Builds Skreddy’s 70 Non-Resto (5 Viewers)

[Skreddy]

Down the rabbit hole I go; I will not body off, I will not body off….
Got the rear 77 wheel cylinders in place and started making brake lines. Waiting on t unions that bolt to the axle breather so I cleaned up the breathers. The front disc conversion is fine but I’d rather have Toyota so started searching for 60 or mini truck parts, may as well do it while it’s apart….
Bought all new heater and radiator hoses so started in on that…. Some of the hoses were so brittle they split and crumbled when squeezing them; good thing I’m replacing them, I’d feel terrible if one burst and burnt my wife or kids with hot coolant. I bet it’s dirty inside that front heater, better pull it and clean it and pressure test the heater core. A lot easier to change the rear heater hoses if I pulled the tank and seat….. Found a .308 and some .22 long bullets, unfired, under the seat and tank. Man that floor is clean besides the gunk in the corners!

 

[Skreddy]

So it begins…. The drivetrain is a greasy mess. I knew sooner or later I’d pull it to clean up and sooner is winning out. Can’t see the point in doing all new hoses, carb rebuild, etc and have that gunky mess just to do it again. Checked compression, all cylinders are about 140-145 and who knows when the valves were adjusted last. So out it all comes! I can get it and the engine bay/undercarriage clean, more room to run new brake and fuel lines and be good to go. This will set me back a week or two I imagine, but at least it won’t be hanging over my head (and dropping in my eyes!) later.

 

[cbmontgo]

Nice 40. Glad you snagged it.

 

[Skreddy]

Powertrain is out! And nasty! I’ll start cleaning that up, as well as engine bay. Shoot, since it’s apart, I may as well lift it now and then I can clean the front axle…. Was going to wait a few months but why not?! Looking at pro comp or skyjacker 2.5”, bilstein shocks and 33x10.5’s. Just need to find some factory welded wheels. I like the look of Redline Cruisers blue Betty.
Should run much better when back together. The carb was held on with 1 finger tight nut, the other 3 were present but couldn’t hold a wet fart. 1 bolt on the front driveline was tight, all the rest were finger tight. Brake booster bolts were finger tight (the 2 top ones that were there anyway), parking brake drum nut was not even finger tight, but did have a cotter pin in it.

 

[MDH33]

Great progress so far! Looks like a twin to the '69 I picked up last winter. You've already done more work in a month than I was able to do in 10. keep it going.

 

[Skreddy]

Great progress so far! Looks like a twin to the '69 I picked up last winter. You've already done more work in a month than I was able to do in 10. keep it going.

Yours looks good! I really like the round marker lights of the 60’s cruisers.

 

[MDH33]

Yours looks good! I really like the round marker lights of the 60’s cruisers.

Thanks, I just finished the lift on mine. Still need some oem wheels and ditch the 29" tires. I`ve been only fixing one thing at a time, trying to keep it drivable as I go.

Subscribing to your build thread. I love seeing them come together.

 

[Skreddy]

Thanks, I just finished the lift on mine. Still need some oem wheels and ditch the 29" tires. I`ve been only fixing one thing at a time, trying to keep it drivable as I go.

Subscribing to your build thread. I love seeing them come together.

What brand and size lift did you go with? Right now I’m looking at the procomp 2.5” and either bilstein or procomp pro runner shocks.

 

[rainingagain]

You are getting dangerously close to lifting that body off!

 

[Skreddy]

No! Body stays on! For now…. Maybe some day, just not some day soon.

Ordered a lift and bilstein shocks today. Was going to try procomp pro runner shocks but they couldn’t find any close based on the lengths I gave them. Had a really difficult time deciding on shocks because the lengths everyone seems to spec for a 2.5” lift seemed like they’d be too short from my measuring. Then my aha dummy moment kicked in; motor/trans/t-case is out, no wonder mine is sitting so high! Ugh.

 

[archie73]

Then my aha dummy moment kicked in; motor/trans/t-case is out, no wonder mine is sitting so high! Ugh.

Sounds like it’s time to pull the body. I was just gonna do an engine swap last winter- then the body was just a few more bolts…. Your almost there. Enjoy the journey.

 

[MDH33]

What brand and size lift did you go with? Right now I’m looking at the procomp 2.5” and either bilstein or procomp pro runner shocks.

I did Old Man Emu light duty rear, medium front since I have the pto winch. Have a similar setup on my fj60 and it has served me well.

 

[Skreddy]

Scraping, oven cleaner, foaming engine cleaner and a pressure washer and I found an engine, transmission and a transfer case!

 

[Skreddy]

Separated trans and engine and found the great sight of a toasted clutch; guess I should order one of those too. One of the finger bolt heads is pretty ground down, guessing out of adjustment.

 

[Skreddy]

Had a few hours today so lots of cleaning in preparation of reassembly. Never feels like I get much accomplished when cleaning but looking back it’s a lot. Cleaned the interior floor then scrubbed some clr onto the drivers floor and rinsed. Looking better every day. Never take enough pics.

 

[Skreddy]

Knuckles disassembled in preparation for the mini truck disc brake swap; now cleaning, ugh. I also started cleaning inner fenders in preparation for engine to go back in. The new rear main seal will be here on Tuesday so hopefully I’ve got everything ready so it can go in, pan on, mate the transmission and plop it back in. Because it always goes that smoothly…. The valves are adjusted, block cleaned and painted and tins are awaiting paint tomorrow.
In my boredom walking by it a few times, I tried some rubbing compound on part of the hood, then a bigger part, then part of the fender, then a little more. I hate buffing/polishing but tackling a little at a time, if I can get it to all look like this I’ll be pretty thrilled.

 

[Skreddy]

I had big hopes of driving it this weekend, but that’s looking pretty ambitious at this point with my work schedule. Regardless, the engine and trans/t-case are in, started on new fuel and coolant lines, I got the steering box cleaned up and resealed and the new, stock welded wheels painted. The lift showed up today so that’s exciting, tires get mounted tomorrow. So just need to install lift, change u-joints, build exhaust, build brake lines, finish disc brake swap/knuckle job, bib back on, fuel tank and interior back in. Boom.

 

[Skreddy]

When I restored my 71 earlier this year, I bought new hubcaps but kept the originals. They were just too used to put on that one but I knew one day I’d get another and try to keep it more “survivor original”. I really hate cleaning, polishing, etc., but it is sure worth the effort. About 5 minutes on each and the whole set of 5 original, 1971 caps are ready to go on. They cleaned up nicely, but still sport some character in the form of scuffs, dings and chipped black paint. I think they’ll look right at home on this one.

 

[72LANDI]

That is quite the find! Typical "been in storage for a while" grunge, and P.O. modifications but fairly original and intact. I love the 3 on the tree. Will you keep that?

 

[Skreddy]

I’m starting to think this thing had a rough encounter at some point. I pulled the front axle out today to clean it really well and paint, then start the mini truck knuckle swap. The rear leaf spring mount on the frame has 3 rivets; the bottom 2 were almost sheared off and the one on the side of the frame was loosened so there was obviously a big impact at some point. So big, that the spring center pin on that side was sheared off top and bottom, only a 1/2” chunk of the pin was left inside the spring pack. The u bolts were holding this spring together. The axle had also shifted rearward about 1/2” inch on the spring, with no center pin to help locate it. I’ll weld the hangar to the frame instead of trying to re-rivet or bolt it.
On the plus side, mini truck birfields are now on the FJ40 axles and I ground out inside the axle for them to fit. Reassembly tomorrow and install the lift.