Gents,
I am rapidly getting up the learning curve with my recently purchased FJ60. Went to do some patching on a rusty frame and didn't find enough good metal to weld to, so I simply bought a new frame. Then I bought a new suspension (HFS from CCOT). Then a new H55F. Wheels and tires. Brakes. Rebuilt knuckles. Clutch, master, slave, stainless line. Center console, stereo, speakers. Pretty much hand polished every bolt on the thing. New everything on the engine. Full desmog. Headers, new exhaust, etc. Cleaned up the engine and painted it nice and pretty before dropping it on the new frame. One thing led to another and now everything under the body is either new or rebuilt. Lots of POR-15 and a couple hundred hours later I have a chassis that will last another 30 years up here in MN.
Did I mention the body? Yahhh. That's where my heartburn is getting a little worse. Pulling a body, engine, tranny and all that is easy... It's just bolts and some heaving and tugging and swearing and just one trip to the hospital. But fighting rust is another thing. The devil himself lives there. I am poking and prodding and finding a few bad spots. My son just started school for auto body but hasn't learned enough yet to know the drill. I work at a desk in an office and am therefore pretty useless except for drinking coffee and eating donuts and pretending to take the annual budgeting process very, very seriously.
I want to fortify this thing against the winter conditions until my son and I can do some proper body work in about two years (it'll take that long to replenish the vehicle repair budget anyway). So, here's my question... Are there any of you guys that are local to the Stillwater Mn area that would be willing to swing over and partake of a cold Grain Belt Premium 16 ounce "Big Friendly" (nothing else is allowed in my fridge) and point at things on my truck and talk smart and tell me what to do? Rockers, fenders, a few spots on the floor, etc.
Any advice would be helpful and much appreciated! You would receive honorable mention in my build thread when I finally get around to doing one. High honors, just below my banker guy on the list of those who made this all possible!
Thanks for any help you can provide. Prayers are useful as well.
Kevin
1987 FJ60
Book value: $4,535
Spent to date: way more than that!
I am rapidly getting up the learning curve with my recently purchased FJ60. Went to do some patching on a rusty frame and didn't find enough good metal to weld to, so I simply bought a new frame. Then I bought a new suspension (HFS from CCOT). Then a new H55F. Wheels and tires. Brakes. Rebuilt knuckles. Clutch, master, slave, stainless line. Center console, stereo, speakers. Pretty much hand polished every bolt on the thing. New everything on the engine. Full desmog. Headers, new exhaust, etc. Cleaned up the engine and painted it nice and pretty before dropping it on the new frame. One thing led to another and now everything under the body is either new or rebuilt. Lots of POR-15 and a couple hundred hours later I have a chassis that will last another 30 years up here in MN.
Did I mention the body? Yahhh. That's where my heartburn is getting a little worse. Pulling a body, engine, tranny and all that is easy... It's just bolts and some heaving and tugging and swearing and just one trip to the hospital. But fighting rust is another thing. The devil himself lives there. I am poking and prodding and finding a few bad spots. My son just started school for auto body but hasn't learned enough yet to know the drill. I work at a desk in an office and am therefore pretty useless except for drinking coffee and eating donuts and pretending to take the annual budgeting process very, very seriously.
I want to fortify this thing against the winter conditions until my son and I can do some proper body work in about two years (it'll take that long to replenish the vehicle repair budget anyway). So, here's my question... Are there any of you guys that are local to the Stillwater Mn area that would be willing to swing over and partake of a cold Grain Belt Premium 16 ounce "Big Friendly" (nothing else is allowed in my fridge) and point at things on my truck and talk smart and tell me what to do? Rockers, fenders, a few spots on the floor, etc.
Any advice would be helpful and much appreciated! You would receive honorable mention in my build thread when I finally get around to doing one. High honors, just below my banker guy on the list of those who made this all possible!
Thanks for any help you can provide. Prayers are useful as well.
Kevin
1987 FJ60
Book value: $4,535
Spent to date: way more than that!
