The Old Lady's 66' FJ45 Build

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I hope you got those winches. they sat in my garage long enough!
 
Just keep it rollin, whatever you do. No more down time!

That is the goal. Keep it running while we slowly clean up the body and interior. I get sidetracked, between my travel and my other rigs... there isn't always time and money for this one. Plus I just brought home a 1965 Stout :D

...IOW, it's not new any more, and I like that just fine.

Agreed!

I hope you got those winches. they sat in my garage long enough!

Thanks again for making that all happen :cool:
 
So with winter looming and me in town for a bit, I want to finally tackle some of the little projects this old gal needs. It has a leaking rear diff that needs to be addressed as well as some nasty spring bushings. Hope to squeeze it in the shop this week for those. I'm super torn about weather stripping particularly on the front doors. I have all of the new stuff in stock with the exception of the bug-catcher window (any updates there? remind me who was making that?). Do I burn $300-400 worth of w/s on the crusty/un-prepped doors just to make it less of a headache to drive? I could get by with some door runs on both side and the bug-catcher window, the rest is ok enough the time being. Figure $200 is worth having it sealed back up?

Same for the exhaust, do I have the exhaust shop bend up a near OE system using OE parts where I can or just have them patch it together so it isn't leaking?

I'm not at a point where I have the time and budget for a legit tear-down, prep, paint and rebuild of this truck and honestly I don't know if want it for that. I want to take it on the Relic Run, load axles in the back of it or run my dirtbike to the desert... but it really isn't up for a 100 mile round trip so I suppose I should address that first:

My "I wanna drive it 100 miles" list:

Suspension Bushings
Matching wheels/tires that are road safe
Fluid check in front diff, front knuckles and rear diff (needs rear cover gasket)
Steering overhaul? At a minimum replace TRE boots and R&R center arm?
Weather-stripping. Windshield has major gaps, doors rattle like Harley
Exhaust system needs R&R from bottom of head-pipe back.
Seat need recovering? Do I spend $$$ and go resto grade or just get something on there so the springs are covered.
What else? I need to take it for a errand around town and get reminded :D
 
Not to overwhelm you with more considerations, but remember there is a difference between YOUR 100 mile list that will get your wife to go with you ONCE...and the list where she will go with you... again!:lol::lol:

Maybe HENDOG's :princess: will weigh in on this once they get back to GA!;)
 
Not to overwhelm you with more considerations, but remember there is a difference between YOUR 100 mile list that will get your wife to go with you ONCE...and the list where she will go with you... again!:lol::lol:

Ha, your not kidding. Candace is a trooper. She gave up driving it while I was out of town when it became evident the gas gauge in deed worked. She assumed it was broken and thus hit the town on some local errands. She had the back of it loaded with garden supplies when she went back to start it and it wouldn't fire. Crank... crank... crank... til the battery was dead. She called the neighbors to come help, they jumped it but found the gas gauge was the culprit. She has sworn off driving it until the doors don't rattle, the seats are fixed and it has a full tank of gas. :D
 
You need to spend more time in town to take care of the ride man... ;)

Well, you only have 2 continents to go so Candace will soon have you back full time making sure her rig is tip top. :D

:cheers:
 
You need to spend more time in town to take care of the ride man... ;)...

You know a homeless man once told me "there is no life without intensity", I've been living by that for awhile.

Long time no chat by the way.



We did make some progress today, pulled the rear diff as it was leaking pretty good. Was hoping it was just the diff cover but it was the housing to diff. Going to do rear sway bar bushes while I'm under there too... same bushings as a 100 Series rear sway :cool:
 
You know a homeless man once told me "there is no life without intensity", I've been living by that for awhile. Long time no chat by the way. We did make some progress today, pulled the rear diff as it was leaking pretty good. Was hoping it was just the diff cover but it was the housing to diff. Going to do rear sway bar bushes while I'm under there too... same bushings as a 100 Series rear sway :cool:

Yeah.... Owe you a phone call sir. Probably wait for a Sunday with a brew sometime soon.

You definitely have been indeed sir. The homeless man was probably So-Crates.

;)
 
Must be an unwritten code amongst those transient in nature, because I swear I've heard similar.

It surely could be, and how fitting. :D



A tad more progress. Swapped out the diff gaskets on the rear end. Replaced all the sway bar bushings while we were under there. I think it is rad that my 100 Series uses the same bushings as a 1966 45. Rather than bolt the old meats back on, we mounted up the factory wheels and 33" BFG MT's that I have been storing for it. The tires are a bit worn but they look soooooo much better under the truck. Candace and I took it on date night tonight, she is warming up to driving the beast.
 
So the truck is driving mighty fine, now to deal with the comfort items... i.e. R&R the heater and get it back in the truck and weather-stripping. I've got a sample of non-OEM door runs coming from one of my suppliers this week, it is a new part for them and I'm hoping the quality is decent. I stock the OEM door run material and if/when this truck gets restored that is absolutely what I will use but I cringe thinking of putting that stuff in these beat old doors :D

Still looking for parts, if any of your 45 gurus have some spares please let me know:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj45-classifieds-corner/216488-66-fj45lpb-parts-needed.html
 
This is one off my 64 LWB. The bolt is 6 1/4" long, 12mm in diameter. hope this helps

IMG_0454.webp


IMG_0455.webp
 
2 more. I saw on your parts list that you were looking for a rear license plate bracket. I made the one in the photo from a FJ40 plate bracket, i actually copied the one that LITP posted.

IMG_0456.webp


IMG_0459.webp
 
Sweet build. What year 100 series for the sway bar bushings? They are the same for a 45lv sway bar. I need to get some new ones. Thanks
 
for a rear license plate bracket. I made the one in the photo from a FJ40 plate bracket, i actually copied the one that LITP posted.


:hhmm: That will teach me to post photos.:rolleyes:

If anyone wants better pictures I can post. Hardest part to male would be the main plate but it's the same one used on the FJ40 from 1961 until early 1974 when they switched to dual lights on the tail light bracket.

Mine had part of the spare tire fitting left. Just cut off. I plan to use the later FJ45 LP-B style. Picture is of one from the middle east.

image-4129050586.webp
 
2 more. I saw on your parts list that you were looking for a rear license plate bracket. I made the one in the photo from a FJ40 plate bracket, i actually copied the one that LITP posted.

Sweet, that is more or less exactly the hardware I have for the tire carrier. Guessing the order goes nut, lock tab, tire carrier and then nut on bottom.

Next question, what color would the tire carrier have been? Body color or more likely black?


Thanks for the pics of the plate bracket, that looks great and I remember LITP's pic of that too, really clean looking until I can find an original. I've got a non-US application plate bracket on order, I found the part number at a parts dealer in Aussie when I was there earlier this year... a customer was picking it up and I said "man that may work nicely on my old 45" and he let me snap a picture of it with the part number. I'll post pics when it arrives and if it will work out.
 
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Sweet build. What year 100 series for the sway bar bushings? They are the same for a 45lv sway bar. I need to get some new ones. Thanks

2000 era, same as a bunch of applications used from the 60's until 100's. We stock both the smaller link 'end' bushings as well as the 'D' bushings if you are in need. LMK
 
...Next question, what color would the tire carrier have been? Body color or more likely black?

Bump, anyone clear on the color of the tire carrier? I need to look at some of the models next time I'm up at the LCHM but in the meantime I figured someone on Mud has to know :D


...I've got a non-US application plate bracket on order, I found the part number at a parts dealer in Aussie when I was there earlier this year... a customer was picking it up and I said "man that may work nicely on my old 45" and he let me snap a picture of it with the part number. I'll post pics when it arrives and if it will work out.

More on that license plate carrier I found in Aus a few years back. It's been sitting on the "45 build parts" shelf here for oh 18 months now. Finally snapped a pic.

lic_plate_bracket_sm.webp

They are used on HiLux trucks and have a bracket to attach them to the frame on the truck. I might order the bracket to see if it would lend a clean solution until I can find an OE setup. Bracket pic:

lic_bracket_snip.webp



Other than that, it's been slow go on the truck. Charge the battery, drive it around the block or to dinner occasionally. I spent some time looking it over tonight and surveying my parts needs (see list here, would love any help you could lend to sourcing them) and the parts I already have here for it. I really want to have it running comfortably and reliably to take it on the RelicRun next year. I've been saying that for 3-4 years now and I'm yet to make it happen.

What it needs to be RelicRun ready:

Window Rattles - Needs window runs installed (have plenty of good quality aftermarket ones here in stock, just need to do it)
Door Rattles - Have OEM w/s I just cringe at using it before I'm ready to paint knowing it has to come right back off
Bug-Catcher W/S - Needs badly, might just swap later door uppers to get the tradition vent? I have the newer w/s in stock.
Suspension - It's shot. I could refresh the stock stuff, install OME or just suffer?
Fix passenger seat - it's got a broken seat frame that rattles like mad. Need seat frame (see parts list above)
Seat covers - Have Metric TLC set. Want to save them for resto, lame I know. Might get a cheap re-upholstery job to hold me over?

It run's fair enough, I've never had it out for more than 20-30 miles so who really knows but I'll work up to that :D
 

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