Looks good man! Definitely a step in the right direction!!
Build The Mongrel: FJ62 body + FZJ80 chassis + turbo diesel + ???
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Enjoy!!
It is great having a workspace, but I hope you're in a warmer climate than I am. I see bare ceiling joists, rafters, and what looks like the bottom side of metal roofing. This makes a recipe for difficulty heating an area here around where I live.
My shop is currently similar to yours, except concrete floor, and it is a bear to heat in the winter time here. Winter temps here are considered mild since we rarely go below freezing. It takes several hours with the wood stove going full blast to get up to comfortable temps. I hope I can find the funds to insulate and sheetrock the ceiling this winter.
Don
It is great having a workspace, but I hope you're in a warmer climate than I am. I see bare ceiling joists, rafters, and what looks like the bottom side of metal roofing. This makes a recipe for difficulty heating an area here around where I live.
My shop is currently similar to yours, except concrete floor, and it is a bear to heat in the winter time here. Winter temps here are considered mild since we rarely go below freezing. It takes several hours with the wood stove going full blast to get up to comfortable temps. I hope I can find the funds to insulate and sheetrock the ceiling this winter.
Don
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I here ya Don!
I am actually from Eugene, spent 24yrs there. I live in Wyoming now, been here 16yrs. Wet cold and dry cold are different things, I would say I am more used to dry cold these days. Anything below zero though and it is cold no matter what!
I do plan to seal it up a bit, will do some of that today. I will never get it air tight though. Mostly I am simply looking to be able to go outside and work with the cold weather gear on, ie thermals, wool socks, ect. I don't mind suiting up and working as long as it is not to cold to use my hands.
Will see how it turns out, still a work in progress.
Cheers
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Pictures of the man cave after todays work, nearly a 12hr day! We got a lot done and it is starting to look like a proper work area. I am no carpenter that is for sure! I am also using scrap items I have around as much as possible. So today was dry wall in the areas you see, electrician showed up and did my wiring (some is temporary), do the ceiling with Celotex 1/2" and hang the lights. Oh ya and we got rid of a yard or two of crush on my driveway to fill some potholes! It is about 80% done or more now....
The holes in the ceiling are for the stove pipe work and an access panel yet to be made for getting up in the rafters. I am going to go around and spray foam up where needed on the walls and or ceiling to seal up for any drafts. Still got some drywall to hang and finish off the insulating of the ceiling. I think I will tape the seams in the ceiling too. I am digging it a lot so far! Ran the compressor today for the first time, it is nice and quiet. Powered up the plasma cutter too of it's new plug but didn't cut anything. All seems well though. Still lots of work to do though such as; pipe the stove, set up my work bench, organize all my junk and I might due some pavers around my stove pad. I also need to set up the piping/filter for my compressor.
The holes in the ceiling are for the stove pipe work and an access panel yet to be made for getting up in the rafters. I am going to go around and spray foam up where needed on the walls and or ceiling to seal up for any drafts. Still got some drywall to hang and finish off the insulating of the ceiling. I think I will tape the seams in the ceiling too. I am digging it a lot so far! Ran the compressor today for the first time, it is nice and quiet. Powered up the plasma cutter too of it's new plug but didn't cut anything. All seems well though. Still lots of work to do though such as; pipe the stove, set up my work bench, organize all my junk and I might due some pavers around my stove pad. I also need to set up the piping/filter for my compressor.
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Looking great man!!! The work is going to seem way more bearable/enjoyable. 
We're expecting some serious results once the cave is done. 
-Daniel
We're expecting some serious results once the cave is done. -Daniel
That is looking much easier to keep some heat in. You're my kind of guy, utilize everything you've got and spend the least money possible to get the results you want.
Eugene is about 40 miles south of me. I'm just off I-5, out between Albany and Jefferson. Do you remember the papermill right along I-5, just north of Albany? That "stinky" mill? I grew up in the perfume path of that mill, in the Millersburg area. I'm now back in that old and cold house to be with my mom in her last years.
That mill used to be owned by Willamette Industries, a very large and important timber industry here in Oregon. They were taken over by Weyerhauser in a hostile takeover because they wanted the timber holdings that Willamette Industries had. The mill was re-sold to a company that had a new papermill in Eugene. The mill was then shut down to cut competition about two years ago. A major employer in Albany was lost and the name Weyerhauser is a dirty word around here now and the mill is slowly being dismantled.
Don
Eugene is about 40 miles south of me. I'm just off I-5, out between Albany and Jefferson. Do you remember the papermill right along I-5, just north of Albany? That "stinky" mill? I grew up in the perfume path of that mill, in the Millersburg area. I'm now back in that old and cold house to be with my mom in her last years.
That mill used to be owned by Willamette Industries, a very large and important timber industry here in Oregon. They were taken over by Weyerhauser in a hostile takeover because they wanted the timber holdings that Willamette Industries had. The mill was re-sold to a company that had a new papermill in Eugene. The mill was then shut down to cut competition about two years ago. A major employer in Albany was lost and the name Weyerhauser is a dirty word around here now and the mill is slowly being dismantled.
Don
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Thanks, the shop isn't even done and I am already using it. Loving it too! It is small and tight but I got enough room to work.
This is not the Mongrels frame, got to get this done before I moved the 80-series frame inside....
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Tomorrow....
get at least 2 cords of fire wood.
Time is now to stock up though. I want about 4 cords or more for the winter. This last week I also got all new bricks for the stove. I also figured out what I need to buy for stove pipe (pitch on roof figured out, ect ect), plan to buy the stove pipe/fittings this weekend. Got to order it online though, my town sucks! Decided I absolutely have to have at least two more items for the shop. Hose reel for my air hose and a fire extinguisher. See if I can't buy those this weekend too. Been using the shop for a couple weeks now working on another project and the floor is holding up nicely, I think it will work fine for my needs. Would love concrete but not going to happen. I got some other stuff planned for the shop too, like; center folds on the walls some nice big fatty tall jack stands (going to make these), visqueen sheets to drop down over doors and my stuff (got a 500+sqft sheet for free), better storage of my crap, a vise and maybe an anvil, I got some very cool steel in the scrap pile so going to build a wood rack for the shop to hold fire wood and some more shelves. I am also shopping for a cheap tool chest. Got me so many tools but have slacked all these years with buying a tool chest. Watching KSL but no go so far, heard I can get a fatty one at Costco for like $300.
I know weak update. What can I say, baby steps!!
get at least 2 cords of fire wood.
Time is now to stock up though. I want about 4 cords or more for the winter. This last week I also got all new bricks for the stove. I also figured out what I need to buy for stove pipe (pitch on roof figured out, ect ect), plan to buy the stove pipe/fittings this weekend. Got to order it online though, my town sucks! Decided I absolutely have to have at least two more items for the shop. Hose reel for my air hose and a fire extinguisher. See if I can't buy those this weekend too. Been using the shop for a couple weeks now working on another project and the floor is holding up nicely, I think it will work fine for my needs. Would love concrete but not going to happen. I got some other stuff planned for the shop too, like; center folds on the walls
some nice big fatty tall jack stands (going to make these), visqueen sheets to drop down over doors and my stuff (got a 500+sqft sheet for free), better storage of my crap, a vise and maybe an anvil, I got some very cool steel in the scrap pile so going to build a wood rack for the shop to hold fire wood and some more shelves. I am also shopping for a cheap tool chest. Got me so many tools but have slacked all these years with buying a tool chest. Watching KSL but no go so far, heard I can get a fatty one at Costco for like $300. I know weak update. What can I say, baby steps!!
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Thanks, the shop isn't even done and I am already using it. Loving it too! It is small and tight but I got enough room to work.
This is not the Mongrels frame, got to get this done before I moved the 80-series frame inside....
What you do in a little space is so impressive, guys with big shops and all the tools have a big adavantage..
You are doing what I did in the day, frame off restorations in a two bay garage..
Rob
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What you do in a little space is so impressive, guys with big shops and all the tools have a big adavantage..
You are doing what I did in the day, frame off restorations in a two bay garage..
Rob
Thank you sir! Admired your work for years....
The shop is 14x18ft usable space so yes pretty damn tight! Two bay garage? Maybe smaller? With space taken up by shelves and such it is about 400sqft. Not very big! Haha.
The old school Fisher stove is rated at heating 1000+sqft. but my thoughts are it will do more then that. I am probably going to have to ventilate the shop with it cranking, basic half drunk math tells me it will be pretty warm in the shop! Can you tell I am thinking a lot about heat this winter!? -20* below is not uncommon here in the winter. Weeks or months of zero pretty normal too. I want to be 50-70* in the shop drinking hot toddies while I build this truck! 
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Total lackluster update.... 
I just bought a bunch of stuff I needed for the shop. Stove pipe is all ordered and in route, cost me a pretty penny but I had to have it. Last weekend I went out and cut 2-3 cords of fire wood, still need another 1-2 cords. A week or two ago I bought all new bricks for the stove too. So just about there as far as heating the shop. I bought a hose reel to tame my air hose in the shop, it was needed badly. Bought the last air tools I need, two die grinders and a die grinder bit set plus a 4ft blow nozzle. Bought an engine stand for the SD33T-S/C engine. I also bought the 3M spray gun and nozzles for doing inside frame rails. Interested to see how it works. Bought some metal working tools, a 6" vise and a welder cart (didn't feel like making one with all the stuff I have to do). Bought an outdoor shelter, ie one of those plastic garages. A 16ftx12ft version which will hold all my work stuff like; mowers, ditch witch, tools, generator, ect ect ect. I am a landscape contractor if you didn't figure it out by now! I have needed this badly for a while too, moved out of my storage unit a bit over a month ago so had no choice but to buy/do something before winter. I was going to make one since all the ones I could find were well over $500. Found one for under $325 though so went ahead and took the plunge. I really didn't want to shell out a bunch of coin for all this stuff but I had to if I want the shop to be in order. And hey, I worked my butt off this summer and this is the rewards!
I would much rather spend all this money on parts for The Mongrel but I was kidding myself to think I could build this truck without a proper shop to work in.
I just bought a bunch of stuff I needed for the shop. Stove pipe is all ordered and in route, cost me a pretty penny but I had to have it. Last weekend I went out and cut 2-3 cords of fire wood, still need another 1-2 cords. A week or two ago I bought all new bricks for the stove too. So just about there as far as heating the shop. I bought a hose reel to tame my air hose in the shop, it was needed badly. Bought the last air tools I need, two die grinders and a die grinder bit set plus a 4ft blow nozzle. Bought an engine stand for the SD33T-S/C engine. I also bought the 3M spray gun and nozzles for doing inside frame rails. Interested to see how it works. Bought some metal working tools, a 6" vise and a welder cart (didn't feel like making one with all the stuff I have to do). Bought an outdoor shelter, ie one of those plastic garages. A 16ftx12ft version which will hold all my work stuff like; mowers, ditch witch, tools, generator, ect ect ect. I am a landscape contractor if you didn't figure it out by now! I have needed this badly for a while too, moved out of my storage unit a bit over a month ago so had no choice but to buy/do something before winter. I was going to make one since all the ones I could find were well over $500. Found one for under $325 though so went ahead and took the plunge. I really didn't want to shell out a bunch of coin for all this stuff but I had to if I want the shop to be in order. And hey, I worked my butt off this summer and this is the rewards!
I would much rather spend all this money on parts for The Mongrel but I was kidding myself to think I could build this truck without a proper shop to work in.
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I don't have much of an update. The 1964 Nissan Patrol is being restored still and will take time ebfore it is gone from the new shop and I have free space.
I have got the shop pretty dialed in now though. Stove pipe order was all screwed up, that is what I get for thinking some online store knows what to sell me. New replacement correct stuff should be here this week though. Got a solid 4 cords of wood and might get another one or two. The shop is just about fully insulated now so I should be toasty warm all winter! Got just about all the walls drywalled now, tool rack made for all my wrenches, shelves made, ect ect. Compressor is all plumbed permanent now with water seperators, filter, hose real, ect. Got a lot of my junk cleaned up and some more space. So it has come a long long ways.
I been thinking about the build a lot lately though. The truck is to be an overland truck so maybe I should have put this build in the "expedition" forum. But I think it is a bit hardcore form your standard overland build. I been coming accross lot's of threads, builds and so forth on Expedition Portal of Tacomas and lighter duty platforms. I had one myself, a 2004 Taco that was built to the hilt besides a SAS. And as a result I feel very good about the platform I have chosen to start with. Since this is a fully custom build there is no GVW to base things off. And IMHO when you build an overland truck GVW needs to be at the front of your mind. It is very easy to exceed GVW when you build an overland truck. And I know from experience that I don't want to be messing with a truck that is way over GVW. However, even being fully custom I think the 80-series frame is up to the task. I don't even know GVW on an 80-series but I am pretty sure 6,000lbs is not a problem. I expect The Mongrel to be in the 6-7klbs range once done and loaded for a trip. I do plan to re-inforce the frame and plate it where I feel it is required. The axles I have no doubts are up to the task in terms of weight. The NV4500 and Atlas also are up to the task no problem. The engine is also up tot he task, a 6BT or similar might be better but this engine will do me fine. Overlanding in Latin America which is basically what I am building this for, speeds are slow any ways.
I am also really thinking about cutting the roof on the 62 and making some sort of pop-top camper. That is a long long ways out though and I would just have to decide if it is something myself and friends could handle. No way I am going to spend $6grand doing it.
Any ways, the build is way back burner right now since I got to get this 64 Patrol out of the shop. I also really need to slap a 77 Patrol together before I move The Mongrel in which I have mention a bunch of times. So sadly there may not be much for updates for awhile.
I did slap the 37" roller tires on my 83 Patrol. So I might take a picture of that and post it. It is really close to how big I want The Mongrel to come out, perhaps a touch tall with the 37's. It is pretty damn wide too even with no wheel spacers but they tires are 13.5 wide and I plan to lose an inch by running 12.5s. It is fully doable though with nothing other than some big wide flares.
I have got the shop pretty dialed in now though. Stove pipe order was all screwed up, that is what I get for thinking some online store knows what to sell me. New replacement correct stuff should be here this week though. Got a solid 4 cords of wood and might get another one or two. The shop is just about fully insulated now so I should be toasty warm all winter! Got just about all the walls drywalled now, tool rack made for all my wrenches, shelves made, ect ect. Compressor is all plumbed permanent now with water seperators, filter, hose real, ect. Got a lot of my junk cleaned up and some more space. So it has come a long long ways.
I been thinking about the build a lot lately though. The truck is to be an overland truck so maybe I should have put this build in the "expedition" forum. But I think it is a bit hardcore form your standard overland build. I been coming accross lot's of threads, builds and so forth on Expedition Portal of Tacomas and lighter duty platforms. I had one myself, a 2004 Taco that was built to the hilt besides a SAS. And as a result I feel very good about the platform I have chosen to start with. Since this is a fully custom build there is no GVW to base things off. And IMHO when you build an overland truck GVW needs to be at the front of your mind. It is very easy to exceed GVW when you build an overland truck. And I know from experience that I don't want to be messing with a truck that is way over GVW. However, even being fully custom I think the 80-series frame is up to the task. I don't even know GVW on an 80-series but I am pretty sure 6,000lbs is not a problem. I expect The Mongrel to be in the 6-7klbs range once done and loaded for a trip. I do plan to re-inforce the frame and plate it where I feel it is required. The axles I have no doubts are up to the task in terms of weight. The NV4500 and Atlas also are up to the task no problem. The engine is also up tot he task, a 6BT or similar might be better but this engine will do me fine. Overlanding in Latin America which is basically what I am building this for, speeds are slow any ways.
I am also really thinking about cutting the roof on the 62 and making some sort of pop-top camper. That is a long long ways out though and I would just have to decide if it is something myself and friends could handle. No way I am going to spend $6grand doing it.
Any ways, the build is way back burner right now since I got to get this 64 Patrol out of the shop. I also really need to slap a 77 Patrol together before I move The Mongrel in which I have mention a bunch of times. So sadly there may not be much for updates for awhile.
I did slap the 37" roller tires on my 83 Patrol. So I might take a picture of that and post it. It is really close to how big I want The Mongrel to come out, perhaps a touch tall with the 37's. It is pretty damn wide too even with no wheel spacers but they tires are 13.5 wide and I plan to lose an inch by running 12.5s. It is fully doable though with nothing other than some big wide flares.
6k pounds is not an issue for the 80 frame. My 80 has a little extra weight with front bumper/winch, larger battery, sliders and 33 inch tires. Other than that it is stock.
Weighs in at over 5700 lbs at the dump and not a full tank of fuel. I have had 600 pounds in the back before, and other than being a little slower to take off, no issues. There are many 80s on here over 6k everyday, all day.
Weighs in at over 5700 lbs at the dump and not a full tank of fuel. I have had 600 pounds in the back before, and other than being a little slower to take off, no issues. There are many 80s on here over 6k everyday, all day.
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Right, which is why I think the 80 is a great platform/frame to start with.
Today we fire up the wood stove for the first time. I am ready! Cold and snowy outside, pretty cold in the shop too.
Today we fire up the wood stove for the first time. I am ready! Cold and snowy outside, pretty cold in the shop too.
I know this is a hijack, but I want to hear more about how this goes.
Don
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It went great!
I had it up to 60 degrees in the shop last night, at the same time it was 15 outside. I also still have a huge hole (4ftx4ft) in the ceiling right above the stove where most of the heat was escaping. So once that is sealed up I think I can keep it 75 in the shop no problem. Got to get some drywall to finish off the ceiling and seal it up around the stove box. I am also going to use at least a few cans more of spray foam to seal all the nooks and crannies. My two outer walls are not insulated but I did go an insulate my big sliding doors. Overall I am happy with how it has all turned out. Lot's of work but it is just about 100% complete!
Cheers!
I had it up to 60 degrees in the shop last night, at the same time it was 15 outside. I also still have a huge hole (4ftx4ft) in the ceiling right above the stove where most of the heat was escaping. So once that is sealed up I think I can keep it 75 in the shop no problem. Got to get some drywall to finish off the ceiling and seal it up around the stove box. I am also going to use at least a few cans more of spray foam to seal all the nooks and crannies. My two outer walls are not insulated but I did go an insulate my big sliding doors. Overall I am happy with how it has all turned out. Lot's of work but it is just about 100% complete!
Cheers!
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Had the shop up to 82+ last night, warmer than my house! All the while it was 25 outside and snowing. Stripped down to a t-shirt in the shop and had to let some heat out a few times during the night as I got to hot while working.
Got my drywall in around the stove box in the ceiling, that was the major thing to seal in heat. Siliconed all my joints in drywall and durarock on the walls to remove any drafts, did my door jam with silicone on my side door too. Put up a big sheet of construction plastic over my bay doors. Also insulated the bay doors and made a removable insulated piece for putting over the open part of the doors. I leave them cracked so I can go in and out easily. Last bit to do is simply go up in the rafters and seal up any leaks with spray foam.
So the man cave is a success, enough blahing on about it! I will be wam and happy all winter!
Got my drywall in around the stove box in the ceiling, that was the major thing to seal in heat. Siliconed all my joints in drywall and durarock on the walls to remove any drafts, did my door jam with silicone on my side door too. Put up a big sheet of construction plastic over my bay doors. Also insulated the bay doors and made a removable insulated piece for putting over the open part of the doors. I leave them cracked so I can go in and out easily. Last bit to do is simply go up in the rafters and seal up any leaks with spray foam.
So the man cave is a success, enough blahing on about it! I will be wam and happy all winter!
82+ Wheeew when did summer come?
Don
Don
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Heck man I have had it up to 90 in the shop now. To damn hot!! Had to ventilate and cool it down. And I still got a drafty wall I haven't dealt with yet. It is pretty sweet though and I am stoked. Good thing is, now that I got the shop sealed up, I am burning way way less wood. Without the shop, I wouldn't be working on any trucks so it was all worth the effort.