The Wall of Shame (1 Viewer)

[65swb45]

I have a spot inside the front door of the shop dedicated to preserving the memories of some of the worst things I've come across in 32 years of wrenching on Cruisers. Occasionally they find their way onto the forum, and in fact several of them ended up in a little seen thread in the 45 forum a while back. IMO it's about time that these 'jewels' had their moment in the sun. To keep it tech, contributions should include a guess (if the real reason is not known) why the part is the way it is, and what could/should be done to avoid ending up being another contributor to The Wall.

First up is an unfortunately too common onearking brake drum scored by the arm that actuates the parking brake shoes. This one shows daylight at each of the splines, meaning the drum was ready to separate into two pieces. Damage like this can be caused by driving with the parking brake engaged, and is more likely to occur when the shoes are more worn, which is when the actuator is closest to the center of the drum.

I pulled the drum on the left out of @Land Cruiser Junky FJ40 a few hours ago.

 

[billmc]

That's really scary! Looks like it's been turned on a lathe. I don't have any LC wall of shame material (yet), but I could tell you some things about my '73 Corolla that'd make your hair curl!

 

[Rock_Hugger]

What was rubbing on it to cause that?

 

[Burbot]

And no one noticed noises? Smell of cooking metal? Yikes

 

[SMG]

My parking drum looked the same!

How about "Death Fang Shackles" as @Weber Sarge called them.

I think these were made out of some sort of wall bracket!

 

[TractorDoc]

What to do with an engine swap and minimal bell housing mounts?

A little bit of steel cable with a tensioner should hold the tranny and transfer case in place just fine. . .

You can see where it was wrapped around the frame to body mounts before the body was removed.

 

[rrv333]

What to do with an engine swap and minimal bell housing mounts?

A little bit of steel cable with a tensioner should hold the tranny and transfer case in place just fine. . .

View attachment 1508570

You can see where it was wrapped around the frame to body mounts before the body was removed.

 

[Pin_Head]

That is the famous parking brake actuator arm has come loose from the shoe and is grinding on the hub. If the clip was properly installed this wouldn't happen. I have seen them grind completely through.

 

[65swb45]

What to do with an engine swap and minimal bell housing mounts?

A little bit of steel cable with a tensioner should hold the tranny and transfer case in place just fine. . .

View attachment 1508570

You can see where it was wrapped around the frame to body mounts before the body was removed.

...which reminds me of one of the ones BC (before camera): Saginaw steering box held on with carriage bolts and wing nuts!

 

[lcwizard]

torque tube removed for V-8 swap and a replacement 2" square tube welded in its place....aluminum tube... stick welded.

 

[lcwizard]

old school SR kit and power steering install. rear shackle hangers were only welded on the top, outside. Came to me after the passenger side had broke free

 

[lcwizard]

post repair

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I'll have to find the pics if I can..

*** 40 gas tank patched with some kind of black epoxy/silicone and what looked like a cut up plastic milk jug. Hole was about the size of a baseball.

*** Not detrimental, but still a blunder.... a walmart bag filled with great stuff foam then chicken wired, fiberglassed, bondo and then rattle can.

*** Rear driveshaft made from exhaust pipe.

*** Fuel line made out of clear water tubing.

*** brazed steering rod and made from rebar.


Give me a bit and I'll remember a few more.....

 

[Spike Strip]

Wow, that's some scary shizzle.

And we only really care because:

 

[Indestructible 47]

didn't you start another thread exactly the same a little wile ago? still, some cool stuff. loving it.

 

[Cleg]

Front knuckle dust seals bolted in place with the caliper dust shields left off.
The metal around each bolt had to stretch to make up the 3mm difference, tearing the rubber seals near each bolt.

 

[65swb45]

Front knuckle dust seals bolted in place with the caliper dust shields left off.
The metal around each bolt had to stretch to make up the 3mm difference, tearing the rubber seals near each bolt.

View attachment 1508842

Now there's a trophy!

 

[Varty Yo]

My old 67 had a wood carb insulator... Wow

 

[lcwizard]

My old 67 had a wood carb insulator... Wow

That's disgusting, they could have ,at least, put a nice radius on the corners, maybe some decorative scrolling and a nice pecan stain

 

[lcwizard]

I'll have to find the pics if I can..

*** Rear driveshaft made from exhaust pipe.

*** brazed steering rod and made from rebar.


Give me a bit and I'll remember a few more.....

what a waste of exhaust pipe, think of how many redneck roll cages that could have built.
Of course you know rebar can be used to fix anything from stick shifters to shift linkages..even attitudes in mouthy teenagers