Olive 40 gets some therapy

[natickdave]

Time to start a thread on this well-known but un-seen truck...to remind you, this is what it looks like:

It is pretty close to being as sweet as it looks...or as you want it to look...it certainly has fantastic running gear and toys and interior. But it came with some projects, just like every other cruiser does.

Most were pretty low-key, some were less so. Rrepositioning and reattaching parts, adjusting the cowl on the frame, replacing hardware, seat work, bench seat install, new pass side door latch assy, tuffy lock assy, mirror resto, etc etc. I still had a lot of other projects, but things were looking and driving real fine.

But of course there was the body, which I had sized up as "doable" when I bought the truck. We'll see. Pics below

 

[natickdave]

So obviously I got impulisive and just started into the driver's side behind the tire carrier where it would not be too ugly. I quickly learned that when you see something like what is in the pictures above, it means that all kinds of scariness might be living underneath. With the help of Randall's nifty cutoff tool and a couple of grinders and wheels, I discovered severly cancerous steel and disgusting necrotic bondo. Time for chisels and the auger, then back to the power tools

This truck had been hit with the pancake makeup years ago, then had rotted, then had been very superficially redone by the PO. The rot is at the contact points, so under it are the various tub supports and lips. Thus there are two layers where you have to look for solid steel. It started shaping up after I got aggressive. I hit the inner braces with some converter

 

[natickdave]

The view up into the rear from underneath really tells the whole story. Rust was worst right at the seams.

I cut out a few patches to get an idea of what the welding was going to be like. The curves aren't quite right, but the pieces fit well and I do believe this will work.

Good thing I am taking off some time at christmas, I am going to need it.

Dave
------------------------------
Perpetual Newbie
1980 FJ40LV

 

[peepers]

dave.... that is so sad to see. did brad ever say how much he had into it with the body work? supposedly the rot, either all or most of it was cut out and replaced. i am VERY curious as to whether or not this appears to have actually been done - what do you think?

 

[natickdave]

I have seen zero evidence of any cut-out-and-replace repairs having been done. I see lots of evidence of lots of bondo over poor steel which just got more poor as the truck sat uncovered. I sure hope Brad did not pay for proper repair and then got this.

 

[Spud]

Yep...It's a Cruiser! Not half bad though. It could be a lot worse.

Make it better and enjoy.

 

[fogblanket]

Dave that really isn't too bad. below is what i had to deal with. my new floors were made by the heritage people there parts used to be distributed by $OR but i think now CCOT is the sole distributor. anyway they use a very nice zince steel that is really nice and easy to weld. i welded my floors in pretty easily. toughest part was cutting out waht was left of the old floors. I would seriously consider replacing the whole rear quarter with onne of the heritage fj40 rear quart panels, http://www.heritagesheetmetal.com/ bad metal tends to be deeper than you think or can ever see.

 

[peepers]

I have seen zero evidence of any cut-out-and-replace repairs having been done. I see lots of evidence of lots of bondo over poor steel which just got more poor as the truck sat uncovered. I sure hope Brad did not pay for proper repair and then got this.

i wonder if brad knows this...

 

[JJS]

That's still a damn nice 40.

 

[cruiserland]

is that the truck spencer repainted?
looking good dave

 

[peepers]

is that the truck spencer repainted?

yes

 

[zebrabeefj40]

Dave,

Glad to see you're going about the repairs in the right method. The result might have a few waves but I'll take that and solid over what you're starting with any day. FWIW Bud at Budbuilt has/had some more quarters made up in my design. Before you invest too much time you might consider a complete reskin of the quarters at least. Keep up the good work.

Nick

 

[40Flipper]

Dave- this might sound bad but I'm very happy that I bought your 40 instead of this one. Let me know if you need any help. Always wanted to learn welding/ bodywork. Happy to help!

 

[peepers]

this was supposed to have already been done to this truck. i talked to brad and he was shocked when i told her there was a lot of bondo etc. i feel bad for the guy. he paid a lot for rust removal and repaint.

 

[40Flipper]

Did Brad know the guy who did the "work"??

 

[peepers]

yes. i am happy to talk about it on PM or email.

 

[40Flipper]

None of my business anyway. Scratch my last post.

 

[natickdave]

I may have been a little flippant before...please know that I am not trying to cast aspersions or even doubts about the work that Brad had done, because I don't know exactly what was done (or supposed to be done) and where. Perhaps the bad spots now are not the spots that he had worked on. All I can say is that I have found no evidence of anything but bondo in the areas I have touched (d.s. qp and d.s. fender) and the fenders were definitely worked on since Bill owned it. Brad might have gotten proper repairs somewhere else.

Thanks for the other supportive words. Yep, I know it could be a lot worse and I am enjoying trying to do it right. No doubt it will be "wavy", but that is fine as I expect to get a few dings along the way. I do think that new qp's would be a good move, but I don't think it is necessary and I know that it is a lot more expensive. That said, I will ping Bud.

And John, what you said doesn't sound bad at all. I am glad you bought my truck, too. That is why the deal went down, right? I have two more spots to get prepped, then welding will commence in the next couple of weeks. Wipe the paint off and come on over...


Dave
------------------------------
Perpetual Newbie
1980 FJ40LV

 

[peepers]

no worries, i dont take anything the wrong way, you should know that by now

 

[SouthBostonFJ40]

I went and looked at that truck the day before you bought it. Too much rust for me, but you're doing it right. One thing I really liked was how the front cage supports turn into the firewall just below the dash. Where is it from?