Builds Live in Texas, drive a pickup: HDJ79 single cab build (8 Viewers)

[Mr Cimarron]

The big decision now is whether not I want to pull off the cab and bed completely, sandblast the frame and prime and paint it in a true frame off fashion.

I’m really wrestling with this because this is a rust free Texas truck that still has factory paint on the frame.

The completist in me wants to do it once and do it right, and just yank everything.

I have sourced fuel tanks and switching solenoids sourced from Canada, but they won’t arrive for at least another month as the border is currently closed. I won’t be able to bend the break and a fuel lines until I know where I will be placing the tanks.

The practical portion of me just wants to touch up spots that need to be touched up with some chassis saver, and get moving.

Thoughts, MUD?

You can always borrow my beater main tank to test. That’s about all it’s good for.

 

[FJBen]

Middle of the road vote for me as well. While you aren't "that" far away from pulling it all down, It doesn't appear it needs it.

While it would be cool to know it's blasted and 100% new shape and will last forever in Texas, the middle of the road approach is a great idea and will probably last 46 1/2 years less than forever in Texas.

 

[bottombracket]

It’s been a while since I got anything done on the 79.

@davegonz and @Mr Cimarron came over the other weekend and we lifted the bed off so that I can prep and finish the frame. It was 15 minute of work and then we sat around enjoying socially distant beers, which was great.

Time to grind some welds and Chassis Saver the frame.

 

[2fpower]

sorry for the hijack -- @joekatana can you share how you layout and get the height correct for all the bed mounts?

 

[joekatana]

Basically just put the bed on top of the frame hanging of the forklift pins and then measure how tall every mount needs to be

 

[bottombracket]

I was gonna suggest ‘magic’ but I guess Joe has a more realistic answer.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

I was gonna suggest ‘magic’ but I guess Joe has a more realistic answer.

I was going to mention duct tape and wood shims but your two methods seem more viable.

 

[bottombracket]

Couple of minor advances today. I managed to find the alternator bolt and adjustment block for the FT.

 

[OGBeno]

Couple of minor advances today. I managed to find the alternator bolt and adjustment block for the FT.

View attachment 2320623View attachment 2320624

Same as a 1FZ.

 

[bottombracket]

Onur, I meant I found them in my parts stash mess. But good to know they cross over.

Turns out a good friend (who shall not be named unless he wants to name himself) found an FT that does not have air conditioning. The air conditioning bracket 88431-60260 as well as the A/C idler bracket 88444-60050 are both a pain to source.

Turns out I had all the parts except the three bracket to block bolts all OEM brand new and just sitting around. So I will order a replacement and send these to him now, because he’ll need them long before I will.

For posterity, here’s a complete parts list:

Air conditioning bracket 88431-60260.
A/C idler pulley bracket 88444-60050.
A/C idler pulley 88440-60040.
Idler bracket to main bracket bolts 91512-60125, superseded to 91512-G0125 x3.
Compressor to bracket bolts 88899-60080×4.
A/C idler adjustment bolt 88446-60030.
Bracket to block bolts 91512-61045x3.

Nate is unimpressed. He looks like a college kid after an all night bender on Arizona green ice tea.

 

[davegonz]

That AC bracket looks like the one on a 1HZ. Similar at least.

 

[joekatana]

Onur, I meant I found them in my parts stash mess. But good to know they cross over.

Turns out a good friend (who shall not be named unless he wants to name himself) found an FT that does not have air conditioning. The air conditioning bracket 88431-60260 as well as the A/C idler bracket 88444-60050 are both a pain to source.

Turns out I had all the parts except the three bracket to block bolts all OEM brand new and just sitting around. So I will order a replacement and send these to him now, because he’ll need them long before I will.

For posterity, here’s a complete parts list:

Air conditioning bracket 88431-60260.
A/C idler pulley bracket 88444-60050.
A/C idler pulley 88440-60040.
Idler bracket to main bracket bolts 91512-60125, superseded to 91512-G0125 x3.
Compressor to bracket bolts 88899-60080×4.
A/C idler adjustment bolt 88446-60030.
Bracket to block bolts 91512-61045x3.

View attachment 2320670

Nate is unimpressed. He looks like a college kid after an all night bender on Arizona green ice tea.

View attachment 2320669

Thank you again my friend for helping me out with those ac parts , I am hoping to install a 1HDTFT in my troopy in the next couple of weeks , definitely could not have done this without these parts .

 

[bottombracket]

Dave, the bracket is totally different for the 1HDFT/FTE. The head is wider and the bracket mounts to the block in a different way to accommodate.

 

[FJ73Texas]

Basically just put the bed on top of the frame hanging of the forklift pins and then measure how tall every mount needs to be

Redneck engineering. Texas style.

 

[joekatana]

Redneck engineering. Texas style.

Don’t tell me you expected anything else from me

 

[bottombracket]

Corgis. This is why we can’t have nice cruiser pictures.

 

[bottombracket]

I wish I could’ve had a picture of the second before this.

Nate was sitting in the middle of the garage, perfectly centered, looking cool, and not at all like the lovable doofus that he is.

All of a sudden the corgi rockets into view, launches herself like a 6” tall missile, and I capture the exact millisecond of her grabbing a giant mouthful of Aussie neck and ear in mid air.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I was going to mention duct tape and wood shims but your two methods seem more viable.

That’s more like my method. 2x4s and wood shims.

 

[red66toy]

Corgis. This is why we can’t have nice cruiser pictures.

View attachment 2322084

Perfect capture! Hahaha

 

[bottombracket]

Progress is pretty much paused on the 79.

I did manage to get a subtank cluster with tach from @FJ40GURU. Amir always delivers!

@Mr Cimarron stopped by to measure frame to bed mounts and we dropped the cluster in for a test fit. Knock one more piece of the puzzle out!