Meet Lucille - A '74 Crusty Back Road Cruiser - Turbo 3RZ W56 Swapped

[Lucille]

Busy weekend tinkering on Lucille. As you can see in the pic above, i replaced the valve cover gasket (still leaks out near the drivers side rear of the valve cover) and gave the valve cover a shot of dirt squirrel blue. The carb was also rebuilt and runs much better. Still sometimes hard to start, but once it gets going, the throttle response is crisp.

I installed a new clutch line i robbed from a parts mini truck i have and bled the master cylinder and slave. Put the truck up on the lift and tested the clutch out. It seemed to work fine. I made a quick seat mount using the factory brackets and bolted up the best top Heep seat i found on CL.

Test "drive" in the video link below. 10ft at a time. Didnt even realize i scratched the tire until i rewatched the video. i think 2.5 of the brakes work but it did stop with some effort.

New video · Sunday, May 12, 2019 🎬

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The rear end swap and front disc conversion is up next. I also am going to install a new poly or steel tank or maybe even a fuel cell to replace the nasty tank i have in there now. Any suggestions on where to find one? I have a voltage regulator and a new air cleaner coming in the mail. I may attempt a longer test drive this afternoon.

 

[MadMace]

Busy weekend tinkering on Lucille. As you can see in the pic above, i replaced the valve cover gasket (still leaks out near the drivers side rear of the valve cover) and gave the valve cover a shot of dirt squirrel blue.

On my '74 FJ40 I replaced the steel valve cover with a 2F valve cover and gasket. Worked great to stop the leaks. Those cork gaskets, even when new, don't seem to seal well on those steel valve covers.

 

[Lucille]

On my '74 FJ40 I replaced the steel valve cover with a 2F valve cover and gasket. Worked great to stop the leaks. Those cork gaskets, even when new, don't seem to seal well on those steel valve covers.

Thanks for the head up. Ill keep an eye out for one. I just hate seeing leaks on things and this one will bug me.

 

[MadMace]

Thanks for the head up. Ill keep an eye out for one. I just hate seeing leaks on things and this one will bug me.

Understand completely, I'm the same way. 2F valve covers are not too hard to come by, so when your ready it shouldn't be hard to track down.

BTW, I was watching your truck when it was on Craigslist. I'm glad you got it. I was thinking about buying it as I need some doors for my 1974. I just didn't feel right about getting that truck to take parts off of it. It definitely went to the right person.

 

[Lucille]

Understand completely, I'm the same way. 2F valve covers are not too hard to come by, so when your ready it shouldn't be hard to track down.

BTW, I was watching your truck when it was on Craigslist. I'm glad you got it. I was thinking about buying it as I need some doors for my 1974. I just didn't feel right about getting that truck to take parts off of it. It definitely went to the right person.

Im pretty sure ill be taking the doors off of this cruiser anyways. it will never get a top so the doors just feel weird on an open top rig.

They are surprisingly rust free in comparison to the rest of the FJ. They have the glass, but i havent been brave enough to try to get them up as both seem to be off the tracks. They come up a few inches then seem to get in a bind and i dont want to force them. Make me an offer on them if youre interested.

 

[MadMace]

Im pretty sure ill be taking the doors off of this cruiser anyways. it will never get a top so the doors just feel weird on an open top rig.

They are surprisingly rust free in comparison to the rest of the FJ. They have the glass, but i havent been brave enough to try to get them up as both seem to be off the tracks. They come up a few inches then seem to get in a bind and i dont want to force them. Make me an offer on them if youre interested.

Wow, that would be great. If you don't mind, when you get a chance, please send me some pictures. I'll send you a quick pm.

 

[Lucille]

Took it on an ambitious test drive down the road from my house. Fastest I was brave enough to get it up to was 50. Definitely needs some new rubber suspension and steering pieces and the tires need balancing, but overall you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I need to take the valve cover back off and try to get it to seal better as the oil leaked onto the exhaust some and was smoking. But it runs surprisingly decent.

 

[rmckay1021]

Took it on an ambitious test drive down the road from my house. Fastest I was brave enough to get it up to was 50. Definitely needs some new rubber suspension and steering pieces and the tires need balancing, but overall you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I need to take the valve cover back off and try to get it to seal better as the oil leaked onto the exhaust some and was smoking. But it runs surprisingly decent.

Good for you!!!!! Keep up the good work you are doing!

 

[archie73]

I sourced an oem tank from @beno. They are not free, but you get a straight replacement. From what I understand the poly ones don’t handle heat as well.

 

[Lucille]

New voltage regulator vs old

Havent tested it yet, do to a re-seal of the valve cover. Ill fire it up this evening.

Decided to take a look at the gas tank i have now. Took the cover off. Surprisingly only broke one bolt.

The awesomeness that was under it.

And the tank. Drained the varnish out of it and looked inside and it was rust free internally. The bottom side did have some surface rust and a few pinholes. Im going to slap on some JB weld and seal it back up and give it a go before i drop~$400 on a new one.

Not mine but these are some nice goals to attain to. It has a similar patina to mine and i came across a Metaltech roll cage on FB yesterday that i thought about buying briefly. I have a set of wheels and caps that is in this pic to put on Lucille once i clean the wheels up and paint them. Im going to take my bezel off and give it a coat of white paint as well.

 

[scwill]

Im pretty sure ill be taking the doors off of this cruiser anyways. it will never get a top so the doors just feel weird on an open top rig.

They are surprisingly rust free in comparison to the rest of the FJ. They have the glass, but i havent been brave enough to try to get them up as both seem to be off the tracks. They come up a few inches then seem to get in a bind and i dont want to force them. Make me an offer on them if youre interested.

I wouldnt part the doors out. If youre going to sell this one day it will only help you to have those doors with the truck. Been following along, youre doing great. Bringing them back from the dead like this must really bring joy.

 

[Lucille]

I wouldnt part the doors out. If youre going to sell this one day it will only help you to have those doors with the truck. Been following along, youre doing great. Bringing them back from the dead like this must really bring joy.

I hear ya, but its too late. @MadMace is coming on Saturday to pick them up.

 

[Lucille]

Didnt do much with Lucille last night as i had to mow my jungle of a yard due to all the rain we've been getting here in SE TX. I did slather on some JB weld to the few pin holes on the bottom of the gas tank. Ill let that harden over night and today and re-install the gas tank this evening.

I also took the doors off. I love the look already.

With the $$$ from the doors, ill take my hubcab wheels to the sandblaster and have them powdercoated as close to factory gray as i can find.

 

[archie73]

Didnt do much with Lucille last night as i had to mow my jungle of a yard due to all the rain we've been getting here in SE TX. I did slather on some JB weld to the few pin holes on the bottom of the gas tank. Ill let that harden over night and today and re-install the gas tank this evening.

Before you install the tank, make sure you can pull fluid through the outlet. After three or four try’s at cleaning mine, it’s still clogged. Tank otherwise looked good. In the end, I went for the piece of mind of a new tank.

 

[Lucille]

Before you install the tank, make sure you can pull fluid through the outlet. After three or four try’s at cleaning mine, it’s still clogged. Tank otherwise looked good. In the end, I went for the piece of mind of a new tank.

I put 125psi through it and it’s no longer clogged. Lol

 

[archie73]

Mine would flow air, but no fluid. I found out after I had installed it and put gas in it. As nice as the drain plug is to have, it’ll make a hell of a mess. Your experience may vary...

 

[Brost]

Didnt do much with Lucille last night as i had to mow my jungle of a yard due to all the rain we've been getting here in SE TX. I did slather on some JB weld to the few pin holes on the bottom of the gas tank. Ill let that harden over night and today and re-install the gas tank this evening.

I also took the doors off. I love the look already.

With the $$$ from the doors, ill take my hubcab wheels to the sandblaster and have them powdercoated as close to factory gray as i can find.

Been reviewing a lot of old threads lately on powder coated wheels. From what I’ve found/read RAL 7037... post up what you go with.

 

[Lucille]

Will do.

 

[Lucille]

My powdercoater didnt have RAL 7037 so i went with a little lighter gray. Ill have to check my receipt to see what the RAL number is.

Cant wait to get them mounted up.

I took Lucille for her longest test drive yet (4-5 miles) around my neighborhood and towards the end of it. Water everywhere of a beautiful rusty color. I used water at first to try and clean it out some. My plan is to use dome radiator flush i picked up from Napa and try to clean it out more. When i first filled it up, it only took 2 gallons or so. Ive read it should take way more. Im going to pull the plug on the side and try to jet out the block as best as possible to make sure everything flows freely.

Disc brakes are going on next week once i pick up the mini truck lower steer arms to put on the 60 knuckles. I also plan on replacing the shocks and tie-rod ends to tighten everything back up.

 

[MadMace]

Great idea on pulling that block plug. If nothing comes out, don't be bashful. Get in there with a wire hanger, a drift, or awl and knock that crap out. That jet nozzle I posted a picture of on my thread worked great as well. You can also get to those back water jackets through the outlet from the block to the heater (it is where that hose comes off the top of the cylinder head on the driver side).

You also might want to flush out your heater core. If it's blocked you can't get as much coolant in.