My 76 1UZ build (1 Viewer)

[YukonCruisers]

Well I've been plugging away at the body work and thought I would post an update. I am now at 400 grit and just about ready to prime and paint. Since its not a restoration, and to try and keep peace in the valley, I let the family choose the color... freeborn red and cygnus. But, I also wanted to go with an industrial paint and after lots of chats at the paint shop, I'm going with a valspar industrial single stage mix - tough and rated for coverage over metal and only requires like a 300 grit prep (still going to go to 400 with primer though). To get the color I first had them color match a couple of spray bombs in regular paint, spray it on some cards and then find a matching industrial chip. Apparently you can't just color match in industrial as the pigments are more intense, but you can go from one industrial paint book to another - I think it was in the Sikkens book we found the best matches, so, for the record, here are a couple of pics of the paint codes.

In other news, I still don't have the engine running, currently thinking its a faulty ECU, have a replacement on the way, we'll see... did I mention I hate electrical and all the voodoo witchcraft that goes with it??

Also, I have decided on the drivetrain, I can't afford the Atlas, so going with Northwest Fabs Blackbox i and a Dana300 with cable shifters... which allows me to keep the factory seat I just got back - not quite stock, but the local upholster did a great job IMHO

@RUSH55 if you have some spare time, mind coming up and outboarding my spring mounts for me?? Keep staring at your pics on page 49/50 and thinking I should do it like that.. but probably wont

 

[RUSH55]

Thanks Calgary, I appreciate that!
Pretty simple design just need to be able to bend 1/4” plate within a couple degrees.
I still have all of the blueprints I drew. Probably wouldn’t do another set without a plasma cutter. My right elbow still gets mad at the sight of a grinder.

 

[RUSH55]

Updates @Calgary40 ? How are you liking the paint?

 

[YukonCruisers]

Hey @RUSH55, well, here is the update. The last month was spent on my son's HJ60 that had holes you could put your elbow through. Coolest part was using panel adhesive and cleicos (it may be a 60 on the 55 page, but at least it has 55 rims):

 

[YukonCruisers]

As for my truck, was too hot to paint for a while, then I finally got a job and haven't had time, although I am hoping this week. In the meantime, I got the 4x4labs saginaw kit to line up pretty well and have it more or less installed as well as got the ruffstuff outboard mounts and perches welded in for the front. Both kits are really robust (ignore the porosity in some of the welds, it was a little windy). I welded so much yesterday that I have a UV sunburn between my glove and t shirt line..

The welds were sprayed right away though, according to my son's fried who is a boiler maker, by spraying when the welds are hot, you essentially bake on the paint.. just do in a ventilated area..

 

[YukonCruisers]

Unfortunately, the 4x4lab pitman arm didn't drop enough, so I have a 3" drop arm coming from ruffstuff. Also, my blackbox arrives Wednesday along with the AA plate, so that should be fun. I have their 3 cable shifter so twin stick capable, plus two more cables for the lockers... so if in trouble, pull everything
I am sourcing a dana300 crossmember from Beyond Precise, that should be here in a couple of weeks, so can get going on driveline then. And I got a smok'n deal on a set of Mickey MTZ P3 35s the other day.. just need more time...

Oh, and I sent the voodoo electrical wiring off to an expert to look at, it shouldn't have an immobilizer, but its acting like it has one - should have that back in a few weeks.

.and got a great deal on a front clip from I think a 72, selling most of it back off, but keeping a minty grill.

 

[RUSH55]

Dayum! Busy! That’s awesome
Nice work on those 60 panels!

 

[grayjs]

I don't mean to sidetrack your thread but can you tell me where you got those quarter panel patches for your sons 60? Wolf steel? How did everything line up?
I am planning to complete the same repair on my truck in the next few weeks..

 

[YukonCruisers]

No worries, yes they are wolf steel. They were a little delayed with covid, think 5 weeks to get here

Metal was a little thin, better for pressing i guess. They don't have the bumper indentation so you have to weld there and if i recall the contor line was a little sharper than the originals. The adhesive was brilliant though. I think the ones made in Germany are better, but we were happy with the wolf ones, especially for the $

 

[YukonCruisers]

in other news, paint! I think the valspar industrial is a bit thicker than regular, so added a bit of extra reducer. Still got orange peel, but should be no big deal to color sand as there is lots of it on the truck and no fussing with clear coats.

For those that colored the raised letters, how did you do it? Tape or a steady hand?

 

[scrapdaddy]

For those that colored the raised letters, how did you do it? Tape or a steady hand?

My painter used cut out letters and a 65 year old shaky hand. It turned out like you would think.

 

[RUSH55]

Look at you go man!
I may have to pick your brain on your final results with this industrial paint. The S-W brand stuff I’m trying to get is proving to be a PITA to obtain. Wouldn’t think industrial paint would be so difficult to get ahold of, but I’m finding that it is.

 

[PabloCruise]

I thought I would get a build page going even though the project, at least for the next little while, will be really slow. In the last year I have managed to find a 1976 crusty pig, a JDM 1UZ engine, a r150 transmission, and my favorite item that just arrived yesterday, a set of NOS front fenders. The plan is to keep the tub and interior fairly stock, but probably do a SOA.

This pig is currently in a pen, quite literally at the moment, and will come home once I tell my wife I bought another project. In the meantime, I am starting on the wiring harness, I despise working on electrical and this project so far is just reinforcing that... Anyway, before you ask, here are the pictures (if the pig is familiar, it's because I posted a few pics last year when I first got it):
View attachment 2253463View attachment 2253467View attachment 2253468View attachment 2253470

Still love those custom turn signals!

 

[YukonCruisers]

Almost pulled them at the last minute, but they speak to the life of the pig.. kinda like the bad tattoo you got as a teen

 

[YukonCruisers]

Status update, 'cause its almost as good as actually working on it..

Red paint is on, and I have to say, i love this industrial paint. Its not pretty and harder to work with, but its tough. Also, I accidentally kicked over a panel after only a day of drying, its was soft and gouged the paint. So I took some paint and activator (no thinner) and dabbed on, let it set hard and sanded, perfect. I may not even sand the orange peel, kind of growing on me...

In other areas, figured out the engine problem, well, they guy in New Zealand did after I gave up, turns out it was the immobilizer (or lack thereof) - box coming to trick the ECU. The Northwestfab Blackbox arrived, unfortunatelay there are two bolt patterns to the R150f, I have the other one, so they are making a custom adapter plate for me - they have been great to deal with. Going with HZJ70 springs front and back, ordered.

Tried a product from Leatherworld on the dash, fills in the gaps and stays soft enough, but no way to get smooth edges to blend in, looks like crap, back to drawing board, might steal dash from blue pig eventually.

With the Dana300, I lost my emergency brake, need that for inspection. Also, my HJ61 axles that were supposedly set up for FJ60 calipers and rotors, wasnt, caliper is offset by 3/8" inboard and wont fit. I really wanted to try and custom plate and use the Wilwood MC4 mini calipers in addition to the FJ60, but it looks like I am going to have to use an Eldorado set up. On the upside, it may actually be an emergency brake as opposed to just parking, anyway, chatting with Redline Cruisers about that set up.

Random pics, including the first test fit (yes, I did touch up the Toyota lettering)...

 

[bobm]

Better than GGRRRREEEEENN

 

[YukonCruisers]

I am stalled waiting on parts for a bit, but got the engine aligned and mounts welded in, started on the rear bumper and got board and built sound and storage boxes (almost pulled them out when my son said it looked very overlander, maybe I should recover w patina steel...).
Are rear gate handle available anywhere or is that a used item? Mine is cracked and about to come apart..
By the way this little Chinese special head unit went in with very little trimming...

 

[tucker74]

Rear handles are pretty hard to find, suggest you go easy on what you’ve got while you hunt

 

[RUSH55]

Digging the speaker boxes! Especially if they’re able to pull double duty as storage space.

 

[xtremeVA]

I'm working through the details of a 1uzfe retrofit so I understand your pain. There are alot of details to work through.

1. It looks like your oil pan sump is a mid sump but you still need to check the clearance with full articulation of the front axle. I had a front sump setup on my 1UZ it requiring retrofitting with a mid sump upper/lower oil pan.
2. Lextreme in the USA is a great resource rewiring and immobilizer bypass. The guy from NZ also seems to be a master at the UZs
3. Plan on a hydraulic throwout bearing for the clutch. The exhaust manifolds seems to make it impossible to use a traditional clutch fork system.
4. Nice job eliminating the hydraulic fan and re-routing the serpentine belt. I'm going the route of retrofitting with an idler pulley and keeping the belt length the same as the stock engine.

Keep up the good work!!!!