Rear Sill Question and Quarter Panel Tips (1 Viewer)

[Living in the Past]

View attachment 2489573

View attachment 2489577

View attachment 2489578

I'm not seeing a one piece replacement rear sill that extends to the corners which key to supporting a hard top. Did you just butt weld the replacement quarter panel to the cut off rear sill in the picture? Here is my 73. These the worse of the rust in the back. Have a picture of the inside of the wheel well that shows the rear sill is solid with no rust coming thru. I have no plan to do anything more than patch the quarter panel. Which I bought the cruiser with a hard top on it it is a FST model and will be a soft top using the original bows. If it was going to support a hard top I would look harder at the repair. I have a could early FHT 40s with rusted sill. The latch on the barn doors keeping the corners from sagging further than they are.

 

[Tancruiser]

I bent a piece and welded it in on the back side.

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

All that tech from @Vae Victus should go to the FAQ section.

For real.

That is probably the most detailed post I've seen regarding the rear sill and quarter repair.

 

[billmc]

I ha a look at some of the Fitzee videos, very good! But don't follow his example for safety practices, welding without a mask, cutting/grinding without a respirator.

 

[ratpin]

Will be ordering my panels from realsteel soon!

 

[Ayuir]

I fear this is what I'm going to open up to soon. Between Vae Victus and rkymtnflyfisher I think they'll have the references to help.

 

[Living in the Past]

All that tech from @Vae Victus should go to the FAQ section.

For real.

That is probably the most detailed post I've seen regarding the rear sill and quarter repair.

Does the floor under the rear sill or in between the rear sill and cover piece? On my 68 the floor extends to the back and the folds over and goes half way down the back. The ambulance doors started during 1972 in some markets which would make it more difficult for the floor to cover the rear sill. Until I drop the rear auxiliary tank added to back of my 73 or around 76 would get a chance to really check if the floor is under the rear sill or sandwiched between the rear sill or cover on the 72-78 FJ40. 1/79+ was a different setup.

 

[kcisland]

Final product:
View attachment 2489834

I slathered some primer on it to keep it from rusting futher. I did that on all new metal. Wasn't trying to be neat.

You can see a little wiggle in the metal, but not much. A thin coat of body filler, some primer, paint, and it'll all be great. I am not asking my painter to keep the spot welds visible as they did from the factory along the wheel well seam, since I hid them when I did the grinding. Some folks like to leave that factory look, so do so if you want.

This tutorial is so timely and inspirational as I will be diving into this area next now that the dark, cold is here and outside activities are dying down. Thanks!

 

[tlaporte]

Agree with others on how helpful these notes are, @Vae Victus .

Two questions, if you don’t mind:

1. Are you using gas with your Mig?
2. About how much time do you think you spent on the rear end/quarter panel work?

 

[ratpin]

Some more pictures of what one can expect to find behind their original sil. I’ll post pics here as I go, but I may not actually have my panels for awhile So im taking it slow.

 

[lumpy70]

Fix the rot under the panel if it exists. For example, I had to fix this little area. Wasn't necessary, but it helps strengthen the quarter once you replace it.


View attachment 2489763

I went ahead and installed the gas port while the panel was off the truck.
View attachment 2489766View attachment 2489767View attachment 2489768


Eyeballing things....
View attachment 2489765

Awesome write up, I'm in the cutting stage right now.

Maybe a stupid question: how did you drop the fuel tank? On my 1980, I am stuck on trying to get the skid plate out of the way, the bend on the front-of-the-truck end keeps getting caught on the cross-member. Then the tank...it looks like a total crap job. My driveshaft is out of the way...I had to walk away for a few days after a lot of swearing.

 

[Living in the Past]

Awesome write up, I'm in the cutting stage right now.

Maybe a stupid question: how did you drop the fuel tank? On my 1980, I am stuck on trying to get the skid plate out of the way, the bend on the front-of-the-truck end keeps getting caught on the cross-member. Then the tank...it looks like a total crap job. My driveshaft is out of the way...I had to walk away for a few days after a lot of swearing.

Can tell by the pictures of the rear floor @Vae Victus is dealing with a earlier cruiser with the fuel tank under the right side seat.

 

[lumpy70]

Can tell my the pictures of the rear floor @Vae Victus is dealing with a earlier cruiser with the fuel tank under the right side seat.

Right...good point

 

[Living in the Past]

So I removed the auxiliary tank from the back of my 73 FST. The floor is sandwiched between the rear sill and cover. Need to get some better light but feels like the sill may have a ridge running across the back where the floor extends and is bent over. This probably explains why a few of my early FJ40s the sill looks like the worse rust is in the middle all the way across. Good design for strength. Not a good design for water getting in at the top of the sill, running towards the back, then down and being trapped.

Need better light but these are some pictures I took with the flash on my cellphone camera.

My 68, 70 and 73 which all have good rear sills all had auxiliary tanks which block moisture from getting to the front edge of the sill. The tank from the 73 had what I thought was a ground wire. Turned out the be a wire for a senting unit. Hadn't planned on keeping it but the fill is low enough might be able to add a OEM fill with the door and not have to trim the wheel well. Would have to modify it to fit inside skid plate the uses the rear frame member and torque tube just behind the rear axle to hang it. Hate the all thread used to hang it off the floor. This vehicle hasn't been registered in over thirty years. I've owned it since 1994. There is still some gas in the tank. Pickup line is off a fitting on the front. Unscrewed the line and and which removing it some old gas leaked out. Over thirty years and there was no moisture absorbed and trapped at the bottom. Every nut, bolt and gas fitting came loose with no problem. Only thing I destroyed was the rubber hose in the fill line. I wouldn't trust it any way.

 

[Skreddy]

Agree with others on how helpful these notes are, @Vae Victus .

Two questions, if you don’t mind:

1. Are you using gas with your Mig?
2. About how much time do you think you spent on the rear end/quarter panel work?

1. Using gas is waaaaaaaay better, like a must, with mug on sheet metal. Far cleaner welds and I think the flux cored wire needs more heat? Could be wrong on that one.
2. While mine required less than in his write up, I rebuilt my rear sill and sill cover, as well as patched the section of the quarters in contact with the sill and did the rear 2” of floor, including grinding and hammer/dolly work in maybe 10-12 hours? Maybe less but I stretched it over a few days as time allowed so not 100% sure.

 

[RustyNailJustin]

I ha a look at some of the Fitzee videos, very good! But don't follow his example for safety practices, welding without a mask, cutting/grinding without a respirator.

Did you go there for PPE tips?

 

[tlaporte]

Did you go there for PPE tips?

I go for the welding tips and the accent. Priceless.

 

[Dizzy]

That original sill is a unicorn.

 

[billmc]

Did you go there for PPE tips?

Of course that's why I went there! Didn't you?

 

[centerlineseal]

Saved

More +++ than I can type. Still love this site after all these years!