Builds Tagged '67 LV build (1 Viewer)

[Bear]

That's certainly some very nice work on those rear fender flares. It gives hope for the FJ40 owners with butchered rear wheel wells. But it also requires someone with excellent welding and body skills. Lucky you are to have found that type of workers. Money well-spent.

Thanks for all the photo documenting.

 

[crustycruise]

Really appreciate that Bear. My body man Brett is very talented and extraordinarily conscientious - quite literally treats every project like it was his own. I do indeed feel fortunate to have found him.

 

[crustycruise]

During my earliest days as a MUD member I was fortunate enough to run across a reprinted column by rick_d devoted to LVs. He shares a great deal of knowledge from his personal experiences and ownership of LVs through the years. It was a stroke of luck for this newbie back then and I still refer to it today. It's definitely worth a quick read if you haven't already. Keep in mind that it was written between 20 and 25 years ago, so all those LV parts rigs are likely long gone. Here's a link -

FJ45LV Wagon Options, statistics, standards

The following page is an email / newsletter that was printed out (between 1995 and 2003) and retyped on 03/29/05 as a courtesy to all Land cruiser enthusiasts. The original newsletter was sent out between 1995 and 2003. There is no date stamp on the original. ‘Mikesta of FJtoys.com...

forum.ih8mud.com

One of the things I paid close attention to was his discussion of areas where rust is a concern on an LV. I had spent a good bit of time going over my LV by that point and hadn't seen much beyond surface rust in the glove box, rockers, floors or window frames that he indicated were frequently problem areas. All in all I was feeling pretty good about things until I got to the section on rear tailgate hinge box and corners. In relation to those areas he described rot attributable to "road crud" slung up by rear tires into the corners and the hinge box, those same corners and hinge box ends corroded and opened up to the elements by "cancer", allowing even more crud to collect. My pulse quickened, my thoughts raced; how am I gonna pay for the body work? can I recoup half my purchase price? And just when I thought things couldn't get worse, I read this - "If your box section is rotted, I think it is a tough salvage." I caught my breath and went down to the garage to take a closer look. Sure enough there were signs old man rust had been feasting on my LVs hinge box!

A few days later I was scheduled to drop off the LV at the body shop, and I printed a copy of the rust concerns to take with me. We get some preliminaries out of the way before I suggested Brett read the thread and investigate the hinge box. After reading, he crawls underneath, shines a light into the corners, and taps on some metal before crawling out to look at it from the top side. A few more minutes pass while he studies the hinge box from the top before he looks at me and says something like "seen and fixed worse". After seeing the finished product I have no reason to doubt him and I don't think you will.

Before...

 

[crustycruise]

And here's the after. Nothing quite like a line of well placed spot welds to make you feel good about the way your resto is trending...

 

[Land Cruiser Junky]

I'll say it again Don, you were a very lucky man to have found that LV, and then again to have such a talented body man. Good to see one being restored to this level.

 

[Tancruiser]

Don I’m so glad Your going all stock on this rig if you still have the rear seat upholstery I would like to have it thanks Dale. I fixed mine Using some structural steel tubing since I. Don’t have any sheet metal tools it’s looking really awesome Don

 

[crustycruise]

Thanks Dale! I'm very happy with the way it turned out. We're getting down to the last of the sheetmetal fixes, so it should be time for epoxy fairly soon. Then a whole month of watching paint dry - literally!

 

[Tancruiser]

I’m anxiously waiting to see it I may never paint mine it’s got so much character as is .

 

[crustycruise]

I agree, never paint it. Easily the most recognizable LV in existence. You gotta love that!

 

[crustycruise]

I'd like to share a story I hope you find as amazing as I do. First, a quiz for all you LV aficionados out there. Can you identify this part? You're on your honor not to go to the following post.

 

[crustycruise]

A while back I received a text from the shop attaching some photos and asking if I knew anything about some mysterious factory-looking spot welds. The welds were found on a section of the floor metal directly beneath the passenger side of the front seat.

 

[Tancruiser]

That goes in the jack holder under the passenger seat

 

[crustycruise]

Nice! No more calls, we have a winner!!!

 

[Tancruiser]

It looks like yours is missing so you may as well send me the rubber pad and the hunt continues.

 

[crustycruise]

I texted back that I hadn't a clue and, being a chuckle-head and sensing I was about to learn my LV was missing some unobtainuim I didn't even know was missing and finding it, if I was lucky, would only require lots and lots of searching, I asked my metal guy with 20 years experience if he was sure they were factory spot welds - Won't make that mistake again!

I started searching some photos of LVs I'd relied on in the past to identify parts and found something that looked like a sculpted metal dish your wife might fill with peanuts and place on the side table by the couch on game day.

 

[crustycruise]

On November 28, 2018, I placed a wanted ad in the 45 classifieds and crossed my fingers. A few folks contacted me that day wishing me luck - because they knew I was gonna need it - and I got busy with other projects and put it out of my mind. The next day, November 29, I received a PM from @xtremeVA telling me he had one! What's more amazing is that when I didn't have any parts xtremeVA needed, he sent the part to me for free, even paid the shipping. A few days later I was holding it in my hand and very happy to be on the receiving end of an LV pay-it-forward! It even had two of the three rings that the cord? rubber? passes through to hold the jack in place!

 

[Rix 45]

The little dips on the tray look perfect for cigs. But under the bench seat?. It took me a while to figure it out on my LV. The jack was long gone.

 

[cruiserjunktion]

Yes, found the green starter a little while back. Not even sure that long generator is correct for my year, but it sure looks cool.

Neither of my ‘65s have that long generator.

 

[crustycruise]

By the time the jack holder arrived the shop was finishing up the last of the floor patches, so they welded it in right away.

 

[crustycruise]

If you think the story ends there, I'm happy to say you're wrong. After seeing my wanted ad, @Rix 45 PM'd me saying he thought that somewhere in his stash he had the little rubber mat Toyota designed to sit between the LV jack holder and the jack - here again, something I had no idea even existed. Yesterday I received a small box with that LV treasure inside! Another gift - Man have I got some pay-it-forwarding to do!

Thank you LV community! Thank you MUD!