Builds Sean's FJ40 Restomod? (1 Viewer)

[Salem747]

Had to do a side project of a welding/plasma cart.

Georgie isn't the best spray painter, but she is excited to help.

Sydney napping on my knee

Reason for new welding cart

I have had my first welder for about 12 years, it's a Miller DVI-2, they don't make it anymore but it is basically a full sized version of the small dual voltage Miller mig welders, like the 211. I liked it because it has a higher duty cycle and it was full sized (30# rolls, better duty cycle, no need for cart).

The big drawback is that it had fixed power settings, 6 of them. So for sheet metal it just isn't adjustable enough.

What I decided on is an ESAB Rebel EM215. This is a MIG only (OK it can do stick too), I have a Miller Synchrowave 200 for TIG & stick.

This also gives me the opportunity to build my own cart, with big soft wheels that can hold my masks, cables, the plasma and consumables on the bottom.

 

[Salem747]

So even when I got the correct AC compressor it still stuck out too far from the engine. I shoehorned it in place but it was about 1/8" away from the frame, too close for comfort. I had a friend mill it down so it was 1/4" closer to the engine.

This was before milling.

Project FJ45 in @Mud_Guppie 's shop

Correct shift plate for my frankenstien

I took two of the 4 girls to Vancouver for the holidays (and to pick up a boatload of parts.

 

[Salem747]

Milled Compressor bracket

You can see the square clearance cutout in the upper mount. Would have preferred a radiused cut but it was free99 so beggars can't be choosers.

OK, so now for a parade of parts I picked up in Vancouver (mostly from my US post box)

New door patch panels Real Steel Cruiser Parts

Receiver, coolant cap, PS reservoir (Amazon)

Brake controller, new (to me) headlight ring, Argon tee (for backpurging SS tig welding)

Washer tank, with pump, brake pipes, Wiring grommet (this thing is like $40!!!), door pulls (Cruiser Corps & Spectre)

 

[Salem747]

7 Pin wiring from etrailer

New visors (Toyota), exhaust clamps (Summit), some other random weatherstripping??

Art

More weatherstripping, I think this was all from Spectre, complete door kits, windshield, side glass, etc.

New bipod for my new rifle I bought this year but have yet to fire.

 

[Salem747]

XMAS

Starting on the rear bumper. It is 2x4x3/16" tubing.

I tucked the ends just inside the body, after accounting for the end caps.

Receiver is part of the bumper and will be the main connection point.

I was already dreading the number of holes I would have to drill through the frame.

Swingout hinges from Northwest Fab, a really nice product from right here in BC.

 

[Salem747]

Hinge Cap, we chose gold to go with the cadmium hardware.

Gold cadmium with the green paint.

Hinge pins welded on.

I didn't think of it but they seem to be in good positioning with the rear badging. Will have to consider this when I build the basket for this side.

Tigged the caps on for fun.

Fusion welding makes it look like you know what you are doing.

 

[Salem747]

With lights installed. (So many holes to drill!!!)

End clearance to body.

7 pin. I originally wanted it in the bumper, then I was concerned about how big the hole would have to be and what to do with the 4 pin. Decided to just plasma the hole and use a 7 to 4 pin adapter. (so many holes to drill!)

Swing outs.

 

[Salem747]

New Years! a la hot tub.

12 pounds of chicken wings.

Less what the ladies ate for dinner!!! WTAF?

The winter sunshine here is awesome.

 

[Salem747]

Exhaust. I met a guy who lives really close to me through selling my unneeded doors. He is working on a 76 and happens to be a welding instructor at the local trade school. @Captainstructo

He saw this photo of my first attempt at exhaust.

I don't know anything but he said that I had burned off the chromium from the steel and that it would rust out really fast. He offered to come over and give me some pointers.

The really grey looking weld means the metallurgy has been ruined. Also you get "sugaring" basically crystals of oxidation grow on the INSIDE of the tubing from the heat on the outside unless you use this stuff called Solar Flux or if you back purge with Argon.

We worked together and he got me going with back purging and going MUCH faster with the welding, this keeps the heat down.

For most of this work I was only running about 30-40 amps!!!

The better:

He says on SS, you need to see the "rainbow" in the weld itself. that means you have used just enough heat and not too much to damage the metallurgy of the SS.

On this piece from tonight I got a little too hot, I had a hard time getting the bracket to puddle with the tubing. But it is a heck of a lot better than my first attempt.

This section goes from a flange near the firewall to the muffler.

This is the section that goes from the turbo flange to the flange under the firewall in the above photo.

We tried back purging with my ghetto setup (argon wye, argon hose, stuffed in one end with a shop towel, then tape or another shop towel at the other end) with an extra 20cfh we didn't get enough purge and got some sugaring.

When we cranked it up to 40 or 50cfh, just in the purge line there was no suraging to be seen and a nice rainbow effect on the inside of the weld too.

The entire exhaust is 16 gauge 308 SS (same as the filler rod). The pipe and bends come from Vibrant (via Summit) and the muffler is a Magnaflow 4" round. The clamps (2.5" to muffler), vband kits (really nice flanges and clamp) and the SS hangers all come from Summit.

I had to paint the hangers tonight so I couldn't finish installing it all until tomorrow.

Pics to follow.

 

[Salem747]

That's awesome man! Great to see the progress. I must have watched that @OTRAMM video 15 times haha

The key is having a giant TV in your shop so you can "follow along"!

 

[amico]

Wow, you really are coming along. Some of you guys are real gutsy tearing into the trannies and transfer cases. I took the cowards way out and bought a new h55 from Georg at Cruiser Brothers sent him my transfer case let him rebuild and ship back mated up.. so mine was just bolt up. I ordered my Hydratech brake setup but like Dakota takes from 4 to 6 weeks delivery. Yours is really starting to come together.

 

[Salem747]

Wow, you really are coming along. Some of you guys are real gutsy tearing into the trannies and transfer cases. I took the cowards way out and bought a new h55 from Georg at Cruiser Brothers sent him my transfer case let him rebuild and ship back mated up.. so mine was just bolt up. I ordered my Hydratech brake setup but like Dakota takes from 4 to 6 weeks delivery. Yours is really starting to come together.

It still feels like so much to do. Some days I go in the shop, look around a bit and leave, it can be overwhelming how many things need to get done.

For me, in Canada, it seemed like so much to buy a new tcase and trans, it would be almost as much as my engine!!! The trans and tcase was 1200 including trades from my BJ, in the end cost me another 800, so 2000 maple dollars ain't too bad.

Hows the plasma?

 

[orangefj45]

Glad you’re making some good progress, cuts and bruises and all .....
And ..... THANK YOU!!!!
This board would not be the same without members like you and I, willing to share information and pass it on to others. I certainly appreciate you taking the time to post all the info and pics. Keep up the good work.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids, Cruiser Brothers & Long Range America

 

[Salem747]

And she's ready to poop!

 

[Salem747]

Glad you’re making some good progress, cuts and bruises and all .....
And ..... THANK YOU!!!!
This board would not be the same without members like you and I, willing to share information and pass it on to others. I certainly appreciate you taking the time to post all the info and pics. Keep up the good work.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids, Cruiser Brothers & Long Range America

It takes a community! It really does. I am way too stupid to do all this myself, let alone all the suppliers needed: on this forum, facebook groups, online vendors, local suppliers, etc.

It sounds a little corny but it is just a fact.

 

[Salem747]

Some goodies from @ToyotaMatt

New ambi door lock and keys

New custom keys, cut to my truck using Toyota's code system. And a bit of schwag, thanks Matt.

New ignition is up in the air on the lift right now.

 

[Salem747]

In case you are wondering, getting hit in the face by your cordless drill when it binds isn't as fun as you might think!

A little lower and missing teeth may come into play. As it stands probably just a shiner.

 

[Captainstructo]

And she's ready to poop!
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The exhaust looks awesome @Salem747 Glad I could help with it

It takes a community! It really does. I am way too stupid to do all this myself, let alone all the suppliers needed: on this forum, facebook groups, online vendors, local suppliers, etc.

It sounds a little corny but it is just a fact.

 

[Salem747]

OK, time for an update. Certainly not having a job has made a big improvement on the amount of time I can spend on the truck.

I had a big problem with the front brakes. I put the calipers on and then the brakes were seized.

A lot of people had ideas and I tried different new parts etc.

Turns out I was trying to use the wrong caliper bolts, Apparently there are a couple of sets of bolts on the truck with the same thread and the other set is longer and the end of the bolt was pushing against the rotor. D'oh!!! I got some proper length ones from the parts store and all good!

This took a long time to figure out but other things were progressing.

Bumper:

I went with TSM Manufacturing's tcase park brake kit.

PS make sure and notice that the disc goes BEHIND the flange!!!

The cables I got from @Mud_Guppie were various stock replacements but none of them would work.

I had one made by Control Cables in California. I told them all my measurements and they made on next day, $36USD!!! but USPS was $46USD!!! OMG.

 

[Salem747]

I was having trouble getting the clips from the Vintage Air kit to hold the emblem on the grille so talked to them and got these from the parts store, MUCH better.

VS

They need to be a 3/8" hole btw.

More Bumper stuff: