These will rust soon.. 
Ehsan
Ehsan
My piggy restoration...going slow...
- Thread starter CandyPants
- Start date
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Ehsan did you make these patches out of heavier gauge steel?, the patches you sent fit perfectly but they seem stronger/thicker than the original sheetmetal on my 78........ did you copy sheetmetal off of an earlier pig?; can anyone with more experience than myself please comment on ealier pig sheet metal being stronger/thicker.........the newer pigs seem to rot away a lot faster than the early ones!
Lou
Lou
This was 18G if I remember correctly.
Ehsan
- Thread starter
- #84
OK, quit hijacking my thread!
Some progress today...cut off the passenger side rocker. It was a mess. More crap fell out of there than I thought possible. I also cut out the ridge that the moulding goes on...as well as about 2 inches of floorboard and sill along it that was rusty. Now I am at the body mount, which thankfully is solid. There is a hole in it, but I think I can Por it and weld on a patch.
Now for the question. The floorboard is tacked to the body mount. How in the heck do I free the floorboard section from the body mount. It's cut all the way around and will be free once I get it detached from the body mount. Any advice from the experts?
Some progress today...cut off the passenger side rocker. It was a mess. More crap fell out of there than I thought possible. I also cut out the ridge that the moulding goes on...as well as about 2 inches of floorboard and sill along it that was rusty. Now I am at the body mount, which thankfully is solid. There is a hole in it, but I think I can Por it and weld on a patch.
Now for the question. The floorboard is tacked to the body mount. How in the heck do I free the floorboard section from the body mount. It's cut all the way around and will be free once I get it detached from the body mount. Any advice from the experts?
Southeast Overland
Get lost! Go explore!
Heather - if you are talking about the body mount adjacent to your A-pillar I think I remember mine being tack welded also. IIRC I cut out all the metal I could around the tack welds and then ground the tack welds off.
Could you not just drill out the spotwelds? If so what I did was sand the area where the spot welds are. Makes it a heck of a lot easier to see them as the spot welds will usually still have paint on them where they have sunk down. Then use a drill bit and drill them out.
oops. sorry, just was wondering about thickness of repair panels and was wondering if there was a difference that might be of benefit in different metal thicknesses as these areas are one of the acchuiles heels in our pigs Oops, did not mean to highjack Lou
Southeast Overland
Get lost! Go explore!
I was thinking along the lines of the floorboard being cut out and replaced but if you want to salvage the floor where it comes into contact with the body mount then Marshall's method of drilling the spot welds is best.
- Thread starter
- #89
Yeah, those buggers are hard t find once you've chopped everything to hell. I think on the other side I'll do the sanding and spot weld finding part first.
Nope, not trying to save the floor...just trying to get the old one out.
But I do think that drilling the welds first might work well. I'll give it a shot. Thanks to both of you!
By the way, I hate this truck right now. Tomorrow is another day though and I am sure I'll be back in love in no time.
Apologies .
Ehsan
Southeast Overland
Get lost! Go explore!
If you don't want to save your current floor just cut out what you can around the spot welds then grind off what's left. I did that and it worked just fine. Keep it simple!
How is the build going? Have you started on the rockers yet?
- Thread starter
- #93
Thanks for the prompt earthcruiser. I do need to update this thread.
So a few things have happened. I got the rockers from Lance and cut out the old rockers. What a mess. The new ones look great, but will need some fine tuning on the install. Nothing major, but I do suggest that you leave the front fenders on when you install the rockers so you get the curve in the right place and lined up right.
Also I have all the glass out, doors off, floorboards chopped out, internal rockers PORed, and it's ready for more welding. I have also been cleaning, blasting, and painting internal parts and pieces. I am taking the door inserts, cargo area panels, and seats to the upholsterer either this week or next week.
I am still waiting for the carb from Jim C, but have all the other parts for the fuel system sourced. I have also cleaned, painted, and rebuilt the heaters (well, still waiting for a rear heater blower motor, but almost there).
As I posted above the Alcans are in, as well as all the other suspension parts. So I am all set there. I also bought 285/75/R16 TrXus MT's for the piggy's new shoes and am having them installed on factory wheels (which I got from Toyota).
Soooo...I am down to fixing rust and welding in the floorboards. In a great effort to get the piggy done in time for the Upstate Cruiser's Pumpkin Pig Run at the end of October, fellow pigsters DanKunz (my brother, former owner of FJBen's rolled pig) and eventhough came over to help with the rocker install. But we didn't get all the welding done.
However there has been a BIG monkey wrench thrown into the plan. A good monkey wrench, but still. I found out a few weeks ago that I am pregnant. YEAH!!!! But BOOOO because I can't sand the piggy, or paint the piggy, or get into any chemicals at all. So all of the next step either has to go on hold until I am done cooking this kid or I start outsourcing.
So...I am packing the piggy up and sending it to a local fab shop for them to finish up. I kinda hate to do it cause I feel like in a way I am failing in my effort to be a DIY...but then again, if you were puking every morning for weeks, your interest in working in a hot garage would probably wain too.
So there's the update. I'll post pics soon. Of the pig, not the kid.
So a few things have happened. I got the rockers from Lance and cut out the old rockers. What a mess. The new ones look great, but will need some fine tuning on the install. Nothing major, but I do suggest that you leave the front fenders on when you install the rockers so you get the curve in the right place and lined up right.
Also I have all the glass out, doors off, floorboards chopped out, internal rockers PORed, and it's ready for more welding. I have also been cleaning, blasting, and painting internal parts and pieces. I am taking the door inserts, cargo area panels, and seats to the upholsterer either this week or next week.
I am still waiting for the carb from Jim C, but have all the other parts for the fuel system sourced. I have also cleaned, painted, and rebuilt the heaters (well, still waiting for a rear heater blower motor, but almost there).
As I posted above the Alcans are in, as well as all the other suspension parts. So I am all set there. I also bought 285/75/R16 TrXus MT's for the piggy's new shoes and am having them installed on factory wheels (which I got from Toyota).
Soooo...I am down to fixing rust and welding in the floorboards. In a great effort to get the piggy done in time for the Upstate Cruiser's Pumpkin Pig Run at the end of October, fellow pigsters DanKunz (my brother, former owner of FJBen's rolled pig) and eventhough came over to help with the rocker install. But we didn't get all the welding done.
However there has been a BIG monkey wrench thrown into the plan. A good monkey wrench, but still. I found out a few weeks ago that I am pregnant. YEAH!!!! But BOOOO because I can't sand the piggy, or paint the piggy, or get into any chemicals at all. So all of the next step either has to go on hold until I am done cooking this kid or I start outsourcing.
So...I am packing the piggy up and sending it to a local fab shop for them to finish up. I kinda hate to do it cause I feel like in a way I am failing in my effort to be a DIY...but then again, if you were puking every morning for weeks, your interest in working in a hot garage would probably wain too.
So there's the update. I'll post pics soon. Of the pig, not the kid.
how did you find time to get pregnant with a piggy in the garage??? j/k congratulations, we just had our baby and my piggy is in the garage untouched for atleast 5 months (baby is 2 mos now).
I am getting ready to outsource all the rust repair as well, kids take way more attention than I thought they would.
I am getting ready to outsource all the rust repair as well, kids take way more attention than I thought they would.
Glad to here your still plugging away at the 55.
My pig is Orange now....I will be posting some pics on my thread "I want to see your Pig".
I should have it all put back together by Fri.
My pig is Orange now....I will be posting some pics on my thread "I want to see your Pig".
I should have it all put back together by Fri.
- Thread starter
- #97
Thanks y'all! The kid was not planned but is very welcome! That is what you get when you go on vacation and get away from the house (now you know how I had time...).
Roy, if you are still kicking around Knuckle Busters, you'll see my piggy sooner rather than later. I am going to try to have it up there this week.
).Roy, if you are still kicking around Knuckle Busters, you'll see my piggy sooner rather than later. I am going to try to have it up there this week.
BTW...congrats on the bun in the oven....I hope to have a kid someday....just waiting for my wife to get on board with the idea. Oooooh! But wait that will mean less time for cruiser's......hmmmmGlad to here your still plugging away at the 55.
My pig is Orange now....I will be posting some pics on my thread "I want to see your Pig".
I should have it all put back together by Fri.
!
Southeast Overland
Get lost! Go explore!
What do you mean "fine tuning" on the rocker install?!? My welds can't get much uglier! 
Oh - and congrads again!
Oh - and congrads again!
Congrat's on the kid. Make sure you show them how to change the oil on the pig early. Mine is 11 and knows how to do all the maintenance. He is learning about rebuilding the engine now. 
