Builds Pete the Old Prospector (1 Viewer)

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Replaced the seals and got a new to me parking brake drum, both from Mark's Off Road, which solved the leak right quick. Dumped and replaced the rear gear oil, replaced the drain / fill plugs with hex head versions. Had to grind out the drain plug a little, and the oil that came out was, uh, lumpy. No terrible swarf on the magnet, but it was definitely time to replace.

Having some issues with fuel lines - the short line between the filter and pump was just slightly damp, and filling it up with about 10 gallons (most so far) resulted in discovering a leaky vent hose. The short line looked at first like an oil leak or something, but there's nothing around leaking on to the line. I pulled it and swapped it out with a new rubber line that was included in the parts stack from the PO. I am still running the fabric covered line though from the tank, which will get replaced with new parts from Mark. I swapped out the leaky vent hose with some 3/8" ID hose that I had in stock, so that's solved.

Also got my hands on a very small (3.5' x 4') Con-Ferr roof rack. I'm not sure if I like it, but I want to get some gutter mounts and see how it looks up there. It may just end up looking silly, but with a camping trip coming up in June, I'd like to have some extra space just in case.
 
Couple of tech items for today. The doors have had a bad habit of flying wide open since I got it, mainly because the door brakes had torn completely off of the doors who knows how many years ago. In a moment of inspiration (and frustration) last night, I came up with the following to pop into the holes in the door left by the torn bracket. I kept the brackets just in case down the road I want to put them back, but this works a treat for now.

IMG_0877.jpeg


The springs ended up being not necessary, since they caused the bottom bit to be a little too chonky to fit through the hole in the door, and the bolt just sits down on the spacer anyway. But if I ever need to get them out, I can just slide the bolt up and tilt it out. The bottom nut is a stover nut so it won't come undone. I also recycled some rubber bumpers from a set of sway bar ends from my BMW project as the end bumpers for my door stops. Took all of about 30 minutes but damn if I hadn't been trying to figure this out off and on for a year.

Nothing really more to report. Small oil leak from the side cover, I'll probably have to get that soon. Also, the gasket on the oil fill cap on the '68 fill pipe was bad, so I recycled the gasket from my old 62 gas cap, added that to the fossilized one already on the cap, and really cranked it down. That should clear up one other tiny leak that was making its way onto my gas line.

What else... went to look at an 80 today, locally. Was terrible.. am ready to just give up and get a 60.
 
Installed pic needed.😉
 
Installed pic needed.😉

All too happy to oblige! Passenger side. Bolt had to be long enough to get above the top of the hole when sitting on the spacer.

IMG_0878.jpeg


Driver's side. Note bumper from BMW sway bar end.

IMG_0879.jpeg
 
IMO, that’s one strong gust away from an even bigger hole.😱

Thirty years ago I welded three plate washers together, two at a right angle to the third, filed them down and welded them into the door of the karma cruiser for the PO. They’re still there.😉
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IMO, that’s one strong gust away from an even bigger hole.😱

Thirty years ago I welded three plate washers together, two at a right angle to the third, filed them down and welded them into the door of the karma cruiser for the PO. They’re still there.😉
Yeah, I thought about that. The metal there is fairly thin. I can make it a temporary solution until we have a chance to meet up and have you glue some metal?
 
Yeah, I thought about that. The metal there is fairly thin. I can make it a temporary solution until we have a chance to meet up and have you glue some metal?
When Tony first brought the karma cruiser to me, someone had taken a small piece of a leather belt and attached it to the A pillar and the inside face of the door with sheetmetal screws. :hillbilly: , but it worked.
 
Couple of tech items for today. The doors have had a bad habit of flying wide open since I got it, mainly because the door brakes had torn completely off of the doors who knows how many years ago. In a moment of inspiration (and frustration) last night, I came up with the following to pop into the holes in the door left by the torn bracket. I kept the brackets just in case down the road I want to put them back, but this works a treat for now.

View attachment 3915118

The springs ended up being not necessary, since they caused the bottom bit to be a little too chonky to fit through the hole in the door, and the bolt just sits down on the spacer anyway. But if I ever need to get them out, I can just slide the bolt up and tilt it out. The bottom nut is a stover nut so it won't come undone. I also recycled some rubber bumpers from a set of sway bar ends from my BMW project as the end bumpers for my door stops. Took all of about 30 minutes but damn if I hadn't been trying to figure this out off and on for a year.

Nothing really more to report. Small oil leak from the side cover, I'll probably have to get that soon. Also, the gasket on the oil fill cap on the '68 fill pipe was bad, so I recycled the gasket from my old 62 gas cap, added that to the fossilized one already on the cap, and really cranked it down. That should clear up one other tiny leak that was making its way onto my gas line.

What else... went to look at an 80 today, locally. Was terrible.. am ready to just give up and get a 60.
Where I work there is no shortage of broken sway bar links. So I did what you did and grabbed a couple of bushings from a set getting replaced anyway and use those as door stops, limiting bushings
 
Where I work there is no shortage of broken sway bar links. So I did what you did and grabbed a couple of bushings from a set getting replaced anyway and use those as door stops, limiting bushings
Upper shock bushings from 55/60/62 work pretty good too.😉
 
When Tony first brought the karma cruiser to me, someone had taken a small piece of a leather belt and attached it to the A pillar and the inside face of the door with sheetmetal screws. :hillbilly: , but it worked.
I still like my hack, but it's going to bend the inside of the sheet metal making it tougher to do the welding bit and eventually, yeah, it'll tear. I am constantly reminding Charlie to be careful with the door. I also still have the brackets to glue back in, but it'd probably break again.
Where I work there is no shortage of broken sway bar links. So I did what you did and grabbed a couple of bushings from a set getting replaced anyway and use those as door stops, limiting bushings
I was sorta surprise I remembered I had mine. I did the suspension project on the BMW in 2020/21 and they were sitting at the bottom of a parts box that I always look at (it's on the bench) but never look through (the 02 is done-ish).
 
I still like my hack, but it's going to bend the inside of the sheet metal making it tougher to do the welding bit and eventually, yeah, it'll tear. I am constantly reminding Charlie to be careful with the door. I also still have the brackets to glue back in, but it'd probably break again..
That’s what the electric glue gun is for.😉
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That’s what the electric glue gun is for.😉
View attachment 3915482
I gotta get me one'a those!

No, literally.. I was looking at welding classes at GCC or the like. Have to prioritize it, like anything else worth doing.

Story time - my old neighbor was a welder by trade, spent a 30+ year career working for Chevron down in El Segundo. In good karma he gave me his metal workbench / vise, camping gear, and a bunch of tools and spare parts before they moved. My tent stakes are stored in an old welding rod container that he gave me. Anyway, he also gave me all of his old textbooks and welding charts, and said that I'd need them someday, just told me to not blow up the house. As much as anyone, he was responsible for getting me (back) into working on cars and Charlie into working on everything. We miss them a lot.

Funny how that works.
 
I still like my hack, but it's going to bend the inside of the sheet metal making it tougher to do the welding bit and eventually, yeah, it'll tear. I am constantly reminding Charlie to be careful with the door. I also still have the brackets to glue back in, but it'd probably break again.

I was sorta surprise I remembered I had mine. I did the suspension project on the BMW in 2020/21 and they were sitting at the bottom of a parts box that I always look at (it's on the bench) but never look through (the 02 is done-ish).
Spector sells repair patches for those limiters for $50 each. Makes repair easier than trying to graft the old tabs back into thin metal that is already fatigued and gives a much larger surface area for attachment.....I get the "done is better than perfect" principle, but just brining to your attention if you weren't aware these existed.

BuyQuantityPart NumberDescriptionPriceIn Stock
Click for Zoom​
Add to Cart124-14-BRKTDoor Stop Limiter Repair Bracket
Fits 1963-1974 FJ40/45/BJ - Can be used on right or left door. Sold each.
Club Price with 15% Discount is $42.5 Click here for info about joining Club SOR
Prop 65 Caution WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm — www.p65warnings.ca.gov
$50.00


 
Spector sells repair patches for those limiters for $50 each. Makes repair easier than trying to graft the old tabs back into thin metal that is already fatigued and gives a much larger surface area for attachment.....I get the "done is better than perfect" principle, but just brining to your attention if you weren't aware these existed.

BuyQuantityPart NumberDescriptionPriceIn Stock
Click for Zoom​
Add to Cart124-14-BRKTDoor Stop Limiter Repair Bracket
Fits 1963-1974 FJ40/45/BJ - Can be used on right or left door. Sold each.
Club Price with 15% Discount is $42.5 Click here for info about joining Club SOR
Prop 65 Caution WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm — www.p65warnings.ca.gov
$50.00


Thanks - I hadn't seen these. I was going for the "don't mess up the door patina" angle but it may not be possible. The metal in that spot is rusty and thin, so getting to good metal would basically take out the whole area that this patch covers.
 

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