Project: "Not going to do a frame off" Frame Off

[nicholastheczar]

I'll keep that in mind on the pads dragging and see if what happens when I get my brake system hooked up. I'll also throw a coat of paint on them as well as the brackets. As far as the bleeder valve, is it specified that they should be on the top? What is the benefit? I'm not very versed in brakes.

just wanted to give two comments about your calipers.. i have the same ones.. the pads rub on the rotors right now but I have a feeling once I get the brakes all hooked up the caliper will center itself on the rotor and the pads will no longer drag (they are called a floating caliper and are supposed to do this)

also you should switch your calipers (from left to right) so the bleeder valve is on the top and maybe give them a coat of paint while youre at it... mine rusted reallll quick

looking good!

 

[Lynchmobracing]

I'll keep that in mind on the pads dragging and see if what happens when I get my brake system hooked up. I'll also throw a coat of paint on them as well as the brackets. As far as the bleeder valve, is it specified that they should be on the top? What is the benefit? I'm not very versed in brakes.

Hi. The bleeders need to be on top so the air will escape when you go to bleed the brakes.

Awesome job! Your work is inspiring!

 

[nicholastheczar]

I had a little more time the last few days and started to install a few more parts that I had recieved. I ordered a set of ram horns from 1A Auto to fit my SBC. I decided to go with these over headers after researching here on mud that most folks tend to prefer the ram horns. So, they went on.

I ordered a set of Autometer guages from Summit and hope to put these in soon after I get my painting done.

I went by English Color and bought some epoxy primer and aircraft paint remover to start by painting project. I hope to get some time today to apply the remover and try out my new Ing Rand DA I bought as well as my HVLP paint gun. I've never attempted painting so this will be an expierence.

 

[nicholastheczar]

I also ordered a set of Corbeau Baja RS front seats with sliders. I didn't order the bracket to install them because I wanted to try and build it up myself. I used some 1" square tube, 1.5" 3/8 flat bar, 5" 3/8 flat bar, and grade 8 - 3/8" hardware. I have a welder but no bender so all my corners had to be square which will work out fine except for the floor mount on the passenger side that has to clear the gas tank. I will have to fab something up that will keep it from being a sharp edge.

So I measure everything and wanted to use the stock holes. I started fabbing everything up and tacking it into place to make sure it fit. This is what I came up with.

I then attached my sliders to the bottom of my seats. I attached some 3/8" bar stock to the bottom and created a perpendicular tab that will mount to the 5" flat bar. I had to notch the 5" to allow for my bolts to clear so that I could still easily remove my seats whenever I needed to.

I made sure my seat was centered under the steering wheel and a good mid range distance fromt the pedals as the sliders will let me go all the way back against the rear wheel well and forward enough for my to drive. I had to get the seat height just high enough to clear the gas tank but I didn't want to have it too tall. I'm 5'11" and the seat height is perfect for me.

I had to get the seat height just high enough to clear the gas tank but I didn't want to have it too tall. I'm 5'11" and the seat height is perfect for me.

I still have to install the passenger side seat and I am going to order a tuffy center console to put in there. I'll probably order the 6.5" version just to be sure I have enough clearance.

Here are a few more pics for those that want to fab there own mount. I just could bring myself to pay for a prefabed one and spend $400. I had all the materials at the house so it worked out well and was cheap and will look good when it done and painted or powdercoated. I plan on putting a lot of 45* bracing on my most of my corners to really stiffen it up. I is already pretty sturdy but want it to be bomb proof.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

Chuggin away at this pretty good speed man, looks great cant wait to see it on the road.

 

[nicholastheczar]

Well its been about 2 months since I last updated my thread, so I thought I should get on the ball and show some of my progress. I've stripped all the paint off the 40 and let me tell you that SUCKED!! I used aircraft stripper, wire wheel, and a DA sander to get to where I needed to be. I built my own "paint booth"inside of my workshop garage and it has worked pretty well. It is 12'W x 18'L and gives me enough room to walk around the 40 and do what I need to do. Here's a pic of it from inside the garage, really doesn't do it justice.

I used PVC pipe for the frame, plastic paint drop cloth for the walls and ceiling, painters paper for the floor, and 3M spray glue to stick it all together. I cut a hole in the back and in the front for my ventilation and it works pretty well at keeping it clear inside while I'm painting w/ my HVLP gun.

After months of painstaking and boring scraping and glopping stripper on all the body panels and taking it all the way down to the bare steel, I sprayed my epoxy primer and buildable primer today on the front half of the 40 today (minus the hood which is at the body shop getting some minor work done on it after I decided I wasn't going to attempt to fix it myself -- have I mentioned I hate body work!!!). I also sprayed the rear half doors; all of it came out pretty good. I plan on sanding it down on Friday and maybe, if I have time, laying down my first coat of paint Friday afternoon. I can't wait to see how my new color, Rustic Green, turns out. Here's a shot of some of the primer pieces.

That's about all I have. I can't wait to finish paint and body work. I hate doing it and if I had it to do over again I would have taking it somewhere to have it painted. But with that said, I am glad I did it because I now know what is under my paint and what panels are good and what panels are / were so-so.

I'll have some more updates sooner rather than later.

Oh, I did order a set of the IPOR rear fender flares today! Early birthday present for myself. Can't wait to get them and see how beefy they are!!

Nick

 

[Ron B]

Looking good! keep up with the pics. Ive got to start on my body work soon so I can spray it this spring.

 

[srgould41]

Keep it up Nick, doing a great job!

Steve

 

[cruiser enthuiser]

I hear ya about stripping the paint: miserable task. Its looking good tho man. Cant wait to see pics of the paint. Keep it up!

-Ed

 

[nicholastheczar]

Today I sanded my primer down, got it all nice and smooth, and then opened up my new can of "Rustic Green" paint I bought from English Color and started mixing it. I noticed that the color seemed off, but I thought maybe once it was on it would darken, being that this was my first time to use an auto paint, I thought I'd try. Mixed it up at the correct ratio (4:1:1) and then loaded up my HVLP gun. Started on one of my aprons and WOHHH, color wasn't even close. I re-read the sheet and it suggested 2 coats w/ 10 minutes of dry time. So again, I thought well, maybe the second coat will bring it closer. Sprayed the second coat and WOHH again. I was pissed. Color was suppose to be Rustic Green, which it said on the label, but it was more of a silver, grayish color with a very slight hint of green. I called english color and they mixed up a small sample at the store and said the mixture was right but they don't know about the color because it calls for hardly any green. They said that color was formulated from a 1972 FJ40 Landcruiser Rustic Green color, but I beg to differ! Now I have to wait until Monday and take them this color and see what they can do to make it right. I was all pumped to get some color on my 40 this weekend, not going to happen now! DAMN IT!!!!!

 

[CruisinFJ60]

Today I sanded my primer down, got it all nice and smooth, and then opened up my new can of "Rustic Green" paint I bought from English Color and started mixing it. I noticed that the color seemed off, but I thought maybe once it was on it would darken, being that this was my first time to use an auto paint, I thought I'd try. Mixed it up at the correct ratio (4:1:1) and then loaded up my HVLP gun. Started on one of my aprons and WOHHH, color wasn't even close. I re-read the sheet and it suggested 2 coats w/ 10 minutes of dry time. So again, I thought well, maybe the second coat will bring it closer. Sprayed the second coat and WOHH again. I was pissed. Color was suppose to be Rustic Green, which it said on the label, but it was more of a silver, grayish color with a very slight hint of green. I called english color and they mixed up a small sample at the store and said the mixture was right but they don't know about the color because it calls for hardly any green. They said that color was formulated from a 1972 FJ40 Landcruiser Rustic Green color, but I beg to differ! Now I have to wait until Monday and take them this color and see what they can do to make it right. I was all pumped to get some color on my 40 this weekend, not going to happen now! DAMN IT!!!!!

that sucks Nick. ive heard of others having the same issue with the greens.
and was that a water born paint you sprayed (base, catalyst, water)? or 1 part base 2 part catalyst?

oh yea and post pictures of the color you got.

 

[nicholastheczar]

that sucks Nick. ive heard of others having the same issue with the greens.
and was that a water born paint you sprayed (base, catalyst, water)? or 1 part base 2 part catalyst?

oh yea and post pictures of the color you got.

It was a 3 part paint: Base, Cayalyst, Hardener. I'll get a picture of it and post it up so you can see the difference.

 

[Shes Mad]

GREENS!!!! Took 5 samples to get this

I'm going with the middle one.

Front sample is rustic

 

[nicholastheczar]

Since I didn't have a true color chip of Rustic Green I took a CCOT calender I had of one of their rustic green rigs and cut out the most even swatch I could find. I then took that to ACE and had them mix up a quart of their rustoleum to the sample I gave them and it came out really good. What I'll do now is take my color sample of the ACE rustoleum to English Color and have them match that color with a automotive grade paint. I took a picture of the differences in the two colors and I'll post them up shortly. The English color paint came out nice, but it is not the color I want.

 

[nicholastheczar]

I'm going with the middle one.

Front sample is rustic

This is the color I am trying to get to. I think with my ACE paint sample I should be able to get to this color pretty close.

What kind of paint are you using?

 

[CruisinFJ60]

that pretty much the same color as my 40

 

[nicholastheczar]

Trent -

Is yours more of a John Deere Green vs. a Rustic Green? The pics below are from CCOT website but give a good sample of the color difference. I really like the Rustic Green.

John Deere

Rustic Green

 

[nicholastheczar]

Here is the difference in paint. The body panel is painted in the English Color version of Rustic Green and the paint stir stick is coated in a the ACE rustoleum color I had them scan from the picture I cut out. Not the best way to achieve a certain color but I think it looks pretty close, a lot closer than the color code English color has. I didn't coat the body panel evenly because of the color difference, so the paint job wasn't finished but you'll get the idea.

 

[Shes Mad]

I'm going with the middle one.

Front sample is rustic

This is PPG Omni single stage MAE.

Front is rustic green, center is Landrover green, rear is Judson green. The panel that I shot with the toilet in the background is the same as the center color on the FJ, just in bright sunlight

PAINT CODES--

FRONT-- TOYOTA GREEN AU MAE 44682
MIDDLE--LAND ROVER CONISTON OLIVE GREEN AU MAE 47410
REAR----JUDSON GREEN--AU MAE 43706

The bright green circle in the rear is John Deere Green.

The think I didn't like about the rustic Green was the bluish hue it has

 

[nicholastheczar]

This is PPG Omni single stage MAE.

Front is rustic green, center is Landrover green, rear is Judson green. The panel that I shot with the toilet in the background is the same as the center color on the FJ, just in bright sunlight

PAINT CODES--

FRONT-- TOYOTA GREEN AU MAE 44682
MIDDLE--LAND ROVER CONISTON OLIVE GREEN AU MAE 47410
REAR----JUDSON GREEN--AU MAE 43706

The bright green circle in the rear is John Deere Green.

The think I didn't like about the rustic Green was the bluish hue it has

Thanks for the paint codes. I'll take that "FRONT-- TOYOTA GREEN AU MAE 44682" to English Color and see what they can do with that. I does have a bit of a blue hue to it, I'll see if I can get a sample and see it in the light and go from there. Thanks again.

Nick