Preserving Miss Kitty, circa 1964 (6 Viewers)

[oregon fj]

Ok, I'll box them up and bring 'em down.

Don’t get your hopes up.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Coral seat covers from SOR. Got a flap for the windshield vent too. Holes were perfect.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Sun visors weren't standard equipment this year, and neither were the holes. As discussed elsewhere, I didn't want to alter the way the truck came, or squint. I tested using a magnet to removably mount a later model visor. It worked! Next step, proper screws, transition block not wood, and paint.

 

[HelloKitty65]

The battery tray. The goal: woven ground strap. Frame around the top for hold down.

What I'm starting with, bike lock for a ground strap. Bungee cord. Busted T bolt. Tray bent out to accomodate long battery. 1 wing nut.

 

[HelloKitty65]

The original battery hold down frame doesn't seem available, but a '57 Chevy PU used a similar part. Got this one in stainless and will paint it black. Am lucky that GreenBeachTruck80 had a more complete tray with both front and back T bolts. Mark has a stock woven ground strap.
(Edit; duh, they have them in black too).

 

[HelloKitty65]

The anticipation. Mark posted a pic of my future air cleaner. Oh boy oh boy oh boy!

The not red seatbelts a vendor sent in error.

 

[Bear]

If you're angry enough, you'll see red !

 

[middlecalf]

And retractables? Sheez, look at your inventory vendors!

 

[HelloKitty65]

Ordered some chrome from City Racer. Worried if it would look too shiny. Here's what it looked like before:

Here's after scrubbing off clear coat and adding the new trim. Not even buffed or waxed yet. I'm happy with the effort. Kept the old nuts though, the new looked jarring inside.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Something new (to me) in the cabin, top center. Looks like it belongs there and never left. Thanks @MAO. Also, my $10 non-oem but nicely weathered beginnings of a tool roll. Thanks @447xpro

 

[oregon fj]

Love the mirror. I’m going to need to find something similar for mine.

 

[MAO]

Something new (to me) in the cabin, top center. Looks like it belongs there and never left. Thanks @MAO. Also, my $10 non-oem but nicely weathered beginnings of a tool roll. Thanks @447xpro
View attachment 1648180 View attachment 1648182

that rearview mirror looks just right !

 

[65swb45]

Your large window carb went into the dip tank today.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Cool! Don't worry about Arne and his Oregon FJ hood spear miss. I may have him covered.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Your large window carb went into the dip tank today.

Not as exciting as a large window carburator, but would you happen to have a pre-1968 (64) round side mirror? Plain, not pattern stamped in back? Glass not required.

 

[HelloKitty65]

We'll see how these look on Miss Kitty. Stella (new '68 kid on the block) will get the Les Schwab Open Country tires with only 2k mi.

 

[oregon fj]

Cool! Don't worry about Arne and his Oregon FJ hood spear miss. I may have him covered.

And indeed, Keith did fix me up on this. Thanks for the help, Keith!

We'll see how these look on Miss Kitty. Stella (new '68 kid on the block) will get the Les Schwab Open Country tires with only 2k mi.View attachment 1658275

Part of me wanted to put NDTs on mine, the look is great. And they were a factory choice.

But they are really bad traction on wet paved surfaces, no sipes. And I decided that while you see them a lot in the old period ads and tests, I think they were far more common on ‘63 and older rigs. In the end I decided I’d rather sacrifice that near-perfect vintage look for a bit of all-purpose capability.

 

[HelloKitty65]

It's all a grand experiment. The rig won't be a daily driver, more of a fair weather rig. Hopefully with the top off at times in summer. Similarly to @cppilot, I got this rig for berry picking (in the Washington Cascades). I'm a little curious how the tires may handle on snow, and if you can chain them up. Growing up it seemed like you couldn't get out of stock tires fast enough. They tended to be crappy and wear out fast. Now we knock ourselves out to replicate what might of been original. Truthfully, I liked your tires but didn't want to be a copycat. And these were cheaper.

 

[HelloKitty65]

Carburetor porn. Two on the left came in pieces in a box with my '68. One on the right, fresh from Mark's Off-road with some other goodies today.

Also, red seat belts from the '68 showing a manufacture date of "May 1968".

 

[HelloKitty65]

I'm liking the way these look.