The slow progress of Spot the Pig (1 Viewer)

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Not sure on a 74. Pretty sure 73 was a 3 speed with 4.11 diffs and 75 was a 4 speed I assume with 3.73.... if 90 is pushing it, I would guess 3 speed. Charla might know, hers is A 3 speed, but I don't remember if it's a 73 or 74.

Rottingham is a 1973 FJ55. Stock 3speed. I drove him out to River Shiver a few years ago and was amazed at how peppy it was up hills - way more jam than Gordo (76 FJ40 w 2F). Definitely went faster than 90km/hr.
 
3spd - 4spd.... doesn't matter when you're talking highway gears. Top gear is 1:1 in both.

74 of course is the tranny-sition year.... but I've never seen a 74 with a 3 speed.

Sounds like 4.11s though with 90 pushing the revs.
 
Hmm, I should put testing mine on the priority list and see what style is what, and if mine works. Steering stuff I don't need, as I'll be going 60 series PS to work with the 62 axle and move the steering box away from the 3FE exhaust manifold.

You are using a 55 frame to to build the crewcab 40?

For my stretched 40, yes. Won't be a 4 door.... so I tend not to call it a crew cab.
Think..... bj4.....6.5 Between the mid wheel base 46 and the long wheel base 47.
It'll be 40 body, 55 frame, 70 drivetrain...... heck, might as well put 60 axles in it.
 
Ha, I'll have a 55, 62, 80 with a bit of '58 Chev Apache mixed in for good measure.
 
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Finally getting a little time in on Spot tonight. Only 5 months later, and stoking the wood stove rather than running the vent fan to get the heat out back in July.

Todd helped me pull the pig axles out of the shed and a 62 front axle in. Working on cutting off the hangers tonight.
 
Nice! Aim for Turf N Surf. Be a great inaugural test trip for Spot and Troopy. Just sayin'
 
updates?
 
Most of the last week has been taken up by a NYE wedding, related festivities and a couple trips to Winnipeg for airport shuttle duty. Should be back at the farm tomorrow or Sunday night with about a week of free time.
 
Nice. Be good to get some progress on this beast
 
Pics? More importantly, pics of the clock?
 
Clock is on Todd's wall. :p The other two hangers came off with a little help from the air chisel last night, nothing else to show. Sounds like Dean is still looking to sell his 2FE, so I'll have to give him a call.
 
Finally getting going at the outboarded spring and shackle mounts. Would like the opinions of those with more welding experience...

Plan is to solidly weld the stock spring hanger to a piece of flatstock that will fit against the base of the frame rail, and attach the flatstock with a weld (just tack at first until it is welded to the sideplate) along the inside base of the frame rail where there is already a factory bead joining the two Cs of the boxed frame rail as seen in the first pic. A scabplate will be welded on to the outside of the frame rail as in the third pic, the joint between it and the baseplate welded and bracing placed in between the sideplate and the baseplate / stock hanger piece.

I understand I should avoid welding on the base of the frame rail, which is why the only place I plan to weld between the frame and baseplate is along the seem on the inside of the frame rail. I also understand that vertical welds on the frame rail are a no no, so I plan to use angled, rosette and horizontal welds on the side scabplates. Is it okay to weld the full length of an edge on these scabplates, or is it less likely to lead to a crack if a discontinuous stitch weld is used? Will a plumbers torch or an electric heat gun do enough for pre-heating before a weld or should I get some MAP gas or something? Welds will be done with .035" flux core and a 220V Lincoln wire-feed.

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I'm not a welder by any means but I gotta wonder why the preheat? Is that nessecary? I think your fish plates look right other than I would make them a bit bigger but remember I only play a welder on tv. Looks good to me.
 
I'm not a welding wonder either, but I assume the more heat that is in your parts before welding, the better the penetration when you first strike up an arc. One of my book lurnin weldin books indicates that a weld made at 4*C is something like 10 times more likely to crack than one made at room temp, so I assume some applied heat will help avoid brittle welds too. After looking it up MAPP gas doesn't burn much hotter in air than propane.
 
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Got the spring hangers and base plates tacked in. Spring spacing is good enough for the kind of women I'll be chasing with a pig, so time to get the side scab plates on and start burning this together. :)
 
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No shackle reversal? Looks good Curtis.
 
No, I can remember reading up on the debate for and against years ago and landing on the side of stock layout. Can't say I gave it any thought for Spot. I've never had an issue on the 62 with the shackles up front.... if the suspension needs a rethink down the road, I'll likely go with something that is a more significant change.
 
Those plates will be fine. Pre heat will help, welder set-up is way more important. Make sure you are using enough heat. Get rid of the flux core and get some gas...just sayin. Good luck! Looking good!
 
I agree, I get the argument behind shackles in the back but for the hassle I don't see the value . It's Alberta not the hammers. I guess what I'm saying is it's a benefit but its not my biggest priority.
 

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