Looking for advice on a bj70 interior

[Cody O Riellerson]

All I wanted to do was run wires to the back for rear speakers. Of course, I started pulling things out, and finding things, and pulling more out, and being a little OCD I am now going to have to do about 15 things before I get those speakers in! And I really need the community's help because this is my first project I'm going to take on by myself on my '85 BJ70.
From reading the forums, I've cobbled together this plan; here it is:
Wire brush and sand down rust areas on driverside floorboard, wheel wells. Fil in rust pits and holes (suggestions?). Clean off the factory goo that was holding down the carpet down over the wheel-wells, then hit everything with a rust proofer/primer and a coat of paint. After that I plan to put on a butyl-based sound deadener like eDead or Damplifier (no PnS because smell or not, fumes or not, I don't want to take my chances on having a ride that smells like asphalt). Then I can finally run my wires and install my speakers in the rear doors. I'm planning on fashioning some mdf to bolt onto the doors and mount the speakers to the mdf.
If I can pull this off without burning down my truck or giving in and paying a pile for someone else to do it, I will feel like McGuiver. I could really use suggestions for what chemicals and paints to use, and what should be done about the rust holes...find someone to weld? fiberglass? This is my vehicle for adventuring and I want her to last as long as possible...doesn't have to be pretty, just presentable.

 

[Cayman Dennis]

POR 15 will take care of the surface rust for you. You can't do much better without going the soda-blast / acid-dip route.

If you have perforation, then you'll need to add metal. Cut out all the rusty bits and weld in new metal. Then paint. There's a Paint & Body forum here with lots of advice from better qualified people than me.

You'll want to think about where the water is coming in, too. Good luck!

Dennis

 

[Cody O Riellerson]

Thanks Dennis,
I will look at the paint and body forum for some brands.

 

[1985bj70]

If you aren't afraid of doing a bit of woodworking then doing a decent set of 6.5" coax/components in your front doors will yield some pretty nice results (with the doors deadened also). Got any pics of your ride?

More info here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/70-series-tech/266796-speaker-placement-bj70-jdm.html

 

[cicak]

I used 1mm alloy (rubbed down with sandpaper to make a pattern) with soundproofing behind the alloy for the doors and rear panels - easy to clean and will not rot or rust. ALso gives that mechanical outdoor look over that soccer mum look hahaha.

You can use 1.5mm alloy also.

FInd where the water comes in first - look at rubber seals on the windows - especially the front top and bottom - notorious for the seal going and it will not look like its gone.

MDF sucks if it gets wet it swells up and is useless - use 6mm marine ply if you going to use wood.

 

[1985bj70]

MDF sucks if it gets wet it swells up and is useless - use 6mm marine ply if you going to use wood.

Good advice for sure. I have been lucky that my doors are fairly solid and nothing has gotten damp in the year and a half that I have had mine installed.....

 

[Cody O Riellerson]

This is good advice about the MDF re: H2O! I live on the wet coast. 85BJ70, I love that job you did with the speakers... I saw that photo on another forum and that's what gave me the idea. the PO put speakers in the front... pretty much a joker job. He cut a hole in the metal and then banged it with a hammer to make the speakers fit. I took it apart and found the speakers glued and screwed to the door panel! No wonder it sounded like shoite. I managed to arrange a new set of speakers so they would at least bolt into the door metal, but if all goes well with the rear speakers I'm going to redo the fronts....eventually. My rear doors don't leak so I was thinking the MDF (or marine ply) approach would work there, but I'm intrigued by the 1mm alloy approach. Do you have any pictures, Cicak? Was it the same appraoch...bolt alloy to doors and speakers into alloy? Did you paint at all? Would it be possible to give MDF h2o protection with some primer and paint?
Thanks for the suggestions. I am looking at having someone cut out the rust and weld in patches for me.

 

[cicak]

COdy there is a posting several pages down on the GREEN wagon's panels "GREENS ALMOST ready" I think.

This is the 4th and last complete rig I am doing its a lot of work but I am getting very fast at it I can knowck a panel out in about 20 minutes.

I used 1mm sheet ALLOY - I recommend 1.5mm for doors 1mm is a little too flexible - you can use soundproofing stuck to the rear of the panel - very effective. Checker plate not good for knuckles in the front.

Cannot just bolt alloy to the door it will drummmmmmmmmmmmm away and drive you mad.

I bolted the speakers to the ALLOY panel for neatness then cut off the ends of the screwes after adjusting the holes to be a better fit and stop shorting of the speakers. For cost saving this time i used 1/4" plumber insulation foam and glued it to the back of the alloy and it works fine. FOr real nice job you could use RIVNUTS and bolts and not Stainless screws. YOu can also use Pop RIvets for that mekanikal/military look.

The alloy gets real hot in direct sun but I think you are in a wet place hahaha.

My next plan was to cover the alloy in GREEN canvas to match the paint job but the minister of the house likes the military look.

Use jigsaw and put duct tape on the bottom of the jigsaw to stop the alloy being marked and use a wood blade and you can wet the alloy to keep the blade cool.

Then you file it down to make it all nicely rounded and sand the edges to remove the sharps etc. IF you do it right the flat edge of the alloy sheet is the top so it always looks nice and straight and professional

Sanding the alloy in a swirl pattern is the most exhausting/sweaty part.

USe a 25-30mm or smaller wood drill to cut the door handle holes etc out.

I also used 1.5 or 2mm 5 bar checker plate for the rear its a little tougher (3mm will not fit on the rear door hnadle with dynamat soundproofing)

Here are the pics

Alloy panels don't care what touches them.

Front panels.

REar Door panel - sorry about the screw in the wrong place too many beers hahaha

The very rear. NOte I drilled holes where the vent is rather than mount the original plastic one back in as it broke when something heavy hit it. The holes look tidier and more invisible especially if you do a nice "W" pattern.

 

[Cody O Riellerson]

That looks really cool... thanks for all of the details on how to go about it. Sorry, being a newb having answers only gives me more questions. On the cargo doors it looks like you have sealed around the checkerplate with something? To form the panels did you just trace the original vinyl panels? And have you ever painted the alloy panels?
Cheers

 

[cicak]

Neve thought about painting them too much work - etch primer then paint - one scratch or muddy boot kicklng it its ruined.

its plastic tubing im going to take it off.

Yes trace the original using the straight edge of the alloy as the top . u can get 4 doors from a 8*4 sheet.

 

[Cody O Riellerson]

OK, thanks for the info. Definitely cooler than replacing the plastic pushpins on the vinyl. I'm having the two holes welded this weekend, and then I need to rust proof and paint. I think I'm going to go with POR15 on the rusty areas and durabak the floor. I think few coats will deaden the sound a fair bit compared to the bare metal, and I want to be able to beat the crap out of the cargo area so no eDead on the floor. Do you know how much Durabak I will need to do the floor of a 70 at least twice? I don't have many tools; the only power tool I have is a drill; will a pair of tin snips do for cutting?

 

[crushers]

this is what i did
with full write up here:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/70-series-tech/75337-pzj70-modified.html

 

[cicak]

OK, thanks for the info. Definitely cooler than replacing the plastic pushpins on the vinyl. I'm having the two holes welded this weekend, and then I need to rust proof and paint. I think I'm going to go with POR15 on the rusty areas and durabak the floor. I think few coats will deaden the sound a fair bit compared to the bare metal, and I want to be able to beat the crap out of the cargo area so no eDead on the floor. Do you know how much Durabak I will need to do the floor of a 70 at least twice? I don't have many tools; the only power tool I have is a drill; will a pair of tin snips do for cutting?

Try cutting alloy foil with tinsnips - will not work the alloy will curl and you will never flatten it.

100USD should get you a jigsaw from bosche.

 

[crushers]

POR15 is the work of the Devil himself...
s*** to work with, highly toxic and do a search about the guy that got it on his dinky.
can't be touched up if need be and a bugger to weld around if rust does come back...

now if you are only keeping it for a couple years and flipping it then who cares...

 

[Cody O Riellerson]

Hmm, that is the first negative vote I've heard for POR15, but you seem adamant. The idea for POR15 came from a thread over in Paint and Body forums. What would you suggest I use as an alternative?
Cheers

 

[crushers]

paint, high quality durable paint. something that you can work with when the rust comes back.

i have used POR15 decades ago on some of the trucks i refurbished and regretted it. there are those that love the sheet and there are those that hate the stuff. i don't like using stuff you can not repair when the need arrises.

punch in POR15 in the search engine and see what comes up. remember, KISS principle is the best way in life.
also remember it is your money, time and truck so do what YOU feel is right. not what others feel is right (even my advice should be taken with a pound of salt)
cheers

 

[SimonInAustralia]

I was about to hit a spot of rust with Eastwood's Rust Converter and then Rust Encapsulator.

Is that similar to POR15, and as bad?

 

[crushers]

Rust convertor is good stuff.
the other i have not heard of ...

 

[SimonInAustralia]

I have just seen it on an Eastwood video.

This one shows Eastwood Pre, Rust Converter, Rust Encapsulator, and Extreme Chassis Black...
YouTube - Eastwood Chemical Rust Restoration

This one show just Rust Encapsulator...
YouTube - Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator on My Classic Car

They say that you can use Rust Encapsulator as a top coat, or top coat over it.

I was going to use it as a top coat (until I can be bothered getting it sprayed properly with white), with the assumed advantage that it might prevent rust coming back to that area better than regular paint.

 

[Cody O Riellerson]

A friend also said I should go with a rust converter/ primer and paint...this for the rust inside such as driverside floorpan. He recommended Pro-Form Rust Converter.

Also, I am getting panels welded on Saturday. I am trying to remove undercoating around the holes myself and save some $. When I removed the panel guarding the fuel tank tube I realized it is very close to where the welding will take place. Is there a danger here? Will I have to remove the fuel tank tube and fuel tank as well?

OK, last question, then I will get back to work and put up some photos later: Where I am removing the undercoating will be exposed metal. My plan was to put a rust-preventative primer and paint on the underside of the patches for now. Some day in the future all of the undercoating will be removed and resprayed, but I'm not up for that adventure until at least the interior is done. If I do this where metal is exposed and leave the undercoating for now will it be adequately protected for a few months?