Panel Sun-Assy, Cowl 55701 Rust

[FJ731985]

1985
FJ73
Australia

In the midst of a rust tear down which surprisingly has been going pretty good up until now. Things that I thought might become serious are mostly superficial.

However! I have removed my windscreen to investigate rust spots where it meets the cowl/beaver panel/bonnet hinge recess/windscreen wiper panel. She’s a bit rusty, looks like someone had previously siliconed some aluminium flat bar to recreate lip for lower windscreen seal.

Does anyone know somewhere where I can get this panel? I’ve gone to wreckers and unfortunately they are giving me a price for an entire tub and they haven’t been dismantled yet so rust still could be an issue. Have seen some on FB marketplace and have been offered to cut the panel out but upon closer photos there are also rust holes present.

If anyone has any tips or leads I would be very grateful.

 

[sodafeld1]

No fun. Common spot for rust. Not sure if you can get the complete panel , maybe amayama has it for you if you punch in the number. Shipping would be a killer.

But, there are a few amazing complete rust removal and steel replacement on here like 70 hodgepodge and hj75 complete body restoration sometimes with panels sometimes with shaped and fabricated real sheet steel. I find them very humbling, they are real pros, they have rotisseries. Great skills and appears to me customers with very deep pockets.

For me , I would get some sheet steel and cut and weld short pieces at a time which is what I am doing to a troopy, the ute is a different set up at the front. Sheet steel is cheap for what it is and delivered cheap too. I have a small budget.

Where you are ahead to me is that you have some shelter, I have to do it in the open so have to wait in between rainy days. I have fabricated rain gutters from box tube and replaced rust from the front door column with it's three layers. It takes time and patience. I have found rust bullet the most forgiving for application and uv resistance.
Lots of grinding, lots of noise. The biggest job in a resto.

It is the weak spot for rust on 70's. The more you seek the rust, the more you shall find. Not sure the value of a rust free ute front, but a troopy body alone is worth $20k aud if it is rust free. You shall find, that sounds about right for the time.

Sorry can't be more helpful, sometimes if you contact toyota with the part number you may get lucky.

 

[sodafeld1]

whoops sorry short wheel base. Still the same front. Either way, If you look into the threads above, it is highly unlikely to find a 70 series from 1985 rust free. Panels would be costly to ship even if obtainable.

 

[LDRF]

Buying the panel would be the best if you can get it. Put a wanted ad in the Classified section to see what Mudders have to offer.

Fabricating is your other option as @sodafeld1 suggested. Check out Fitzee’s Fabrication on YouTube.

 

[rick_d]

I have only found 55700-60680 and 55700-90K69, which are both left hand drive hard top versions.
The water dams on these will be reversed to a right hand truck and there will be no weatherstrip lip. Time has run out for early SOT (soft top parts).

55700-60C42 is a right hand drive current production SOT hzj71 part and Dave Stedman (japan4x4) or someone else might be able to find it but may need mods to fit.

 

[overpaid slacker]

my bj73 looked very similar to your situation. I ended up cutting out all the bad spots, fabricating and welding in new metal. It turned out very good and likelier more beefy than original.

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Chances are the part you are looking for is discontinued.

You should look for the part from a 1999 - 2004 JDM HZJ74.






Juan

 

[jblueridge]

This?

 

[FJ731985]

This?

Thanks for the advice but no. Later models that did not have the hinged windscreen will likely not work.

 

[FJ731985]

I have sat on this for some time. My 2 options are: 1. buy a Ute tub from the wreckers and either cut out what I need from the cowl or cut underneath the seats somewhere and replace all of the firewall up until the underside of the windscreen. Keeping in mind that I still have lots rust outside of this area as well I’m beginning to look towards option 2.

About a year ago I contacted a few of the Chinese aftermarket factories that sell through alibaba. Unfortunately they were not making the tub shell at the time. They have recently come back to me advising me that they are currently developing the fj/bj73/74. They also advised that they may consider developing the frp top in metal as well.

Possibly looking at the $15,000 mark. However this would mean i would be rust free, the rig would look as new and come fully painted. New tub, doors bonnet and fenders.

Regardless the body is getting stripped down, everything is coming out and getting rebuilt. So my thinking is why not?