Target Color
Target
It's here!
On the ground
Going Home
My Aqualu 3/4 aluminum tub was delivered 5/4/17, it took the Canadians 3 days to transport it half across the continent and the Americans took 10 days to transport it from Chicago to Maine.
My first impression of the 4005 tub is well made but there are non-advertised characteristics that the buyer really needs to pay attention to (which I did not do) one is that the lower front doors will overlap the door sills, there are no bevels made into the door sills for the door to be flush with the body same for the hard top sides. The second is that stainless steel fasteners are provided but with no option for metric fasteners only SAE fasteners are provided by Aqualu. A 4055 lower half door swing out tailgate was purchased and Aqualu installed it on the body at no extra charge (but didn't use recommended gaskets between the steel and aluminum). The third is the installation DVD that was provided, for me many questions were not addressed, but I'm sure I can figure them out. The suggestion to use a hammer to bend the transmission hump to make it fit was either in humor or disconcerting, for a company that's advertised so much now I would think a more professional and comprehensive installation DVD is warranted (call me old fashioned).
14 years ago I did a wheels up restoration for a 78 starting with 3-78 basket cases, a 71 and 63. Up here the road salt destroys vehicles and most certainly FJ40s. The only rust free body that I could find was a 67 from Arizona offered by Cruiserparts in New Hampshire. Using the 67 body on a 78 chassis and fitting all other 78 body parts on it wasn't hard. Modifications were headers, power steering, de-smog, 50A IR alternator and Weber carburetor. Using mostly used parts, new gaskets and seals I figure it cost me between $5000-6000. with an equal labor cost. This year, after watching the cost of FJ40 parts skyrocket I can see it will probably, at least, double the restoration cost.
The new target color will be 6V7, Skydog has helped me with the project target using computer software. I have a 78 cowling left over and it needs some work, mainly the under carriage on the drivers side as the cross channel that mounts to the frame is rusted away. A friend and fellow cruiser owner owns a company called Sherman's Coachworks and he will help me mate the Aqualu to the 78 cowl and I'll soon have a complete 78 body to replace the 67 (minus the aluminum tub for all you purists'). We will use zinc chromate, epoxy primer, Raptor or Monstaliner on the undercarriage, and two stage 6V7 paint on the interior and exterior body with a low gloss clear coat. Sherman's a professional car restorer and painter, should come out pretty good.
I will post my progress on this thread.