Build Pete the Old Prospector

[majdomo]

It's been a while since I've been on the 40 - lots going on with the 60 and other projects, notably learning CW and getting on POTA and changing over my whole ham setup to QRP (I have an Elecraft K2 and a K1 on the way, very exciting!) But took today off to finish out a few projects, namely to finish the garage cleanout and hauling a bunch of bulky items to the recycler, and getting over to Mark's @65swb45 to drop off the roof rack and pick up a donation to the rear tire carrier cause.

It was a good day, but overall kind of a half-win. The earlier spare plate is much thicker and constructed much better, but unfortunately the hinges on the earlier rigs are different than the ones on the 9/71 to 12/74. The plate itself at the mounting point is slightly thinner than the earlier plate, as seen below:

And the earlier plate. Note the missing "divot". Plus, from a little sleuthing on $OR, it looks like the setup is different, with the castle nut on the bottom of the hinge and the body mounted portion of the hinge is female, instead of male like on my 72.

So... without replacing the hinges, it doesn't look like this works. I'm not sure if the mounting points on the body are the same. Presumably yes, but who knows.

However, Mark did point out that I was missing a few bushings from the earlier hinges, so I got after getting some brass bearings from the hardware store and filed them out a little to get them to fit. This was kind of a do, but worth it - zero slop at the hinge. The washer at the top is also an brass thrust bearing.

The last thing was to build some stand-offs for the spare tire carrier. These are grade 8 bolts and locknuts running through some very solid 1" steel spacers. These stupid things were over $5 each, yikes.

At the end of all this, it's much more secure and there's zero wobble where you'd expect it. The only place it seems to wobble is right at the top left corner where it has zero support, and that's an artifact of the thinness of the plate and the lack of reinforcement throughout. I'll just run this for a little bit to see how it goes, but most likely it'll have to either be reinforced or replaced entirely.

 

[pb4ugo]

I think a lot of folks use 2 pieces of square or rectangular tubing as a spacer.

 

[majdomo]

I think a lot of folks use 2 pieces of square or rectangular tubing as a spacer.

That probably distributes the weight better, with this it's all concentrated on those six points. I might get there eventually, I don't think this is the final version of this setup. I might use a chunk of that square tubing to reinforce the current plate. Another metal glue gun project for Mark. Hmm...

 

[majdomo]

Turned 100K miles today! Totally doesn't matter!

Spare tire carrier is not banging around, but it is moving probably more than it should. Have a plan with Mark to get a bumper with a longer bolt to take up the slack, will get that once I pick up the swanky new bump stop extensions he's making

 

[majdomo]

Here we go - new project on the 40, this time replacing the seat upholstery. I started in on the driver's bottom as that seems like it's the worst of it.

Here we go...

Looks like a wire coat hanger replaced the edge wiring. Worked well, but will be using wire from the SOR kit to replace.

And here's the real reason my a$$ sank into the bottom - busted springs. If anyone has some laying around they'd like to get rid of, let me know!

This was used to tie two of the springs together. It also poked me in the sensitive bits through the seat. Not fun on a trail.

All of this is so homespun and worked great for decades. But, replacing with good new foams and covers.

I'm in a real pickle looking for replacement springs - it appears there are some universal versions that could work, but seriously if anyone has some kicking around a box, please send me a note!

 

[majdomo]

Getting further into it today. Found a guy on FB Marketplace who was selling a '74 FJ40, and in one of the shots he had this '68 (???) passenger seat frame. Picked it up this morning after some back and forth, turns out the 40 was sold a few weeks ago but the buyer didn't want this. Not in the best shape, but not the worst.

The original idea was to check if this would fit in the same spot as the passenger side from my rig, and to shamelessly copy Mark's @65swb45 Karma Cruiser sleeper setup. Unfortunately, it seems the tank design / size is slightly smaller in the earlier truck, and the size of the passenger seat bottom reflects that difference, as the front holes were off by about an inch and it didn't quite clear the tank.

I harvested a few springs from the old frame and used those to repair my driver's side seat bottom. I did take out the emissions doodad in the center seat back, and capped off the vents. It's now whooshing when I open the tank, which means I probably need a vented gas cap. Or, more likely, I'll reroute the venting so I don't have to use the emissions thing and just connect them directly to the input to the charcoal canister.

The seat back from the earlier frame DOES fit the later bottom, but the dimensions of the frame are slightly different and the padding continues down lower on the earlier seat back than the later one does. Plus, who knows if the dimensions of the driver's seat is the same between the earlier and later versions, which would complicate returning the '72 kit to SOR and exchanging it for a '68 kit. The end result of all this science is, I'm sticking with what I have, but will figure out a way to take out both the middle and passenger seat backs so that I can build a sleeping platform. Eventually.

Early seat back frame.

I also took some photos while taking things apart. It looks like Mr. T used some nylon burlap as a layer just on top of the springs, then laid some horsehair between that and the seat foam. Also noting that the hog rings go on the outside of the foam, through the burlap and around the frame.

And yes, there are holes for head rests in them. I'm not sure I'll do anything with that, but will take some measurements before putting the covers on for reference later. I understand there may be some Nissan Quest headrests that can fit with a little manipulation.

 

[majdomo]

Making progress - driver's seat bottom done this afternoon. Got absolutely destroyed by mosquitoes, or would have finished probably the driver's seat back as well. However, really happy with how this is turning out. The wrinkles in this are way overstated by the photos - there are a few creases from shipping that will come out with time. You can also see where I had to wire one of the replacement springs into the bottom, as the little tabs broke on that particular spring (it was also the one poking through the old seat cover...)

Also key to the install is the use of weight to compress the springs. I used 2x 20kg and 1x 15kg kettlebells to weigh it down while I tightened the paracord and placed the screws. To punch the holes for the slides, I made sure that the screws were placed first, then just smacked the vinyl with a hammer after placing it on the stud, which punched the hole right through.

Shipping creases - may hit these with a heat gun / hair dryer or just leave it in the sun.

I got some cheap canvas duck fabric to replace that spring insulation between the springs and the new foam, however SOR uses a nice solid foam on the underside of the pad, which seems like it will wear nicely. I just thought it would be no harm to put this layer in between. I also got some hog ring pliers and hog rings from Amazon - I placed the fabric with about 2" of overhang on all sides, folded that over the outside of the frame, and placed the hog rings on either side of each corner through the outside of the pad, pinching through the canvas and foam in the same general placement as the original hog rings. This made it really easy to place the vinyl cover and make sure to line everything up just so.

This is way comfortable just sitting on the ground, and am excited to finish the rest over the course of the week.

 

[RevISK]

https://www.harborfreight.com/electronic-fly-and-insect-swatter-63681.html?hftm_sc=60&hftm_source=google&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=23914512664&campaignid=23914512664&utm_content=194118216941&adsetid=194118216941&product=63681&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23914512664&gbraid=0AAAAADAHb4e8htOgDJLqNhbI7-6Q7t3B1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvNfSBhBiEiwAyaGMCbhiONc9uWgFI1CCKRTFd2UtEZKEmTsfm6ywdz-E54qa_GdV8rJcJhoCI78QAvD_BwE

 

[majdomo]

https://www.harborfreight.com/electronic-fly-and-insect-swatter-63681.html?hftm_sc=60&hftm_source=google&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=23914512664&campaignid=23914512664&utm_content=194118216941&adsetid=194118216941&product=63681&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23914512664&gbraid=0AAAAADAHb4e8htOgDJLqNhbI7-6Q7t3B1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvNfSBhBiEiwAyaGMCbhiONc9uWgFI1CCKRTFd2UtEZKEmTsfm6ywdz-E54qa_GdV8rJcJhoCI78QAvD_BwE

I have one of these kicking around the house! It makes a high-pitched sound that drives my idiot dog nuts, though it is quite satisfying to barbecue a bug on it... I'll just move it to the garage.

 

[RevISK]

I have one of these kicking around the house! It makes a high-pitched sound that drives my idiot dog nuts, though it is quite satisfying to barbecue a bug on it... I'll just move it to the garage.

I have them planted around the garage and back patio. The electric SNAP of a mosquito's death is a unique pleasure in life...

 

[majdomo]

Passenger side bottom tonight. This was a little harder just because it was bigger, but went ok. I had this centered on that post and it still moved a little. Eh.

Here's the canvas placed. Brought things inside today, as the mosquito situation in the garage has somehow gotten worse and it was like 95* in there, killed at least one landed on my shin, f***er.

Kettlebells doing double duty. I ran out of the paracord that came with the kit and ended up using the camo paracord I bought for my POTA kit

Finished.

Also got after the passenger side seat back, this turned out well but I'm a little concerned about the driver's side - the pad is slighty bigger but the cover is even bigger than that, and I'm not sure the actual frame is a whole lot different. Problem for tomorrow.

I decided to keep the patina back and frame, it's the kind of look I'm going for and no extra work prepping and painting and whatever...

Ok. Finishing out upholstery tomorrow and probably reinstalling Thursday, maybe.

 

[majdomo]

Driver's side back and emissions section back done tonight. Had some spring problems with the driver's side back, remedied by harvesting more springs from the long passenger seat that I picked up over the weekend. I feel slightly bad about pulling this apart to fix mine, but this made a big difference in fixing the seat back on my existing.

Harvested springs, and finished repair. My hands feel like I've been assembling IKEA furniture for the last two days.

Tl;dr - I have called SOR four different times about installation questions, and they were absolutely useless on the phone. I had thought about returning this kit and getting one that would fit a larger passenger back, but I was less than confident in their responses as to whether the driver's side was the same between the two and I was not at all going to drive over there and deal with the exchange. So, hopefully answering some questions here to save others having to make a phone call and get frustrated like me.

I will say though that the kit is very nice, and it does seem to fit well. I needn't have worried about the driver's side back, as it fit just fine - it just needs a lot of tension on the cover. It kind of "bows" out from the frame to the pad, and ultimately looks nice.

After farting around with the driver's seat frame, I wasn't going to do the emissions section, but then figured, eh. I used some 3M Super 77 left over from the 2002 project to glue the foam to the frame.

I did have enough piping left over to do this part, but only just, maybe had 4" left so be judicious about using it. Also, the mild steel spring clips that SOR includes to clip the cover in place to the frame need to be bent closed further with some pliers, to give them enough bite to keep from slipping under tension. And when parceling them out to the various backs, be sure to remember the emissions one - I forgot and used too many on one and then had to use them sparingly on the last two seat backs.

Installation tomorrow and hopefully driving to work Friday, we'll see...

 

[Spike Strip]

The Mosquitos are driving me crazy. I've got one hand on a wrench and the other on an electric fly zapper.

 

[majdomo]

Finished. I will fix the small wrinkle on the passenger back, that was an artifact of rushing to finish in the dark being eaten alive by bugs. Son had a field day in the driveway with that bug zapper while I finished up.

Funny enough the old ones were more BarcaLounger and comfy, these are really nice too but just new and slightly less padding. And 100% less nut-poking on the drive in.

Now my dash pad looks shabby. Here we go again…

 

[65swb45]

I spy another convert to the magnetic cup holder.

@HENDOG texted me a pic of the one he wheeled with at GSMTR a few weeks ago.

BTW, the seats are gorgeous! Did you leave the middle back loose like I suggested?

 

[majdomo]

I spy another convert to the magnetic cup holder.

@HENDOG texted me a pic of the one he wheeled with at GSMTR a few weeks ago.

BTW, the seats are gorgeous! Did you leave the middle back loose like I suggested?

The magnetic cup holder is a SHAMELESS copy of yours of course Mine though is just the standard depth pulley, but it works well enough!

Thank you!! I did not leave the middle loose, for now. I need to figure out how to cap off or reroute the vapor recovery and didn't have time last night, so just hooked it all back up like usual. The medium-term plan is to cap off the two just under the vapor recovery thing, and then connect the vent closest to the filler neck directly to the input to the charcoal canister. However those are two different diameter hoses, just need a connector and should be good to go.

But after that - I can take out both sections quickly to convert to a sleeper, assuming there's a platform in the back. I mean, not like in the middle of a monsoon quickly like some people , but fast enough before heading out on a trip.

One other edit - the grommet around the steering column is shot. May need to replace as it is basically a blast furnace aimed straight at my feet.