Chungas Revenge
SILVER Star
Just catching up on your thread. Nice work on the spare tire catch. 
Builds Rescuing a Basket Case '72 FJ40 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter diesellibrarian
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FloridaLife
SILVER Star
Looking good! And you can't beat the price!
diesellibrarian
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #423
It’s actually pretty amazing what you can build with just a drill, grinder, and welder. I was fretting about the slot for the cable, but all it took was two holes cut using a hole saw in a hand drill, with the space between them cut out with a grinder.
At my friend’s suggestion I also capped off the ends of the bumper. Makes it look a little more finished.
The last step is to make the winch plate. My original plan was to farm that out to a fab shop, but since I’ve been having such good luck with the bumper, I think I’ll source some 1/4” plate and make my own. Will probably have it professionally welded, though. My little welder is not designed for heavy gauge steel.
At my friend’s suggestion I also capped off the ends of the bumper. Makes it look a little more finished.
The last step is to make the winch plate. My original plan was to farm that out to a fab shop, but since I’ve been having such good luck with the bumper, I think I’ll source some 1/4” plate and make my own. Will probably have it professionally welded, though. My little welder is not designed for heavy gauge steel.
MatthewMcD
SILVER Star
...and doesn't take off as much flesh when you cut the corner in shorts.
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
My 58 pound $300 bumper doesn't even have capped off ends, so you are doing great! Good suggestion from your friend.
Also, If you do take it to a shop to have them weld the winch plate in place, you could also have them use some half inch steel and weld on some hangers for D hooks on the front, one per side a couple of inches over from your cable opening. Like this: Bumper ~ HFS ~ Shackled w/8274 Winch Plate - https://www.coolcruisers.com/hforst82shtr.html
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pb4ugo
SILVER Star
Great job. Thats how it starts. I did the same thing decades ago, I started with a cheap Lincoln tombstone arch welder. You'll soon get tired of hand drilling, and start looking for a drill press, then some sort of saw, and then......
diesellibrarian
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #427
Great idea!
diesellibrarian
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #428
I do have a drill press, but it’s at my house which unfortunately does not have a garage. Most of my car-related tools are at a garage that I rent from a friend. My dream is to one day build myself a nice shop in my own back yard…
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
I said 1/2" but as you probably saw in that item description in the link, I meant 1 inch steel D ring hangers.
diesellibrarian
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #430
Update on the winch plate: I sourced a chunk of 1/4” plate from a local steel purveyor. It took me a few stops to find a suitable piece of scrap, but in the end it ended up costing me $20 for a 20” x 24” chunk, bringing my total investment in this bumper to $40.
My first step was to roughly lay out the pattern and then cut it down to size. I think it ended up being about 6.5” x 15”. I had to keep reminding myself that it’s the spool that needs to be centred. If I centre the winch as a whole, the spool will be offset to the left.
With all measurements double-checked, the next challenge was locating and drilling the holes. I remembered seeing a trick on the Fab Rats YouTube channel where they used grease to help mark the location of holes, and damn if it didn’t work like a charm. I simply smeared some grease around the mounting holes and pushed the plate against the winch. This clearly showed the spots where I needed to drill.
I marked the centres with a punch and drilled out the 6 mounting holes. Looks like it’ll work! I need to re-tap some of the threads in the winch and source some 7/16 NC hardware to mount the winch. All that’s left to do is to cut the slot for the cable (going to use my drill press this time) and tack the plate in place and take the whole thing somewhere to get it welded up.
My first step was to roughly lay out the pattern and then cut it down to size. I think it ended up being about 6.5” x 15”. I had to keep reminding myself that it’s the spool that needs to be centred. If I centre the winch as a whole, the spool will be offset to the left.
With all measurements double-checked, the next challenge was locating and drilling the holes. I remembered seeing a trick on the Fab Rats YouTube channel where they used grease to help mark the location of holes, and damn if it didn’t work like a charm. I simply smeared some grease around the mounting holes and pushed the plate against the winch. This clearly showed the spots where I needed to drill.
I marked the centres with a punch and drilled out the 6 mounting holes. Looks like it’ll work! I need to re-tap some of the threads in the winch and source some 7/16 NC hardware to mount the winch. All that’s left to do is to cut the slot for the cable (going to use my drill press this time) and tack the plate in place and take the whole thing somewhere to get it welded up.
diesellibrarian
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #431
Well, I've got the bumper tacked together and ready for final welding. One evening I took the winch plate home so that I could use my drill press to cut the cable opening. It was a slow process, but the results were good. I'm trying to avoid creating stress risers by avoiding sharp corners when cutting these holes in the plate.
I had also acquired a 7/16 NC tap to re-thread a couple of the bolt holes that were damaged when I drilled out a couple of bolts that had broken off in the winch. After that, I was able to test that everything lined up and that all 6 bolts would thread into the winch.
Finally I cut out the cable slot and tack welded the plate to the bumper. Once it's fully welded, I just need to throw some paint on it and I can get the bumper and winch mounted once and for all! This has been a fun and satisfying project, but I'm ready to move on to something else haha.
I had also acquired a 7/16 NC tap to re-thread a couple of the bolt holes that were damaged when I drilled out a couple of bolts that had broken off in the winch. After that, I was able to test that everything lined up and that all 6 bolts would thread into the winch.
Finally I cut out the cable slot and tack welded the plate to the bumper. Once it's fully welded, I just need to throw some paint on it and I can get the bumper and winch mounted once and for all! This has been a fun and satisfying project, but I'm ready to move on to something else haha.
RevISK
SILVER Star
Looks awesome man!
Great work
Great work
diesellibrarian
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #433
Basically have the bumper situation handled. Had it welded up yesterday. They did a great job. Threw some paint on it - a Toyota colour, for what it's worth. The winch mounting bolts I bought were a little too short, but essentially the winch and bumper are installed. I'm really happy with how this turned out.
This weekend I'm back on trying to get it to run properly! Might also start on painting/undercoating the underside of the tub.
This weekend I'm back on trying to get it to run properly! Might also start on painting/undercoating the underside of the tub.
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
Great job! And like I said before, a WAY better price than I paid! Weld a 1 inch triangle piece on each side of the opening with the corner sticking out ground rounded, slap on a D ring to each one, then on the underside make a 3/4 inch notch for a chain, 1 on each side, and it would be just like what I paid about $350 for, but yours is better with the end caps on there. AND, shipping was awful due to it being 58 pounds and an awkward size box, and you don't have to deal with that either. I'm jealous! With the knowledge you've gained, and your skills, you could make yourself some good money making and selling some of the things you have done for yourself.
diesellibrarian
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #435
Great job! And like I said before, a WAY better price than I paid! Weld a 1 inch triangle piece on each side of the opening with the corner sticking out ground rounded, slap on a D ring to each one, then on the underside make a 3/4 inch notch for a chain, 1 on each side, and it would be just like what I paid about $350 for, but yours is better with the end caps on there. AND, shipping was awful due to it being 58 pounds and an awkward size box, and you don't have to deal with that either. I'm jealous! With the knowledge you've gained, and your skills, you could make yourself some good money making and selling some of the things you have done for yourself.
Yeah, in terms of actual cash outlay, I did okay on this project. I'm into it for about $120 CDN, so maybe $80 USD, including paint and paying someone to do the welding, But if you count the number of hours I put into it, the cost goes up substantially, haha. Definitely learned a lot, but I've no interest in making another one - for a little while at least! My FJ55 will need a front bumper, too, but that's a ways off thankfully.
diesellibrarian
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #436
Sadly I haven't had much time to work on the 40 lately. My wife and I have a side hustle flipping houses, and we're down to the wire on the latest project. Hoping to get it wrapped up before I take off on vacation next week. I did manage to sneak away for a couple of late night garage sessions, though. One evening I did some work on the winch. I mounted the cab control bracket, and got two of the cables installed (not shown). The bracket fit so nicely in this spot, it's almost like it was designed for it!
I also spent a few hours the other night completely disassembling the carb, cleaning it, and reassembling with parts from this Keyster kit, which I sourced from Cruiser Outfitters, and where the shipping cost way more than the kit itself. Depressing.
Anyway, everything went pretty smoothly. The one scary moment was when I lost the retainer clip that sits at the bottom of the accelerator pump bore. It was there one second, and then gone. I finally found it on the floor about three feet behind where I was standing. I think it stuck to a magnetized screwdriver and got flicked off the bench. Otherwise, disassembly and reassembly went quite smoothly. The one piece I didn't use from the kit was the accelerator pump. Instead, I reinstalled the leather pump I'd ordered earlier this year from City Racer, as it seems closer to OE. Carb is reinstalled, but I haven't tried firing it up yet. Hopefully this week sometime?
My dreams of a summer road trip in this thing are starting to fade, but that's life. There's still nothing I'd rather be doing than wrenching on a Land Cruiser.
Speaking of which...I'm hoping I'll be coming home from my vacation with a new addition to the herd. Here's a sneak preview...
I also spent a few hours the other night completely disassembling the carb, cleaning it, and reassembling with parts from this Keyster kit, which I sourced from Cruiser Outfitters, and where the shipping cost way more than the kit itself. Depressing.
Anyway, everything went pretty smoothly. The one scary moment was when I lost the retainer clip that sits at the bottom of the accelerator pump bore. It was there one second, and then gone. I finally found it on the floor about three feet behind where I was standing. I think it stuck to a magnetized screwdriver and got flicked off the bench. Otherwise, disassembly and reassembly went quite smoothly. The one piece I didn't use from the kit was the accelerator pump. Instead, I reinstalled the leather pump I'd ordered earlier this year from City Racer, as it seems closer to OE. Carb is reinstalled, but I haven't tried firing it up yet. Hopefully this week sometime?
My dreams of a summer road trip in this thing are starting to fade, but that's life. There's still nothing I'd rather be doing than wrenching on a Land Cruiser.
Speaking of which...I'm hoping I'll be coming home from my vacation with a new addition to the herd. Here's a sneak preview...
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
First of all, you have far more self control than I do, because after rebuilding the carb I would HAVE to turn that key and try it out!
2nd - You should TOTALLY add that FJ40 to the herd because it has the ULTRA SUPER RARE sleeper top option! Go anywhere, park under the stars, climb up there and sleep like a baby!!!
diesellibrarian
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- Thread starter
- #438
Haha, well it was after midnight when I reinstalled the carb, and at the moment the exhaust ends at the downpipe, so it makes quite a racket. For the sake of the guy I rent the garage from, I'm trying not to piss off too many of his neighbours.
Great work, thanks for sharing.
FloridaLife
SILVER Star
