Restoration FJ62 Ongoing (2 Viewers)

[TexasLandCruiser]

Over the last year I’ve been able to get some stuff done. Learning to be more self reliant. Post some pics of the work and add details along the way. Updated my logs and keep an Excel sheet of work reference invoices. Aviation world a big percentage of the value and airworthiness of the aircraft is traceable parts. To me a reference for later to make repairs. Installed the glove compartment I got from Wits End recent batch. 1 replacement bulb at the dealer and picked up today. Started November 2020. I’ve shared some of these pics on Instagram but really wanted to share experience with anyone who is thinking about prettying their cruiser. I had no intentions of doing any of this but once I picked at that scab I couldn’t stop.

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Made some repairs to fusible links. Reached out to Spal and they helped me through some wiring to get a relay installed for fan. The harness guy last year didn’t exactly do it right. Unlocked everything and rerouted lights and other stuff separate. He also hid a bunch of fuses and relays so I brought everything back together out of loom in fenders. Probably install another distribution block once I figure out where I want it.

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

I think the fuse looks fine. Heard someone refer to them as burn chambers, more than anything the fingerprints on the end of my fingers are burned off from handling heat shrink

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Change up some battery cables went bigger. I was getting a bindex and nothing. Fear of having to redo ignition I made another cable to start. What a difference that made. Everything is better now, less volt drop, also moved my IPF lights off the low beam to a stand alone available spot. Cross section of my cables, I make my own now and tap and fill. Holding up well, just wanted to see how the cavity fills up with solder

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

The intake box was a long battle I was losing so reached out to Torfab after staring at their Diesel box. Heat is an issues, not only does this LS run 205 if it’s 30 degrees of 105 but the IATs were killing me. Once I got the Cold Air box installed I needed to deal with the heated surface so made a flame proof Nomex diaper with a damn sewing kit. Between the box and 5 layer cover, and making a thick rubber plenum to do 100% from fender air I dropped my ambient by 35-40 degree. Texas kinda hot so heat soaked at a light Texas 105 I’m at 125 ambient and soaked 145-150 degrees. Timing is good and AC is cold . I wrap my own couplers…

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Pulled the bumper and cleaned things up. Sanded down the end caps and they look new. 1500 grit wet sand. Used some heat and brought the petro to the top

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Champion radiator and rerouted hoses to passenger side. Simplified the intake tube side. Cleaned up the support and the brackets shined up well. Base coat green zinc and some silver instead of black. Reused most of the hardware. Shiny bits from @ToyotaMatt . I need more…

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Toyota sent me a rear view mirror and Cruiser Corp sent me the wrong grab handle plugs that were wrong ones so reused what I had.

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Last August piled up the entire pile of s*** in the cargo. That was expensive but worth it.

 

[garfieldthecat]

Champion radiator and rerouted hoses to passenger side. Simplified the intake tube side. Cleaned up the support and the brackets shined up well. Base coat green zinc and some silver instead of black. Reused most of the hardware. Shiny bits from @ToyotaMatt . I need more…

View attachment 3379050

View attachment 3379051

View attachment 3379052

View attachment 3379053

View attachment 3379054

Radiator support brackets look good. What type of black do you use to touch up your frame?

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Radiator support brackets look good. What type of black do you use to touch up your frame?

I used to use Eastwood but found the Rustoleum Satin works just fine. On the parts like brackets that I’ll paint black gloss black Epoxy Rustoleum, high heat areas bbq grill paint and hit it with a heat gun after dry and it’s rock hard, curing

 

[garfieldthecat]

Excellent, thanks for the additional details.

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Whoever it was suggested these wash reservoir bushings and they work ok but elected to use the original stuff I had. Pulled the fender flappy things and used 1/8 inch rubber to cut new. Any thinner they won’t stand up. These are at the fender and front apron. Paint code from Automotive Touchup looked good touching up under the rear hood seal. Under that seal holds water so cleaned up a few spots and painted. The comparison is the closest I could match the Champagne Metallic Silver Rustoleum. Primer paint. Didn’t do much on the body as it’s pretty clean but good for little spot.

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Whoever it was suggested these wash motor bushings and they work ok but elected to use the original stuff I had. Pulled the fender flappy things and used 1/8 inch rubber to cut new. Any thinner they won’t stand up. These are at the fender and front apron. Paint code from Automotive Touchup looked good touching up under the rear hood seal. Under that seal holds water so cleaned up a few spots and painted. The comparison is the closest I could match the Champagne Metallic Silver Rustoleum. Primer paint. Didn’t do much on the body as it’s pretty clean but good for little spot. I didn’t use bolts and washers on the flaps instead back with plastic push pins. Metal washers cut the rubber. Found this out doing splash guards

View attachment 3379975

View attachment 3379976

View attachment 3379977

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Front apron was pretty tired so stripped everything off and paint the front. That was a good time

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

All my shiny bits as you English say. Collected all my old stuff soaked, stripped everything off then soaked in moly oil and stored. The old stuff is a beautiful grey now. Keep in mind reusing old stuff in critical areas isnt suggested, if you’ve got a lock washer chances are they are sprung and don’t offer much lock or as much as they did.

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Belly, suspension and drive was filthy. When I started I chose to go from bottom in back to engine then interior and exterior. Every time I got to a different area it was harder. I soaked the knuckles in more oil to break it up then soaked in oven cleaner until I was choking. That turned out to be the hard way. Stuff I mostly used after that on everything is Krud Kutter in aerosol. For me the KK is great for every except Simple Green worked best on oily stuff. All the other stuff didn’t do as good as these 2.

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

May have been a little excessive but I took a grinder to the weld slag from factory when I was working on differentials. Wheel wells got Rhino up front

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Made my way through the engine bay. Cleaning, wrapping and torquing. I had a lot of damage from the cats being inches away from my main harness so ditched the cats. Probably the only video that freaked me out was watching exhaust bolts break so slow and steady got all new installed. A lot of swaps will put fancy headers and my exhaust guy said don’t. They ones here are the PN for SS Camaro and said they’d do just fine. Coworker showed me how to get a good wrap and turned out good, though I didn’t do them wet and thought I’d die by the time I got a shower

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Early on out of desperation I googled until I found LS1Tech about grounds. So that night went straight to the garage to find every ground I could……this was it, bro. Cruiser Outfitters made a long distance purchase painless. All new parts quick shipping and great product support from the guys. BTB supplied the fancy drop link kit. CCOT hooked me up on steering and found out not all packages have grease fitting everywhere mine but mine did. Followed the FSM on measurements and according to the grumpy guy at the counter local suspension place they didn’t have to make changes only a minor shim for caster