- Thread starter
- #61
I am considering leaving that roo bar off. It will be the last thing I put back on if I do. I'll clean it up and see how it looks shortened and pulled back 7".
Oregano Crewpy
- Thread starter RPskater
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #62
After having to go to China for a week, I finally was back to put in a few hours on my rig this afternoon. I am looking forward to the time change tomorrow as well. That means more light to work with after work. Still patching rust here and there. I was able to start creating a lift gate header out of 2 pieces. The piece that was straight and little rust was made for ambulance doors what the blue header was made for a lift gate. The problem with the blue one is that the ends are rusted out, all of the roof mounting holes have rust bolts snapped of in them and all dented up where the PO was unable to remove it from the top without mangling the sheet metal.
I wound up cutting the blue one up to get the floating screw mounts for the lift gate hinges and cutting rectangular holes to mount the hinges.
I wound up cutting the blue one up to get the floating screw mounts for the lift gate hinges and cutting rectangular holes to mount the hinges.
- Thread starter
- #63
For me, there is always a judgement call on whether I should fix something or replace it. I have a front left fender that was pushed in along with the Roo Bar. I felt that my body work is not that great especially if it involves curved surfaces. Instead of beating the fender back into shape, I was able to purchase an old fender (just and rusty but straight) for $50 if I dismantled it. I took a long lunch drove up to Oakland (45 min) disassembled the fender (25 min) and returned back to work unnoticed (45 min).
- Thread starter
- #64
More rust repair. I hope I am not boring too many people with all of these little posts where only a little is done each time. Perhaps it would be better to wait and post larger blocks of effort. I think I may start doing that.
This is coming along real nicely....
I too am about to embark upon my first body panel and rust repair work...donor metal just waiting for me to get the courage.
I too am about to embark upon my first body panel and rust repair work...donor metal just waiting for me to get the courage.
- Thread starter
- #66
I am almost finished with the rust repair. Yay! for now, I only see 1 more spot. This weekend I patched all of the wholes drilled in the tub and Hurculined it. A good water seal is what this tub needs! I'll eventually do the underside as well.
- Thread starter
- #67
This is the last of the body rust repair I will show... I promise 
- Thread starter
- #68
Well, I am in the middle of it now. Taking off fenders and panels to sand down, prime and paint. Of course, every time I take a body panel off I find 10 more things I could do. I can't wait for the weekend where I could work during the day instead of at night. My poor wife, last week I signed up for the Netflicks downloads so now she can watch all of the BBC type of movies she likes. THis has freed me up to work on the rig in the evenings after work
My friend Marty brought his Landrover to work today. We like to talk "shop" at work on our projects. He is more experienced than I am so I get to glean a lot of good ideas off of him.
My friend Marty brought his Landrover to work today. We like to talk "shop" at work on our projects. He is more experienced than I am so I get to glean a lot of good ideas off of him.
- Thread starter
- #69
I had a full day working on the rig. I was happy to put in the hours but bummed to see all of the unforeseen rust under the windshield. I should have suspected it when there was a ton of silicone around the whole window frame.
- Thread starter
- #70
I had to patch both the windshield frame and the base that the windshield sits upon. I had other plans for today but this took priority. Hopefully I am done with rust repair. I am so over it.
After looking at the amount of FeO Cancer repairs, you have definitely earned an honorary PhD in Cruiser Oncology from the University of iH8Mud. The color looks great Ron.
Steve
Steve
- Thread starter
- #72
Thanks Steve. I have been re-assembling the body parts this week which is the funnest part so far!
- Thread starter
- #73
Started assembling the sides and rear lift gate. It is starting to take shape!
- Thread starter
- #74
I painted the hood today. Rain clouds are hanging around ready to let loose any time so I placed the roof temporally to keep the water out.
shipmag
Hagler Technology LLC. Aka Shipmag
Enjoyed reading your thread. You are way further along than I am. Post when ever you have the time. Pictures of your progress and the tools you use help others learn from tour experience. Thats what makes this forum so great. Keep up the good work. Your welds look great what are you welding with and what settings? What are you using to grind down the welds and make the cuts in the rusted parts? Just suggestions from a reader.
Shipmag
Shipmag
- Thread starter
- #76
Shipmag,
I have a hand grinder where I use a cutting wheel from Home Depot to make all my cuts, then after welding, I use a grinding wheel and after the grinding wheel, I will use a sanding pad that goes on the hand grinder. It creates a smoother finish than just the grinder. Of course I do the bond over the welds. I am by no stretch of the imagination doing body repair at the level of a body shop. If you look close enough with the light in the right direction, you can see where some patches are. That is another reason I am painting a satin finish rather than gloss.
When I weld, I use a Miller 185 (220V) MIG welder. I have the welder from when a buddy and I were running an outreach ministry where we used to make mobile skateparks out of steel and hydraulics. We would set up a park in 30 minutes and the parking lot would fill up with kids and then we would share Christ with them and His love for them. We used that welder a lot. check out this 2 minute video (download) of a vert ramp I made. www.pony-people.com/vertrider.wmv This was all a side hobby (or a failed business venture).
Anyway, the setting I use on it is 1 (the lowest) and just do a lot of single spots until the whole seam is welded.
I have a hand grinder where I use a cutting wheel from Home Depot to make all my cuts, then after welding, I use a grinding wheel and after the grinding wheel, I will use a sanding pad that goes on the hand grinder. It creates a smoother finish than just the grinder. Of course I do the bond over the welds. I am by no stretch of the imagination doing body repair at the level of a body shop. If you look close enough with the light in the right direction, you can see where some patches are. That is another reason I am painting a satin finish rather than gloss.
When I weld, I use a Miller 185 (220V) MIG welder. I have the welder from when a buddy and I were running an outreach ministry where we used to make mobile skateparks out of steel and hydraulics. We would set up a park in 30 minutes and the parking lot would fill up with kids and then we would share Christ with them and His love for them. We used that welder a lot. check out this 2 minute video (download) of a vert ramp I made. www.pony-people.com/vertrider.wmv This was all a side hobby (or a failed business venture).
Anyway, the setting I use on it is 1 (the lowest) and just do a lot of single spots until the whole seam is welded.
Vae Victus
Posting more than I know
Ron, Inspiring build. Great looking truck. Great work on the body.
At what point does one say "the heck with it" and buy a newly made replacement body panel/tub, etc from the vendors that seem to have good ones? I too plan to weld, but see that I will get really tired of it, and be OCD about it such that seeing rust on the inner panel behind the exterior panel will drive me mad.
Also - Tell me about the export/import process - I have a sister that's just relocated to AU and she says the place is littered with FJXXs. Have a friend with a Brazillian business as well, which has LHD versions too. In Brazil, they are a bit pricey right now, so that may not be a good prospect beyond finding a single unique vehicle for personal consumption (as opposed to importing for resale).
Bought my first FJ40 5 days ago. I wish I could work on the body, but I have to basically replace everything else first.
Keep it up. Post pics of every weld - show us the tools, the exact grit of buffing wheels, which grinding wheels, type of wire you are using in the MIG, clamps that are life savers (I've seen some on MUD that I've never laid eyes on before). Everyone shows the semi- and finished weld, but not enough on the tools and the process (which is the hardest to learn).
Thanks for your postings!
VV (Scott)
At what point does one say "the heck with it" and buy a newly made replacement body panel/tub, etc from the vendors that seem to have good ones? I too plan to weld, but see that I will get really tired of it, and be OCD about it such that seeing rust on the inner panel behind the exterior panel will drive me mad.
Also - Tell me about the export/import process - I have a sister that's just relocated to AU and she says the place is littered with FJXXs. Have a friend with a Brazillian business as well, which has LHD versions too. In Brazil, they are a bit pricey right now, so that may not be a good prospect beyond finding a single unique vehicle for personal consumption (as opposed to importing for resale).
Bought my first FJ40 5 days ago. I wish I could work on the body, but I have to basically replace everything else first.
Keep it up. Post pics of every weld - show us the tools, the exact grit of buffing wheels, which grinding wheels, type of wire you are using in the MIG, clamps that are life savers (I've seen some on MUD that I've never laid eyes on before). Everyone shows the semi- and finished weld, but not enough on the tools and the process (which is the hardest to learn).
Thanks for your postings!
VV (Scott)
- Thread starter
- #78
Scott,
That is a struggle I del with all of the time. When is the repair too much effort and when do you just buy another panel. I have only replaced 1 fender which I still had to repair. The fender was hit and required quite a bit of pulling the sheet out for me to do. I am a very frugal (cheep) so I am driven to do as much as I can. When I first started the project, I started taking the rig apart and found myself scatterbrained. Then I took a step back and decided to go from the rear bumper forward. This worked for me much better. I purchased barn doors which I had to repair, patched holes in the back area (now the truck bed and got it to a point where I was able to bedline it (roll on). Then I start the from the back and moved forward with the body panels. I found it encouraging having some sort of spot that was done I could look at when I felt the project was growing beyond what I wanted to spend (time wise). Another goal that helped me was that every single day I was around (not on business travel) I committed myself to do something even if it was only 15 minutes of sanding, painting or welding or ordering some sort of hardware. I mentally could not afford to sit idle. As long as I know I did something, I felt like I was in control of the project.
That is a struggle I del with all of the time. When is the repair too much effort and when do you just buy another panel. I have only replaced 1 fender which I still had to repair. The fender was hit and required quite a bit of pulling the sheet out for me to do. I am a very frugal (cheep) so I am driven to do as much as I can. When I first started the project, I started taking the rig apart and found myself scatterbrained. Then I took a step back and decided to go from the rear bumper forward. This worked for me much better. I purchased barn doors which I had to repair, patched holes in the back area (now the truck bed and got it to a point where I was able to bedline it (roll on). Then I start the from the back and moved forward with the body panels. I found it encouraging having some sort of spot that was done I could look at when I felt the project was growing beyond what I wanted to spend (time wise). Another goal that helped me was that every single day I was around (not on business travel) I committed myself to do something even if it was only 15 minutes of sanding, painting or welding or ordering some sort of hardware. I mentally could not afford to sit idle. As long as I know I did something, I felt like I was in control of the project.
- Thread starter
- #79
I took it easy today being that is was Easter. I enjoyed having family over as we all celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. Having spent many hours (hundreds) researching the secular historical evidence of the resurrection, I have an appreciation for this day. I did however stop by the hardware store today and picked up the closest fitting bushing I have been able to find in the last week. It did not fit but I was able to make a cut in the nylon bushing for it ti fit. If anyone has a better suggestion, I am definitely open. Otherwise I believe this solution will work for at least 5 years. These are for the hood.
- Thread starter
- #80
Scott,
One more thing, I got my Troopy through http://www.aus2usa.com/buy.html
They delivered what they said they would. I found a lot more rust than I had expected but to their credit it was under a lot of bond. I am happy with where I am at on this build so far but am ready to start driving it. Summer is coming and I want to start living life again with my family.
One more thing, I got my Troopy through http://www.aus2usa.com/buy.html
They delivered what they said they would. I found a lot more rust than I had expected but to their credit it was under a lot of bond. I am happy with where I am at on this build so far but am ready to start driving it. Summer is coming and I want to start living life again with my family.