September POTM - Cruiser Guy, Guatemala

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cml25 said:
Looks great Charles. Do you happen to remember which plug on your gas tank is the vent line and which is the fuel line? I have the same tank and somehow I forgot to mark down the fuel line... Thanks!
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I'm sucking out of the rear most connection on the passenger side. The other one is plugged since I do not have a fuel return. All vents are on the same side as the fill connection, four small ones to the contraption in the cargo panel area, a 1/2" one to the fill tube and then of course the large fill pipe.
 
eventhough said:
Do you have a pic of the top springy cap pulled off? I've been told there isn't enough space left to clamp a tube on but that is what I hope to do.
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It is true that there is very little space there, it might stick out 3/8" if it sticks out that much. I'm not real comfortable with it and I may see if I can find a barbed fitting to thread into the transfer case cover instead.
 
I finally have the scuff/sill plates made to OEM specifications and installed on my truck!

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If you want a set check out my thread here https://forum.ih8mud.com/pig-parts-group/273149-oem-style-scuff-sill-plates-$60-set.html
 
Poser pics. Off road trip up Volcan de Agua with the "Club Adventura de Guatemala". Made it all the way to where you need a truck with lockers, 35"+ tires and a springover and I didn't scratch the '55! It handled very nicely with the turbo-diesel, H41 low range tranny and 3 speed transfer case. I hardly needed the brakes going down and I could let it idle up most areas, no need to gun it to climb over rocks. This was the first real off road trip with the '55 while I've had it. My wife has had it in dirt many times to villages in Guatemala though.

Here we are climbing the hill. The soft surface gave a few folks a problem but the '55 with the 33"x9.5" BFG MT's never slipped.

The objective in sight over the hood of the '55. It is possible to drive probably 1/2 way up in a truck without significant modifications which is exactly what we did!

A sampling of the vehicles on the outing at the parking area as high as a non-modified truck can go on the volcano. You can see the '55 along side an early Prado with the 3.0 turbo-diesel, an FJ60 with a 350, a red LJ70 with the 2L-T and there was also an RJ70 soft top with the 22R that turned back before this point.
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Lucy_FJ55 said:
That looks like a lot of fun... got any more pics, Charles? :)
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If you can read spanish there is a description of the trip here Club Aventura 4x4 Guatemala • Ver Tema - Resultado del 22 de marzo. Lots of talk about the rock crawling which I do not participate in (too much potential for damage).

Here's a few more photos.

The first is in Santa Maria de Jesus, a village near Antigua Guatemala and at the foot of Volcan de Agua. The second is driving through the coffee plantations and the last is showing off the truck to folks at lunch up on Volcan de Agua.
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OK folks, no drooling on the keyboard. Here's some goodies I picked up this summer. A pair of OEM, yes, OEM rear door fixed window weatherstrips, don't ask how I found these!! A factory AM/FM radio (we'll see if it works) from "Phatmax". And from "Cruiserbrett", some repinned door hinges.

I picked up an elbow from Georg "orangefj45" to properly install an extended breather on my transfer case. Eric Ellis was kind enough to give me a set of front inner panels as the ones I ordered had not yet arrived so those will be getting installed as well. I've already installed the OEM rear cargo mat that I got from "FJBen" I think it was.

Watch for the install of these goodies over the next few weeks.

Is someone would like my old rear door weatherstrips just let me know (and post up so we know who's first). They are cracked but still a little flexible (they are not rock hard yet).
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just found your thread:bounce:

That is one nice :pig:

Thanks for all the knowledge, and insperation. My 69 had more rust in it that you couldn't see untill I stripped it down and then I started telling myself that I should find another pig to build...but after reading this I think I can bring her back to life:cool:. Thanks Charles.

Oh, and thanks for meeting with me on your way south.:beer:

-Rob
 
OK, I've started out with the AM/FM radio. There are a few differences between the AM and the AM/FM radio. First off is the AM/FM is a good 1 1/2" longer but it will adequately clear the wiper mechanism. Secondly, the wiring connections are quite different but I think I've found a diagram in one of my shop manuals for the wiring arrangement. It appears that the mono AM/FM radios only power out the left set of speaker connections. Can anyone confirm that?

The AM/FM radio will fit in the dash of a '76 FJ55 without messing up the wiper mechanism too!

shaka 55 said:
just found your thread:bounce:

That is one nice :pig:

Thanks for all the knowledge, and inspiration. My 69 had more rust in it that you couldn't see until I stripped it down and then I started telling myself that I should find another pig to build...but after reading this I think I can bring her back to life:cool:. Thanks Charles.

Oh, and thanks for meeting with me on your way south.:beer:

-Rob
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Thanks for the compliments!! I'm sure you can bring the piggy back with time and effort. I'll stay on the lookout for a set of barn doors for you.
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Well I went to install the inner front door panels and I discovered that there are at least three different patterns out there for the interior trim panels. The two I brought back from Eric do not match and neither of those two match what I have in the rear. Anyone have a pair of GOOD (no speaker holes or ripped vinyl) front door inner panels that match the rear door?

At least the AM/FM radio went in and works.

Anyone have a rattle can color for the piggy white? I need to paint the hinges before installing them.

I guess I'll work on the rear door fixed window weatherstrips for now.
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Looking good 'cept for those door panels up front :rolleyes: . Plus I see that 40 style plastic window crank and is the door latch bezel black plastic as well?

Which leads me to ask what the production month for that stuff is? My 7/75 is still chrome crank and chrome bezel.

Just went out and looked at my back doors...3 types for sure (any more?).
 
BTW- that is your 60in the avatar? Those are said round headlights...I will go talk to the guy up the road in the next few weeks...drove by it the other day.
 
Eric Ellis said:
Looking good 'cept for those door panels up front :rolleyes: . Plus I see that 40 style plastic window crank and is the door latch bezel black plastic as well?

Which leads me to ask what the production month for that stuff is? My 7/75 is still chrome crank and chrome bezel.

Just went out and looked at my back doors...3 types for sure (any more?).
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I'm pretty sure the door hardware is all '55 stuff that came with the truck. I know from other discussions that they changed at some point from chromed metal to plastic and it would appear that change happened between your late '75 and my '76. I'm not sure on the month of manufacture as the guy that painted it for us (not me) painted the VIN plate :rolleyes:

So do your back door panels have a pattern that matches one of the above pictures? If so, which one?

Eric Ellis said:
BTW- that is your 60in the avatar? Those are said round headlights...I will go talk to the guy up the road in the next few weeks...drove by it the other day.
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Yep, that's the '60 in my avitar. That was three of four years ago outside the entrance to Tikal Park in Guatemala. The white "A" shaped structure in the background is the park entrance.

Let me know what you find out.
 
"So do your back door panels have a pattern that matches one of the above pictures? If so, which one?"

the approriate one (matching the back door) is the top one.

The lower one matches out with those from a 73 and the torn ones from my 7/70 carcass.
 
WOW! OEM fixed rear door WS... that's sooo cool. Hmmm, repro potential? Are these available anywhere at all? Just curious.

Arrgggh. My VIN plate was painted over also. Have you tried removing the paint yet? There has got to be a good trick, without destroying the VIN plate of course.

Charles, your pig is looking better everyday. Great upgrades, sweet finds. Cheers, Carlos.
 
Lucy_FJ55 said:
WOW! OEM fixed rear door WS... that's sooo cool. Hmmm, repro potential? Are these available anywhere at all? Just curious.

Arrgggh. My VIN plate was painted over also. Have you tried removing the paint yet? There has got to be a good trick, without destroying the VIN plate of course.

Charles, your pig is looking better everyday. Great upgrades, sweet finds. Cheers, Carlos.
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I've tried cleaning the paint off and it also takes off the black printed lettering from the VIN plate so I stopped trying to clean it. It has the high build primer as well as finish coats on it. If anyone knows a good trick, post up!

The fixed rear door weatherstrip repros are available through John at Slocruisers, $450/pair when I last checked. Mine are OEM though :)
 
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