Project PHOENIX-Gene's new LV (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter 65swb45
- Start date
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Thanks Mace. And thanks again for fetching it. There's still a looong way to go, but now I've got the time and the funds. I can't wait to get it on the road.
JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
Hope all is well Gene.... found a new pic for ya... enjoy
1960 Tokyo Motor Show
1960 Tokyo Motor Show
Wow, thanks Johnny. Only the 3rd pic I've actually seen of the 35. Some good info on this one.
Well guys, after way too long I've actually pulled the trigger on my LV. A little over a month ago I brought it into a body shop in L.A. for a frame off restoration. I actually tried 2 other body shop closer to my home but the rot in the floors and rear of the vehicle is so bad they wouldn't touch it. I knew I'd found the right place when the owner looked at pics of the worst of it and said, "Oh yeah, this is what we do". The day I delivered the LV and he had looked at the extent of rotted metal he said, "Wow, this is gonna be a ton of work but it's also going to be fun putting it back together. It looks like you've got almost all of the body parts we'll need, and what you don't have we'll make". When LV rocker panels came up for sale here on the board I bought them and abandoned making my own which really helped out. I've actually been pretty busy these days shipping unobtainium around the world and making parts to help transform the exterior of this 45LV into looking just like the FJ35 which I think is the best looking Cruiser ever made. Here's a few pics taken over the last month.
merbesfield
SILVER Star
Gene, glad to hear you are moving forward. Where did you get those rocker sections? I have never seen any parts for our LVs.
Wileycoyote bought the body of a LV that was restored and flipped in transport on the freeway. He pieced it out and I was lucky enough to get the rockers.
cant wait to see this come together!!
mmcinnis
Supporting Vendor
Hell yeah! Giving me inspiration to start on mine again.
Mike
Mike
tahoe40/45
SILVER Star
Nice to see your project moving forward again.
Merbesfield, have you been doing any work on your LV lately?
Chassis should be filled, painted and ready to bring back home by the beginning of next week. I've got to mount the back bumper, install the fuel tank and new lines, move the brake lines off of the top of the rear axle and add the LV bump stops, check the U bolts (I remember hearing something about cross threading on the day of the build), detail the motor/trans/transfer, pull the wiring, and replace some fasteners that I could see were missing once the body was off. Good times working on the LV again.
Thanks for the comments guys. Good to be back.
Chassis should be filled, painted and ready to bring back home by the beginning of next week. I've got to mount the back bumper, install the fuel tank and new lines, move the brake lines off of the top of the rear axle and add the LV bump stops, check the U bolts (I remember hearing something about cross threading on the day of the build), detail the motor/trans/transfer, pull the wiring, and replace some fasteners that I could see were missing once the body was off. Good times working on the LV again.
Thanks for the comments guys. Good to be back.
Oh yeah, the body went out for sand blasting at 8:00 this morning. I'll try to get some pics when they get it back. It'll be interesting to see where the rot stops and the good metal starts.
JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
cant wait to see more!!
x9 Glad to see you still at it
x9 Glad to see you still at it
Thank you very much Johnny.
We all know that the FJ35V came with plenty of unobtainium, so if you'll never find it you've got to make it yourself. Here a few things I've been working on over the last few weeks. The tall 35 base for the turn signal is being made at a foundry.
We all know that the FJ35V came with plenty of unobtainium, so if you'll never find it you've got to make it yourself. Here a few things I've been working on over the last few weeks. The tall 35 base for the turn signal is being made at a foundry.
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I'm not really sure what this thing was on the outside of the B pillar on the original 35, but it gave me the perfect opportunity to cut a hole in the outside to be able to weld a 1/4" plate on the inside of the B pillar for a 3 point seat belt mount. I do want to try to go original on most things but I've tasted the LV dash once and I didn't like it. I'm not gonna put my wife through that either.
I made it out of wood and it is now at the foundry being cast in aluminum.
Cargo glass protectors... I'd like to go with the VW jail bars because they look great, but unfortunately they don't look anything like the one in the 35 pic. So...
whitey45
SILVER Star
Wow! Gene, your not messing around! Great to see this project under way again! A real challenge to replicate the 35 details from pics! This is going to be an epic build!
scoobiedubes
SILVER Star
Looks like a fun one Gene! Keep me inspired, your body guys sound like they are going to make quick work of it. I look forward to seeing the progress!
Thanks Whitey. I have had ideas for this build in my head for the last 10 years and I'm having a blast finally making some of these parts after so long. Wait until you see the tailgate. I'm definitely taking some creative liberty on this one. I'm including some small upgrades with a little more style than the stock LV in some places but it won't end up in the "pimp my ride" category. I promise. I'm adding a dome light to the ceiling in the cargo area and one over the tranny hump and not going with the stock LV lights even though I have 3 new ones. I bought a little dressier light with I believe 36 LEDs each. As I told Nathan, I want it to light up like Christmas when I flip the switch.
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