprayed on there is no getting it off.

Toyota didn't undercoat these truck b/c they were built for the middle east market...where is so dry that nothing rusts.

Weird on the key part #. I will give it to my parts guy and see what he can come up with.

 

[c2dfj45]

Finally some movement on the 79 series build.....it's been a long time. We were very busy over the last 9 months...my stuff gets put to the back burner which is fine by me. Frame is now done....goes to the blaster next. Let him do his thing, he'll paint the frame when he's done. Before that we'll yank the motor so we can go thru that and freshen it up. Pretty much good to go on parts aside from a few small AC things that we'll have to figure out. Other than that....I'm hoping the next time the body goes on, it's on for good.....

 

[c2dfj45]

More shots....frame, the 'kids', new 45LV project....

 

[swamprunner]

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who is taking there sweet time building one of these. Mine is going on 3 years now I think. Paying projects and life get in the way sometimes. I thought I would be closer to finishing by spring but it doesn't look that way anymore.

That 45lv looks to be in pretty good shape...where'd it come from...can't make out the license plate.

 

[c2dfj45]

I know how it feels...I think I'm pushing about 2 years on this one. We had a couple weeks after the holiday that were quiet so I figured I'd push off customer work so we could get the 79 ready for the next phase. I also need to get it out of the shop.....kind of odd to see a bunch of high end exotics with a 79 towering over them all. I have a lot of Middle Eastern customers.....so they kind of get it. Not sure about the other customers though.

45 came from VA....good friend owned it for years. It's extremely complete, fairly solid(for an LV) and overall pretty damn cool. I think I'll build it like my 45LPB....just a nice simple driver. I won't restore the exterior though....kind of like the patina.

 

[swamprunner]

Damn just down the road from me...it looks to be one of the better ones i've seen in a while. I think it would look cool if you just left it like it is and don't restore the body. If you ever decide to sell it put me first in line.

 

[c2dfj45]

Buyers for LV:

1. Swamprunner


You're first on the list....but it won't matter. I think I'm going to hang on to this one for a while.