The Resurection of 'The Beast'

[Southeast Overland]

With apologies, Steve, I can not find that battery tender. I suppose I must have given it to someone else. Maybe it went in the parts box with my 80. My shop is really clean though as a result of the search!

Sorry.

TJK

No problem Todd. Thanks for the offer and for looking!

I'm thinking that my problem is the CB. I'm going to do some more testing to try and isolate the problem.

I did get a little work in today. I used POR Patch to fill in a few holes (12+) in my roof. I was going to weld them shut but I want to try the POR Patch again. If it doesn't work I'll go back and weld the holes shut.

I also put a very thin layer of POR Patch on the top side of my driver's driprail and cleaned up the door jambs and the underside of the driver's drip rail...o, and threw a first layer of paint on the roof. One can of ODG doesn't even cover the roof once!

 

[Southeast Overland]

Got a few things done this evening.

Holes in roof are finished being patched. Some holes in door jambs/rockers are patched. Underside of driver's drip rail was sanded for paint - it had been painted w/ POR earlier. Tomorrow I hope to clean the roof so I can paint on Saturday. Sat I also hope to reattach the weather stripping for the doors that goes on the body. I hope the little clips hold well enough. Someone had used contact cement at one point.

I need to install Mudrak's speedo seal but I'm hesitant to tear into that on my own.

Sunday will be a work day also. Its looking like my Piggie will be ready for some sort of appearance at Upstate Cruiser's Annual Meeting next weekend. I'll still have another month to get everything buttoned up for the trail one more month away.

 

[Southeast Overland]

I took a few minutes to look through some old receipts that came with my Piggie. Here is some stuff that might be interesting for everyone. I hope none of the POs mind me posting this - let me know if I should remove it. I wanted to show all the work that has gone into this rig.

July 99 - PPPPO
Compression test - 25, 100, 75, 140, 140, 25
Rebuild with new piston rings, rod bearings, valve sub, new hoses - total $880 in laobr, $280 sublet, $733 parts total with some extras just under $2000 from a Toyota dealership
I assume based on the compression test that this engine was a dog prior to the rebuild. I think its pretty strong now.
Since I'm not a mechanic would all of this work have been done with the motor in the Pig? The upper half of my 2f looks pretty clean but the lower half has a covering of oil. I think the rear main needs replacement.
I have a list of about a dozen factory part #s for the rebuild.
Gasket kit, water gasket, thermostat, bearing set, bolts, studs, clamps, hoses, starter, several other things.

July 99 - PPPPO
Dealership
Starter - misc parts

Aug 99 - PPPPO
Dealership
Note will need new clutch - no mention of this being done - I assume it was done at some point

Feb 00 - PPPPO?
minor repairs at dealership

May 00 - PPPPO?
Dealership
Starter

Mar 01 - PPPO
Mini truck power steering

PPPO Date? - PPPO
new rear pinion seal

Aug 00 - PPPO
SOR
New shocks
Poly bushings
I plan on replacing these soon

Jan 01 - PPPO
Sliders installed

Jan 02 - PPPO
Steering gear

May 02 - PPPO
Winch

Apr 03 - PPPO
IPOR
SOA
new clutch
rebuilt trans and t-case

July 03 - PPO
New 35" MTRS
still in good shape

Jan 04 - PPO
Dealership
Cylinders 31470-60071 & 31470-60041 - what are these?

Feb 05 - PO
Marlin Crawler
Knuckle service kit
Wheel bearing kit

Apr 05 - PO
Marlin Crawler
High Steer kit

May 05 - PO
SOR
Knuckle bearing kit and rebuild
Used Source
4Runner brake calipers
FJ60 birfs, knuckles and locking hub bodies

June 05 - PO
IPOR
buckets, mounting bracket, and tuffy console purchased

Sept 07 - current owner
Mudrak speedo seal
ebrake shoes and springs
new rear brake shoes, springs, wheel cylinders
used drums
ton o body work
IPOR buckets, seat bracket and tuffy console installed
tach installed
center arm rebuild
front pinion seal

Whew - thats alot of work!

 

[Kaderabek]

And a lot of time!

Engine rebuild was done with the engine in the truck. We replaced the clutch when we did the spring-over. It also got a freshly rebuilt transmission and transfer case that weekend. Replaced the rear pinion seal at some point.

TJK

 

[Kaderabek]

Oh -- I only flopped it once.

TJK

 

[Southeast Overland]

Oh -- I only flopped it once.

TJK

I was wondering since in the pic of Casey wheeling it the passenger drip rail didn't look squished if someone else flopped it after you.

I'll update w/ the SOA, clutch and rebuilt trans and t case. Do you have a month and year for that?

 

[Kaderabek]

My spring-over photos are dated April 9, 2003. Power steering went on in March of 2001.

TJK

 

[Southeast Overland]

My spring-over photos are dated April 9, 2003. Power steering went on in March of 2001.

TJK

Sweet - thanks - I updated my list.

 

[yooper]

I didn't flop it. I don't think Casey did either. I MIGHT have hit a tree sideways there. I remember a couple of fairly mild side/rear tree hits...

 

[Southeast Overland]

I didn't flop it. I don't think Casey did either. I MIGHT have hit a tree sideways there. I remember a couple of fairly mild side/rear tree hits...

That might have been it - either way that drip rail is straighter now. Roof and drip rails will be painted either today or tomorrow along with some touch up paint in a few places. I might get to tear into the tailgate Sunday to patch the rust. Who knows - the doors could go back on by Sunday but I would like to keep them off until I paint all the outer pillars.

 

[yooper]

Oh, when I did the knuckle rebuild I replaced the birfields, knuckles, and locking hub bodies with FJ60 parts. This could be important info because the factory birfs of that year FJ55 have slightly longer shafts and the hub bodies are slightly taller to compensate. I also ground the bell mouth on the axle housing to fit the slightly larger birfs. The FJ60 knuckles have a larger stud pattern with larger studs than the '76 knuckles, so they are stronger.

So if you replace them get FJ60 parts.

The brake calipers are for a '94 V6 4Runner. Regular Cruiser brake disks.

 

[Southeast Overland]

Just finished sanding the white areas on the Piggie (besides the hood and tailgate) for paint tomorrow. I brushed everything off and then washed these areas but it was dark when I finished so I don't know what it looked like. I also patched up some areas on the rockers where I applied some POR Patch. I either love that stuff or hate it with a passion. Tomorrow I hope to get these areas painted white and also get a good coat of ODG on the roof. Clear coat will also go on. Hopefully painting the white areas (except the roof and tailgate) and roof ODG will be done by early afternoon and that will leave enough time for me to pull the tailgate off and start cutting into it.

I have the whole day tomorrow to work on the Piggie!

 

[Southeast Overland]

Pillars painted white - everything taped off so I can paint the roof once the white sets up a little more and the wind dies down. I started working on the tailgate which is pretty rusty. I ground off what I thought was just paint but once again was THICK bondo. It looks like I am going to have fun cutting out the entire bottom of the tailgate. Hopefully as soon as I get the rust cut out of the tailgate the wind will have died down enough for me to start painting again.

I had tried to remove the rear glass. I got the glass apart from the motor but didn't see a way to get the channel off and didn't want to remove the inner and outer weatherstripping as I was pretty sure once I removed it it wouldn't go back on again. Most of my glass is already f'd up so I'm going to be careful and see what I can do with the glass in.

Its getting pretty hot today so I am going to take a little refuge in the garage and work on the door panels a bit. I'll take some pics at the end of the day.

 

[Southeast Overland]

I actually kept my word and have some pics!

I got a fair amount of work done today. The exterior of the truck is now painted except for the hood which I hope to take care of tomorrow - the tailgate also needs to be painted but I have to repair some rust first.

Doors and fenders are already painted and ready to go back on.

Note two holes - one in the rear quarter of each side. I'll weld these shut at some point but right I've got to get this Piggie back on the road.

Pic 1) driver's side painted
Pic 2) passenger's side painted
Pic 3) tailgate under construction

 

[Southeast Overland]

One more pic.

Pic 4) shot of the ODG roof w/ matte clearcoat. It looks like crap in the pic but that's because I just washed the hood and some water is still on the roof.

I definately rushed the work today. When I took my time on the doors they came out looking pretty dang good. The work I did today is not nearly as nice as the previous work but I have a ton to do and I have to keep reminding myself that this is a trail Piggie.

Now - there is a 60 possibly for sale in my neighborhood in sweet condition - no rust and working factory AC.......

 

[Southeast Overland]

Fenders are on - front signals going on (have to do some re-wiring) - grill and front valence going to go on before noon - if I can get the doors on I'll go for a drive - Upstate Cruisers is helping a local get her 40 running so it will be a great 10 min drive where I know a rescue squad awaits if anything breaks!

 

[Southeast Overland]

I'm sunburnt - but I got my Piggie back on the road for a short drive! I think the ebrake is dragging even though it doesn't work worth a crud. The tailgate still has to be finished, door panels installed, interior roof finished.....lots of stuff....but I can drive her again!

I'll try to snap some pics in a bit.

 

[Kaderabek]

Looking less and less like my rig every day. And that's a good thing!

TJK

 

[Southeast Overland]

OK - here are some pics. I spent a solid 6, maybe seven hours today reassemblying everything. My replacement fenders were off of a 75 pig and they attach to the front valence with three bolts, not two like on a 76. All in all everything went together alright but it took quite a bit of hammering, prying, vise gripping, and a little cussing.

I stll have several things I need to get done before my club's annual meeting next weekend.
- adjust parking brake, one second its tight, one its loose, now it won't stop the truck on a slight grade but drags when driving
- install door panels

Before Pumpkin Pig Run end of October I need to:
- get my CB and radio working again
- finish wire wheeling the roof and figure out how to tidy that area up
- drop Piggie off at local good 'ole boy garage to have my brakes bled and rear brake cylinders installed correctly.

My front pinion seal replacement seems to be holding so far but I haven't driving much and the Piggie hasn't been in 4 wheel since the replacement.

I think I've tracked down my slow leak to the CB - might just replace the sucker. Now I wish I didn't give away an extra CB I had this winter!

I would like to get my tailgate finished before the Pumpkin Pig Run but I don't know if I'll get that done or not. Mudrak's seal will have to wait until after PPR when I'll hopefully replace my rear main at the same time.

I need to look into my clutch. Its engaging/disengaging reeeeally near the floor.



Pic 1) passenger side
Pic 2) driver side
Pic 3) front

 

[Southeast Overland]

One more pic.

Cruiser wanted to say hey.