Builds Skin Deep: 1963 FJ40 resto (3 Viewers)

[flee]

Much progress in the last 2 weeks. I came up with a good replacement door roller from McMaster-Carr:

The OD is on the nose at 28mm as is the 8mm width. only the bore needed enlarging, courtesy of an 11/32" drill bit for a snug fit on the stock bracket.

With the missing parts issues resolved I could refinish the many small hardware bits of the bifold doors, turning this:

into this:

I don't have to tell anyone who has repaired or rebuilt these door latches that they are a fiendishly Byzantine design!
Getting the internal parts and screws yellow zinc plated made them appear brand new and should add durability.
I was lucky that mine were almost completely intact and I only had to fabricate one unique fastener:

 

[flee]

The results, beautiful:

 

[65swb45]

OMG! Cruiser Porn!

Reported.



Truly a labor of love. You just made my day seeing that dedication.

Did you plate them yourself?

 

[flee]

OMG! Cruiser Porn!

Reported.



Truly a labor of love. You just made my day seeing that dedication.

Did you plate them yourself?

Thanks. Mark, you and I are lucky we live so close to Van Nuys Plating in Van Nuys, of all places.
They are one-stop shopping for most plating and polishing jobs one would need. Top quality and friendly!
I hope they never close their doors...

 

[middlecalf]

Almost obscene!

 

[flee]

The finished product:

Ha ha, just kidding, it's never finished!

 

[flee]

This 40 was up at Valley Hybrids in Stockton, CA for the last few months getting some upgrades. Here's the back entrance to Georg's cool shop:

A 4-speed transplant and Terrain Tamer springs with related parts and work were some of the things that got sorted out while it was there.
I should mention that Georg's shop is very competent. I doubt there is anything in a Land Cruiser that they haven't done many times over.

When I got it back I put on the modified spare tire carrier. I wanted the spare to sit lower and right of center so I could see out the rear window.
Success!

It was a straightforward job to cut 2 sections out of the steel tubes and weld them back together. It looks tidier to my eyes now.
I finally got around to registering my YOM 1963 license plates, too.

Georg also sold me some '71-72 factory seat frames that I want to reupholster to replace the not-original seats currently in the 40.
More to come.

 

[firemanj92]

Looks good, you need one of these license plate frames for your YOM plate. I painted mine black (pic compliments of Ebay)

 

[flee]

The front seating transplant is now done.
Here is the driver's side bottom before:

and the passenger side seat back:

Fortunately the frames were in good shape. I was happy to find a mint driver's side base at Specter who also sold me new foam and covers.
I had the metal parts powder coated silver:

The stock seat height seemed too low and close to the dash for me so I used this 1-1/2" square tube as an adjustable spacer. It works for me.
Here's everything installed:

One benefit of using the perforated tubes is that, with a little bending, the factory adjusters still work with those round holes.
As you can see, the seat sliders are about 2" further back, giving me plenty of leg room now. I may cut off the first 3" of the tubes, though.
These seats were from '71-72 so there should have been a center folding backrest but with the floor shift it would be a lousy place to sit anyway.
I'm thinking of modifying an armrest unless a Mudder has a center backrest they can part with...

 

[flee]

I wanted to re-use my Tuffy armrest/console but it was too tall to ride on top of the bench seat. The best solution was to cut 4" off the bottom:

Next I had a bottom plate cut from 16ga cold rolled steel:

Then I welded it in place:

The seat frames didn't come with the back piece for the center folding seat but I do have the correct foam and vinyl, so I'll get around to that...
For now I attached the Tuffy to a piece of 1-1/8" teak that was gathering dust which I sawed to approx. 12"x19":

Finally, that assembly got bolted to the bench seat brackets.

I positioned the console toward the passenger seat to leave room for the floor shifter. The bracket on the left is to keep it in place on the bumps!

 

[knuckle47]

So, what’s the consensus on the hydraulic lifters? False or freakin amazing?… I don’t have the engine experiences in 51 years that some guys have but I have only seen solid lifters and adjustable tappets in any of my FJ40’s that I or anyone else has driven. I like to see that photo also.

It looks like your getting things done…good luck !

 

[flee]

So, what’s the consensus on the hydraulic lifters? False or freakin amazing?… I don’t have the engine experiences in 51 years that some guys have but I have only seen solid lifters and adjustable tappets in any of my FJ40’s that I or anyone else has driven. I like to see that photo also.

It looks like your getting things done…good luck !

Thanks for the question, the answer was in post #11 or so.
My engine builder was also rebuilding a Chevy 6-cylinder and the lifters for that engine were next to mine on his shelf and weren't in mine!
What were the odds?

 

[knuckle47]

This is why I had initially messed up with my IAC Sniper adjustment…. It is right there in front of me yet, I had most likely ready that yet my brain did not come close to seeing it and comprehending the outcome. The 2 pages later, I ask what happened to the question about the lifters.

Interesting thought though on having hydraulic lifters. Thanks for the answer. I thought we may be on the verge of some enlightening tools