What have you done to your Land Cruiser this week? (23 Viewers)

[Dagha Boy]

Thanks for the pics of your mods. Please keep us informed as you progress and learn.

I can cry when I think of how much time I wasted and all the nasty chemicals etc I had to use to clean the smaller parts on my project. Worst of all the finished product was never quite as good as I would have liked. If only I'd known about the mods available. I have seen with my own eyes just how fast and efficient the HF cabinet with the proper mods and blast media can be.

With a setup like yours, what took me many unpleasant months could be done in a week. There are very few parts apart from the obvious on a LC that will not fit into it.

If there is anybody else out there wanting to know more about sandblasting and how to get a proper efficient system set up, I recommend watching the videos on Ray's Garage on Youtube.

(Low pressure 2 stage blasting)

(High pressure 2 stage blasting)

Tacoma Company Upgrades Part 2 #tacomacompany #realraysgarage (Doing mods to the cabinet)

What is really nice too is that one can use many different blast media - the best for a specific item - because it takes so little media ( just a few cups) and can be quickly and easily changed.

Let's see how yours performs...

 

[jjenloe]

Please keep the photos of your progress coming. I have no fiberglass repair experience and this very interesting to see your work.

My top needs repainted and has micro cracks and chipping in the paint. Any thoughts - Should I just strip, gel coat and sand or is there a better way to go about it?

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I had no experience at all with fiberglass either up till now. I got my certification on YouTube University. There’s a channel called Boatworks Today where I got my idea on this procedure.
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how I am doing this on FB too. I said I was going to do a write up of the procedure, but since I ran out of resin,it is taking longer than anticipated. That’s why I posted here. Eventually I will have a comprehensive write up which will include side panel rust repair, rain gutter repair and ffinally fiberglass top sunroof repair.

 

[Living in the Past]

I did a bit of fiberglass repair this week.
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this sheet is the backing so that I can add the laminating layers from the top
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I used plastic sheeting over the top to give it shape. I then added the resin and rolled all the air pockets out with a fin roller.
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Then glued it to the bottom side with poly resin and used gel coat to let it harden fully
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This is after 8 layers of biaxial fiberglass, 2 layers of chop strand and 1 gallon of resin. I ran out of resin, but it could have used 2 more layers. Also should of used a level to ensure the front was flat. Resin is a bit proud toward the front, whilst the rear is needing more resin.
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Your living in the wrong Peoria. Need to be in the one in Arizona. Have a perfectly good hard top except the sunroof a PO installed in the back area. Have a second top that has damage on the passenger side. My thought was to cut the section on the one top to fill the hole for the sunroof in the other one. Sounds like multiple layers is the correct way to fill the opening and possible both top could be repaired. Neither have a rusted gutter. Rusted gutter is yet another top. That one has good fiberglass.

 

[lmajor32]

Got my frame back from blast/PC, painted my axles and putting a lift in today or tomorrow. Feels good to be putting it back together finally versus taking it apart! 2k industrial paint with a HF HPLV...Paint went down great on the axles and springs.

 

[thecrazygreek]

55 Series rear frame repair c-channels and a 55 custom rear bumper.

J

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Those welds are MONEY!!!

I wish I had that level of skill....

 

[Nickb876]

 

[Krenie]

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Grats on the work - looking really good! Sweet flare in the last picture. Did you make it or buy it somewhere?

 

[blossett]

Installed new rear spring perch gusset!

 

[Michael B]

I bought a little something for the 45 this week. I like Warn’s new 8274 cover a lot better than their old one.

 

[kerplunk]

Please keep the photos of your progress coming. I have no fiberglass repair experience and this very interesting to see your work.

My top needs repainted and has micro cracks and chipping in the paint. Any thoughts - Should I just strip, gel coat and sand or is there a better way to go about it?

You can watch some boat repair / fiberglass youtubes, but the general idea is that you have the actual glass fibers in some form of mat or cloth, depending on how it's woven or just lightly glued (chopped strand mat). Get that cloth / mat wet with a resin (polyester or epoxy). And, try to get that into the form you want till the resin hardens.

The cracks you show are only in the coating (paint / gel coat) or resin from flexing. None of the fibers are probably damaged. And it's mostly a cosmetic issue. But trying to sand it down will probably get into the fibers and grind them up some. Clean it, get something sharp that can get into those cracks and clean out the crack, and apply some high build type primer, or coat of a resin to fill the cracks and then smooth the surface and paint. (or gelcoat, but I've heard all kinda different stories about how well that works and am not sure how to actually do it).

 

[jjenloe]

Your living in the wrong Peoria. Need to be in the one in Arizona. Have a perfectly good hard top except the sunroof a PO installed in the back area. Have a second top that has damage on the passenger side. My thought was to cut the section on the one top to fill the hole for the sunroof in the other one. Sounds like multiple layers is the correct way to fill the opening and possible both top could be repaired. Neither have a rusted gutter. Rusted gutter is yet another top. That one has good fiberglass.

Yes, no doubt I live in the wrong Peoria. Winter is coming so I am working equally hard on my diabetes and alcoholism.
To cut down on all the layers and excessive resin, I should of put in a foam core like from factory or used some coosa composite board. Oh well, it's in there.

 

[CruiserheadFJ40]

Took the ol girl out for a trip with my son to cross bar ranch. Pulled my buggy and no issues except gets hot if I'm pushing 65 and never had a problem before adding the ac. Going to try adding a shroud to see if that will fix the issue. Blew a front spring pack on one of the trails. Time for new ones anyway. Buggy is nice but Cruisers are cool. Nothing like wheeling a 40.

 

[777Gage]

Got the Top out today while the tree trimmers were working - polished it up, came out pretty good

 

[777Gage]

Then I took my bride to our Sushi spot - she asked why I was taking a picture - I told her it was for @rkymtnflyfisher and his "serious" photo backdrops of Montana!

I got nothin else.......

 

[JDNs78FJ40]

Assembled the Ambulance doors today. Used original hardware that was re-plated earlier this year. Turned out better than expected. Just missing the black escutcheon which is on order.

 

[letterman52]

Cut into it. The journey begins. Rusted out gas tank metal inlay but a new gas tank. Interesting choices by the original owner.

 

[71FFJ40]

Gave it a bath and put on the full top for the coming winter.

 

[71FFJ40]

I don't have any of those cool streamside truck pictures and it's not big sky country but I did drive to the river .This will have to do for now.Maybe next time.The parking spot is not streamside

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

I don't have any of those cool streamside truck pictures and it's not big sky country but I did drive to the river .This will have to do for now.Maybe next time.The parking spot is not streamside

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Bamboo? What kind?

 

[71FFJ40]

Bamboo? What kind?

That's all I fish unless I'm chasing Striped bass and False albacore in salt water.
The rod is an interpretation of a Paul Young Para 15.It was made by Dr. Jim Beasley in Tennessee.The reel is a Hardy 3-3/8" perfect Made by Jimmy Smith at Hardy Bros. back in the 1930's.