fj45 rat rod (ish)

[Heath]

Looks like the blower is buggered on this one (got a big hole in the side of the intake) so looking for a replacement plastic part or whole thing for bugger all

Getting there though. Found some more cancer in the body but no more than I expected. Will need a bit of steel for the repairs but I have a plan.

Anyone got a dereg cheap 2wd hilux they want to get rid of in Canterbury? Just want the chassis/running gear mainly but a few extra bits off the body (brake master etc, pedal box and some panel steel). Rusty body/tray I dont care as long as the chassis is in reasonable condition. PM if you want to talk turkey.

Still hunting for guards (and a few other trinkets, my list keeps growing - LOL) and have some bits to sell off (see my FJ45 bits for sale thread).

[Heath]

Just a cleaning weekend and a little more stripping out of stuff.

whipped out the heater stuff (need a new fan unit as the side is busted on this one).

Gave it a birthday and cleaned the lichen and shite off it found a little more rust but still not too much.

A little rust in the screen where the air vents come through.

Roof sills are a little rusty but what 30 year old farmyard / bushbasher truck doesnt suffer from a little rust?

[Dirtydog]

jeez you got it lite so far,

you should see the rust my cab has, i can just about pull the roof off, and half the floor is missing.

but i suppose thats the difference between a 30yr old truck, and a 60-70 year old truck lol.

[Heath]

jeez you got it lite so far,

you should see the rust my cab has, i can just about pull the roof off, and half the floor is missing.

but i suppose thats the difference between a 30yr old truck, and a 60-70 year old truck lol.

LOL yeah lucky is how I feel as I pull stuff apart and find the metal still intact. Dents are easy, bolt on bits almost easy, but rust is a bitch.

Got a Mig off trade me last night (co2 bottle too) so the rust just got a little easier to deal with

[Dirtydog]

ive already got my mig, only 120amp but it should be good for panels..

what gas do you reackon is easier to use? im running gasless so anything is better aparently lol

[Heath]

ive already got my mig, only 120amp but it should be good for panels..

what gas do you reackon is easier to use? im running gasless so anything is better aparently lol

Mines a 140 (panel to 6mm).

I've got CO2 but you can get a mix of co2 and argon or straight argon. Not sure whats best (probably argon based on its price).

[wjw]

ive already got my mig, only 120amp but it should be good for panels..

what gas do you reackon is easier to use? im running gasless so anything is better aparently lol

Mines a 140 (panel to 6mm).

I've got CO2 but you can get a mix of co2 and argon or straight argon. Not sure whats best (probably argon based on its price).

The guys I've worked with have always preferred straight argon

[tomsoffroad]

Co2/argon mix personally. Straight argon is too expensive. I use a F bottle of boc argoshield 501 on the mig and a D size of argon on the tig, both are about the same price to fill!! A good quality wire helps heaps too

[Dirtydog]

definitly not gasless wire then lol,

but thats cool, i was thinking of those little dispossable ones, and a bottle of co2.

what sort of ratio works? i know a guy down here that does 25% argon to 75% co2, and what would be the chances of getting an old dive bottle filled with co2?

[tomsoffroad]

I seriously wouldnt bother trying to mix your own aye. Get a Boc account and practice bending over things Go for their argoshield 501.
Cutting and welding costs money, thats all there is to it sorry.

[Dirtydog]

lol, unfortunitly everything costs these days lol.

for the little amount of welding i would do, i dont think i would need to much of it either lol.

p.s, sorry for jacking the thread

[Heath]

Seems I got the model wrong and the plate under the dash shows its an hj45 (buggered if I know the year yet - dont know how to find it).

Has a build number there too - 255.

Dunno what the difference between Hj and the others are (is BJ petrol and FJ diesel?).

[ClassicCruiserSpares]

HJ's had the 6 cylinder deisel in them, FJs were petrol pre 1979, BJ's were mostly 4 cylinder diesels 80-84

[Sadam_Husain]

BJ 4 cyl diesel, FJ 6 cyl petrol, HJ 6 cyl diesel

[Heath]

Sweet, Cheers guys.

A little more history about my toy discovered and My dumb ass learned something.

[Heath]

07/1979 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER HJ45 based on toyodiy thingee.

Was build for europe/general market and supplied as a whole unit.

Got new fenders coming from invercargil this weekend and picked up my little mig tonight too.

Now I have to work a pile of OT to pay for it all or the missus will get really shit faced with me.

Still got some stuff tagged on Trade me to get yet but might have to wait a bit for her to calm down (door handles and indicator stalk).

Going to supachump to get a sand blaster gun thingee to help with the rust removal too.

[Dirtydog]

just get everything at once, its better to get the angry gf buzz all at once rather than 3 times in a row....

[Heath]

Grabbed a sand blaster thingee (seems a bit light weight to be honest but it works (uses a shite load of grit though). Might use it sparingly on hard to get to spots.

Grabbed an ajustable set of legs to hold panels/doors etc while I fix/wreck them at a more comfortable height.

Fenders arrived too, great condition compared to my one (got one steel and one Fglass - glass one is for sale).

[Heath]

Had a little spare time today so decided to get stuck into ripping things down so I can sort the rust and get the cab off so I can move the chassis on or chop it up.

Busy day with everything unbolted.

Rust in the top of the back section (lots of rust in the corresponding roof portion too - but no surprises there.

And a little in the back of the cab section (again no surprises there either).

Getting there I guess. Body off next and then I can start on the cab's rust.

I got a folding support from supachump today to work on (has padded top on the bars and holds up to 180Kgs) so I can work on a panel at a time. Just have to sort out some steel for the repairs. Was thinking about how to do the floor and replicate the ribs, but maybe I will just get some heavier grade steel and do a flat floor. Going to raise the floor 30mm or thereabouts to lower the body on the chassis so I can get the whole truck as low as possible. Probably do the floor last whan I decide what I want to do. Going to have it clean and tidy inside (maybe even carpet it later) so a flat floor that I can put some sound deadener on would be nice.

Anyone have a line on replacement rubbers for the body and windows? Going to need a new set of rubbers for the windscreen because its going to get chopped, but the old rubbers are looking a little buggered too. Will be glass out for the paint job and might do the rubbers then.

[mudbugga]

I got my last window rubbers from Rare Spares.

Found this on their website....
http://www.rarespares.net.au/rsnz/Searc ... UBBER+KITS

[niblik]

Lol. Carpet in a ratrod.

What the hell are you on Heath me old son?

[Dirtydog]

same shit im on lol, hopes and dreams

just throw some house carpet in there and youl be sweet, or some of that grey plastic outdoor stuff lol

[Heath]

Lol. Carpet in a ratrod.

What the hell are you on Heath me old son?

Gotta have it along with the double overhead chrome grease nipples...

[skid]

I got my last window rubbers from Rare Spares.

Found this on their website....
http://www.rarespares.net.au/rsnz/Searc ... UBBER+KITS

found ebay to be literally a quarter of the price if not better

[Heath]

Lol. Carpet in a ratrod.

What the hell are you on Heath me old son?

Gotta have it along with the double overhead chrome grease nipples...

Maybe some purple shag pile and a chain steering wheel with vicegrips welded in for the centre (actually the vicegrips idea might be cool ) and a set of fluffy dice too (oh and a hula dancer on the dash - as seen on trademe). Might be a little too much tequella in that idea...

The carpet idea was just to keep the noise down a little.

After driving around today in air con luxury (my isuzu truck) in 25degC heat I am wondering if I can graft an aircon system into the mix somewhere. Perhaps a small vitara unit can be jammed into the engine bay where the old buggered unit lived and just feed it into the ducting so inside it will look all std.

Cheers for the heads up on Ebay Skiddy. $1058 seemed a little high to me so I'll shop around. Might just buy some rubber and make my own (apart from the flash shaped window stuff)

[niblik]

you should then add some tints to the ride to keep it cooler in summer.. not just any tints though.. some of those chrome/mirror look styles to add bling to your ride.. with chrome handles etc it'll really 'pop'..

then chuck on a tonneau cover and tow hook..

and a swish double din stereo....

[lownslow]

Some sweet carpet Rat rod should hve no new non mechanical parts on it which in theory should make it a cheap project?



http://www.trademe.co.nz/home-living/lo ... 309100.htm

[Dirtydog]

its a bummer those mirror tints arnt legal here,

but im loving that carpet, nothing wrong with that lol

[juz]

Yeh, I just gota say... Carpet, new rubber kit, aircon ... this is as much 'ratrod' as my truck.

[rokhound]

I think you guys are being too "purist" with the whole Rat Rod thing.

What I belive Heath is after (and correct me if I'm wrong, it has happened once before) is more the look or concept of a ratty ( ie real low, fat boots, and loud fee8 all in a vehicle that should'nt be a contender for that sort of mod ie it is too agricultural or commercial). I think you will find he will want it straight as a die, lots of blingy bits (chromed or shiney) and a nice coat of paint when all done. That's how I would do it anyways if it was mine. Not really a rat rod but IMO way better.

Carry on the cool project Heath