Builds My Father-in-Law's 1980 FJ40 (12 Viewers)

[BrownWolf]

I decided I would try the Bondo metal mesh to patch the holes on the Cruiser’s front fenders, but I read some reviews saying the adhesive wasn’t very good. So I cut out butterfly patterns so that one half will stick to the back of the hole and the other half will be the fender surface. The reviews were correct and I probably should have used something to bond the mesh to the back of the hole, but it seemed to work. It was just a little touchy. Reasonably good job for my first Bondo patch, if I do say so myself (although they were admittedly small).

 

[BrownWolf]

I applied primer to the other areas that had surface rust and to the running boards. I started to apply the White 031 spray paint I purchased and realized that me and a can of spray paint ain't going to cut it. I really do need to get a professional paint job once I have done all of the body work.

 

[knuckle47]

@BrownWolf Nice clean job…. Of course welding in some metal will outlive many other fixes. Still, it looks great.

If you have access to an air compressor…give it a go with a $29 harbor freight gun and some quality (still cheap) enamel. My first paint job was a 1952 Harley using a 1964 Lincoln Continental seafoam green. If I had a run, I’d over shoot it until the drips smoothed out….. here is a picture of the puddle on my garage floor 20+ years later.

 

[BrownWolf]

@BrownWolf Nice clean job…. Of course welding in some metal will outlive many other fixes. Still, it looks great.

If you have access to an air compressor…give it a go with a $29 harbor freight gun and some quality (still cheap) enamel. My first paint job was a 1952 Harley using a 1964 Lincoln Continental seafoam green. If I had a run, I’d over shoot it until the drips smoothed out….. here is a picture of the puddle on my garage floor 20+ years later.


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Thanks! Oooh nice Harley! Love the color and sidecar. Here’s my ride, an electric Zero SR.

I still think I’ll take the Cruiser to a professional to get it painted. It will be worth the expense and I think I know my limits.

 

[mattressking]

Over the years they had some cutie sayings for things such as ‘ how much is it?”

Harley-Davidson HD means Hundred Dollars
BOAT - Break Out Another Thousand

Toyota? Tons Of Your Own Treasured Assets

Hundred dollars definitely doesn’t apply anymore to 47 knuckles…..

 

[BrownWolf]

Hundred dollars definitely doesn’t apply anymore to 47 knuckles…..

Too true, inflation is a bear!

 

[knuckle47]

Hahaha. You’re right….i got some diesel fuel for the pickup a few days ago..$88.65.

I would love to ride an electric bike for an extended ride to see how the days go. I respect your idea about a professional BUT, it’s not that hard to mask it off and paint. After a few tries, my brother bought a boat and said we can re-build it…here’s proof….

A real PITA..but the end result is still spectacular

Paid $3500 with a used beat up 150 Johnson… Marina told us it’s worth $27-29,000. And it has a new Suzuki 200

Trust me… I am no painter. I squeeze the trigger and paint comes out… this paint was special high endurance commercial stuff and not cheap with epoxy primer. It has been banging against the dock for 6 years and looks the same.

I’ll come over and help

 

[BrownWolf]

Hahaha. You’re right….i got some diesel fuel for the pickup a few days ago..$88.65.

I would love to ride an electric bike for an extended ride to see how the days go. I respect your idea about a professional BUT, it’s not that hard to mask it off and paint. After a few tries, my brother bought a boat and said we can re-build it…here’s proof….

A real PITA..but the end result is still spectacular

Paid $3500 with a used beat up 150 Johnson… Marina told us it’s worth $27-29,000. And it has a new Suzuki 200




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Trust me… I am no painter. I squeeze the trigger and paint comes out… this paint was special high endurance commercial stuff and not cheap with epoxy primer. It has been banging against the dock for 6 years and looks the same.

I’ll come over and help

@knuckle47 alright you’ve talked me into it. I suppose the worst thing that happens is I have to have a professional fix the mess I make!

By the way, the boat looks great! Now I know where Break Out Another Thousand comes from.

 

[BrownWolf]

I don’t know what it is about these after market light fixtures. The tail light fixtures were miss-wired and it turns out that the front turn signals were also miss-wired! It’s only 3 wires, how could you mess that up?

It may have fried the turn signal relay, because the turn signals turn on but don’t flash. Dang!

Replaced turn signal relay and flashers worked, but turn signals did not. I followed the recommendations of @Coolerman (1973 fj40 wiring questions - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/1973-fj40-wiring-questions.1290087/#post-14566255) to check the bulbs and got all of the lights working, flashers and turn signals. Good to have all of the lights functioning again.

 

[sterling]

Excellent work on the 40 and the story is great.
Rust is the first thing I did on mine, if nothing else applying some rust converter.
Helped me sleep better.

 

[BrownWolf]

Excellent work on the 40 and the story is great.
Rust is the first thing I did on mine, if nothing else applying some rust converter.
Helped me sleep better.

@sterling Thanks! I have been working through the rust a little bit at a time. As Neil Young said, "rust never sleeps", but me, I have to get some shuteye.

 

[BrownWolf]

Removed the rust and detritus from the underside of the front fenders and applied POR15.

 

[knuckle47]

I know this is counter to the ownership of a Land Cruiser…..but once you go thru all of the efforts scraping and cleaning and then painting, do you really want to take it out on these dirty roads and trails?

 

[BrownWolf]

I know this is counter to the ownership of a Land Cruiser…..but once you go thru all of the efforts scraping and cleaning and then painting, do you really want to take it out on these dirty roads and trails?

Good question, but in my thinking, I have go through all the effort of scraping, cleaning, and painting, in order to take it out on these dirty roads and trails that would otherwise further exacerbate the rust.

 

[BrownWolf]

Good question, but in my thinking, I have go through all the effort of scraping, cleaning, and painting, in order to take it out on these dirty roads and trails that would otherwise further exacerbate the rust.

 

[BrownWolf]

The headrest covers came back from the upholsterer (see my earlier post Builds - My Father-in-Law's 1980 FJ40 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/my-father-in-laws-1980-fj40.1319055/page-8#post-15393517). Good to have the completed set.

 

[BrownWolf]

I decided to get after the rust on the rear quarter panels and the rear in general. As I should have expected, it's not something that I could fabricate a patch for myself. So I ordered a pair of rear quarter panel patches from Cruiser Corps (Quarter Panel Corner Patch - Driver / Left Side - FJ40 1979-1984 - https://cruisercorps.com/products/quarter-panel-corner-patch-driver-left-side-79-84?variant=12738054914114 and Quarter Panel Corner Patch - Passenger / Right Side - FJ40 1979-1984 - https://cruisercorps.com/products/quarter-panel-corner-patch-passenger-right-side-79-84?variant=12738054979650).

I also signed up for local welding instruction course, cause boy am I going to need it!!!!

 

[knuckle47]

@BrownWolf check out the videos from Lone Wolf Works ( @zerotreedelta )He does a very inspiring repair on these doors. I have spent months enjoying his series. Another of my many favorites

 

[zerotreedelta]

Some sheet steel and a body hammer does go a long way...worst case, you do it a couple times and make a few that end up in the scrap pile. I actually found it fun to learn, even if it was slow at times - only way is to just get started.

Looks like a good starting point, should be a pretty nice rig afterward.

 

[BrownWolf]

Some sheet steel and a body hammer does go a long way...worst case, you do it a couple times and make a few that end up in the scrap pile. I actually found it fun to learn, even if it was slow at times - only way is to just get started.

Looks like a good starting point, should be a pretty nice rig afterward.

@zerotreedelta Thanks! It’s all new to me, so I’m enjoying the experience. I have to say I’m impressed by your videos.