LJ70 Build Thread!

[AndyCook]

Wow was all that done in one weekend! Good work

Great use of new garage.
I notice you have a few grinders, i might get another a when doing a welding job it can be a pain to swap between slit disc and flap discs several times

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Gary820]

That's a very productive bit of spanner time.
It's going to look great with all the body work sorted out.

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

Yes 2 grinders are very useful Andy.

Like you I got sick of changing between discs all the time!

 

[davewanna]

Hi Ben, I came across your thread probably a year ago now while searching for info for my LJ70, and have spent months reading it. For a long time you were updating quicker than I was reading it so I was actually going backwards. I'm extremely impressed with your over-all attitude of you can do anything if you try, except it's making most of the rest of us look bad for not trying! ha
You also make me jealous working where you do, and hanging around with people I've envied on 4WD TV, etc!

I have 2 x LJ70's, a daily with a holden 3.8L V6 and a project with a 1KZ. I'm very interested in the 44gallon drum wheel-arch idea! It's looks great.

I noticed in Craig's thread you were talking about a van conversion. An easy if you can find it solution is that BJ70 cruisers have the same body, and the same rear-side window holes, but they have a single fixed glass. I got a pair for $50 with rubbers once and put them in the 1KZ LJ. Looks very tidy compared to the sliders.

Keep up the good work, it's an incentive to me to get off my arse and a good read at the very least.

Dave

 

[Paddler Ed]

I noticed in Craig's thread you were talking about a van conversion. An easy if you can find it solution is that BJ70 cruisers have the same body, and the same rear-side window holes, but they have a single fixed glass. I got a pair for $50 with rubbers once and put them in the 1KZ LJ. Looks very tidy compared to the sliders

Following on from Dave's comment re BJ/FJ70 window rubbers, the Mazda E2000/E1800 Ford Econovan twins just use the same rubbers if they have fixed windows or panels in them, could be an easy fix? Alternatively what about a set of hinged service flaps, if you could get them to seal well enough.

I'm definitely intersted in the drum idea for flares; I still need to do mine... but they can go on hold for now, as mine's not on the road at the moment...

 

[Ben]

Hi Ben, I came across your thread probably a year ago now while searching for info for my LJ70, and have spent months reading it. For a long time you were updating quicker than I was reading it so I was actually going backwards. I'm extremely impressed with your over-all attitude of you can do anything if you try, except it's making most of the rest of us look bad for not trying! ha
You also make me jealous working where you do, and hanging around with people I've envied on 4WD TV, etc!

I have 2 x LJ70's, a daily with a holden 3.8L V6 and a project with a 1KZ. I'm very interested in the 44gallon drum wheel-arch idea! It's looks great.

I noticed in Craig's thread you were talking about a van conversion. An easy if you can find it solution is that BJ70 cruisers have the same body, and the same rear-side window holes, but they have a single fixed glass. I got a pair for $50 with rubbers once and put them in the 1KZ LJ. Looks very tidy compared to the sliders.

Keep up the good work, it's an incentive to me to get off my arse and a good read at the very least.

Dave

Hi Dave, thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you've enjoyed reading the thread.

My life is pretty awesome, I love it!

2 x 70's! Thats cool! I'd love to see pics of them.

I'm going to get on the 44 gallon drum idea tomorrow! We've got a few at work but I'm going to ask my boss where I can get some more from!

I'm thinking of cutting the strips off them at work, then bring them home and trim my rear arches to the edge of the inner arch, then bolt the drum sections in place through the inner arch. Then I will drive it to work and use the MIG to fully weld them in place. Then bring it home and fill, sand, and paint them and the rest of the truck.

Thanks for the info about the rear windows/van conversion. I was thinking of trying to source the rubbers from a 70 with a single fixed piece of glass then use the rubbers and fit an alluminium or steel sheet in painted the same colour as the rest of the car. But then thinking about it might look quite smart just with the single pain of glass.

Following on from Dave's comment re BJ/FJ70 window rubbers, the Mazda E2000/E1800 Ford Econovan twins just use the same rubbers if they have fixed windows or panels in them, could be an easy fix? Alternatively what about a set of hinged service flaps, if you could get them to seal well enough.

I'm definitely interested in the drum idea for flares; I still need to do mine... but they can go on hold for now, as mine's not on the road at the moment...

Thanks Ed.

Very interesting! Do they run the same size and shape piece of glass or just the same section/type of rubber?

I did think about lift up hatches but LJ is pretty high and the fridge fills one side and I cant imagine what I might want to access through the other side, so I had kind of ruled that idea out.

 

[davewanna]

Rear windows

You don't have to tell me your life is pretty awesome.. You don't even seem to have any of the female problems that plague a lot of us!

Haven't got many pics of the red one, the pic of them both is my setup when I recently moved my entire life to NT, and the other is the reason I need to do something about flares.

I'm pretty sure that no other car on earth has the same shape rear windows as a 70. They are not square or flat on any side or angle. Perhaps some of the rubbers for the sliding windows fit or are useable. The factory fixed glass rubber is nicely moulded with extra rubber to "square up" the corners a little, etc. I prefer a nice dark tint on a piece of glass over blanking it off. Looks good but can still be looked out of when needed.

Dave





p.s. Sorry about the awning..........

 

[Doodle]

I want to be able to wear shorts all year round!

Friday was a cold morning!

Double figures by 10am. That IS shorts weather!

 

[Victor]

Oi Ben! Just a tip, when fixing cracks, always grind it away completley, take a cutting disc and make a groove so it's all nice straight edges, and if it's a bigger piece that has cracked, find the 2 ends and drill a hole in each end, that will prevent the crack from wandering on, otherwise you risk that after a while it will begin to crack open again Otherwise, top notch work!

 

[Ben]

You don't have to tell me your life is pretty awesome.. You don't even seem to have any of the female problems that plague a lot of us!

Haven't got many pics of the red one, the pic of them both is my setup when I recently moved my entire life to NT, and the other is the reason I need to do something about flares.

I'm pretty sure that no other car on earth has the same shape rear windows as a 70. They are not square or flat on any side or angle. Perhaps some of the rubbers for the sliding windows fit or are useable. The factory fixed glass rubber is nicely moulded with extra rubber to "square up" the corners a little, etc. I prefer a nice dark tint on a piece of glass over blanking it off. Looks good but can still be looked out of when needed.

Dave

p.s. Sorry about the awning..........

I'm actively avoiding any serious relationships for a few years. Need to get my welding qualifications, go to the mines for a few years, then buy my land up near Byron, build my workshop and house, then become semi-retired and just work a day or 2 a week to keep some cash coming in.

Then I shall try and find a wife.

Loving your 70's.

Where did you move to the NT from?

I agree dark tinted windows look cool! I will see if my local wrecker has any of those side windows, if he does and there not too expensive I will buy them and drop them straight off to my window tinter.

Double figures by 10am. That IS shorts weather!

The weather in Byron was much nicer!

And dont be put off by the rain! The rain up there is amazing with spectacular shows of thunder and lightening!

Oi Ben! Just a tip, when fixing cracks, always grind it away completley, take a cutting disc and make a groove so it's all nice straight edges, and if it's a bigger piece that has cracked, find the 2 ends and drill a hole in each end, that will prevent the crack from wandering on, otherwise you risk that after a while it will begin to crack open again Otherwise, top notch work!

Thanks mate that makes sense.

 

[davewanna]

Well clearly you are smarter than I Ben. Ha

Moved here from Gold Coast. On new years eve I saw 3 people walking down the GC hwy at Broadbeach and one looked suspiciously like you, got me back onto reading your thread after a little while of not looking. And I noticed you were actually on the coast at that time! Probably wasn't you, but the chance of coincidence was interesting.

 

[Paddler Ed]

Thanks for the info about the rear windows/van conversion. I was thinking of trying to source the rubbers from a 70 with a single fixed piece of glass then use the rubbers and fit an alluminium or steel sheet in painted the same colour as the rest of the car. But then thinking about it might look quite smart just with the single pain of glass.



Thanks Ed.

Very interesting! Do they run the same size and shape piece of glass or just the same section/type of rubber?

I didn't mean use the rubbers... but you already had the idea in mind... I just did a crap job of explaining it...

What I meant to say was that the Mazda/Ford vans use a metal panel that is held in place by rubbers that are probably very similar to those that are used to hold the glass in on the window vans, you can see this on the rearmost window on this one:

For the rubber profiles have a look at what someone like Ovesco have

This is what the B/FJ70 looks like with the big rear windows:

 

[hairyguy4]

I'm going to be removing the rear heater on my 70, can't seem to find where in your thread you done this, did you connect the lines back together or just blank them off? Cheers

 

[Ben]

Well clearly you are smarter than I Ben. Ha

Moved here from Gold Coast. On new years eve I saw 3 people walking down the GC hwy at Broadbeach and one looked suspiciously like you, got me back onto reading your thread after a little while of not looking. And I noticed you were actually on the coast at that time! Probably wasn't you, but the chance of coincidence was interesting.

On NYE we drove from our camp site in Byron to the mariner on the GC, parked the car and spent the next 5 hours drinking a ridiculous amount of vodka and beer before getting on the boat to the party on South Stradbroke island. Then we got back to the mainland at 6am, and despite not having slept for 24 hours I decided it was time to go home. Erin and I then drove for the next 24 hours straight to get home!

So no cant have been me.

I didn't mean use the rubbers... but you already had the idea in mind... I just did a crap job of explaining it...

What I meant to say was that the Mazda/Ford vans use a metal panel that is held in place by rubbers that are probably very similar to those that are used to hold the glass in on the window vans, you can see this on the rearmost window on this one:

For the rubber profiles have a look at what someone like Ovesco have

This is what the B/FJ70 looks like with the big rear windows:

Thanks Ed.

I'm going to be removing the rear heater on my 70, can't seem to find where in your thread you done this, did you connect the lines back together or just blank them off? Cheers

I connected the lines back together.

I will be amazed if I didn't take at least one pic if not 20!

 

[hairyguy4]

I remember you doing it with pics but there's too many pages to go through lol

 

[Ben]

 

[Craigmorley]

Well well Ben I see it doesn't take u long to get things done hey lol glad u like the idea good luck with it and can't wait to see it once it's all done

 

[Craigmorley]

Loop them under the bonnet near the bulk head I've done this with mine.
then just take all old pipe work off. Job done

 

[Craigmorley]

So Ben how's the arch flares going?
Cant wait to see it.
Im looking at a 13000lb winch max winch at the mo, what u think to them?

 

[Ben]

Thanks Craig.

Just trying to source the drums at the moment.

I could buy some of the ones off ebay, and I still might but thats going to involve hiring a trailer to get 4 of them.

I've decided I want to use the food grade ones with the removable lids as I think it will be easier and possibly neater.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/205-litr...65?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3f0c813f35

One of my work colleagues has said he should be able to get me some for free and he will even deliver them to work for me, meaning I can cut the tops off there and then not have to hire a trailer.

but it might take him a few weeks, so I'm having to put it on hold for the moment which is annoying as I really want to crack on with that project but oh well!

I've given myself a month to get LJ back together and back on the road! The first snow fall is coming this weekend in the High Country and I want to get out on the clubs annual snow trip which will be next month or June.

13,000ib will be fine providing it will fit in your bar. My mate used to have that winch and it was a great winch for the price.