Builds My '78 FJ40 "44" (1 Viewer)

[GA Architect]

I have been less than impressed with the dismal light provided by the dome light. It's not a light if you have to strike a match to see it!!

So, today, I took the dome light lens off to clean it and cleaned a hole in it - so, rather than put it back I decided to follow in the footsteps of my foreMUDders...

I removed the dome light completely (and stowed it away with the emissions stuff, in the event I need any of it down the road) and replaced it with a rocker switch. I then extended the hot wire around the two sides and back of 44 and placed an LED Strip at three strategic locations and grounded each strip on one of the handy bolts.

Now, the flick of the rocker and I have enough light to actually find whatever I lost.

Not great pictures, but I did my best... Here's the rocker switch
View attachment 1006706

Strip over Driver's seat
View attachment 1006707


Strip over passenger's seat
View attachment 1006708


Strip over back door
View attachment 1006709

Strip over back door provides an abundance of light - and I have that battery powered dome light as well.
View attachment 1006710

".....strike a match to see it!" - Good one!

Why not just use that lantern hanging from your roll bar as your dome light? By the look of all the gear hanging from your roll bar, I suppose you don't care to look out the rear view mirror much?

I'd be afraid of taking a leisurely drive down a back road, say about 45 MPH, and then all of a sudden a deer jumps out, slam on the brakes, and "BAM"....KO'd by the hanging lantern!

Nice work, Danny!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

".....strike a match to see it!" - Good one!

Why not just use that lantern hanging from your roll bar as your dome light? By the look of all the gear hanging from your roll bar, I suppose you don't care to look out the rear view mirror much?

I'd be afraid of taking a leisurely drive down a back road, say about 45 MPH, and then all of a sudden a deer jumps out, slam on the brakes, and "BAM"....KO'd by the hanging lantern!

Nice work, Danny!

It's plastic - takes more than that to bam my hard head And it hits the back of the seat anyway. I have more stuff that hangs there when I'm traveling. I don't hang my axe or machete or shovel there, for just that reason - I only present an outward appearance of idiocy

I haven't used the overhead rear view mirror in years - I'm either pulling a trailer or my Tundra Topper and bed are full of stuff.

The lantern isn't purty enough for a dome light.... Neither was the candle...

 

[78fj40mg]

Great job! Where did you source those strip LEDs?

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Great job! Where did you source those strip LEDs?

Thanks Mike!

They're everywhere - but, I bought THESE from China, via Amazon - they have very fine, fragile wires - just be careful you don't pull the wires loose from the strips. They are very difficult to re-solder.

I used them for my gauge cluster and the 'dome' light. You don't need to worry about polarity - red is hot - back is ground.

hth

 

[78fj40mg]

Thanks Mike!

They're everywhere - but, I bought THESE from China, via Amazon - they have very fine, fragile wires - just be careful you don't pull the wires loose from the strips. They are very difficult to re-solder.

I used them for my gauge cluster and the 'dome' light. You don't need to worry about polarity - red is hot - back is ground.

hth

Thanks Danny I appreciate the info.
P.S. I love what you've done to your 44!!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Thanks Danny I appreciate the info.
P.S. I love what you've done your 44!!

Thanks Mike!!

I love your threads as well!! I've absconded with a number of tips from your threads

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Well... when I installed my aux tank and ran into issues with Centroid's fuel sender (it wouldn't work with the stock fuel gauge's internal regulator), I had to regroup and order the oem sender. The oem sender is only available in two lengths (7.5" (I think) and 8.5") - I needed an 11.5" sender for my aux tank.

My aux tank has a 'trough' that allows it to be snugged up astraddle of the rib that runs across the bed. That 'trough' is 4" deep, so I had the bright idea to install my oem sender in the 'trough' - it was the perfect length for the 'trough'.

This just meant the gauge would read full for about 5-6 gallons... before it started dropping.

So, I checked around, trying to find a sealer that would prevent the sender from 'weeping' fumes and/or fuel and PermaGrip told me their PermaShield would work fine for my situation.

I installed the aux tank and the first time I filled it above the sender-level it 'weeped' a little fuel and a lot of fumes. So, I transferred 10 gallons to two jerry cans and drove the tank dry in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.

Once I had it dry, I dropped it and pulled the sender. I cut the sender's float arm and, using an appropriate length of wire coat hanger and two roll pins, I lengthened my sender float arm, to make it 11.5" long.

I repaired the sender hole in the 'trough', using a 3.5"x10" piece of 16ga sheet metal and PC-7 Two-Part Epoxy - it has to cure for 24 hours, I cured it for 72 hours. PC-7 is some great stuff, the patch is part of the tank now.

I re-installed the lengthened sender in a hole, at the top of the tank, using PermaShield. Note: PermaShield is great stuff, but it is not impervious to gasoline. JB-Weld doesn't work as well with gasoline as it used to, because of all the gasoline additives, especially ethanol. PC-7 will stand up to gasoline, when properly installed.

The aux tank is now back in place and I've needed it several times already - with Gunner, out here:

 

[handcannon]

Danny, I sure appreciate your pics and descriptions of your trips. Sure makes me wish my 40 was running again. What you are doing is exactly what I've always enjoyed, driving on the trails and logging roads to find what is just over that hill or around that bend.

Don

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Danny, I sure appreciate your pics and descriptions of your trips. Sure makes me wish my 40 was running again. What you are doing is exactly what I've always enjoyed, driving on the trails and logging roads to find what is just over that hill or around that bend.

Don

Thanks Don! I'm doing just what I always wanted to do!! It's how I explored running trails in The Netherlands, while we lived there and public roads in Texas after I retired from the Air Force. But, now I have the best playground I could ever hope to have. There are so many millions of public acres in Nevada (some are full access, some are foot-access only) and so many trails to drive and so many ghost towns and so many of everything I could want!! The fishing is great as well - from lakes to streams so small that you wouldn't expect to find trout!!

I'll keep posting pics and once you get your 40 running, come on down to Nevada and play!!

 

[FJ404345]

It's plastic - takes more than that to bam my hard head And it hits the back of the seat anyway. I have more stuff that hangs there when I'm traveling. I don't hang my axe or machete or shovel there, for just that reason - I only present an outward appearance of idiocy

I haven't used the overhead rear view mirror in years - I'm either pulling a trailer or my Tundra Topper and bed are full of stuff.

The lantern isn't purty enough for a dome light.... Neither was the candle...

Danny,

All that stuff hanging around would drive me crazy, and it looks like you are going to set up a flea market ,

Why not make some custom shaped storage bin(s) combined with a nice flat sitting area for Gunner, changed in place of the passenger chair when you travel, evenso you could sleep flat at that side of the truck in times of bad weather.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

danny, all that stuff...

Hey!! All that 'stuff', as you call it, is hanging in a specific order. As I drive along, it clangs together and plays 'America the Beautiful'!!

I'm exploring the Old West...Every so often, I encounter a band of Indians, an old prospector or a miscreant or two. I have to be ready to trade some of my 'stuff' or I could end up in a shoot out.

A flea market is a good idea, though... But, I'd look silly, sitting in the middle of nowhere, trying to pedal my wares...

Just take heart that now, as my 'stuff' rattles, I will know I'm driving someone crazy on the other side of the world!!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Yesterday morning, Gunner took 44 and drove Alamo Road, in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.

At the Cow Camp Road turnoff, Gunner found some firewood and said he would like a campfire.

He turned around at the Cabin Spring Road turnoff. We were pretty beat up by then and, with mountains around us, it was going to get dark real soon. So, we returned to Sheep Pass and built a campfire... Gunner was tired, from all the driving...

Within minutes, it was almost dark and Gunner asked me to come sit by the fire and tell him a story

 

[GA Architect]

Yesterday morning, Gunner took 44 and drove Alamo Road, in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.
View attachment 1020392
At the Cow Camp Road turnoff, Gunner found some firewood and said he would like a campfire.
View attachment 1020396

He turned around at the Cabin Spring Road turnoff. We were pretty beat up by then and, with mountains around us, it was going to get dark real soon. So, we returned to Sheep Pass and built a campfire... Gunner was tired, from all the driving...
View attachment 1020397

Within minutes, it was almost dark and Gunner asked me to come sit by the fire and tell him a story
View attachment 1020399

Cool photos, Danny........But where are the TREES!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

...so, I thought of a Joshua Tree I saw early this morning - I snapped a picture of it because it reminded me of some monster...

When I got home, texted my Son-in-Law and he knew, right off, what it was

Gunner and I swapped stories and stared at the enormous sky full of stars and thought how great it was to be out there, by ourselves, about 50 miles from the nearest town (Indian Springs, NV), right on the other side of Area 51. We didn't see any UFOs, but we did see that one Triffid!!

We finally crawled into 44 and slept soundly thru the night. This morning was quite cold, so we packed up and drove back down hill to White Rock Road...

 

[Solace in Solitude]

...we drove

the 3 mile road? to the trail head (trail is actually a wash), put Gunners new tires on and hiked (tough to hike this talus and G couldn't do it without boots) a ways back into the canyon and then climbed up to the ridge and hiked back to 44:

Around noon, we started home... arrived back at Hwy 95 around 3pm... but not before developing 44 developed a knock... I stopped 5 times in about 300 yards, before I decided it was a lug nut in the left front hubcap. I popped th cap and found only one lug nut still snugged down. The rest were VERY lose. Lesson learned!! I'm just glad I figured it out before the lugs and/or rim was ruined... Lesson: When driving very rough conditions, make it a habit to check lug nuts every few hours.

All-in-all, we had a great trip and even found time to let Gunner chase a tennis ball a few times.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Cool photos, Danny........But where are the TREES!

The Triffid is a Joshua Tree... but, here...

 

[Solace in Solitude]

I almost forgot!! I wanted to provide a little perspective as to just how big Gunner is...

 

[78fj40mg]

Danny I love it! Great pics and Gunner with the boots is priceless. I'm glad you had a good time and made it home safe, Damn lug nuts!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Thanks Mike!

Yeah, it worried me at first... I thought it was a rod... but, when I stopped and slightly rev'ed, the engine was fine. All is good!

 

[micruz60]

Good on ya for getting out there, and I'm sure Gunner appreciates not stepping into cacti spines!