Builds My 1965 FJ45 LWB (1 Viewer)

[kunzma]

I do have the can of leftover Cygnus.

 

[kunzma]

So...USPS lost my parts I sent to the plater. Scrambling to find out what happened. Not holding out much hope of them finding them after talking with my cousin who works for the Post Office.

 

[Michael B]

I have been there and done that. The package is probably sitting in a bin with a few hundred other packages pushed aside and missed. In a month or so someone will find them and quietly slip them back into the shipping stream.

 

[kunzma]

Poser came threw with the common parts! Still need to find the screens and crank hardware for the windshield vent. If anybody has a set they are willing to sell PM me.

 

[apeterson]

Looking nice matt... cant wait to see it in person with paint on at posers

 

[kunzma]

Parts came back from Colorado Plating. Pleased with the results. Not sure if I like the silver cad on the tailgate chains.

 

[kunzma]

Sent the steering wheel off to Birdhead to have the hub repaired. It had a single large crack in the hub. He was able to fill it with an epoxy, coat the wheel with cerakote and then a clear coat. Looks really good.

 

[47coeman]

That looks really nice like a brand new steering wheel.

 

[cruiserkreutz]

Any updates?

 

[kunzma]

Not much going on. Worked on a set of 50/50 hood hinges that were loose. Heated them up, pushed out the old pins and put in a couple of door pins that I had laying around. I like the idea of being able to take the hood off without taking the hinges off. Cut and tapered the ends to fit. Bought a W size drill bit from McMaster so I could install some brass bushings from @SouthBostonFJ40

I shaved the collar off of a couple extra bushings so that the pins had more support. I didn't drill all the way through the hinge because I didn't want the collarless bush to fall out the other side, thus the blue tape marking the depth.

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

Door pins, genius. This is a great idea.

 

[kunzma]

Poser lifted the engine and the 5 speed off the frame so I could strip the frame for power coating. Ordered some refurb kits for the steering drag link and center arm. This hopefully will fix some the sloppiness in the steering. Dropped some parts off at the powder coater late this week. Pulled some extra parts together and stuff off the frame for another batch for the plater.

 

[kunzma]

It is going to be a month or more before the cab can go back to the painter. Brought it home and started cleaning it up. Welding up the holes that a PO had put in the cab and the dash holes where the 4 wheel lever was originally.

Driver's side floor is going to need replacement. Bought a later FJ40 panel for that from Toyota Landcruiser FJ40 FJ45 Steel Body Parts Steel Cruiser Parts. Looks like a quality replacement panel, but isn't exactly the same. Considering trying the Dustless Blasting to take this down to the metal before handing over for paint. Anyone tried this before?

 

[kunzma]

Poser and I picked up the frame from the powder coater. Paid $300 total for the sandblasting and coating. Will report back in a few years how well it holds up.

 

[xtremeVA]

$300 for the whole frame? Jeez, I live in the wrong part of the country. Looks great.

 

[kunzma]

I should clarify the powder coating price of $300 didn't include any item that was bolted to the frame. I removed all those items and sent them to my friend Rob who has a powder coating business. Rob's oven isn't big enough to do a frame the size of an FJ45 so I found an outfit that does mostly industrial powder coating. I haven't totaled up what Rob charged for the parts he coated.

 

[kunzma]

Put the axles back on today. The springs are from Old Man Emu. New pins and shackles all around, except we reused the forward pins on the rear axle. Poser had some bushings in stock that worked with the old pins. Hung the rear shackles upside down because the tab didn't allow the shackle to seat right.

 

[kunzma]

Waiting for the plater to send back the second batch of parts which includes nuts and bolts for the steering and shocks, but looks good so far.

 

[catskinner]

Looks great, which kit did you use for your centre arm ? Nos or the Spector one
Nice tyres, sta super traxion?

 

[kunzma]

Looks great, which kit did you use for your centre arm ? Nos or the Spector one
Nice tyres, sta super traxion?

SOR center arm kit. Have not installed it yet. Waiting for the nuts to come back from the plater.