Residual Boulders 79 Pig Build - Picture Overload. (2 Viewers)

[residualboulders]

Ended up Selling the Mustard 1976 40 to my older brother that sold me his 1976 when I was 16. Seemed appropriate and I already had a 40. I was also making room for something else coming later in this thead. He is more mechanically inclined than I am and has that v8 running like a top and has been working on restoring and modding it. I have to admit I regret selling that a little bit. But's it's awesome that it's out wheeling with me anyway.

 

[residualboulders]

ARB did a special run of the old vintage bull bar for the 40. Threw it up on the 55 to see if it would look decent. In the way of the lights, so not without mods. The 55 grill is so unique I wanted to see it anyway, so nope.

Looks great on the 40 though.

 

[residualboulders]

After months and months of trying to find a stock 55 bumper I was able to locate a twisted, dented bumper with a lot of extra holes in it. It took some work to get it in somewhat decent shape. Lots of welding up extra holes, re-habilitating or replicating the stock square holes for carriage bolts. I had some help. End result later in the thread. I wish I had pics of the bumper before I rehabbed it. It has come a long way.

I also used some @TRAIL TAILOR frame rail extenders to make room for the 8274. These required some fabrication to make them work on the 55, but turned out great in the end.

 

[residualboulders]

She looks good at night too.

 

[residualboulders]

Picnic at the lake.

 

[residualboulders]

We get a wee bit of snow around here.

 

[bobm]

Great Story

 

[bobm]

What year 40. I had 78 exact color.

 

[residualboulders]

Great rig to tow the kids around on skis on the backroads.

But the snow does eventually melt.

 

[residualboulders]

What year 40. I had 78 exact color.

Mine is a 1979, I wish it was a 78. I mean the 79 is great, but I wish I had the better seats and underseat storage. It is nice having the fuel tank underneath though.

I'm in the middle of restoring my 40, pulled the motor and trans this week. Patching up rust holes in my floor that have been there since I bought it 20 years ago.

 

[residualboulders]

Years ago when I moved to this little valley I was pleasantly surprised when I came out of a church meeting and found a well preserved 1986 fj60 parked next to me. I didn't know there were any other vintage cruisers in our small town. The owner was waiting for me (i was driving my 40). We discussed cruisers and he talked about how the 60 was part of his soul and identity. We laughed at the corny-ness of it, but I knew what he meant. I told him if he ever decided he wanted to part with it I'd be interested.

I'd resolved long ago that I would never sell my 40. My first vehicle was a 40, met my wife and dated her while I owned it. Taught her to drive stick in it and I have tons of wheeling memories with my bros and fam (we had 4 fj40s and a 45 and an 80 at one point in my youth). I sold my first 40 to serve a 2 year mission in Sao Paulo, Brazil for my church. As soon as I returned home I was on the search for a 40 again (took me 5 years before I could find/afford one). I bought the 55 just because I'd always wanted to own one. I planned on driving it for a couple of years then selling it because I already had a newer truck and my 40. Who needs two vintage Landcruisers, right?

Anyway 7 years later, I'd been enjoying my 55 for a couple of years. I ran into to the 60 owner, he was ready to sell because he had his eye on something else. within a couple of days I drove home with a 1986 FJ60 with 135k miles on it. He gave me a great deal on it because he knew it would be loved at my house. I couldn't let it slip through my fingers. Previous owner just asked me not to drive it where I know he will be,

 

[residualboulders]

Once I had the 60 I realized I had a Landcruiser problem. Work began immediately on the 55 to get it back to stock colors and sell (at least that is what I thought, I've acquired two more since . It's a legit problem).

 

[residualboulders]

I really lucked out on the body work. Which was great because I had never done any welding or body work or paint. So try not to be too critical with the way I did it.

I had to patch a hole under the accelerator pedal about the size of a golf ball. I ended up getting a replacement floor pan from @bobm and used most of his panel for the patch even though the hole was small. Using most of his panel resulted in the best close to stock look once welded back up, so thanks Bob for making those! Wish I had taken a pic of that, and I think I did but I can't find it.

I also had some repair on the roof above the drivers door. Also cannot find a pic of that. I ground out all of the bondo that was previously put in the gutters. It made a mess as the bondo was 1/2" to 3/4" deep in some places. But the gutter was in excellent shape beneath. I just re-shaped an area that had been previously patched above the drivers door where the roof meets the gutter. Then treated, primed and laid down some heavy self leveling seam sealer someone on here recommended.

I also had some minor rust on the door bottoms that I ground out and treated and did a little body work where necessary and a little hole in the hood. Other than that, the body was in excellent shape and had very little bondo on it.

 

[residualboulders]

That fall I got busy with life, work, adventures in the other cruisers, then it turned into snowmobiling taking up my time. Then COVID hit, which worked out well for progress - sucked in a lot of other ways. My wife decided to spend a couple of months with the kids in Southern UT where it was warm since they shut down school for kids and we were in the middle of getting our hardwood floors refinished. This meant I had a lot of time alone. Work slowed to a trickle as far as phone calls and such during business hours. For a couple weeks it dumped snow every other day. I'd do some work in the morning, snowmobile with my bros on the heavy snow days, then work on the cruiser and catch up on work into the night. Cereal or pizza 3 meals a day. But I got a lot of cruiser work done, ha ha.

First up was High Build primer. Touch up imperfections and some sanding in between a couple of coats.

 

[residualboulders]

My fj55 was originally blue and white. Which after discussing with Mrs was her favorite combo on the 55. That's what she wanted and I really did too for the most part. But since she was being so cool about so many cruisers we went with it. I don't think cygnus white was the exact original color, but that's what I used and I feel pretty good about it.

I went with single stage paint because that is what it would have been in 1979.

 

[residualboulders]

First time around I got some orange peel in a couple spots. So, I sanded it down for a second try. I ended up painting most of the exterior white twice and one front fender and one rear rocker twice to get them right. I was happy with it the second time. This picture was the first time I was not satisfied with.

 

[residualboulders]

Before doing the exterior I painted interior walls and color matched rhino liner floor. My floor was in amazing condition other than the one patch i mentioned. Hardly any dents.

I drank a lot of kickstarts during this process.

You'd probably have to see how these gutters looked before to appreciate this pic - paint still wet so it looks a bit uneven.

 

[residualboulders]

Doors and hood were painted in the shop at work.

 

[greenbeast]

Man, I am going to send you a project, let me know where to have it dropped off!

 

[residualboulders]

Refreshed the grill a little bit, it was in great shape. Put jr. to work a little with some reassembly. Yes I owned a ford once for a couple of years.