fuster's runner build continued from the garage rig pic forum...

[fustercluck]

Well after the usual stretch of binge procrastination, I started my 85 runner build-up. As with most refinements, one must disassemble the object to it's basic components before overhauling. I'm tired. Here are some pics. I have others, but can't find the upload cable for the digi-cam.


Removing the last of the axle paraphernalia.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner022.jpg

Like father, like son. "Dad, this gun is heavy"

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner021.jpg

Displaying our prize. Ready for disassembly...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner023.jpg

Here it sits all stripped down. Parts are stored for cleaning and re-assembly. The other axle is from an 89 V6 runner....I may use that one later.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner024.jpg

An example of the contortions I must practice to appease the Student Housing Compliance Officer. While there is no axle/leaf springs secured to those wheels, at least they are under the vehicle and if the usual drive-by inspection is executed, he'll never notice my flagrant violation of the rules. :hillbill:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner025.jpg

And finally, the carnage. Apparently, pneumatic tools and a heaping dose of grease/dirt amalgamation is not manly enough, I must also bleed....

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner026.jpg









Here we have the front axle cleaned of about 1/4" of dirt/grease/oil build-up and the surface rust scaled to receive the POR15 coating.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner028.jpg

After the POR coatings

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner029.jpg

The new inner seal installed

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner031.jpg

New trunnion bearing races installed

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner030.jpg

Here we have the French Special Forces.....:hillbill:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/vp5ueb0Hun5VvE2YgJrrecO302Y7.jpg

Some say that the mother of invention is necessity...I say the mother is desperation. Here is a pic of the tool I made to set the inner axle seal without damaging it or installing it askew. It is the 2 1/8 axle bearing nut socket with the drive adapter placed on the inside with an extension for striking with the BMFH (also pictured). I used a similar version to start the trunnion bearing races and finished driving them home with a brass drift (hard enough to do the job, but softer than steel so as not to damage the part.)

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner033.jpg

Below is the driver side the knuckle and some other part, the name of which escapes me...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner035.jpg

[reggie 00]

Torque bar,

And it escaped my truck too and never made it back
Might have joined up with the French Special forces.

[fustercluck]

Torque bar,

And it escaped my truck too and never made it back
Might have joined up with the French Special forces.


Hey Reg, I understand that without the torque bar, the front end gets alittle squirrely. Was that your experience too?

[reggie 00]

I didn't really notice any difference.
It was my daily driver for a couple of years.
And i did a lot of driving in the Bay area. All over San Fran. Back and forth to the airports. took it up to Tahoe a couple times in the snow.
Driving in the bay had plenty of instances of quickly stopping to avoid knuckleheads.
I honestly don't think it made a difference, be sides it doesnt fit with my lift anyway :rofl:

[fustercluck]

yeah, that's what I thought. I doubt it'll fit with my lift either...Maybe I'll leave it off too. Seems like it would limit articulation.

[DirToyBoy]

yeah, that's what I thought. I doubt it'll fit with my lift either...Maybe I'll leave it off too. Seems like it would limit articulation.
I dont believe it fits if you are converting to hi-steer. I cut mine off

[jimbo74]

i think i have heard of a mod you can do to retain it but use a shock or something like that instead of the solid bar

[fustercluck]

At this point I'm installing the knuckle stud kit from Wabfabhttp://www.wabfab.org/products/frontaxle/frontaxle.htm


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner037.jpg

These are the trunnion bearings packed and ready for installation. Best to rest the top one in it's race (as seen), then set the knuckle over it and then slip the bottom one in place. The knuckle will keep the bottom bearing from falling out of it's race and into the dirt.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner038.jpg


This image shows the driver side knuckle assembled with trunnion bearings, steering arm and felt wipers with rock rings http://www.wabfab.org/products/frontaxle/frontaxle.htm from the Wabster... I temporarily used the old fasteners until I could find a local supplier of stainless steel metric bolts/nuts/washers...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner036.jpg

In this one I show both knuckles assembled with the stainless hardware and the backing plate eliminator ring from Wabzilla http://www.wabfab.org/products/frontaxle/frontaxle.htm :hillbill:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner039.jpg


May I present sheer brilliance...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/20060606-supergore.jpg :rofl:

Almost there.... In this one the axle is suspended by the lift springs and one can see the U=bolt flip kit and the new 6" shackles from the Wabenstein http://www.wabfab.org/products/suspension/uboltflipkits.htm http://www.wabfab.org/products/suspension/shackles.htm


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner040.jpg

Madeline waitng for her new shocks, axles and hubs.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner041.jpg

[Texas Jim]

When are you moving???? TJ

[fustercluck]

Mrs. Fuster graduates in Aug, but the student housing rent cycle is complete the last day of May. So we either must sign another lease through the summer or move out. This place is a dump and Mrs. Fuster's last two clinical rotations are in UT, so the fam is moving up there until she fulfills her practical instruction. We have family up there and it's about 20-25 degrees cooler in the summer there than it is here.


I'll be done with all of the mods I have planned for now by mid May. Still have to install the back lift spring packs and shackles and U-bolt flip kit. Then comes the bed cutting/welding fest. Additionally, I'll be shooting base and clear coats of Anthracite color.

So you can see why I've been more of a phantom lately....

[callmej75]

Absolutely gorgeous Fuster...

[PhorunninDuke]

Torque bar,

And it escaped my truck too and never made it back
Might have joined up with the French Special forces.


Hey Reg, I understand that without the torque bar, the front end gets alittle squirrely. Was that your experience too?


Absolutely useless. Never noticed it was gone - even on the highway.

[fustercluck]

Yup, I see now that with cross-over steering, the torque bar is impossible to employ. I should have cut the bracket off when I had the axle up on the horses. I'll cut it with callous abandon later this week.


Anywho, I reassembled the hub assembly and encountered a problem. I can't get the little cir-clips into their grooves at the end of the axles. Looks like the axles need to move outward about 1/16 of an inch to fully expose the groove and allow the clip to do it's thing. Any ideas? This condition is present on both passenger and driver sides. I pulled on the axle ends. They moved a bit, but not enough. I'm stumped.

When I get stumped, I go to what I changed to examine what may effect such a problem. I wonder if it's worth continuing assembly and driving down the street to see if that helps....What do y'all think?

Regardless, tonight I had enough of the hubs reassembled to throw the wheels back on and see what my ride height will be. Below are those images. I wanted to snap some pics of the brake assemblies because they are fairly bling-worthy, but they weren't ready to install since I spent so much time on the cir-clip issue.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner043.jpg

Well, the other pic didn't turn out, it was too dark. So there's only one for tonight.

[waskillywabbit]

You need the c clips on there...sounds like you might have the spindle seal on backwards or something...the brass looking seal that goes on the spindle on top of a gasket just before you slide on the wheel hub. The c clips should easily have room...as I was just messing with them on my rear full floater axle. You got something awry or not fully seated on the spindle.

:guitar:

[fustercluck]

Thanks Brian, I was hoping you'd respond. I'll give that a shot...

[waskillywabbit]

Also make sure the rear inner bearing seal is fully seated inside the wheel hub and then make sure the wheel hub is fully seated on the spindle...you should be able to put the C clip on with room to spare.

What does that sticky note say?

:guitar:

[toywthbdydmge]

cool build keep it coming :thumbup:

[fustercluck]

I AM INVINCIBLE!!!!!!!!!

After hours of cutting the rear passenger spring hanger bolt with a reciprocating saw and very little room to do so, I am the victor!!!!

The Toyota spring hanger and shackle bolts must be made of some intergalactic exotic hardened steel or something...I went through seven, count them, seven rescue strength steel blades while cutting only 1/4 of an inch through the first side of the bolt. I still had the rest and one more larger circumference side of the bolt left to do. Yikes! It occurred to me to use a carbide encrusted blade for cutting cast iron and ceramic. That did the trick. It still took me hours to do it.

I cut the other bolts off with old smokie, but the passenger rear spring hanger bolt is about 2 inches from a full and apparently immobile fuel tank. When I cut the others with the torch, the bushings would ignite and burn unquenchably. Open flame and intense heat next to a full fuel tank seems to me an undesirable combination. It would not come out by any other means except for cutting; and I tried them all(I did conjure a method which would work, but I had neither the patience, nor the equipment to accomplish such brilliance).

Refusing to be conquered by space-age steel alloy from an alien source, I turned to my trusty reciprocating saw and old fashioned elbow grease. It seems desperation and tenacity are a good combination...at least in this case.

I'm tired and it's dark. I'll post some pics of the carnage and battle ground tomorrow.


Parenthetically, I've not forgotten the promised pics from this weekend's progress. It's just that there was no progress since I was asked to help a buddy trailer and tow an FJ40 project he just bought. It'll be a rough build, but he's one of the best resto-guys in AZ. (IMHO). I'm sure he'll do it right.

[ChickenLover]

I went through seven, count them, seven rescue strength steel blades while cutting only 1/4 of an inch through the first side of the bolt.


You were using the denticular side of the blade, right?



:hillbill:

[amgraham]

I ran into the same problem when I had to drop my leaves the first time.. It's always that one beside the gas tank too :( . I tried the sawzall too to no avail and finally had to drop the tank and use my cut-off wheel to cut the ends off the bolt and pry it out. AALs should not take 8 hours... I was tired too :P

Can't wait to see your progress Fuster!

[fustercluck]

I went through seven, count them, seven rescue strength steel blades while cutting only 1/4 of an inch through the first side of the bolt.


You were using the denticular side of the blade, right?



:hillbill:


Haha! Yes, now be quiet before I show you my testicular side... :flipoff:

[91ToyTrck]

I've really enjoyed reading this thread. I can't wait to see some more pictures of the progress.

[YotaJunky]

I went through seven, count them, seven rescue strength steel blades while cutting only 1/4 of an inch through the first side of the bolt.


You were using the denticular side of the blade, right?



:hillbill:


Haha! Yes, now be quiet before I show you my testicular side... :flipoff:


ROFLMAO!! :rofl:

[fustercluck]

As promised, pics will be uploaded tonight....in about three hours...

[91ToyTrck]

a little more than an hour left ... the suspense is killing me.

[fustercluck]

Thanks for y'alls' patience. I have been consumed with obligations lately....

Below we have a pic of my nearly complete front axle assembly. Note the sporty red caliper and hand plotted and drilled /vented rotors :hillbill: . The brake upgrade consists of v6 calipers with fj 40 rotors powered by an fj80 master cylinder and hybrid wiring harness. Behind the MC is a dual diaphragm v6 brake booster. The whole system is linked by plastic encased extended and braided SS lines....makes me quiver a little to describe it :D

For now, I'm using some Rancho 5000 shocks with Rancho 3" lift springs. I chose to use this lift because it was the path of least resistance given my soon to be nomadic state. Looking closely, one can see a pair of quick disco sway bar end links with Energy Suspension bushings. These units are made by Roger Brown of 4crawler off road. They are stainless steel and very well crafted. I chose to mount a sway bar because the formidable Mrs. Fuster has seized this rig for her use and I wanted the on road handling to be predictable and firm.

As I have progressed through this build, I have been replacing the old fasteners with stainless steel and/or heat treated zinc plated nuts/bolts

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner059.jpg

[fustercluck]

And who could deny me a blooper photo complete with lense cap enhancement :flipoff:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner060.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

very nice fuster!

so yea about those holes in your rotor....

[fustercluck]

When I build my brakes, I like to use this red brake quiet material. It is applied to the back of the disc pads as show in the representation below. When the pads are installed, the material bonds with the caliper piston crowns which eliminates vibration; the frequency we detect as squeaking. The example I used here is only a shim. I forgot to snap a pic before I fully assembled both of my calipers and didn't feel like tearing one down for entertainment's sake.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner061.jpg

Edit: notice the bootlegged dish towel I took from Mrs. Fuster's collection in the kitchen :angel:

[fustercluck]

very nice fuster!

so yea about those holes in your rotor....


Yeah, I was experimenting with math and a drill press...hehe. Notice the series of three chamfered holes that skew in the wrong direction....:hillbill: Never listen to talk radio while operatimg power tools...

[fustercluck]

I also like to replace the anti chatter springs when I build my brakes. As one can see, it is woven into the left guide pin/rod onto which the pads hang. As an experiment, I sprayed the guides/rods with POR15 to prevent rust from forming which limits the pads' ability to travel the rod. We'll see if it works...for the record, when this units were completed, I fondled them repeatedly :D

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner051-1.jpg

[fustercluck]

HEre we see the fully installed rear Rancho leaf packs. While I was waiting for other parts to arrive, I shot these with POR15 too. Did I mention that I don't like rust? Note the POR coated Ubolt flip kit and the greasable shackles. I did not build this rear axle. I have a v6 axle waiting to be built, so I'm leaving this one as-is until I build the other. I plan a full floating axle conversion, disc brake conversion, ARB locker and hardened axle shafts. When all of this happens, I'll clean it up nicely like my front axle.

No shocks installed yet...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner057.jpg

[fustercluck]

This is the passenger side leaf pack. I snapped this pic to illustrate the steel braided extended brake line. The tires in this, and the previous pic, are spares. While I was building the rear suspension, I loaned my keeper tires/rims to a buddy so he could tow his new project fj40 from Gila Bend, AZ. to Mesa, AZ. I helped him with it last weekend which is why there was no update on Sunday as promised :chair: I have some pics of his rig elsewhere that I'll post up later.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner056.jpg

[fustercluck]

Now for the crowning glory shot. This spring hanger bolt replaces the one which gave me such toil and grief the other night. Note the impossible proximity of the gas tank to the spring hanger bolt. That is why I had to cut it by hand rather than use 'old smokie' to cook it out.

It may not look it, but I worked for hours to get this leaf pack in place....

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner055.jpg

[fustercluck]

By way of brief intermission, here is a pic Mrs Fuster snapped of my backside with a lollypop stuck to it.....kids :chair:


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner050.jpg

[fustercluck]

I shot this one to show the evil offending spring hanger bolt that I had to cut by hand. Not only was it stout, but it was impossible to access

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner054.jpg

[fustercluck]

...And now for some senseless carnage....this wouldn't happen if my runner would just go willingly


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner053.jpg

[fustercluck]

Of course she does bite back...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner058.jpg

[fustercluck]

This one shows the bed I'm welding onto the runner tomorrow. Madeline (my runner) began life in Maryland and suffered the cancer as a result of road salt. Near as I can distinguish, she has been patched up twice with no abiding cure. I am not patient enough to suffer another minimalist repair so I'm severing the cnacerous bed from the sound cab and installing this rust free bed in it's place. I've POR15ed the entire under side and coated each seam and problem spots twice. Here she sits waiting for installation...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner052.jpg

[fustercluck]

I have other pics on another memory stick. Will post those mañana

[waskillywabbit]

Hybrid wiring harness and dual diaphragm V6 brake booster? Do tell what you have gone and done here as it has peaked my intereste (upgrade I need to do myself...I mean why not? )

I see you are blaming the drill press naturally.

The RED is killing me. :flipoff:

:guitar:

[fustercluck]

I'll get some pics and explain in more detail the brake booster and harness today or tomorrow, Wab. I'd do it right now, but it seems I left the digicam on last night after downloading images and the batteries are shot. I had extra batts, but I see the Jr Fusters pillaged them to run their Lighting McQueen R/C car...D'oh!

[Euphorickaty80]

By way of brief intermission, here is a pic Mrs Fuster snapped of my backside with a lollypop stuck to it.....kids :chair:


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner050.jpg


Oh my! What lollipop.....I dont see any lollipop....... :tapedshut:

:clap: :thumbup: :clap::confused: :angel: :bowdown:

[waskillywabbit]

I think I can truly say that fuster is a candy a$$. :flipoff:

:guitar:

[fustercluck]

I think I can truly say that fuster is a candy *******. :flipoff:

:guitar:



:lol: :lol: :lol:

[fustercluck]

Well I've been a busy boy this weekend and I only drew blood once and burned flesh, well....several times! :hillbill:


Pics uploading on photobucket and commentary imminent.

[fustercluck]

When I bought this runner, it had two problems: It leaked oil like the Exxon Valdez and it had lethal pestilent rust.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner064.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner065.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner066.jpg

[fustercluck]

I fixed the oil leak with a new oil pump and seal, but the rust repair/abatement was bound to be more invasive...

I began by gutting the interior of the runner up to the shift surround

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner087.jpg

....and removing the top, roll bar etc. from the bed
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner086.jpg

[callmej75]

Dang you were busy..I only got 1 bumper powder coated and installed this weekend!

[waskillywabbit]

Heck, all I did was go to the prom. :tapedshut:

:flipoff:

[fustercluck]

Heck, all I did was go to the pr0n. :tapedshut:

:flipoff:



Fixed it for ya... :flipoff:

[fustercluck]

More pics coming...

[waskillywabbit]

I dont' get it.

:guitar:

[callmej75]

I dont' get it.

:guitar:

pron...porn...

[fustercluck]

This is the first real cut initiating the separation of the bed and cab. This was done with a sawz-all and a rescue grade metal blade.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner068.jpg

This cut exposed the critical floor pan junction, rocker panel/door sill and the cab's upper pillar. The donor cab will have a mirror opposite surface to match for welding. We left excess metal hanging for more precise trimming when the bed and runner are joined.

I suppose it's too late to turn back now... :hillbill:


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner070.jpg

[fustercluck]

This pic demonstrates the several pieces of sheet metal coming together at different angles all spot welded together. It's easier to distinguish the many pieces in person. None of this would mean anything if we had just welded the donor bed straight across the floor pan like body shops do, but I wanted to do it like someone would if they were restoring a classic. So we had to expose the various panels of sheet metal and discard the ones the donor bed retained while maintaining the ones it lacked.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner071.jpg

[fustercluck]

Maybe I'll make her a dump bed.... :D

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner073.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner072.jpg

[fustercluck]

Here we see the critical corner more isolated with excess sheet metal removed. We left lots of sheet metal across the back seat floor pan area because the fuel tank was under it. Due to poor planning, I filled the tank be for parking it to begin this project. Can't count how many times I wish I could have dropped the tank for access, but I have no where to store all of that fuel and I'm not siphoning it with my mouth, Wab!!!! :flipoff:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner074.jpg

Now that the major portion of sheet metal is removed, trimming and finessing is more reasonable. In this image, the excess metal has been removed from the floor pan and it is ready to receive the bed's contrasting surface. The rocker panel has been cleaned up and is ready to receive the bed's opposite junction which includes the door sill and critical load bearing sheet metal.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner076.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner078.jpg

one can also see the weapon's of mass destruction we selected to accomplish our task....to bad George could find Saddam's :hillbill:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner077.jpg

Can anyone guess why all of the rags are taped to the cab's upper pillar?





















....I'll give you a hint...


http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/firstaid/pics/lacsclp1.jpg

[fustercluck]

I bought some new body mounts from energy suspension. They are greased because they'll squeak if they are not lubed. Here is one greased and placed for demonstration, though at this point, full installation is premature.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner075.jpg

While the donor bed is being trimmed to match the runner, I wire wheeled and POR15'ed the frame and other exposed components. Easier access cannot be had after the bed is in place....

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner085.jpg

...and for ghouls among us, here is some graphic carnage to satisfy your bloodthirstiness... :flipoff:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner079.jpg


After harvesting some useful parts, I cut the remains of the cancerous bed into four manageable pieces and hauled them to the dump

[fustercluck]

Pics of the donor bed progress to come tomorrow or tuesday...

[slosurfer]

wow, you have been busy! Thanks for all the great pics and writeup.

[callmej75]

Yeh...thats alot of stuff to do in 1 weekend!

[91ToyTrck]

WOW! This is great write-up and can't wait to see the finished product.

[waskillywabbit]

I see now why your resident manager HATES you. :flipoff:

:guitar:

[fustercluck]

I see now why your resident manager HATES you. :flipoff:

:guitar:


I went over his head to the ladies in the housing office....they love me :D

[fustercluck]

on to the donor bed perp...as mentioned previously, I found this bed because I am a consumate yota parts scrounge. It spent it's life here in the desert so there was 0 rust on it. This whole swap would have been faster if the PO hadn't already chopped the body up. I could have swapped entire bodies in less time, but oh well c'est la vie....so as posted before here is the donor bed inverted for rust proofing.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner052.jpg


it came with this section of floor pan attached. Had we been interested in expeditious replacement, we would have sawn the old bed at the floor pan and straight welded the two halves together. While this yeilds a passable result, vehicles have been known to break in half this way...I cut the floor pan out to create the mirror opposite of the runner cab surface.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner095.jpg


in this photo, the red circle indicates a piece of sheet metal which still needs to be removed. It is spot welded into place. To remove it, I use a 3/8 pilot point drill bit and cut through each spot weld until the outer most piece is breached, but befor the inner piece is 'drilled out'.

the yellow delineation directs your attention to several holes from drilling out the spot welds of sheet metal which has already been removed. The holes on the discarded metal are larger in diameter than the holes left in the 'keeper' metal.

Green outline demonstrates the mating surface trimmed and cleaned for the cab to receive.

The spare tire leaning against my wall in the background is to complete the 'redneck' image I have created for myself lately :hillbill:


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner102.jpg

Here is the cab floor pan mating surface again for reference


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner078.jpg

[fustercluck]

circled in red is the upper pillar mating surface. Note the factory weld location. We'll leave this untrimmed until the bed is nearly in place so as to more accurately fit it. The black stuff on the bed was some kind of sound proofing on the floor pan that I had to remove to clean and trim the mating surface..... :yikes: Parenthetically, I have to eventually clean my yard up before I move; maybe the Jr Fusters will do it :P

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner089.jpg

This sketch demonstrates the lower pillar/door sill/rocker panel factory weld. The excess metal to the right of the red lines must be removed and the remainder cleaned to mate with the cab rocker panels for welding...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner098.jpg

[fustercluck]

Following pics display the locations on these beds where rust begins and where rust existed on the original bed.

In red is the pinch weld found under the wheel wells. There are two pieces of sheet metal joined, but not sealed. Here I have saturated the area with several coats of POR15.



http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner099.jpg

This spot is the union of the wheel wells and the bed bottom. Again, two pieces of metal not sealed. Mine has been coated twice.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner092-1.jpg


this is another classic spot for rust to metastasize. This is inside the fender well at the rear of the wheel well. It usually begins where I have circled in red.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner100.jpg

My runner's bed was cancerous in all of these highlighted locations. After this bed is installed, I'll shoot POR on the entire inner fender well area and bed plate.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner101.jpg

[fustercluck]

These pics show-off the bed's overall condition


I did this when removing it from the trailer by myself....

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner094.jpg

Fenders are straight....circled in red on the wall is a lizard

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner093.jpg

That's all for now....

[fustercluck]

Put the bed on this morning....here come the pics...

[fustercluck]

The pic below does not do justice to the work involved to achieve this feat. This is the finished product of much grunting and noodling. The process for final fitment was so intense that I could not document it while in the act. The shots I have taken are after the fact.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner106.jpg


As we placed the bed near it's mounting position, I could see that the fuel tank would again be an obstruction. Regardless of the colossal contortions and pains I took to avoid removing the tank for the other facets of this build, I had no choice but to surrender to reality...I could not place the bed in it's 'cradle' while the tank was in place. Since I absent mindedly filled my tank before parking it to do this project, the weight/unwieldiness of the full vessel required that I empty it before removal. Ugh....siphoning gasoline orally :(

below is an image of the removed tank. The plastic tubing was the siphoning device. Circled is a bottle of Listerine. Can anyone guess why that was necessary?

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner115.jpg


After the tank was emptied, and the extreme unpleasantness of sucking on gasoline fumes was finished, I dropped the protective shield from under the tank. Circled in red is what I found.....D'oh!!!!!!!!

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner114.jpg


I guess the time for discovery is before the act....:(

[callmej75]

:clap: :clap: :lol: :lol:

[fustercluck]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner108.jpg

The above conditions are why we were able to remove the bed without dropping the fuel tank and why we couldn't install with it in place. Circled in yellow is the bench where the rear passenger sit. The fuel tank sits directly under the right side and above the plane of the floor pan. With the cab pillars in place and cut 1/4 inch long, we could not lift the bed over the tank while sliding it under the pillars.....let alone aligning it at the critical junction located at the door jamb/cab pillar/floor pan/rocker panel. We either had to cut the cab pillars out an weld them back after fitment, or we had to remove the tank. Since cutting the pillars is as rookie as welding the bed straight across the floor pan, out came the gas tank.

The red line indicates where we cut the old bed for removal. The yellow dotted portion is what we trimmed later and is why we could remove the old bed while the tank was in place. That same portion on the donor bed was why we had to remove the tank.

[fustercluck]

:clap: :clap: :lol: :lol:


I knew I'd get ribbed for that blunder :D

[fustercluck]

In this image we can see where all of the careful consideration and trimming came together. The floor pan rests neatly in the lip created in relief by the bed circled in yellow at the floor. Hi-lighted on the pillar is the second most important junction. As one can see, it is clearly 1/4 inch in overlap. This will need fine tuning.

The truck in the background does not have broken windows, (Okay, the vent window is broken) (I locked my keys in there once) they are only filthy from a calamitous sand storm that blew through here last week.


EDIT: I forgot to circle it, but note the union at the base of the door on the sill/rocker. That came together like butter. After it is welded and painted, only you and I will know the bed was replaced.....well, and the tens of thousands who will likely read this thread over the years :hillbill:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner109.jpg

[fustercluck]

Chronicled here is the exterior side of the door sill/rocker union. What one cannot see is that the cab side at the rocker is inserted into the bed portion about 5 inches. This is the factory assembly method. The holes seen drilled into the metal are spot welds removed with a 3/8 pilot point drill bit. The unnecessary sheet metal was discarded so the cab sheet metal could take it's place. This all remains to be welded after final trimming and alignment with the runner's top installed. There was a great deal of careful thought and work that went into what is displayed here. The credit goes to my friend Ryan the Fearless. He is prolly the best body restoration talent I've ever seen.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner107.jpg

[fustercluck]

I was stunned when I saw this happen (circled) without even aligning the body yet. The door shut perfectly and the panel gap/body line profiles lined up. In this image, the body mounts aren't even in place yet. This is still in the rough fitment stage.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner111.jpg

[fustercluck]

This shot shows the relative straightness of the job. I did apply a bit to much force in the yellow circled area. Fortunately there is access to that dent from the inside.... :chair:

The red arrow indicates that the bed sags. This is because at that point there were no body mount bushings in place. I did finally get the new Energy Suspension bushing kit in later.

The folks across the street never put their garbage can away, so I fill it with junk when I'm to lazy to walk all the way to our dumpster :angel:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner112.jpg

[fustercluck]

In other news, I finally was successful in removing the push/pull steering box and mount from the runner. I'll drill the frame out for the IFS steering box reinforcement/mounting plates tomorrow.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner105.jpg

[waskillywabbit]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner114.jpg

I guess the time for discovery is before the act....:(


This is the APPROPRIATE smiley for sure.

:spit: :spit: :spit: :spit: :spit: :spit: :spit: :spit: :spit: :spit:

Out of all the times you have called...you should have made one more.

:tongueout: :lol: :rofl: :clap: :chair: :screwy: :confused:

Don't smoke any cigars any time soon.

:flipoff:

[amgraham]

Dude, I do not envy you fitting that body. It looks like you are doing a great job with it though!

[fustercluck]

Dude, I do not envy you fitting that body. It looks like you are doing a great job with it though!


Thanks man. I'm just trying to keep up with the Jones's. Can't have the raunchiest truck at Moab....:D


Glad I could be so entertaining, Wab!!!! :hillbill:

[slosurfer]

:spit: :lol: :rofl: That is too funny! On the other hand, you are doing an awesome job and it is very entertaining to read. :thumbup:

[Seanz0rz]

fuster, you never cease to amaze me.

awesome job man!!!! cant wait for this thing to be done, and im sure you feel the same way!

all you had to do was ask about the gas tank, anyone of us could have told you to look for a drain plug....

[fustercluck]

this pic is the inside frame rail on the driver's side opposite the steering box mounting bracket (removed).

The IFS steering box will be mounted on the outside of this rail. The Wabbit sent me some IFS mounting reinforcement plates that will be welded onto the frame at this location. Of course, as is typical of this build, there was something already welded to this spot.....so I cut it off.:hillbill:

It was only the torque bar upper mount and I don't need that bar anymore with the crossover steering.

In this pic, the mount has been removed and the weld has been ground flush to the frame.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner132.jpg

[fustercluck]

I have my IFS box temporarily mounted to the frame in this position to check for clearance and range.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner131.jpg

[fustercluck]

This is a forehead slapper. Since this is my first series of axle modifications, some corrections need to be made after-the-fact as expedience presents itself. The image below demonstrates where I've removed the factory steering stabilizer mount for relocation. I could have fabbed my own mount, but this one was already made and it was faster to cut it off that it would have been for me to build my own.

As with all of the areas I've exposed to the elements, this spot will be POR15ed before I take the vehicle on the road/trails.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner133.jpg

[fustercluck]

Though I've welded other things to my runner on this build, I'm reticent to display them. It's been over twelve years since I've welded anything and I'm a little out of practice. Here is the stabilizer mount welded to it's new location.

Just need to modify the drag link bracket so that it intersects the link at the proper angle for mounting.

This is all a little masturbatory since when I get where I'm going, I plan to go with hydraulic assisted steering. For now, I'll stick with what's expeditious. There are several cans of worms I'd like to open while I'm at this build, but time will not allow for a complete evolution right now.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner134.jpg

[fustercluck]

Parenthetically, there was a break in this build earlier that I promised to explain when I found the time....here's the reason

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Ryan, the automotive restoration guru master, came by and asked if I'd help him tow a vehicle. He is a classic and muscle car specialist, but since I started this build, he has cultivated an interest in Yota 4x4s. He's a pre-med student at ASU and hasn't been able to build anything in a couple of years. I found it amusing that at his first opportunity to create, he chose to build his first trail rig.

If anyone else asked me whether this project were worth the effort, I'd have said it's too far gone. But given Ryan's talent/experience, and his uncanny nose for finding even the rarest of parts at a bargain, I agreed he found a gem in the rough.

We trailered this beast from Gila Bend, Az. At first glance, one might recoil, but the key components are not only there, but they are in great shape.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner127.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner126.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner129.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner128.jpg

Perhaps I can impress him to document the build somewhere on this board. He is a yota newbie, so take it easy on him

Edit: I neglected to mention that he bought this for little more than a bottle of fine Dom Perignon Rose Champagne.....:hillbill:

[dlbrunner]

Nice FJ. I have been to the booming metropolis of Gila bend several times this year, I think I may have seen that truck before. I'm guessing pre '72..... I say it is a 1966 FJ40

The first clue is the vacuum transfer case controls on the dash.

second clue: I'll keep to myself for now

Hijack off..
Impressive body work on the 4runner

[Seanz0rz]

very nice fuster!!!!

[fustercluck]

Well I didn't get very far on the runner today. I needed to finesse some body panel unions, but it was 102 degrees today and by the time I got outside to work, it was a scorcher. I mostly did some fine tuning of components I had installed, but wasn't satisfied with the fit and finish.

My neighbor with the FJ40 was having trouble getting the starter and the ignition replaced and began to get frustrated. I ambled over to see if I could offer a hand. We worked on it for a while and by process of elimination, concluded that the starter AND the ignition switch he bought were both independently defective. Their combined failure symptoms were misleading enough to cause him to suspect his own wiring.....turns out he did it right and the parts were the culprits. He bought me a soda for the moral support :D

Back to my runner...I put my topper on to help with the alignment. I think I'll trim and weld Monday morning. Here's a pic with the 84 truck parked elsewhere so I could get a good shot of my runner.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner147.jpg

This pic is disappointing. It was getting too dark for a good shot, so I'll need to re-take this exposure tomorrow when the sun is behind me. Here's the crummy one for now...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner148.jpg

All I have left is to finish the rear brake rebuild and bleed the system, bolt the front drive shaft on, fill the front diff, Finish welding the IFS steering box mounts, and complete about 23 man hours of body and paint. I may get this girl done before I move! :hillbill:

[fustercluck]

Boy I've been swamped with packing and finishing other obligations before we move. It looks like I'm not going to make my deadline to be finished next week, so I'm stuck here in student housing for another month....D'oh!

I do have 85% of the welding done on the body, thanks to my friend Ryan the auto body master. Were it not for his help, I'd be here for 2 more months....

More pics and commentary to come this week....

[Osiris]

Does this mean the fuster is on his own for another month and sending the kids with Mrs. Fuster up to Iowa or wherever the h3ll she's going while she does her work or is the sweet Mrs. Fuster going to be all alone and bored with the manly fuster and the boys left in AZ or wherever the h3ll you are????

[fustercluck]

I think the formidable Mrs. Fuster can live longer without my corpulence than she can without her boys, so I'll be here in housing without adult supervision for a couple of weeks. Look out Matilda, here comes the big one!!!!:D

[Trumpfan]

The last pic you posted looks pretty imposing. Good stuff

[fustercluck]

Well I got the body completely welded together and have begun the rest of the body repair. I suppose one could ask, "If the purpose of this truck is to run trails, why do body work?" Frankly, I don't have a reasonable answer to that except to say that everything I do becomes a restoration project. I can't get it out of my blood. I have just a few more hours of work left before I can paint it and begin final assembly. Pics to come...

I had previously begun the IFS steering box conversion for the x-over steering, but abandoned it when expediency required that the bed replacement have priority. As of yesterday, I have permanently mounted the frame rail plates and mounting bolt sleeves. The box went on easily and is ready to be torqued down as well as the drag link rod ends and the tie rod ends. At this point, the entire steering assembly is complete. Pics pending (can't get good lighting during the day...)

Now that the runner is capable of being steered, this morning I evicted Mrs. Fuster from her cushy covered parking so I can finish this deal in the shade. At 102+ for the daily high, summer is right around the corner. It looks like I lost my race against the season.....

Today, I did little more than disassemble the doors for alignment and paint. It only took me a couple of hours, but I found a great deal on a rear disk brake conversion kit from allpro and a t-case brake from sky manufacturing, so I dropped everything and went to get the goods. The conversion was new and the t-case was lightly used. It seems as is typical, I can't focus on any particular aspect of this project without being diffused by a more attractive task.....:D Pics immanent.

[waskillywabbit]

Slacker. :D

:guitar:

[jrallan26]

We'll see if it works...for the record, when this units were completed, I fondled them
repeatedly.

LOL!

[fustercluck]

Slacker. :D

:guitar:


My shop...er...covered parking space is always open for you, Wab :flipoff: :hillbill:

[fustercluck]

Hehe. Contrary to likely suspicion, I have not abandoned this effort. I have been attending to other obligations and have missed my original deadline for completing the runner by the end of May. We have now postponed our departure from the river Styx until the last day of July/first week of Aug. when she who must be obeyed graduates.

Necessity and opportunity have graced this project lately and I have changed plans accordingly. Last week I found an Allpro rear disk brake conversion in un-used condition as well as a Sky Manufacturing T-case brake in used condition. It was a can of worms I could not resist given the remoteness of my new deadline.

The T-case brake went on first, but it came to me with el cheapo rattle can paint which failed to adhere to the metal to which it was applied. I wire wheeled it off and applied POR15 to it's component parts and reassembled it for installation. Due to my forgetful nature, I did not get any before pics. Below is the after installation and adjustment pic. One might notice that the disk portion of the brake is also POR15'ed. I decided to do that because the previous owner had obviously wire wheeled some rust from it. I figured that since it is just a secondary holding device, I could coat it and not negatively affect the operation or performance. After all, it only designed to hold, not to actually brake the vehicle.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner151.jpg

[fustercluck]

I was going to save the rear V6 axle build and install until after the move to wherever we're going, but since the axle must be almost completely disassembled to install the rear disk brake conversion, I figured why build two axles? So I wire wheeled the V6 axle housing after disassembly to clean and prepare the steel for two coats of POR15. Here it is after cleaning, but before coating.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner153.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner154.jpg

[fustercluck]

This is the housing after coating...


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner156.jpg

the whole housing....


In the background is the runner's top which has been sanded and disassembled for paint.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner155.jpg

[fustercluck]

Here I have pictured the axle end cleaned and ready for the seal and O ring

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner160.jpg

[fustercluck]

...and here is the same end with the new seal and O ring installed

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner161.jpg

[fustercluck]

After the bed was welded and I prepared to paint, I inspected the body for damage. Aside from the calamitous dent I put in the bed just under the pass. side pillar while playing 'whose yer daddy' during the bed installation, there were just a few door dings and scratches really. They always look worse at this stage of the game...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner157.jpg

The driver's side before filler.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner159.jpg



Notably missing is the windshield (windscreen, for those on the other side of the pond). I pulled it because it had lost it's seal and was leaking during rain storms. It doesn't rain much here, so it hasn't been such a problem. Elsewhere, though, I need a well sealed windshield. I have wire wheeled and cleaned the mounting surfaces and after paint, will have the new glass installed.

The doors were stripped and have been repaired and boarded and are ready to be primed and blocked; after that I'll jamb and tub it prior to full-on paint. The front fenders are missing because when I removed the Bushwhacker flairs, there was cancer at the fastener points...have not found replacements yet.

I have a stripped hood that I'll be installing for paint in the next couple of days


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner158.jpg

[amgraham]

Dude, quit making us look bad! Your work makes mine look like crap ;). Seriously, good job and I always look forward to your updates. What I really look forward to is the story of your first trail damage on that shiny new rig :P

[Euphorickaty80]

Dang!! :hillbill: ......that thing is gonna be sahweet when you are done! :bowdown:

[waskillywabbit]

It will never see dirt or a rock cause you will be too scared to wheel it...or you will just never finish it. :flipoff2:

:guitar:

[jrallan26]

Fuster,

Looks awesome! Dont worry, my truck never sees dirt either..

[fustercluck]

Yeah, I'm not sure how intensely this will get beaten. While I enjoy more challenging trails than open diff 4x4's can travail, I don't see myself hanging from boulders and straddling crevasses either. That may change as the years and aggregate damage collects on this runner......or......maybe I could build a truggy :hillbill:

I do still plan to build an fj40 for Mrs Fuster after this is done. Maybe I'll beat THAT one up instead of my runner :D


And yes Brian, I'm beginning to think this thing will never get done.......of course which among us is ever done with his/her yota??

[wifesaysimadumbass]

i think you'll get it done but it sure does always seem like it never ends good luck with the build!

[Osiris]

i think you'll get it done but it sure does always seem like it never ends good luck with the build!


You are a newbie and have underestimated the powwah of the force that which is fuster's slackiness! :tongueout:

He just laid around in May and couldn't get it done then either! :roll:

All he did was put a top on a rig... I put tops on cokes everyday after I take a drink. :angel:

It seems Mrs. fuster has decided to stay, so maybe she will whip him into shape to get out there and do something!! Nah,,, she'll make 'im wash the boys or do laundry while she brings home the bacon. :clap:

:smokin: siris

[fustercluck]

http://www.gomonstergo.com/Graphics/dominatrix.jpg

[Stevo3]

http://www.gomonstergo.com/Graphics/dominatrix.jpg


That must be Mrs. Fuster forcing you to get back to work and finish up your rig so she can get the fj40 going :P

[Osiris]

http://www.gomonstergo.com/Graphics/dominatrix.jpg


:love:

ooofaaah! Ms. fuster... you said don't move an inch, but I already moved 8!!!!

:smokin: siris

[Seanz0rz]

that was dirty...

any progress fuster?

[fustercluck]

Yup, I am about finished with the rear axle build. Should wrap it up tonight and have pics posted by midnight. I only lack the axle shafts I took in to have the bearings pressed off/on. They said I'd have them by close of business today; woulda had them earlier, but the parts store screwed up the outer seal order and shipped the wrong ones.....


Hehe, speak of the devil....I just fielded a call from the shop and my axles are ready. :D

Parenthetically, I don't get much done when Mrs. Fuster dresses like that :hillbill:

[fustercluck]

Well phooey, I got started on it later than I wanted and missed the afternoon sunlight for pics. I did do a dry run assembly to insure parts would fit correctly and that I had all of the fasteners I need. It went together slowly because consistent with this whole evolution, my runner is going along unwillingly.....she is a stubborn wench for certain.

Here are the lame-o pics I shot tonight. I'll get better ones tomorrow. Again, you are seeing a V6 rear axle with a disk brake conversion. Can't make out much detail with such retarded lighting, sorry. And yes, I'm aware that it is upside down. It rests on the spring perches that way :chair:


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner162.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner163.jpg

[fustercluck]

alright, with solar cooperation, I have some more detailed pics.

This first shot is self explanatory. One extra thing which is not so apparent is the stud eliminator kit I installed from wabfab.org. It effectively eliminates stud backout which can cause frustrating leakage. I wish I had ordered them for my front diff build. When I install the ARB lockers, I'll edit that oversight.

It's a nice kit, however, the button head bolts used are long enough to drive a hasty man insane; being that they can take forever to turn with an allen wrench upside down and with limited turning range. So what I did was to turn by allen wrench just enough to get two nuts on and turn them together so that they locked and allowed me to use a socket from the out side of the housing. It reduced my install time by 50%. As long as the force between the nuts is greater than the drag on the shaft, it'll work great :hillbill: (libidinous chuckle)


Visible also is the low profile drain plug, also from the Wab.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner164.jpg

[fustercluck]

This next image demonstrates the length of the axle and both front and back side of the rotor/caliper relationship as well as highlights the coolio mounting brackets which make this whole conversion possible. Also shown are the steel braided brake lines for which I'll need to pick up some plastic covers to protect them from mud impregnation. Once mud breaches the steel the abrasive nature of dry silt will erode the brake lines and cause leakage not to mention potential for catastrophic failure.

The lug nuts were installed to aid in mounting a stubborn rotor. I need to clean the pertinent surfaces...


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner165.jpg

[fustercluck]

Here we have a close up of the back side of the ventilated rotor and caliper. Note the GM brake line connection as opposed to the Toyota style. I am missing two mounting bolts from the kit which is why you see one nut missing from the upper stud ear. I coated the brake caliper body and any surface on the rotors which are not braking surfaces. Per Wab's lamentation earlier, the calipers are black this time and not red.....must preserve those ocular rods and cones there by attenuating his grievance....plus, I was out of red :flipoff: :hillbill:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner167.jpg

[fustercluck]

And now for a little drama....

When I disassembled, inspected, cleaned and lubed my hub lock assembly, I noticed that one of the dial O-rings had developed some age related cracks and decided to replace them on both lockouts. Since I knew I'd be placing another order with Brian eventually, I decided for the sake of not having my hub assembly exposed to the desert for a couple of weeks, to put them together and revisit them later when I had the rings.

Jump ahead to this morning. I'm almost ready to drive this rig to the spray booth for paint, but have a few nagging details to finish before it is road worthy. At 5:30am I started to work through my list of things to wrap up when I arrived at the hub lock O-ring replacement. I thought to myself that this will be a snap and I can move on to the next item......enter: fate in it most aggravating form.

As I hastily and expertly reduced the lockout to it's individual parts to access the O-ring, I neglected to prepare for the spring loaded detent ball to be released from it's compressed position. It bounced off of my hand onto the concrete and into this patch of gravel...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner173-1.jpg

Understand that this detent ball is smaller by half of a bb +/-. I fell on my knees and looked beyond hope for that little ball until it occurred to me to just but another one....The dealer chuckled that they only sell the entire hub lock assembly for over $200.00 :(

So I did the next best thing. I went to Ace hardware and bought a magnet, made a grid in the patch of gravel with my finger that was most likely to be hiding the ball and began generally sweeping the grid. After sweeping three grids, I found this.... (circled in red)

For perspective, the inner circle of the magnet is the size of a quarter


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner172.jpg

So now I'm packing the cylinder where the spring and ball ride with lithium grease to help keep them from shooting across the area when I'm distracted enough to forget that they are under tension as I take the lock apart...(circled in yellow)

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner174.jpg

[fustercluck]

Here we have the old rear axle removed.....


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner168.jpg

[fustercluck]

...and the new V6 axle installed. Don' laugh at my spare tire.... :flipoff:

It has new bearings and seals, O-rings and various neato upgrades which we discussed previously. Time to install the front spacers....


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner169.jpg

[fustercluck]

Mildly interesting note: After two years of collecting and scrounging parts for this build, my inventory is finally reduced to a few small detail pieces and some extra fasteners.......it's about time :hillbill:

[Euphorickaty80]

Looking good Fuster!!! I cant wait to see the finished product!

[fustercluck]

Thank you for the encouragement, Katy. I'm beginning to see the light at the end of this tunnel. I won't miss getting up at 4:30- 5:00 am to 'beat the heat' when this is completed. Any mods that I have planned in the future will be simple compared to this....

[callmej75]

Yes Fuster...you are quite the busy bee! This is gonna look awesome after its all done....

[all_terrain17]

Fun read!

Have to keep a dictionary.com tab open though to understand some of these posts :flipoff:

[Intrepidyota]

Looks great man! Nice work. :thumbup:

I had considered doing body work when I first got my truck, but before long had ditched that idea as I was rapidly accumulating scrapes and dents due to a blatant disregard for body damage. :laugh: I was so very happy with that decision when I laid my truck on it's side a couple weeks ago. :hillbill:

[waskillywabbit]

Any mods that I have planned in the future will be simple compared to this....


You haven't learned anything from all of this have you? :D

:guitar:

[fustercluck]

Any mods that I have planned in the future will be simple compared to this....


You haven't learned anything from all of this have you? :D

:guitar:



:lol: Quite....

[ChickenLover]

What's the hold-up, Fuster? For a while there, you were making me feel bad about my general dalliance..

[fustercluck]

What's the hold-up, Fuster? For a while there, you were making me feel bad about my general dalliance..


True. It has been so hot here lately. To get anything done while retaining enough body fluids for cell function, I have to start work on the runner at 4:00am and must be finished for the day by 8:00am. Since humans are driven by superior incentive, when my alarm startles me awake at 4:00a I'm more supremely motivated to remain in bed than to work on the runner, so I procrastinate and hit the 'snooze' until I've lost the early morning advantage. There is no accounting for how 110+ degree days increase my characteristic lethargy by exponential factors....


To remedy this and since Mrs Fuster and the younglings have gone to UT., I have turned this house into a body shop/spray booth. I moved everything out of the largest room and masked the floor and draped the walls w/ plastic. Now I'm air conditioned and environment controlled. I can finish prepping, priming and painting the hood, doors, front fenders, tailgate, cowl, and fiberglass topper. I can prep and spray the front tube bumper, roll bar and various miscellaneous parts. I can reassemble the doors, tailgate, hood and topper while in the air-conditioning.

After I've done all of that, I can roll the cab/bed to the large spray booth and as long as my conditions are consistent with the ones when I spray the other parts, the many pieces will match closely enough to satisfy everyone but myself.....I'll always see the difference.


I can re-initiate this process with new vigor tomorrow.

[ChickenLover]

Great idea with the indoor paint shop. I can't wait to see the finished product. Your progress has been impressive.

[fustercluck]

Thanks man. I have taken some pics of the body work and processes. They, along with the finished panel pics, will be striking in their relief/contrast. Should have the first panels finished by Wed./Thurs. Can't wait to shoot color...

[Osiris]

I hope you have a nice ventilation system to vent all the paint fumes!!

Don't want you to get light headed and fall into a series of involuntary spasms like that of second grade epileptic.

[Osiris]

I fear the fumes have gotten the better of fuster. Can someone check on him?

[fustercluck]

nah. I'm lurking. there's a ton of sanding and blocking going on right now. I have been collecting pics, but don't want to post the ugly ones until the purty ones are ready. Should have some up this weekend.....Monday7 at the latest.

[fustercluck]

Equipment failure this weekend forces delay.......

[garrett]

it's been a week!

[Seanz0rz]

im actually crying due to the lack of updates...

[Kaydon]

Delays suck!

[fustercluck]

I apologize for my absence. I've had some unavoidable conflicting directives for the past six weeks and my progrees, while steady, has been slow. I have been taking digi-pics and making some notes for the next update. If all goes as planned, it will be a dramatic and satisfying one.

As a teaser, my runner has never looked worse in some of the pics....and and she has never looked better in the most recent pics. I must say that in her new color, she makes me erect....:hillbill:

[Seanz0rz]

she makes me erect....:hillbill:


glad you are able to stand again... i CANT wait...

[slosurfer]

I must say that in her new color, she makes me erect....:hillbill:


Does Mrs. Fuster know that you had a nudey latina air brushed on the hood?

[fustercluck]

I must say that in her new color, she makes me erect....:hillbill:


Does Mrs. Fuster know that you had a nudey latina air brushed on the hood?


Hehe...I cover my tracks too well.

[fustercluck]

Okay I'm spraying the remainder of parts today so I have some time to upload and comment on the progress. I would have just uploaded pics for all to see, but without the context of commentary, I think the experience of perusal would have been disappointingly flat. Unfortunately, it is the commentary which takes so much of the little time I have right now. The scope of this aspect of the project seems to have broadened as expediency suggested and the effort evolved.

Originally, I wanted to upload and explain what I did, how, and why, all in one sitting so one could see the ugly and the beautiful simultaneously. I thought that would provide the most bang for the buck, as it were. It appears that if I wait to it all at once, I may never get this part done. So, over the next few days, I'll post a few pics and narration each day.


Below is an example of expediency incarnate. This runner had been repainted before, presumably by the buffoonish Earl Sheib (sp). The prep had been cursory if done at all, so there was very little adhesion. In this pic, one can see the original red with a sheen on it popping through the second paint which had peeled and oxidized. This is a catastrophic failure and was present on the hood, doors, roof, cowl, rockers and front fenders.

It is a problem which requires cutting through to a sound substrate. For my situation, I selected to chemically strip the doors, hood, cowl. The front fenders were rusted out, so I replaced them with new ones. The roof and rocker panels were sanded through to the original red.

Also, note the several black circles drawn on the roof. These indicate dents from previous abuse; likely from a giant wooden badger.....


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner176.jpg

[fustercluck]

The next several pics demonstrate how the hood was stripped. I first scored the surface with 60g paper to open the paint up and then brushed some Jasco chemical stripper on. Keeping the stripper wet (here come the childish chuckles :D), I waited for ten minutes at 75 degrees faren. and watched the stripper do the work (more chuckles). In the pics you can see the progress as the paint begins to lift. As a rule, I NEVER scrape paint. If it doesn't come off as I lightly run my blade under the paint, then I get what will come and reapply the stripper. After the paint is removed, I kill the stripper with lacquer thinner so it doesn't hurt my new finishes.

Here is the hood with some stripper on it

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner183.jpg

It is beginning to lift

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner184.jpg

Half way done. Note the wrinkled paint and my blade (which is NOT a scraper)(scraping paint can damage the metal and cause the incentive to continue with project to vanish)(beware of moose)

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner185.jpg

For perspective...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner186.jpg

There is no accounting for why I can't take a pic in focus with an auto focus digicam :hillbill:
Were it that one could see what is displayed here, he would see a can of lacquer thinner, a stainless steel bowl and a brush to both apply stripper and kill it later. The surface of the hood was beautiful. Sorry you missed out. :flipoff:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner187.jpg

This same process was done to the doors and cowl.

[fustercluck]

With the paint removed, here is what I found. These will be repaired.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner188.jpg

All of the little shiney spots are where over the years, little rocks had chipped the paint and allowed for rust to start. I polished them off with 120g paper.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner189.jpg

This was done to the doors and cowl also......pics to follow.

[fustercluck]

Since I'm changing the color and I don't like divergently pigmented door jambs, tailgates, hood bottoms etc., I have been prepping those surfaces too. THIS IS WHERE ALL OF MY TIME HAS BEEN CONSUMED LATELY!!!!!! For every five minutes spent sanding a 1 square ft. flat panel, there are 20+ spent sanding the equivalent area on door jambs and support structures found under hoods and behind tailgates, under the cowl etc. I believe I have spent the better portion of my mid-life crisis prepping those areas :chair: :argue:

To demonstrate, here is the hood bottom...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner197.jpg


Here it is two hours later....

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner198.jpg

Multiply that times the several previously mentioned components and then multiply that times three.... :drool:

another angle

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner199.jpg

If one is to have a premium paint job, it must be done, but, bleh......

[fustercluck]

More to come....

[callmej75]

I'm watching and waiting..

[fustercluck]

The tailgate I used was harvested from the same donor that supplied the bed I used. Below are pics.

What you are seeing is where I welded the holes where the "4Runner" badge belongs. I didn't want to use the badge, so I repaired the holes. These were later ground down flush (being careful not to heat the sheet metal up too much while grinding) This proces was done to about 16 holes on the body where trim and badging was deleted. Hey, it's only time, right? :foreheadslap:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner194.jpg

This is where we progress to body repair. Tough they look horrible, these are actually fairly small dents, dings and incidentals. They always look worse before they get better.

These have been located, tapped into shape, and lightly ground to recieve and hold filler.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner195.jpg

This was done to every body panel.....pics to follow...

[fustercluck]

I'm watching and waiting..


Hehe. I'm spraying some base and clear today. While I wait for flash times, I'm posting these old pics so I can format my digicam and take more for later postings

[callmej75]

Ah...you should have a good 1/2 hr and 45 minutes between flast times for painting! Good way to waste the time..I do it too when I am powder coating stuff.

[fustercluck]

Again, here is the back of the tailgate where all of the prep time has been spent. I think this is as close to having a baby as I'll ever get. Now that all of this is over, I've forgotten the pain and it doesn't seem so bad.....maybe I'll do another one soon :angel: (I know that was a frail analogy)

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner203.jpg

Here is the gate with filler sanded and ready for primer. I wire wheeled each ding to cut through the paint. The grinder gave the metal some bite for the filler to hold and the remaining paint acted as a container for the filler. When sanded the filler stays inside the paint edge created by wire wheeling. As long as the repair is sanded with a hand or air board, the repair will be flat and confined....after priming, I shoot it with guide coat and sand with a block. If there are flaws left I'll see it then.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner204.jpg

The process is different when the paint is completely stripped to metal. I think it's a little harder to get it right that way.

A good example is the passenger door. I had to "float" the filler and 'board' it that way because it was stripped to metal. The cowl had no damage.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner205.jpg

[fustercluck]

Ah...you should have a good 1/2 hr and 45 minutes between flast times for painting! Good way to waste the time..I do it too when I am powder coating stuff.


The spec sheet on Sherm's ultra 7000 B/C system say 15-20 mins. I just wait 'til I see/feel it's ready.....like now :D

[fustercluck]

K. I'm back.

The new panel were comparatively easy to prep. They come in a black 'primer'. Lamentably, that primer coat has a sheen on it; presumably for quality control purposes. Paint and primer will adhere directly proportional to the bite the substrate or surface gives them. On the right is a fender as it appeared when removed from the packaging. On the left is how it must be for max adhesion. There is nothing more shameful than to spend 800 dollars on a good paint material system only to have colossal failure later.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner217.jpg

[fustercluck]

Editor's note: Skip back to the chemical stripper pics for reference. When removing paint via hot chemicals and solvents. It is best NOT to do it in one's underwear and them lean against the table top where all of the discarded stripper and paint jelly have collected. The table is likely to be at primary sexual characteristic height which yields an initial cocked head puzzlement and an inevitable fiery dance followed by a mad dash to the shower and some soothing aloevera lotion for good measure. The male member is foul looking enough let alone adding some chemical burns and disfigurement....poor gerbil may never be the same. :hillbill:

[fustercluck]

We now resume with our previously scheduled programming...

Earlier, we spoke about the roof top and it's demise via the giant wooden badger. While doing work such as this, generally one can deduce how the damage occurred based on position, configuration and extent. The roof damage cause just escapes me. I cannot seem to figure out how it got so mangled.

Anyway here is the eventual fix. While it looks as though there is a ton of filler on there. It is really just a broadly applied thin coat which was boarded down flat and shaped to the roof's natural contour. This is all that could be done, given the proximity and number of dents. I did pound them close and used a glass reinforced filler with this topcoat to finish it off.

This first image displays the damage after tapping the metal close to shape and grinding some bite into the surface....that's ugly. The hood you see is not the one I used. That was sacrificial hood.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner201.jpg

This one shows the final repair before primer

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner211.jpg

...and after primer and guide coat

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner254.jpg

[callmej75]

Editor's note: Skip back to the chemical stripper pics for reference. When removing paint via hot chemicals and solvents. It is best NOT to do it in one's underwear and them lean against the table top where all of the discarded stripper and paint jelly have collected. The table is likely to be at primary sexual characteristic height which yields an initial cocked head puzzlement and an inevitable fiery dance followed by a mad dash to the shower and some soothing aloevera lotion for good measure. The male member is foul looking enough let alone adding some chemical burns and disfigurement....poor gerbil may never be the same. :hillbill:

Even the Walmart stuff is downright lethal! I got mad one day because I didn't have a brush to put it on and used my hands instead...I must have rinsed them a good 20 minutes after that fiasco! I can imagine you all alone there running to the little boys room to wash off the hot sauce on the dinky!

[callmej75]

Since it looks like you are painting in the dirt, might as well break out the water hose to settle the dust from flying on a good wind gust so you will eliminate that booger! Follow up with a good tack cloth and it will be good to go.

[fustercluck]

Since it looks like you are painting in the dirt, might as well break out the water hose to settle the dust from flying on a good wind gust so you will eliminate that booger! Follow up with a good tack cloth and it will be good to go.


Yeah. My paint booth arrangements disintegrated so I'm left to this. It's annoying, but I can't wait now. Around here at 5:00a to 10:00a the air is warm and calm with very few critters. I've had good luck so far. Good thing it's a BC/CC system I'm shooting...imagine this with a single stage. Yikes.

Thanks for the heads up.

[callmej75]

I've been there man...I know your pain! Can't wait to see everything finished man!

[fustercluck]

Pictured here is the joint between the original cab post and the grafted bed. This is where the bed cap rests against the cab. It has been trimmed to fit, welded, ground and is ready to receive the body filler. It looks a bit rusty. That's because the Jr. Fusters were playing with the water and sprayed my runner :chair:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner177.jpg


here is the same joint after filler and sanded to shape. The angle is different, but you can still see the result.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner209.jpg

...and now we are primed


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner253.jpg

The dark gray speckled spray is the guide coat.

[fustercluck]

hood is primed

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner206.jpg


doors are primed

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner207.jpg

[fustercluck]

I prepped and primed the bumper and roll barr too....

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner200.jpg



Now they are painted

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner251.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner252.jpg

[fustercluck]

okay it's time for a Gorton's pureed fish stick lunch with ketchup....be back shortly.

[amgraham]

Great updates man! I'm glad to see it's coming together. You're quite the bodywork man (which is an art that has always escaped me). Can't wait to see it back together!

[fustercluck]

Thanks man. I'll admit it's not my best work. I know that while I like things to be right, this truck will see trail time. It will not see hardcore boulder hanging or crevass straddling, but trail time none the less.

I learned body and paint the hard way. Twenty years ago I restored a 1968 firebird 400. It was my first shot at a frame up resto, so it took me five years of weekends and after work nights. I wanted to do as much as I could for myself so I could learn. I spent a year....one full year.... learning by trial and error how to get body and paint right. Mind you that this was before the internet and interest specific fora like this one. I had to learn everything the hard way. It is still with me, though the products and materials have evolved generations ahead of my options back then. Painting now is cake. I only wish I could do it in a shop. I could get a show quality job then.

Oh well, perspective...stay in perspective.

[callmej75]

I didn't think ya had those skills in ya Fuster...you do a great job man! The best way is tria; and error...a lot of research and development (Technical term for trial and error)I've experienced in powder coating. Its the best way to learn!

[fustercluck]

yeah, it seems to hang with you longer if the skill has been developed and reinforced through trial and error with a heavy dose of foundational research. Tomorrow morning, I'll try to get some finish paint pics up with commentary. You won't believe how beautiful this color is.....


Anthracite metallic is possibly the best color Toyota has used IMO.


Jeremy, not to be obsequious, but coming from you, I'm pleased that you think my work is good. I've seen your skill set and quality. It is peerless.

[callmej75]

Thanks man! If we like our work, then it will show. If you see it as just another job, then the crap will shine through!

I've watched your progress throughout this thread and was wondering how the hell did you do all of this work in such short time? It is remarkable how well you fly through the project and have an eye for detail. I agree...take it light wheeling...but also have something to shine and impress the others of your work when you desire!

Kudos man!

[fustercluck]

:D

[fustercluck]

Okay, I'm back. As promised I'll upload some of the pretty pics tonight. Please note that I am aware that this runner is being built to off-road and that making her pretty is antipodal theory to that. I can't help doing this. I knew that if I didn't handle the rust, the truck would eventually disintegrate. Since the most effective solution was to swap beds, I knew that I would have to paint. If I'm going to paint, the urge to move to restoration mode is irresistible....

So here we have the driver side bed with the body work done.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner213.jpg

closer.....

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner210.jpg


....and the passenger side



http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner212.jpg

Driver side primed


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner216.jpg

passenger side.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner215.jpg


At this point, I wet sand graduating from 220 down to 600 in three steps. When wet sanding, I use a block and guide coat in a rattle can. As I run the block over the wet surface, the primer will cut through the orange peel created by spraying high build primer. The guide coat will indicate whether I have sanded far enough or if I've gone too far. Eventually, the guide coat will be all sanded off and after wet sanding with 600 grit, the substrate should be smooth and creamy with wet primer dust. I wash the panel with a wet cloth and let it dry.

[fustercluck]

....and when all of that is done, and when my fingerprints have been worn off three times over, here is the satisfying result....


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner257.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner258.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner259.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner260.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner261.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner262.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner263.jpg

[fustercluck]

now to put it all back together. I have pics of the bed and shell, but can't find my digicam to down load them to my host.... :chair: ....will have to clean the house, I guess.

[ChickenLover]

That looks amazing.. Considering your recent display of talent and mechanical prowess, I can't help but wonder why you spent the majority of your time on TOF in the 'off topic' section. You are a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Now, what's the deal with those pink houses?

[callmej75]

Thats some NICE body work Fuster!! I had to call Katy over to take a gander at this. I knew when I saw that you marked all dings and what not with a magic marker, then you knew what you were doing. Thats what we use to do when I worked at my brother in laws garage a few years back and his work came out flawless. I bet thats even metallic too ey? If so, its hard to spray sometimes without having metallic sag or clouding. You even trimmed out the door jambs and probably under the hood on the inner side of the fenders too? Why am I asking...sure you did. Thats remarkable man...

[fustercluck]

That looks amazing.. Considering your recent display of talent and mechanical prowess, I can't help but wonder why you spent the majority of your time on TOF in the 'off topic' section. You are a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Now, what's the deal with those pink houses?


The pink houses are a desert thing....apparently, I am not a desert rat since I don't get the appeal.

I spent most of my time in the OT because I am a closet lunatic and was lured by the burgeoning hysteria found there. I still lurked the tech threads, but with passive interest. How many times can a man read about "can I fit 35's with a 3" lift?" without dozing off and falling out of his chair? :hillbill:

The OT had personality. I felt connected to the outside world while being temporarily confined to student life and familial obligation. When the pressure is off in 6-10 days, I'll be giddy with freedom :king:

I am pleased that you think my work is good. I put more into it than I had calculated prior, but from this end, I think it was worth the effort. I guess the only irritant is that given my circumstances, the result is not excellent.

My spray booth arrangements vanished a week before I was to shoot the runner. As Jeremy noted, I had to spray the old fashioned way....in the dirt. On top of that, I live in the desert and we are experiencing the monsoon interval right now. For those unfamiliar with that climatological season, it means that when Fuster is standing gun in hand with activated material in the cup, the instant before he pulls the trigger, there will arise a series of gusts traveling horizontally at between 3' and 9' above the ground from the debris field to his runner/parts for the duration he is engaged in spraying. This event will be followed by two hours of near torrential rain.

The point is that had I a booth, I could do this without cutting and buffing for this level of work. Now, I have to C/B sometime when I get a chance.

[fustercluck]

Thats some NICE body work Fuster!! I had to call Katy over to take a gander at this. I knew when I saw that you marked all dings and what not with a magic marker, then you knew what you were doing. Thats what we use to do when I worked at my brother in laws garage a few years back and his work came out flawless. I bet thats even metallic too ey? If so, its hard to spray sometimes without having metallic sag or clouding. You even trimmed out the door jambs and probably under the hood on the inner side of the fenders too? Why am I asking...sure you did. Thats remarkable man...


Hehe. Let's go find and FJ40 and paint it! I bet we'd make a good team :D

Yeah, I jambed it and shot under the hood, inside of tailgate and doors/fenders. That's why this took so long. You figure each surface (reference under hood pics and multiply times doors, tailgate and miscellany) has to be sanded beaten 4 and 5 times not to mention a little welding and pounding......takes time and patience.

The base was a metallic. I used 97-98 Toyota Medium Anthracite in Sherwin Williams Ultra 7000. I am more familiar with Dupont products (or was more familiar), but the nearest DuPont dealer was waaaaaaaaay across town. Though it covered in two coats, I shot three to be certain I hadn't missed anything. To avoid mottling and such, I applied more pressure to less fluid and held it back on the last coat. Seemed to work fine. We'll see when I put it together next week.

[fustercluck]

Wish I could find my digicam......

[callmej75]

Me and Katy are planning on getting a Camaro, maybe a cheap rolling Iroc, and building a nice 400-500hp 400sb to cruise around in and take to the strip every now and then. Maybe when you make it closer to my side of the coast, I can take a vacation and we can put a nice custom job on that! We contemplated a Toy but we would break wayyyy too many parts wheeling, plus we watch pinks every night and that gave us the fever! We'll see what I can come up with when I get my student loans in a month or so...but I'd be glad to tag team that one with ya! We can use Katy as our bondo mixer....:D

[fustercluck]

Me and Katy are planning on getting a Camaro, maybe a cheap rolling Iroc, and building a nice 400-500hp 400sb to cruise around in and take to the strip every now and then. Maybe when you make it closer to my side of the coast, I can take a vacation and we can put a nice custom job on that! We contemplated a Toy but we would break wayyyy too many parts wheeling, plus we watch pinks every night and that gave us the fever! We'll see what I can come up with when I get my student loans in a month or so...but I'd be glad to tag team that one with ya! We can use Katy as our bondo mixer....:D


Hehe. We'll get her to mix it hard and fast to keep up with two of us...


In the 80's I liked the IROCs. I'm thinking some ghost flames over blackcherry pearl :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

[CJM]

J, your gonna build an IROC??

Find a V6, them rears are tough for some reason. Put a shiftkit in the trans and install a Vette motor all worked on. My boss has one just like that and it HAULS! I dont understand why the V6 rear works so well but it does.

Oh and my dear Fuster, excellent paint job and work. I never knew you were so capable.

[fustercluck]

Assembly pics coming soon.

Tangentially, yesterday I saw a 65 corvette driving next to me which was apparently in mid-restoration. It was in primer gray but with guide coat over it partially sanded. It had a blend of new parts and original components with a stereotypical 'under construction' appearance.

The driver noted that I was admiring the lines and contours of his vehicle and for dramatic effect, gunned the unbridled big block. He left me in wonder.

For a moment I felt the pangs of what a nostalgic rendezvous with a former lover only to awake alone in the morning must be like. I can't say for sure, but I may have been reinfected with the muscle car bug....this time I may not recover.

[callmej75]

You know what that rumble does to guys like us!

[fustercluck]

It is the call of the wild (sorry Jack) for me; a manifest destiny as it were. There is no more powerful appeal than the thunder of a top fuel 1/4 miler at full revs rolling by.

I'll never race, but I'll always wish I could.

[callmej75]

Thats me...every time I go to the 1/8th mile IHRA track near my parents house in WV I get the willies. Something about the roar of a big block and open headers...and wheel stands are awesome! Wish I was there in the seat....we'll have to take a trip to the Gator Nationals sometime Fuster!

[fustercluck]

hehe. The pleasant smell of spent nitro methane on a warm summer's night is only eclipsed in gratification by the acrid odor of discharged cordite....:hillbill:

[Seanz0rz]

did you find your digi cam yet? im impatiently waiting for pictures, and the completed vehicle.

[waskillywabbit]

Blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda...we want pictures!

:guitar:

[callmej75]

Hey! Me and Fuster are having a moment here that only WE can relate to...hush up and listen! :flipoff:

[fustercluck]

Hehe. Y'all are insatiable! :hillbill: Well I cleaned the house yesterday. I thought if I organized the 'body shop' area, that I' find the digicam under some plastic or something.....no go. I suppose that I'm going to have to actually clean the whole house and car to find it. Will do that right now.

The assembly will happen today and tomorrow; Tues. if need be. If I find the cam, I'll snap and post pics of the progress tonight. Come to think of it, there's a TON to reassemble! dam.

[fustercluck]

Found the digicam. It was on top of the fridge. I also found my missing keys.... :chair:

Okay, pics of bed,topper and misc stuff. Understand, please that I am shooting in the dirt, so be kind. I think half of the Sonoran Desert resides somewhere in my clear coat :flipoff:

Passenger side. I removed the fuel door and sprayed it off so I could better access the recessed part. The color is kind of rich, so without direct sunlight, it's hard to distinguish detail. I tried to get an angle that would show the topcoat accurately.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner267.jpg

[fustercluck]

This pic shows the cab and bed integration after paint. Periodically this graft has been displayed during it's evolution, but not until the final coats of clear have been applied does it look and feel deceptive. If one knew what I have done, there are clues that betray it. Were the beholder to be unaware, I think he'd be hard pressed to discover the process this vehicle has seen.

Ofcourse if I sell this truck, and I may, I pledge full disclosure through a link to this thread. In the end, I think my prep and rust preventive methods are superior to original build quality.

I know, blah, blah, blah......show us pics!





http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner266.jpg

[fustercluck]

You may have noticed that I sprayed and masked the cab separately from the bed. I did that because I needed to confine my wet surface to smaller portions since I was spraying without a booth. When final assembly occurs, the oversprayed areas will be under trim and/or interior components.

[fustercluck]

This pic displays the spliced union of the bed and cab at the lower door jamb.

parenthetically, I'm having to post these pics individually because I keep getting the 'page timed out' page and then I have to rewrite the entire post again. Ofcourse I could just copy/paste it, but then I couldn't complain anymore, could I?








http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner268.jpg

[fustercluck]

I promise it's not black....



http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner265.jpg

[fustercluck]

Passenger side.....this pic reminds me that when I sprayed the last coat of clear on this side, I topped off my cup before starting. I was so relieved that this was the last coat of the last big panels, that I forgot to re-secure the cap on the cup. while arrainging my hoses, some of the clear sploshed out onto my sleeve and arm. I didn't know that as the clear reacts to the hardener, there is a thermal affect. Coupled with the exposure to the Arizona sun, my arm was burning as I shot the last coat. Never rush spraying clear. You'll only have to re-shoot it.

okay, blah, blah, blah....


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner264.jpg

[fustercluck]

The bed cap sprayed and unmasked, but not reassembled. See, I told you it wasn't black....

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner269.jpg

[fustercluck]

And finally, hinges and their bolts as well as fender bolts and those little rubber hood bumper retainer clipy thingies

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner270.jpg

[fustercluck]

Well that's it for now. I've got to take a nap. Hey, it's Sunday.....I get a nap on Sundays.

[callmej75]

Looks good buddy!

[gwhayduke]

Love the buildup FC, but I have these nagging questions....You were living in AZ, right? Land of 50 year old cars with no rust, right? So you bought a couple of rustbuckets because you hate rust......

I've been looking at my rust-free '95 lately...thinkin' she's looking like she needs a restomod... :hillbill:

[fustercluck]

Love the buildup FC, but I have these nagging questions....You were living in AZ, right? Land of 50 year old cars with no rust, right? So you bought a couple of rustbuckets because you hate rust......

I've been looking at my rust-free '95 lately...thinkin' she's looking like she needs a restomod... :hillbill:



Well kinda. This runner began life in Maryland which, as some may know, salts, or at least, used to salt their roads in the winter; hence body cancer. Sometime after the first attempt at rust abatement accompanied by a 'quicky Scheib' paint job, the truck relocated to the desert. Rust, once it begins, will continue to oxidize and rot metal. It must be cut out and replaced with sound sheet metal. I suppose that is where we get the 'cancer' metaphor. Anyway, the initial repair was impotent since all that was done was to grind the rust flat and fill the holes with Bondo.

When I bought the runner, the rust had metastasized and was swelling through the surface again. I found an Arizona bed which was rust free and stitched the good parts together....with a TON of help from my friend Ryan, who, while he is reading this thread, is too chicken to register and post his own FJ40 build-up thread. Hi Ryan! :flipoff: :hillbill:

Watch, now I've invited the whirlwind.....not only that, but I've unintentionally given away his true identity. I don't suppose there's any sense in wearing the superhero mask anymore :rofl:

Seriously, he's a talented metalsmith and body/paint guy. I have to move out of student housing this week, I'll miss him as a neighbor.

[waskillywabbit]

So what color is that exactly Mr. Blah Blah Blah? :flipoff:

:guitar:

[fustercluck]

So what color is that exactly Mr. Blah Blah Blah? :flipoff:

:guitar:



Hehe. You crack me up, Wab....
It's Toyota's Medium Anthracite Metallic for 4runners 97-98. It seems darker than I remember, but I like it better that way. I was going to paint my flares the Medium Grey Metallic which came on the Limited cladding, but since the body color is so dark, the effect may be lost. I think they'll just go Anthracite for now. Not worth the cost of different base for little effect....could go satin black maybe *he says soliloquously*

[fustercluck]

Were it not for the ancillary pressures in my life right now, this part would be fun.

In this pic, we have the driver side with the door installed partially assembled w/ wing window. The front fender is mounted and aligned as well as the hood.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner274.jpg

[fustercluck]

From the front...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner275.jpg

[fustercluck]

Tailgate is on as well as the passenger door and front fender. Note the freshly painted roll bar :king:


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner276.jpg

[fustercluck]

This pic is too dark to illustrate anything but the the 3/4 front angle. The light source position foiled my effort to show the front passenger side properly; none the less, here it is...


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner278.jpg

[fustercluck]

Lastly, here is an equally useless pic of the pass. fender/hood shot.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/85runner279.jpg


This truck will be cut and buffed tomorrow by my friend Ryan, who has recently registered as 'kayote' (or something). Look for his FJ40 build thread. It should be a treat :clap:


Hi Rocko! :flipoff:

[Intrepidyota]

Wow, that is clean! I hope you will get some real sliders and some fender hoops on there to protect that nice body...or just don't drive like a jackass I guess. :( As Tulsa_sr5 noted elsewhere, I am apparently allergic to sheetmetal and I keep ruining it. :laugh:

[04 Rocko Taco]

Fuster, absolutely amazing, I just spent quite some time reading over and studying this whole thread from beginning to end, absolutely amazing work my friend, I think that for ANY conditions your work looks superb, and for the conditions you were actually working in the work is absolutely stellar. I've done a bit of body and paint work myself (even went to school for it) but its just not my calling. Your work though makes me wish it was (or REALLY glad it isn't - I can't decide)

OH, and I feel all tingly that I got my own personal greeting in your thread. :) It only took me 1 hour from original posting time to get to it. :)

Again, great work, and look forward to seeing it finished up, and before to long, I'll have to see it in person, one way or another... *chuckles deviously* (nobody tell Mrs. Rocko)

[Seanz0rz]

im utterly speechless...

[garrett]

looks really great! that color is darker than i see it on the newer 4runners though, maybe they're just all faded...

[fustercluck]

Thanks guys. Your comments are encouraging. Though I want to continue with the reassembly, I'm forced by more urgent matters to postpone progress until sometime next week.


In the mean time, we now pause for some comedic intermission....


http://www.tinyvital.com/images/blogmisc/TedKennedyPlans.jpg

[Euphorickaty80]

Im speechless......that is just beautiful

[fustercluck]

Thanks, Katy :D

Well we made the trip to Utah this week. What a chore. Now let the fun begin!!!!

[SLC Punk]

Wow that looks like a lot of work! The results look great!

[fustercluck]

I haven't done much in a while. We've been on vacation/moving. Poor runner is feeling neglected....

[snap-on]

so reading the thread start to finish.... when was the last time the poor girl drove down the road?!?!

(ausome build btw)

[fustercluck]

I started this around the middle of April-ish. She hasn't seen any milage since then on her own power. I'm getting anxious to get her out there, but have some other more pressing issues to handle for the next two weeks....possibly even until the end of Oct....

[jrallan26]

Looks good fuster. Your a poet and a fabricator.... Who knew??? Keep up the great work. That truck is going to be too nice to thrash off-road.

[downwitthemouse]

Nice color, it dose seem a bit darker.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/downwitthemouse/IMG_1303.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/downwitthemouse/IMG_1228.jpg

[fustercluck]

Thanks for the comparison pics Downwiththemouse. I'll snap some sunlight pics today after our hike and picnic.....we are on vacation and all :D

[fustercluck]

As promised, though a little tardy....



Medium anthracite metallic :D


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/runner064.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

mmmm, secksy!

[amgraham]

Oh, so shiny! What's left to do Fuster?

[04 Rocko Taco]

Oh come on fuster...your never going to wheel that thing... just put some 22" spinners on it and call it a day. :)

Sheesh, with a non wheeling truck like that you might as well even get a chrome brushgaurd for the front, cause if ever there was a sign of a poser truck...lol (check the front of my '04 before anyone gets offended)

[fustercluck]

Oh come on fuster...your never going to wheel that thing... just put some 22" spinners on it and call it a day. :)

Sheesh, with a non wheeling truck like that you might as well even get a chrome brushgaurd for the front, cause if ever there was a sign of a poser truck...lol (check the front of my '04 before anyone gets offended)


:lol: :lol: :lol:

Hey buddy, we'll see who preens his runner more after you get yours next week!!!!:hillbill:

The spinners are tempting though.....

[fustercluck]

Oh, so shiny! What's left to do Fuster?


The list is as long as....well, it's long.

Mostly, it's reassembly and buttoning up about 4 man hours of loose ends. With vacation, moving in and Mrs. Fuster's board exams, I think it'll be three to four weeks before I get all of that done....just about enough time for Rocko to roll his new runner in the north Georgia woods somewhere.. :hillbill:

I'll take pics as I go and post them for those who are interested.

[jrallan26]

Fuster and Ric will look good cruising the malls in their shiny runners. Latte anyone? Just kidding.

[Ric]

Fuster and Ric will look good cruising the malls in their shiny runners. Latte anyone? Just kidding.



lol, you aint kiddin

[reggie 00]

As promised, though a little tardy....



Medium anthracite metallic :D


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/runner064.jpg



Nice Tint job on the glass.














Seriously very nice job considering your work conditions. Very inspiring

[fustercluck]

For the record, I understand that the most desirable men are the ones who can get down and dirty all day and clean-up handsomely for an evening of fem-fatal pursuit.

....metaphorically speaking :D

[fustercluck]

Nice Tint job on the glass....


Yeah, hehe. That's my inner redneck emerging. We are expecting rain and none of my glass is installed yet.....so I improvised :hillbill:

It does help me see how the tinted windows will affect the appearance. My luck is that someone will steal it and I'll have to start over....

[YotaFun]

I love how you went with the color of Tess.

I love that color even more on a 1st gen.

oooo so sexy, I am loving this build Mr. Fuster

[fustercluck]

In honor of the venerable Tess herself....and my beloved 97 limited runner, Caroline (gone, but not forgtten)

Glad you like it Av...

[Cayote]

Hey Fuster,

Did you photoshop that runner into the background?

The runner looks better in a non desert terrain.....

[jrallan26]

BTW Where do you live?? LOL!





Nice Tint job on the glass....


Yeah, hehe. That's my inner redneck emerging. We are expecting rain and none of my glass is installed yet.....so I improvised :hillbill:

It does help me see how the tinted windows will affect the appearance. My luck is that someone will steal it and I'll have to start over....

[04 Rocko Taco]

Oh come on fuster...your never going to wheel that thing... just put some 22" spinners on it and call it a day. :)

Sheesh, with a non wheeling truck like that you might as well even get a chrome brushgaurd for the front, cause if ever there was a sign of a poser truck...lol (check the front of my '04 before anyone gets offended)


:lol: :lol: :lol:

Hey buddy, we'll see who preens his runner more after you get yours next week!!!!:hillbill:

The spinners are tempting though.....


We shall see. I dont even preen over my '04. lol. Hopefully I'll have pics of mine up soon!!
Seriously though, as I've said, seriously amazing work buddy! Looks great!
I can't wait to see it, and I know how joyful you will be when it is all buttoned up and "finished" (we all know they never are)

[downwitthemouse]

In honor of the venerable Tess herself....and my beloved 97 limited runner, Caroline (gone, but not forgtten)

Glad you like it Av...


the compare picture is your old 97 runner.

[fustercluck]

In honor of the venerable Tess herself....and my beloved 97 limited runner, Caroline (gone, but not forgtten)

Glad you like it Av...


the compare picture is your old 97 runner.


HA! I didn't recognize her with the lift....hope she's been as good to you as she was to us. Which reminds me, now that I'm back here and settled, I need to find that skid plate for you.....

[fustercluck]

Hey Fuster,

Did you photoshop that runner into the background?

The runner looks better in a non desert terrain.....


Guys, may I introduce you to the master hotrod builder himself....Cayote is my friend Ryan without whom this build could not have taken place.....

Glad he finally went from lurking to posting. Maybe he'll post up an FJ40 build thread now :hillbill:

[fustercluck]

BTW Where do you live?? LOL!




We just moved to Utah where I found my next project. Below is a 1981 sr5 pickup with air. I just made an offer on it to the original owner this afternoon. He accepted, but needs to consult with his wife about it tonight.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/DSC022571.jpg

:hillbill:

[fustercluck]

Oh come on fuster...your never going to wheel that thing... just put some 22" spinners on it and call it a day. :)

Sheesh, with a non wheeling truck like that you might as well even get a chrome brushgaurd for the front, cause if ever there was a sign of a poser truck...lol (check the front of my '04 before anyone gets offended)


:lol: :lol: :lol:

Hey buddy, we'll see who preens his runner more after you get yours next week!!!!:hillbill:

The spinners are tempting though.....


We shall see. I dont even preen over my '04. lol. Hopefully I'll have pics of mine up soon!!
Seriously though, as I've said, seriously amazing work buddy! Looks great!
I can't wait to see it, and I know how joyful you will be when it is all buttoned up and "finished" (we all know they never are)


...and I'm impatiently awaiting voyeur pics of your latest acquisition.....!