"Vintaging" Elsie (2 Viewers)

[hairy_apple]

Haven't got a lot done on the cruiser the last few weeks. Mostly just some maintaince things that have been put off too long and needed to be done.

Went wheeling though last weekend and it was awesome to get out into the woods with Elsie again. It's been a long time really... we use my wife's truck a lot more then the cruiser lately.

But.. Friday night it was clouding up big time and was going to be a big storm... I sort of figured it was time to put the top on anyway... so I went and rounded up the neighbors kids and we put the top on it. Only one problem... I figured a had a few more weeks of nice weather and had not painted it yet!

Doh!

So... my wife and I painted the top today. The top is in pretty rough shape these days... too much time sitting in the weather, it's been dropped and is tweeked because of that. I didn't go down to metal and repaint it. I sort of am thinking it will be a good project for next spring to rehab the hardtop. I really actually want to ditch it and get a soft top, but don't have a garage so the hardtop has to stay for now.

The doors are a big enough surface and are really chipped up bad enough I am going to take them down to metal and repaint from scratch like I did the rest of the cruiser.

I'll post pictures once it's all done Tuesday. Got school tomorrow so I doubt I'll be home in time to get much done, Tuesday I have off so I should get more done.

As far as the drivetrain stuff goes... no progress. Looked at a 3FE this weekend, but guy thought they were made of solid gold and it was a waste of time, we were never going to agree one a price and he said the motor was "blown up" but didn't know how or why and it was just sketchy to me.

 

[DSRTRDR]

the apron looks kinda bare without a kickvent - just sayin'

 

[hairy_apple]

Gah.. I know. The PO torched them out badly, and then welded a 1/8 steel plate behind them and bondoed them over. No idea why. I ground out the bondo on one side to see if the frames were still there, that's how I know they were torched out badly. I keep trying to find someone parting out a 40 to cut those sections out of the cowl for me before scraping it and those who are willing too want way way too much money for them.

I am in the process of buying a torchmate CNC plama table... you can bet one of the first projects I'll take up will be building a new frame for the kick out vents and welding that in there. That's a big part of the reason I went with spray cans instead of actual automotive paint, is I knew I would be doing that sooner then later.

 

[Chamba]

What a really odd thing to do. What possible benefit could actually removing the kick vents provide that siliconing them closed wouldn't? Sounds like someone with too much time, beer and metal work tools at his disposal.

 

[hairy_apple]

Yeah, I actually know the guy I bought it from... and highly suspect he's the one who did it. He's my parents neighbor and a really cool guy and really good body guy... but why he thought this was a good idea, I don't know. But he also put a Gremlin onto a Scout frame and put a 500CID caddy motor in it... sooo... nice guy, but a little off. He's also got a home made helicopter thing that he used to fly around until he almost crashed into the other neighbors house! Crazy old man but he's got some neat stuff he's built.

 

[ARCTICMUTT]

Yeah, I actually know the guy I bought it from... and highly suspect he's the one who did it. He's my parents neighbor and a really cool guy and really good body guy... but why he thought this was a good idea, I don't know. But he also put a Gremlin onto a Scout frame and put a 500CID caddy motor in it... sooo... nice guy, but a little off. He's also got a home made helicopter thing that he used to fly around until he almost crashed into the other neighbors house! Crazy old man but he's got some neat stuff he's built.

Got any pics of these contraptions?

 

[hairy_apple]

Nope. If I go over there again anytime soon I'll try to snap one of the Gremlin, it's sitting out front.

 

[hairy_apple]

Finally got the doors painted and back on. Only took me 3 months to do it. Still need to get the rest of the top painted white again, but at least the cruiser is all one color again.

As far as the rest of the stuff I have planned, it's on hold again. Got a pretty good settlement from workers comp for my shoulder being wrecked, and was going to use some of it to do the H55/2FE stuff... but changed my mind and decided to invent it into something that hopefully can become a small business for us.

Still searching CL for a good 3FE for cheap, going to slowly collect the parts and will get it done eventually, but just not going to go spend a ton of cash all at once anymore. I think the seats will happen soon though, we are taking it to Death Valley in the spring and I couldn't stand to sit in the seats that are in it for that long... I would be very sad.

 

[hairy_apple]

Haven't had the time or the funds lately to do much work on my cruiser. Starting a business makes it tough to have time, and all my money is going into the business right now... BUT... we are getting her ready for a Death Valley trip this spring so there is a lot of things to get done before then. Other then repairs and maintenance stuff.. my list of stuff I want to get done before we go is:

Roof rack (two people and a 70lb dog for a week will require more space then we currently have in the 40)

Rear bumper/tire carrier/gas can mounts (my rear quarter panels are all dented from all the weight on the body)

Tool box inside. (need a place to lock up parts)

MAYBE the widened stock wheels... I am buying new tires in the next few weeks.. and it makes sense to do the wheels now, but at the same time I'm not sure how fast I can have them made, if I cant have them made in time I'll have to wait on the wheels and just put the tires on the wheels I have no.

Install the lockable center console.



I pretty much am going to be a busy boy with those projects over the next few weeks. I think I can get it all done, it's just a matter of DOING it. I am going to try to work a few hours a day on it and I think it can all get done.

Got this made today to replace the crusty rusting nasty thing that was in there. After the V8 was installed I replaced the stock heater and mounted the battery where the heater blower was. I just welded the rusty stock battery holder to 1/4 inch plate and welded that to another 1/4 and bolted it to the firewall. It was booger welded like crazy and rusted and spatter all over. This is going to look soooooo sweet in there.

 

[G-Cat]

That battery tray is a work of art...very cool.

 

[hairy_apple]

Thank you. I'm very happy with how it came out.

 

[winnie]

just read your entire thread ... nice build, and nice plans ... love that colour ... am in the process of sourcing OEM wheels and would love the widened version ... looking forward to seeing them on your truck ...

 

[hairy_apple]

Thank you!


Didn't get any work done today, but we went for a nice little drive. Trying to put some miles on it this month hoping anything that wants to break will break now so I can fix it before going to Death Valley in 2 months.

Tomorrow going to get the center console in. Realized the need for cupholders after my wife spilled her coffee all over her lap today on the way to a wedding!!! Oops!! ha ha.

But, we got a cool picture in front of Sutter's Mill in Coloma, gold discovery site. That mill started the CA gold rush and caused CA to become a state.

 

[DSRTRDR]

are those the new tires ?

 

[hairy_apple]

No... those are old ones. They have tons of tread left but are getting little cracks forming due to age.

 

[hairy_apple]

Installed my center console today. Added a MOLLE pouch mount and one of my cool little TEQ badges.

Also found the sending unit was not the problem which is good, saves me $100. The wire was broken, I guess when we had the fire two years ago it got damaged and I missed replacing it when I replaced 90% of the harness. Easy fix and now my gas gauge works again! No more figuring how many miles we're going to drive that day so I can' know how much gas to put in!

Also fixed my dash lights. For 12 years I've been driving in darkness with a small flashlight to look at my gauges. I had removed the dash at one point to try to fix them, but the sockets were missing and I didn't care too much so I never did anything with them again. While checking the wiring to the amp meter last week, I found the sockets stuffed into the wiring in the dash. DOH! Bought some bulbs and now I have dash lights.

I taking a little break and then going to go back out and install a small tach I have so I can actually have a educated guess as to my speed instead of a random guess. Ha ha. I MIGHT actually go down to Toyota and see if a speedo cable is available. It would sure be nice to have all the gauges work for the first time ever.. AND the dash lights so I could see them at night.

It feels good to finally be address so many of the small little things that have been bothering me for so long.

Calling tomorrow too to see about getting the wheels widened. It's time for new tires... so it's time to start thinking about widened steelies again.

 

[hairy_apple]

Started on the bumper today.. didn't get much done other then make the mounts. Still got to make the tow points tomorrow, but it's a start.

 

[69LC]

Dude! You need some new hinges… Just sayin

 

[hairy_apple]

Finally got back out to start working on the bumper. Got a lot done today. I'm hoping to have the main structure finished tomorrow and then I can start working on the details.

Going to have three jerry can mounts on it like the two in the picture (still need to build one more and finish one). Behind the jerry can mounts I'll have a small table that will fold down for campstove/work station. I'll also put a small light on top of it for a back up light/camping light.

I'm going to do my best to figure out a way to mount the highlight to the gussets for the tube that tire will go on. I would like to do it, if I can't make it happen it's not the end of the world.

I've also got a FJ40 windshield latch I'm going to use for the latch. I think it would be pretty cool to use a old Toyota latch and I think it's plenty strong. I'm going to also have a 1/8 plate on the front of both tubes to stop them parallel to the main part of the bumper. I'll probably cut something cool into it like "Elsie" and some little skull and crossbones.

 

[hairy_apple]

Got a ton done today. Got it all tacked up and aligned and drilled the other holes I needed to in the bumper. Then got it all welded up. Got the tire carrier almost done, still need to add the gussets to the corner and to the plate the wheel actually bolts too. I did make one semi big mistake that annoyed me. I welded the gussets on wrong side of the vertical tube for the tire carrier. It's not a big deal, but I was going to have the highlift there, now it won't fit. But I'll just move it to the roof rack (to be built next week) and the shovel and axe can go here instead of up there. In the summer I'll have to figure something else out for the highlift when I take the top off again.

I think if I get myself into gear again tomorrow I can get it done tomorrow. I still have to build two more jerry can mounts, and the box that will hold them on to the other swing out. But.. it's not a ton of work. If I can stay motivated tomorrow I think I can get it all done.