How not to build an fj40.....or anything

[arse_sidewards]

I've used junkyard pigtails (occasionally I pony up for new ones for shit I really care about) with butt splices for years and never had an issue with my connections. I use heat shrink splices and slip heat shrink over for good measure. I don't see the issue with them.

[Helidump]

I did end up finding pins and connectors for almost everything and they were pretty cheap. Vintageconnections.com if anyone is looking for 60s-90s era motorcycle and vehicle electrical plugs. I also have weatherpak connectors for anything thats going to see moisture. I’ve got nothing against butt splices but I figured when you’re paying for a complete wiring kit they wouldn’t rely on using those for everything. The only connectors I couldn’t find were the weird round one for the instrument cluster and the other weird one for the hazard switch but they were in pretty decent shape and I’ll just splice them in. All the other connectors that were in the weather were pretty crumbly and broken. The wiring over all was a total rats nest from actual rats eating it and years of adding lights , stereos and temporary/permanent farmer wiring repairs (done by me), plus the old fuse block used glass fuses which are a pain in the balls and there was a buttload of emissions wiring from the “computer” that controlled the ignition retard/ evap emissions nonsense that stopped working a long time ago and never actually did anything but make it run like dogshit and burn exhaust valves.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Helidump]

decided to look inside the cooling system since this thing has been sitting so long with the engine on the floor and the system open. This is the only aluminum part on the whole engine and the coolant turned in to some kind of rubbery crystal type stuff. I was replacing all the squishy rad hoses anyway since they’re 46 years old so whats a $20 thermostat on top of that....and a water pump because rock auto.

I plan on flushing the block out, I already did the rad. The only really grody stuff was in the thermostat housing and it cleaned up fairly easily.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Helidump]

also I already had the rad and fan installed so I had to take all that off again to get at the water pump


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pointsnorth]

also I already had the rad and fan installed so I had to take all that off again to get at the water pump

sounds about right for most builds .

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

Do it Roadkill style and add some Tide to the water (not coolant) for the first fire up?

[arse_sidewards]

Dishwasher soap is better, doesn't foam.

[Helidump]

I’ll throw some tide pods in there. They taste better anyway.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Helidump]

I finally started shooting epoxy primer. I did a few small parts yesterday as a test . That went well so I got ambitious today and decided to do some bigger pieces. It was a gong show for 3 major reasons :

a) I haven’t done much painting and I don’t know what I’m doing (which is kind of the theme of this project)
2: I got too excited about painting and didn’t do much planning before I started (which is also the theme of this project ) and the janky stand I was using to hang everything from fell over just after i finished hosing on the first coat . It messed up every single part while simultaneously making me drop my gun in the dirt to try and save it.
and finally €: the epoxy hardener I was using is past its expiry date and almost wouldn’t pour. it was so thick that if I stopped squeezing the bottle it just sucked it back in. It still worked but it took a while to mix the boogers out and I had to use more reducer than normal. It looks like it kicked off ok and could very well ruin the whole paint job but I’m past giving a shit at this point. I’m going to get some newer stuff for the next run after I’m done sanding all the bugs, dirt, dog hair , scuff marks , runs and hose drag marks out of my last coat. It was actually looking pretty good before the stand fell over but I was so mad after that happened I just didn’t care any more and went full send.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

Wow, those are janky sawhorses. Next time borrow some ladders from work.

[Helidump]

those weren’t even the jankiest part of the operation


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Helidump]

the bezel and top are getting spray bombed in a rather fetching Rustoleum Ivory Bisque...I’m already wishing I just spray bombed the whole thing. I might bedliner the quarter panel armour, I was going to paint it the same colour as the body but I’m kind of on the fence about it. I never really bought it as armour, it was more to hide a bunch of bad body work but if I want to go full overland ice cream club grocery getter then it should really be black.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Helidump]

aaand 5 minutes later Ive already put my hand in the nice bezel paint and have to fix it again. I have shit piled up in the shop with more shit on that and freshly painted parts balancing on top. Not ideal conditions, plus I’m an idiot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

Sounds like things are going to plan.

You should just spray bomb the whole thing.

[pointsnorth]

but if I want to go full overland ice cream club grocery getter then it should really be black.

Im going to have to drop that one on the loal jk club page lol instant classic