Build Project Old Blue Eyes

[peesalot]

Matt, FWIW i run a LUK clutch ( GM ), have not played with a GM & Toyota clutch to see how they compare in regards to amount of throw to release, have you come across that difference in your exp ?

 

[jesus888]

I’d say this ended up looking pretty good… bravo @cruisermatt

 

[cruisermatt]

do you have any pics of what they looked like before?

 

[mattressking]

The bar looks sharp @cruisermatt - I'd love something like that for my '72

 

[cruisermatt]

The bar looks sharp @cruisermatt - I'd love something like that for my '72

It’s actually an original 80-84 bar, we just remade the feet which were completely rusted off. Happy to make more of the feet for anyone who wants to DIY their own replica bars.

 

[jesus888]

do you have any pics of what they looked like before?

I do… and good idea to show where it started to compare to where it is now apparently the PO liquid nails’d them to the body and they seemed to fuse to the body also…

So he just cut them out since the body was trash…

 

[jesus888]

Also the supports for the roll bar are permanently in place! Since this rig didn't come with a roll bar from the factory, in order to use the late model roll bar (responsibly), we had to get these in place.

 

[jesus888]

Picked up an evap manifold, evap check valve, a charcoal canister, and considering moving the upper outlet of the radiator to the alternate side to clean things up a bit and make it a simpler setup…

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Just to close the loop on the radiator and changes @cruisermatt had in store for it… here’s some pictures of today’s project…

 

[jesus888]

When @cruisermatt calls to livestream a handful of weld, you just answer

 

[jesus888]

Few more pictures…
The welding was @cruisermatt putting in reinforcement plates underneath where the later short jump seats are going (because my early 40 originally had long jump seats and no rollbar).
Also some City Racer hatch struts replacing the chrome OE struts…

 

[jesus888]

Also an important item on my list was that the h55f felt kinda sloppy.
I was used to the notchy new feeling from the h55f in my FJ62…
I would say that issue is now taken care of.

 

[jesus888]

Last few pieces of the puzzle coming together... Split case had a slow drip, so @cruisermatt 's team took the opportunity to pull it apart, inspected the gears and bearings, and put her back together with new gaskets and piece of mind...

 

[jesus888]

Shorter jump seats (because of added OEM roll bar) and original belts fitted nicely...

 

[jesus888]

Liftgate struts, h55 cane extension, and steering shaft components in good order...

 

[jesus888]

Moving the Radiator top to the passenger side to shorten/eliminate bends completed and while this isn't a great picture, they also painted the aluminum radiator black and it looks soooo much better...

 

[jesus888]

Little bit of the finishing touches going on...

 

[jesus888]

Home stretch!!

• Replacing the crusty visors
• Sent seatbelts in for rewebbing
• Confirmed the AC blowing coldddddd
• Picture of the painted radiator...

Have a couple small things, rear liftgate weather stripping gaskets, trace fuel gauge wiring because it decided to stop working, and lastly a vibration on deceleration from hwy speeds that @cruisermatt noticed on a test drive/flogging...