Great write up! Loved the TT. Sold me on the color too!
Builds POTM - March, 2014 - Javelina By Pablo Cruise
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PabloCruise
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PabloCruise
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Never Done - Yes! I am feeling that. I had finally gotten her far enough along to take the pictures for the Trails in late August last year. But at the time, I was careful to stage the interior photographs so as not to reveal that there were no interior door panels on the doors! I had the photographer work around that. I was in the process of making new door panels. This was right before Tucker started working with Steve - @a1500ram - at SMS Headliners on our awesome interior panels for the 55 (thanks Tucker and Steve!
) So now I have a set of Steve's panels in the Pig on all 4 doors, I just need to install the cargo panels and the kick panels.Other things still needed to be done:
- Dealer installed AC
- Replace center dash panel with one that has ground wires, CEL and stereo
- Rear bumper w/ receiver for a small pop-up
- Dare I say it? H55F. There I said it. This item is not in danger of being accomplished any time soon
Our Pigs do look pretty darn similar. When you were posting images of your excursions, I noticed you were even running the 60 series wheels which I was on before I went to the 33 ATs. Not sure about Cruise Moab. I may drive the DD over and wheel with friends, in which case it would be great to meet you!
I do like writing up my projects and trying to document the important points for future enthusiasts. Case & Point - my 60 series PS thread for my 40.
FJ60 Power Steering Conversion for FJ40 while keeping air pump
That thing has a lot of pages!
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PabloCruise
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Thank you!
Don't forget, you can always go Panther Pink...
I really did think about it.
PabloCruise
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I was looking through my photos getting ready to post up my next steps and found a few cool photos I should have posted before.
The first pic is from Cruise Moab. Me, my Dad, and my son. 3 generations gathered by the Pig.
Second picture that looked kind of cool to me. I am sure it is just my poor photography skills, but I thought it kind of looked like an old-timey snapshot from film.
3rd picture gives a good sense of how the roof skin was looking before we started the painting process.
The first pic is from Cruise Moab. Me, my Dad, and my son. 3 generations gathered by the Pig.
Second picture that looked kind of cool to me. I am sure it is just my poor photography skills, but I thought it kind of looked like an old-timey snapshot from film.
3rd picture gives a good sense of how the roof skin was looking before we started the painting process.
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Dash Pad
PabloCruise
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Now the paint was starting to flow on the exterior of the Pig - pretty darn cool!
One day I brought my little guy down with me to take a look at the Pig and got this one, which you also see in the Trails:
You can also see how bad the dash pad was in that picture before I got a cover.
One day I brought my little guy down with me to take a look at the Pig and got this one, which you also see in the Trails:
You can also see how bad the dash pad was in that picture before I got a cover.
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Paint
PabloCruise
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We got the exterior of the main body shot first, then onto the removable things like doors and hoods. After that we shot the interior. And when I say "we" I really mean Clarence, the painter. I did anything I could to help and not hinder the process. This guy was a pro and really knew what he was doing, so I just did what he told me to do and stayed out of his way.
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During the painting process did you paint the whole body white and green then clear it? How did you go about dealing with the two different color changes?
Extra Dome Light
PabloCruise
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I ran out of room to show the interior shot, so here it is. The inside looks very nice with a shot of fresh paint in the cargo area that was previously all scratched up.
About this time I had been thinking about an idea I read about in here, the Pig section of MUD. Someone was saying you could add a dome light in the rear by just chopping off a front mount and inserting it into the spine of the roof. I think it was Todd Slater who got me a dome light mount. My Pig came with infamous "broken light switch" mod, so I found a light that had an intact switch. While I was checking out the light switch, I realized the switch was a 3-position switch: on, off, and door (or external switch). So I took the light with the broken switch for the rear, and put on the "door" position and then wired it up so it was slaved to the front dome light switch. That way if I turn on the front light, the rear light comes on. Cool.
Last item for the interior was the addition of some Cruiser Crap sound deadener for the inside of the doors, quarters, and roof panel. I read recently where someone said they were advised against this in case the adhesive fails and the sound deadener separates from the roof. Hmm... I hope this does not happen to me. We cleaned the inside of the roof and then I applied the Cruiser Crap with the little roller provided. It seems to stick well to a clean surface.
About this time I had been thinking about an idea I read about in here, the Pig section of MUD. Someone was saying you could add a dome light in the rear by just chopping off a front mount and inserting it into the spine of the roof. I think it was Todd Slater who got me a dome light mount. My Pig came with infamous "broken light switch" mod, so I found a light that had an intact switch. While I was checking out the light switch, I realized the switch was a 3-position switch: on, off, and door (or external switch). So I took the light with the broken switch for the rear, and put on the "door" position and then wired it up so it was slaved to the front dome light switch. That way if I turn on the front light, the rear light comes on. Cool.
Last item for the interior was the addition of some Cruiser Crap sound deadener for the inside of the doors, quarters, and roof panel. I read recently where someone said they were advised against this in case the adhesive fails and the sound deadener separates from the roof. Hmm... I hope this does not happen to me. We cleaned the inside of the roof and then I applied the Cruiser Crap with the little roller provided. It seems to stick well to a clean surface.
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Tailgate lift mechanism
PabloCruise
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We had some major things left to accomplish. Have you ever thought about painting a line down the side of a vehicle with multiple panels? It would be pretty risky to paint that line while all the panels are off the vehicle. A better way is to put all the panels back on the vehicle, and then start laying out your paint break line. This meant we had to get that tailgate lift mechanism back in. She did not disappoint! She was just as fun going back in as she was coming off. I tried to take some pictures showing how we got it all back together. I think at a certain point the logic failed and dumb luck prevailed.
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Tailgate lift mechanism
PabloCruise
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A few more shots of simply getting the cover for that torsion rod back on. And then the fun would start when we went to secure the hinges to the tailgate.
Like my replacement gaskets to go between the body and hinges? Glad we found a use for some of those gloves...
Like my replacement gaskets to go between the body and hinges? Glad we found a use for some of those gloves...
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PabloCruise
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Ah, I am right there - see my post #90... We put the lines on the body shell and then would put on the doors and tailgate to align them and set our paint break lines.
Tailgate lift mechanism
PabloCruise
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This is where it gets real when you try to fasten the PS hinge to the tailgate. That torsion rod has a mind to help you lift that tailgate. but you have to have the rod and hinge secured to the body first. Thus the guidance in the FSM to use a block of wood to block the hinge more towards the down position so you an start the fasteners. We used the handle of a shop hammer. I replaced the tailgate fasteners.
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Headliner
PabloCruise
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Man, was I glad to have that tailgate behind me. Ha! Get it? Tailgate - behind me? Okay, I thought it was funny.
Another item that felt like a MAJOR step in the Pig process was the installation of a brand new headliner! This was the time to do it, while all the glass is out. I got a headliner from SOR and hired some local talent to install. He does mostly hot rods. Right before this guy installed the headliner in the Pig, a street rod he had done the interior for was published in Hot Rod magazine. I thought I got a picture of the cover, but now I cannot find it. Oh well.
Another item that felt like a MAJOR step in the Pig process was the installation of a brand new headliner! This was the time to do it, while all the glass is out. I got a headliner from SOR and hired some local talent to install. He does mostly hot rods. Right before this guy installed the headliner in the Pig, a street rod he had done the interior for was published in Hot Rod magazine. I thought I got a picture of the cover, but now I cannot find it. Oh well.
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Hinges
PabloCruise
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Shiny hinges before we hang the doors!
I did rebuild the driver door hinges before painting, but I think all the photos for that particular project are on an old work phone, so I will have to find them.
I did rebuild the driver door hinges before painting, but I think all the photos for that particular project are on an old work phone, so I will have to find them.
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PabloCruise
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I brought my son down the day we were putting the doors on and aligning. He was pretty excited to see the Piggy coming along. Some cute pictures...
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Dash Pad
PabloCruise
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Seeing that first picture in the last post reminded me that I got the new windshield installed at that point. This had to occur during the week, and I would only go down on Saturdays. so no pictures of the windshield going in.
Before that happened though, I put a new dash cap on. If memory serves, I got this from an eBay vendor. I ground down the high spots on the original pad first. I did not use any adhesive, the piece fit on perfectly.
Before that happened though, I put a new dash cap on. If memory serves, I got this from an eBay vendor. I ground down the high spots on the original pad first. I did not use any adhesive, the piece fit on perfectly.
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PabloCruise
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That is all for now, time for a break!
Thanks for reading.
Thanks for reading.
New Paint Lines
PabloCruise
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Paint lines all shot - a little wet sand and buff and she is looking good.
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Rain Gutter
PabloCruise
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Some of my photos are a little out of order. I took pictures on a few different cameras, and they name the files differently, and organize differently on the computer. Some of them show "Date Modified" as the actual day I took the image, some have "Date Taken" field left blank 
Anyway, I found these pictures where we sealed up the rain gutter before shooting the roof cap.
Anyway, I found these pictures where we sealed up the rain gutter before shooting the roof cap.
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