Builds "The Milk Truck" FJ45 Preservation Sorta

[Zjohnsonua]

Great work, man. Looks factory. You'll appreciate all these little details once it's all together.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

I have been binging on Hiltz Auto Company on YT. His ability to mix and match toward art is amazing. Reminded me of it.

 

[Tank5]

Thanks for the nice comments. Feels good to have been able to make this piece my self and learn something new in the process.

@ceylonfj40nut I will have to look up Hiltz Auto and see what they are doing there. I learned the form making watching a video from Makeitkustom.

 

[Robs76fj40]

Thanks for the nice comments. Feels good to have been able to make this piece my self and learn something new in the process.

@ceylonfj40nut I will have to look up Hiltz Auto and see what they are doing there. I learned the form making watching a video from Makeitkustom.

Carl Fisher really does some cool stuff and I love his videos! Check out Metalshaper and Wray Schelin on Youtube as well. There is a massive amount wealth of information and skills they're giving away on those three channels!

 

[2fpower]

the corners look amazing. Was there any heat needed??? I don't see any scorched wood, so I assume not.....

Any tricks, that looks great.

 

[Tank5]

@2fpower



The link above is the video I watched to learn how to do it. Honestly it was easy, I just took my time. I built my panel out of 14gauge steel and didn’t have all the tools he has, so I used a small sledge hammer to start bending the panel edges. After I had the edges all turned down I used the flat side of a ball peen hammer to finish it. When working the edges down I just made sure I worked all the sides down consistently at the same time. No heat involved.

On my bottom form piece I didn’t rout the edges with a router. I wanted a sharp bend, so I just used a block sander to smooth and take the rough edge of the form.

The bolt heads that clamp the form together hold the bottom edge off the table. I found my bottom form started to crack so, I stuck wood pieces under the edge of the form to support it and that worked well. I then clamped it down on the table to keep it in place.

I used 5/8 fiber board and after one use my bottom form was done. In the video he uses 3/4 or one inch. I expect that would hold up better.

Watch that video it will explain it much better than I could.

It takes a while and your arm will get tired. That is the first time I tried it and it turned out great. It is not hard.

 

[Dizzy]

@2fpower



The link above is the video I watched to learn how to do it. Honestly it was easy, I just took my time. I built my panel out of 14gauge steel and didn’t have all the tools he has, so I used a small sledge hammer to start bending the panel edges. After I had the edges all turned down I used the flat side of a ball peen hammer to finish it. When working the edges down I just made sure I worked all the sides down consistently at the same time. No heat involved.

On my bottom form piece I didn’t rout the edges with a router. I wanted a sharp bend, so I just used a block sander to smooth and take the rough edge of the form.

The bolt heads that clamp the form together hold the bottom edge off the table. I found my bottom form started to crack so, I stuck wood pieces under the edge of the form to support it and that worked well. I then clamped it down on the table to keep it in place.

I used 5/8 fiber board and after one use my bottom form was done. In the video he uses 3/4 or one inch. I expect that would hold up better.

Watch that video it will explain it much better than I could.

It takes a while and your arm will get tired. That is the first time I tried it and it turned out great. It is not hard.

That is also like the formula to a new drip rail. Awesome!

 

[Tank5]

I ordered a vintage air surefit heater/AC unit a while ago but I swapped the condenser for a universal one to accommodate the steering cooler. The condenser came before the rest of the unit so I started fitting it.

While fitting the condenser I decided the Setrab steering cooler was too deep at two inches and that I really needed something closer to an inch. Finding a one inch deep steering cooler that flows across with an outlet on each was not easy. I searched the internet for an aftermarket option but didn’t find any thing except a Mopar unit for a charger or viper. I spent a few hours walking around the junk yard just looking at steering coolers.

I bought two out of mini vans and one out of a Challenger. The unit from the Challanger looked like it could work but I wanted more than just the single row. I figured the three row Charger unit I found online would fit perfect if the measurements were similar.

I ordered it and it looks like it was just what I needed. I probably overthought the cooler but I happy with the way it turned out.

 

[Tank5]

I made a few finishing touches to the cooler mounting and the power steering pressure side hose. I use my spot welder to add some capture nuts inside the radiator support to make mounting and servicing the coolers a lot easier. The high pressure hose for the power steering got secured with two clamps attached to the cooler mount I made running across the front. I am hoping this works well and will be solid enough not to chaff the hose. I may add some wrap for additional protection, thoughts?

I am just waiting on the new radiator to arrive before I am done with the radiator support. Then I can repaint it and move on.

 

[Dizzy]

Where do you purchase the weld-on nuts?

 

[4Cruisers]

What type of spot welder do you have? I have quite a few weld nuts to install for my '71 FJ40 build, 6mm like the ones you showed, 8mm square, 10mm hex, and 7/16-20 UNF square (for seat belt mounting hardware). I bought the 6mm nuts more than a year ago, IIRC those were from McMaster-Carr, same place I ordered the other sizes from yesterday. So a spot welder would be ideal for the 6mm hardware.

 

[4Cruisers]

Where do you purchase the weld-on nuts?

I just ordered quite a few (^^^) from McMaster-Carr yesterday, they'll be here tomorrow. More than a year ago I bought a package of 100 just like the ones pictured above. I'll have quite a few extras of each size, I'll let you have them if you're not in a hurry.

 

[Tank5]

Where do you purchase the weld-on nuts?

I ordered mine from Amazon but I am sure they can be found other places like McMaster-Carr as @4Cruisers pointed out.

The spot welder I bought is made by Miller. It has been nice to have for simple clean work like this. You could easily mig weld the capture nuts on but I like try to keep a factory look as much as I can.

 

[OGBeno]

Wait: you have a manufacturing line style spot welder? Just to build one cruiser?

Am I missing something?

 

[Tank5]

Wait: you have a manufacturing line style spot welder? Just to build one cruiser?

Am I missing something?

This is the spot welder I bought with a couple different length arms. Technically I bought all three of my welders to build one truck but they have all been used on other Land Cruisers I worked on to help support this build.

I personally would rather spend my money on tools I get to keep and learn a new skill with than just pay someone else to do the work for me. This is the approach I have taken for as much as I possibly can with my build. I have taken advantage of a local machine shop to make a few trick pieces or modifications for my build but other wise I am trying to do as much of the fab work on my own as I can.

When I initially bought the spot welder I had started my 45 build with an entirely different truck which I sold after acquiring the 45 I am building now. I didn’t have a SWB bed at the time and figured I would just build one. I bought the spot weld at that time specifically to build my own SWB bed. I don’t have to do that now but the welder sure comes in handy.

 

[OGBeno]

Nice. Very nice thinking. I knew about your previous trucks but didn’t realize the infrastructure and tooling investment.

GOVT teet must be nice….

 

[Tank5]

GOVT teet must be nice….

It is not that nice. I flipped a few rigs, parted a few out, and whored my services out for some others. I could easily be done with my build if all my efforts could have just been spent on the one truck. Not to mention halfway through one build I sold it and started all over.

I have learned a lot along the way though.

 

[2fpower]

I have used this one for several years. Takes some time getting used to how long to keep the trigger down, but does a great job.

saves hours of work..

120V Spot Welder

Amazing deals on this 120 Volt Spot Welder at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Dizzy]

Here is a non-weld-on version (M6) that I bought from my neighborhood Ace. It has a captive mechanism. Black oxide finish. I had to buy one because I thought that I could have a wing-it solution if I ever brake free a captive nut, and want to repair it from the front face of the part. I would modify it to minimally weld it on, and cut the rest off the rest.

 

[Tank5]

I have been repairing holes in the floor and a few rusty spots on the tub. Nothing picture worthy but I am making progress.

I did get the mounting flange for the transmission cover cut out and welded on. I cut it out with some mounting flanges I bent up to position the cover correctly over the mounting flange. I used the the spot welder to secure the pieces in place then welded them together all the way around. I went back and cleaned up the weld after. It turned out well but with enough character to match the rest of the 45. I intend to coat the cover and floor with lizard skin and bed liner, so it should look pretty good when it is all done.