LJ70 Build Thread!

[tonytoyota]

Hi Ben another top write up I love it and keep it up can you get the fj Cruiser in Diesel in Australla thanks tonytoyota .?

 

[Ben]

Thanks Tony, good to hear from you mate.

No its only available in a petrol auto!

TBH I didnt really like them when they first came onto the market but there really growing on me! Talking to the trip leader on the last trip, he had a 79 series single cab ute before and he much prefers the FJ Cruiser, and it seems just as capable off road.

 

[tonytoyota]

Hi Ben R you OK I love them one day I will have one but will keep the old fj45 going I wood love a hj62 Engine and box for it but rare as hens teeth and cost a lot keep up with The good times thanks Tony

 

[Ben]

A year ago today I arrived in this amazing country to start my new life Down Under. I was excited and scared and needed to buy a car, find a job and find some where to live, and all before my shipping container arrived with all my worldly possessions and my LandCruiser.
I knew it was going to be tough moving to a country on the other side of the world, where I'd have no family and virtually no friends.
The last year has been hard at times but no where near as tough as I thought it would be. I'm so glad I had the courage to pursue this dream of a new life down here.
I am very happy and love my life! I never envisaged I could be this happy, its awesome!

 

[Gav Peter]

 

[froggy Steve]

Ben, you get one chance - grab it! You certainly have and its all worked out - nice one Happy Ozinversary

 

[tonytoyota]

Hi Ben good to see you got the dream down under Long way from Lincomb fire with a beer and the old boys have a good one tonytoyota

 

[Duvs]

Hi Ben, about time I said hi! so firstly belated anniversary - good onya for taking the punt and glad you're happy and things are working out. I've three separate friends moved over there in the last few years and all very much really living and loving the life.
I'd been reading your thread before I had rex, you do it well! I really like how you demo'd making the bar-end patterns for the suzuki recently - and obviously all the trail posts. Some neat rear-facing shots in that trip via Darga recently feature your landcruiserclub.net stickers - are such items available somewhere? anyway, keep on!

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

Things are pretty hectic here at the minute as were now in the middle of renovating my bedroom and the spare room. I worked on the house all last weekend despite the 40 degree heat. Working on it every night this week and hoping to get it finished this weekend. Quite a big job but that will cover my rent, internet and cleaner bills for the next 2-3 months.

Will try and get some pics up later. Oh and the video showing how the gate latches work.

Thanks Duvs.

The stickers are available from Crispin whos the moderator/administrator. Drop him a PM.

 

[Ben]

OK update time.

Firstly the Astra developed an annoying intermittent fault on my big 4 week Christmas road trip. Where by a warning light comes on and the car becomes very sluggish and misfires. Having got our local garage to put it on the scan tool and computer it came up saying it needs a new coil pack.



This is the part, I've ordered a new one, so hoping that turns up soon.



Work pics next!

Friday we stripped another Suzuki.



Some of the bolts were seized, so I got the plasma cutter out.







The plasma cutter was playing up so I got the gas axe out!







Loaded up the shell of the last Suzuki we stripped ready for the scrap man to take it all away. Couldn't quite get it inside the car, so got the oxy torch back out.



With that Suzuki stripped and outside ready for the scrap man.



We could start washing the next one ready for stripping. We wanted to steam clean the engine, gear box and diffs before we get it on the hoist and strip it.





Random pic of a nice 70 series that was parked outside.



I had to make up some Grand Vitara battery trays.



It fits an unusually small leisure battery.





This then bolts into place in the boot underneath a lift out panel.



With the battery and tray in place the original boot floor section wont fit down properly. So I made a new one out of aluminum, this will then get powder coated black.







Added some finger holes to make lifting it out easier, as its a really snug fit.



Finally got the rest of the trays back from the laser cutters.



Made a start welding them all together.







And today I got them finished.







SO thats the first batch of 50 ready for electroplating.



Frankenzuke next...................

I was concerned that the tyres may catch the front bar on full lock when the suspension articulates.





Tyres are catching so the ends of the bar will need altering.





Thats tomorrow mornings job.

Building work next...............................

Before we started last Saturday morning after emptying my bedroom and the spare room.

Spare room.



With smaller wardrobe.



My room.





Demolition!



After ripping out all the old plasterboard, skirting boards, architrave and doors we put it all in the back of Michaels truck.



and emptied it into the bin at his work.









I altered the 2 wardrobes to make them both the same size, by moving the divide wall and changing the openings where the doors will be.







Michael donned some protective clothing and started fitting the insulation.

















Today the plasters came and plastered. Tomorrow they will be back to sand down the joints and fit the coving.











Once the plasters are done I can give the walls and ceiling 3 coats of paint and then fit the new door frames, architrave, skirting board and doors.

I've given it all 2 coats of paint so once fitted it will only need one more coat of paint.





Almost forgot.....................

I also got 100 heart shaped pieces of metal back from the laser cutters for the gate latches. I then set the back stop on the brake press and bent them all at 90 degrees.





Oh and heres the video for those who wernt sure how the gate latch I've designed works.



I'm going to get this weekend out of the way when hopefully I will get the building work all finished. Then I'm hoping to crack on and make a start on all the work I want to do on LJ.

Michael also wants me to make a front winch bar for his new 80.

 

[Ben]

Not sure why my pics are so small and my txt doesn't go all the way across the page?

Crispin?

Did everything I normally do.

 

[Chris]

Ben, I know there is a time difference between here and there but are there also more hours in the day? Is a day there 30 hours or something? HTF do you get all of this stuff done? When do you fit in any sleep?

 

[Ben]

Thanks Chris!

Sleeping is totally over rated. Gave it up years ago!

I'm actually worried that there isnt enough time, for the amount of work I want to do on LJ before the big Simpson Trip in September.

Got to try though.

 

[Blown80]

It only needs a polish Ben, she'll be right mate!!
Oh, and a few Jerry cans of fuel.......

 

[Ben]

If she breaks down I will remind you of that Chris!

 

[clivehorridge]

I used the same idea in the two centre rooms in the extension. A thick dividing wall serving as extra soundproofing and between the skins two opposing built in wardrobes.

It's a bit Ikea, but works a treat

I'll bet your mate Michael was goat to get out of that suit at 40C

 

[Ben]

I used the same idea in the two centre rooms in the extension. A thick dividing wall serving as extra soundproofing and between the skins two opposing built in wardrobes.

It's a bit Ikea, but works a treat

I'll bet your mate Michael was goat to get out of that suit at 40C

He only managed half an hour in the suit before the thermal cut out kicked in and told him to stop and remove the suit as his body temp was getting far too high. Quite a clever bit of kit really, it plugs in to the mains and has a fan on the back to keep the user cool, and obviously temp sensors and audio warning system.

Update coming.

 

[Ben]

OK guys update time.....................

Havent updated for a while as have been working some ridiculous hours, which is why I'm home now. But more on that later.

Frankenzuke first....................

So the corners of the front bar needed adjusting as the huge 37" tyres were hitting it on full articulation.







This is what I thought needed removing.



So I got it on the bench ready for cutting.









Tried it back on the car.



And on full articulation to check the clearance.





These are the bits I cut off.





Cut the other side to match.



Cut a cardboard template of the piece I needed to cap the ends off and cut some steel on the guillotine.



Tacked it in place.



Quite pleased with how it looks.





Tacked the other side on and checked for clearance.







Got it back on the bench for welding.





With the top of the bumper off I could look at reenforcing the winch tray.





My concern was that the winch tray obviously bolts to the chassis but then the actual winch bolts a lot higher up. OK its only a little light weight car, but on a difficult winch pull it might bend the tray.



So my solution was to make some braces out of some thick steel.

That would pick up 2 of the holes in the front recovery hooks and bolt to the top corner of the winch tray.



The other side need a notch to clear one of the steering box bolts.



I then tack welded the rest of the bar onto the winch tray.



And then got the whole thing on the bench to be fully welded.





Fully welded it and then smoothed down all the welds with a flap wheel disc in the grinder.





My boss gave me some LED spot lights for it.







Not sure if I like them or not. they feel nice and solid and are all alluminium.



Put the bar back on the car so we could position the lights and drill more mounting holes if required.



I thought they looked OK in the standard Vitara spot light mounting holes.



Still not sure if I like them or not. Opinions please?





Took it off and hung it up ready for a few coats of primer.





Followed by some coats of black enamel.





Needs a few more coats but thats as far as I got last week.



We also got another Suzuki stripped.





I lifted the engine out.





I had another little project to do, mounting an air tank under the tray of a customers new truck.



Bent up, drilled, notched and painted a piece of steel.



To bolt up under the rear passenger corner.





1 tank fitted.



I made the bracket to take 2 tanks for when the guy upgrades his single cylinder ARB compressor for a bigger one.



All connected up.



Michael picked up some steel checker plate.



2 strips for the tops of the new rock sliders hes bought for his new 80 that were building, and 2 strips for the top of the sliders on LJ. I like the look of how my sliders look being open on the tops, but it means a lot of crap sprays up the sides of the truck when off road, so I've been thinking of closing them off for a while.



These are the sliders he bought. We worked out that it would probably cost him more for me to make them than he could buy them for so it made more sense to buy them already built. Only thing he did do was buy them bare as opposed to powder coated which is how the guy usually sells them.



Layed the checked plate on top and worked out what needed cutting off the ends.





Cut the ends on the guillotine.



Checking the curved ends were correct.



Gave the ends a final clean up with a flap wheel disc in the grinder.



And welded them on.





Got the one done Friday after work but ran out of time to do the other one.



As the company that does our electroplating was picking up a load of stuff today Michael wanted to get the sliders done at the same time. They will then get powder coated black.

So this morning my first job was to cut and weld the other plate on. Only before I got to work I didnt feel too good and my vision went a bit blurry. Thought I'd be ok so went to work, within half an hour of being there I had a really bad headache, was burning up and felt sick.

I struggled on and got his slider finished and then told my manager I wasnt well and he sent me home. Hence why I've now found some time, while recovering in bed to update the blog.

I suspect I may have over done it the last week or 2. Last week I worked over 75 hours.

Anyway thats enough about me, back to the update...........................

The plasters had finished plastering my room and the spare room.





As I needed to give the walls and ceiling 3 coats of paint Michael suggested using his paint sprayer.





It worked well and the walls were soon painted.





Spare room about to be sprayed.



I did the cielings (or roof as Michael calls it, despite me contiunaly correcting him in that the roof is on the outside, maybe its an Aussie thing!) the traditional way using a roller.





Saturday morning I built and fitted the new wardrobe door frame in my bedroom.







Made a start fitting the arcitrave and skirting boards.



While Michael fitted all the new power sockets and lights.



I painted the window and new arcitrave and didnt have to bother cutting the paint into the glass as were getting new, much thicker glass fitted this week.







The spare room still needs quite a bit doing as we ran out of skirting board.



Did get the new wardrobe door frame fitted though.



And the arcitrave around the door frame.



The painting in my room is now virtually finished, just a few bits to touch up.





Michael vacumed and then mopped my floor as the carpet is going to be another 10-12 weeks as its being specialy made to order in South Africa.



We picked up the rest of the timber, as well as all the timber and fittings I need to build a shelf in each wardrboe with a hanging rail beneath.



I'm hoping to move back into my room tonight, but we will have to rig up a temprorary make shift curtain.

It wont be completely finished for another month or 2 as we wating on the carpet from South Africa, the curtains and drapes are being made now by a local company and might be another 3-4 weeks. The doors and sliding track have being ordered from a specialist door company and could be another few weeks away.

The thicker glass is going in the windows this week and then were getting them tinted with a one way tint.

Its going to be so nice having a nice room that I'm proud to bring girls back to.

I havent forgotten about LJ and will try and start sourcing and ordering all the bits I need this week.

I want to get these 2 rooms finished on the house then I'm not doing anymore building work for a few months, and will instead concentrate on LJ.

 

[Ben]

Forgot to mention..................

Was chatting to the plasterer on Saturday and he asked if I was carpenter, so I was telling him I am but after doing that for 10 years I'm now re-training as a welder to go and work in the mines.

He then said thats exactly what his mate has done. Like me he was a carpenter who then retrained as a welder. He now works on the oil rigs in Bass Straight (the coast south of the Australian mainland, so just south and south west of Melbourne) the guy earns $300,000+ per year and works 4 weeks on 4 weeks off.

So 300k+ for working 6 months of the year!

Thats what I'm aiming for. I was thinking it would be nice to buy 2 brand new 70's. Get the duel cab ute for work/building my house and then get the 70 series wagon to build up as a touring vehicle. Then keep LJ for the hard trips where panel damage is pretty much guaranteed.

Got to dream big!

 

[Chas]

Its going to be so nice having a nice room that I'm proud to bring girls back to.

Now, now Ben, don't forget your main purpose in life, building trucks.