Nut & Bolt Frame-Off 1978 FJ40 Restoration

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Blasted my correct 1978 air cleaner assembly this morning, and dropped it off at the powdercoater.
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Rear heater assembly and installation.

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Seats are done; well, just about...still have a few pieces of hardware to install.


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Headrests?
 
None
 
I have seats!!

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Finally got my air cleaner (the correct one) back from powdercoating and assembled.
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New filter.
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She's on. Everything PC'd and cad plated. Also added the hard to find rubber intake hose from CityRacer.

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New OE hardware
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Jumpseats!

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Finished tire carrier install.
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Also installed ashtray. (Note: those are not bubbles in the paint, just a spot that has not been wetsanded yet.)
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Your craftsmanship and attention to detail are top-shelf! Someone is going to get a beautiful LC for their collection and enjoyment. :cheers:
 
Did a red neck leakdown test yesterday and found 2 hairline cracks. I filled the core with water, put a bung in one end, and shot about 40psi into the other. Looks like it was damaged in the return trip from the platers. Luckily, I remembered I had some silver solder and some liquid flux. I tried repairing them, and it looks like it worked. I went out this morning, and everything is as dry as a bone.

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Finally found me a radio delete plate.
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Power!

Still not ready to fire up the engine, but this was a major step toward wards driving it. I'll hopefully get this thing on the road sometime this week.

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Has been a VERY unproductive day.

First: Figured out my wiper switch was shot. Only one speed worked, and the spray position was faulty as well. Decided to buy a new one, only to realize they are over $100 each. So, I decided to take mine apart and figure out what was going on with it. I started by cleaning all the contact points, and then sanded each contact with 2000 grit sand paper. I then dabbed each contact with dielectric grease. I'm pleased to say it works perfectly now.

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Next, I noticed that my reverse lights were constantly on. Surely my reverse switch is still good, right? Surely I would have checked that before putting the whole damn car together, right?! No!

For those that don't know the reverse switch is on top of the transmission. Of course the transmission is underneath the transmission hump (which is underneath the floormat (which had to be removed firstly) and the transmission hump is held on with M6 bolts, and those bolts are covered up by the gas tank and the rear heater hoses, which have to be removed. Of course to remove the rear heater hoses, you have to take apart the brackets that hold them down. Let us not forget that the gas tank is attached to a series of hoses, and the whole thing is covered by the gas tank shroud, which of course is held on by more bolts, which is also attached to the fuel sender wires, which have to be removed. Of course to get to the shroud the seat brackets have to be removed, and oh yeah, the seats too. so yeah, basically I had to remove the entire interior to get the hump out-of-the-way to access the reverse switch.

Fun.

The best part, is that it appears one of the POs decided to solder both wires from the switch together, making the reverse lights constantly in the on position. After some cursing, and some handiwork with the soldering iron and some marine grade heat shrink, I got the switch working again and re-installed onto the transmission. Woo hoo! Now I have reverse lights!

I then went through all the above in the reverse order to get my interior back in.

Oh, also found out the motor to the wiper fluid sprayer is shot, and will need to be replaced at the tune of $50.
 
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Another fun, and money-costing fact: appears my turn signal relay is also shot. Another $40 down the s***ter.
 

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