my build up - rust, clearance, and protection (1 Viewer)

[Senor Aguas]

seats

I ordered a seat frame kit from cumminscruiser. I have no gas tank under the seat anymore, so he built it a little different for me. this is a very high quality kit. edges are beveled. tubes are notched. everything is sleeved. it looks like there will be no cutting needed for me.

I got some newly recovered miata seats that i'm going to use. I like them because they are low, light, bolstered and have headrest speakers built in. pics of these later.

Here's some pics after about 10 minutes worth of setting up the seat frame:

 

[Senor Aguas]

progress

In case anyone was wondering what Bud Built fenders look like installed. I think it turned out pretty well. Note: I completely replaced the quarters with these. Some people put them in place over their quarters.

 

[LC_Hamma]

Looks Nice all around metalworking. Are you going to tie the tail ends of the tube fenders into your future sliders? I agree on the filler neck being recessed. You can buy a prebent curved tube to recorrect the angle to the tank. What accessories are you planning to add on the rear bumper?

 

[BDSeff1fitty]

looks good. she roadworthy yet?

 

[Senor Aguas]

LC_Hamma, I haven't decided on how I'm going to do the tube fenders at the bottom. I have everything painted and put back together, but never really decided if I'd tie them in or not. I'm going to have to weld some tabs on my fenders to mount inner fenders anyway (someday), so I'll get another chance to paint them (and possibly tie them into some sliders). I haven't started on sliders yet either.

Regarding the filler, where could I get such a pre-bent tube? I've done a little looking and had decided that I'd probably get a flush mount aircraft or motorcycle tank style filler at some point down the road.

The rear bumper will be a swing away type, probably holding my jack and maybe a small rubbermaid type container. I haven't started on it yet or even thought too much about it. I'll be borrowing heavily from some that I've seen here on 'mud.

BDSeff1fitty, I'm posting a couple pics showing my progress. Not roadworthy yet. Needs a wiring harness and a few other things.

Looks Nice all around metalworking. Are you going to tie the tail ends of the tube fenders into your future sliders? I agree on the filler neck being recessed. You can buy a prebent curved tube to recorrect the angle to the tank. What accessories are you planning to add on the rear bumper?

 

[65fj40_steve]

Looking good

 

[Senor Aguas]

sliders

started on sliders today. I think I'll have $80 in these including getting someone to bend the tubing and buying a hole saw. The round tubing is 1-5/8" 0.120" wall. The rectangular piece is 2x2" 0.250" wall. It's kinda overkill, but I already had it laying around. They are 43" at the longest. I'm trying to decide whether to cap the ends. I'm also trying to decide how much gap to leave to the body. I'm thinking bout 3/4".

 

[Senor Aguas]

electrical

The last few weeks I've put in a new Painless TBI harness and started a EZ wiring harness. The TBI harness was EZ, but the EZ harness has not been painless (turn signals/brake lights). Also, I mounted my switches in the dash and stuck the instrument cluster back in to get an idea of what its going to look like.

Yes, those are seat heater switches which I plan to have (eventually). I would like to run with no top all year round and I need all the heat I can get!

 

[Senor Aguas]

Ok, so I got a PM question about my dash setup. I figured I'd answer it here.

The instrument cluster is from Trail Candy LLC-Put a little Candy in your rig

The speedo is a Caffrig marine unit, driven by GPS. I grew tired of speedometer cables (speeds being off, etc) and 200 mph aftermarket speedometers. It wasn't cheap, but I really like it.

The tach is also a marine unit from Caffrig. Since i wasn't getting an odometer on my speedo, I wanted something with an hour meter. Also, I wanted something in the rpm range that my 350 would see (not 10,000 rpm).

The other gauges are digital Autometer. I just liked the idea of having a fuel gauge that was adjustable for any sender (including the FJ40's), and digital was the only one I could find. I later decided to use an aftermarket tank with a GM sender, so it didn't really matter.

I restored the wiper knob using instructions I found here on 'mud.

The other knobs are custom from amaurer (Knoobs.com, Custom Switches and Knobs).

 

[Moriarty]

Great Build. I really like your Instrumentation cluster.

 

[Senor Aguas]

First drive

I took it for its first drive in 2 years this week and then to our annual club picnic at Disney, OK. Its not really ready to wheel yet, but I did a little anyway.

Here's my to do list currently:

1. electric fan. It didn't overheat today, but it ran a little hot for my taste.

2. rear suspension. I haven't touched the rear suspension since I've had the cruiser. The lower shock mounts are way too high. I have stock length FJ40 shocks on there right now! I'll go with bilsteins like what I have on the front. I'm thinking I'll run the 255/70 valving in the rear also. Any opinions?

3. antiwrap bar. I haven't noticed spring wrap, but don't want to find out the hard way.

4. fix a leaky valve cover

5. finish the sliders (one is now bolted up)

6. build a rear bumper with tire carrier.

7. build inner fenders for tube fenders

8. mount the kiddo's car seat to the floor behind front seat. Is this legal or does it have to be mounted to a seat?

 

[cruiser enthuiser]

It's looking bad ass bro!

Congrats on getting it back on the road - that's gotta be a good feeling.

Cheers!


-Ed

 

[Pork-n-Bean]

Nice!

 

[juanchogaviria]

Very nice, congrats!

Juan
1970fj40
1978fj40
1982fj43(sold)
1994fzj80

 

[Senor Aguas]

I put my flexalite fan in last night. I was planning to use a Taurus fan but it didn't seem like it would fit based on the dimensions that I found. maybe I have a small radiator. Anyway, after the install, I started it up and lost the water pump pulley and belts immediately. When I took off the mechanical fan, nothing was holding the pulley on! doh! it's all fixed now and I'm pleased with it.

 

[Senor Aguas]

flex

I needed to test out my electric fan, so I took the kiddo to a local wooded area. I couldn't resist the urge to test my flex, clearance, and bumpstops. I think I'm getting some pretty good flex out of the front. The rear is still on stock length shocks, so I wasn't expecting much. But, the rear tire barely clears at full stuff. I was hoping to be able to step up to a 37" tire (35" currently). It appears that I'd need to cut the rear fender opening to do it. hmmm.... how to cut 3/16" thick rear quarter panels and not mess up the paint too bad...

 

[Senor Aguas]

sliders finished

I finally finished my sliders and started painting them. I haven't decided between dark gray or black. I had a can of the dark gray and sprayed them to see what it looked like. Any opinions on the color? I'll probably build bumpers in the same color. Maybe paint the wheels too.

 

[Senor Aguas]

working on a bumper/tire carrier/jack holder.

 

[Senor Aguas]

it's almost done

 

[tmarx]

Looking good !