FJ40 I call Shipwreck

[silver_bullet]

I'm glad I put all this together - it turns out the piece I was going to make for the windshield would have been substantially short


So, are there more supports to be fabbed for the front of the roof?

[milner351]

Nice work as usual, probably just perspective - but it sometimes looks like the rear wheels are too far forward, or maybe it's that the front wheels are moved forward in the wheel wells so the rears look too far toward the middle. As usual with your stuff, the best thing about this build is that it's going to be USED.
I find no sense in the show car thing... if you want to build something that will never be used - build models!

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm glad I put all this together - it turns out the piece I was going to make for the windshield would have been substantially short


So, are there more supports to be fabbed for the front of the roof?[/URL]

there's a rail that attaches it to the windshield that I've not yet made - that pulls it tight

[silver_bullet]

So the top will fit like a custom suit! Great!

[SuperBuickGuy]

I might as well make this its own post.
History, I've been losing HEI modules - the new one inside is number 4. The first went, then a few weeks later the second, then the third went in 1 drives.... obviously something was amiss, but what? google really is my friend. I've been having trouble with a squealing pulley. I spray lube on it, it stops squealing. Problem is I don't think it was the pulley that was squealing because the last time, I lubed the snot out of the pulley and everything it rode on.... so what could it be? I'm not a mystery writer - so if you guess "the alternator" you'd be right... problem was this is the 2nd alternator, the first died a horrible death from being really old and stopping charging the battery. The bearings were making crunching noises as well, so no biggie. I bought an AC Delco alternator and installed it - but wait, a trusted friend (mechanic) said I was using too long of belt. Say "ut oh".

So back to Google, on one of the threads there was a mechanic talking about how he kept blowing HEI modules because the rectifier (see picture below) was faulty. For those who don't know, alternators create ac power. Rectifiers "correctify" the voltage to dc. The problem with an ac current in a dc system is the system overheats. In this case, my HEI module was the weak link. But how, you may ask, does a rectifier fail when there's too tight of a belt. Truth be told, pretty simply. The bearing on the front wears out and causes the rotor to hit the stator. In my case, the belt was okay when cool, but once the motor got up to operating temps, the engine expanded but the belt didn't. That creates current out-of-phase (picture a short circuit)... what you'd notice if this was happening to your car is it would start misfiring then eventually stop altogether.

So today I started building another alternator.... but well,
picture


On the end of the rotor is a copper cap (called, strangely "a cap"). That cap allows both brushes to contact completing the circuit for the charging system. Problem is that cap is too worn... so I punted and bought another alternator from a local builder.

this space to be filled tomorrow.

[SuperBuickGuy]

these things.... no joy


so this.... was tonight's work


a bit of splitting


and fitting


and tacking


and more fitting


and lots more work to do.... I need to cut the top of that rail off the bit I built

[SuperBuickGuy]

onward
a bit of trimming


and a repair - if anyone wondered why I decided not to powder coat now.... here's ample reason


push it down


drill and weld


and some door stops


hmmm, it seems not all pulleys are created equal... dagnabit!


no picture of painted, but that's drying so that I can finish the front half of the top tomorrow.... and wait for the new pulley which won't be here until Friday

[SuperBuickGuy]

For those curious. The tool to punch the hole for these costs $56 or $344 dollars

http://www.perfectfit.com/15336/155861/Fastener-Tools/Hand-Punch-for-Common-Sense-Eyelets.html

http://www.perfectfit.com/155865/products/Common-Sense-Eyelet-Hole-Cutting-PlierPunch.html

for those curious.... I'm pretty certain my fastening system is going to be snaps and magnets (most likely a kitchen-knife magnet that I paint to keep from rusting)

[silver_bullet]

innovation mixed in with the progress... impressive at least!

[SuperBuickGuy]

Top is on

[DanStokes]

Now you'll need to drive across the Sahara! Looks ready for the trip and then some.

Dan

[SuperBuickGuy]

back to doors (and garage door... ugh)

[silver_bullet]

looks like a nice bit of work!

[SuperBuickGuy]

finally back together... normally Sat. night I don't do anything - but I need to get this so it runs so I can test the module
correct pulley


and new belt - one that's between the too long and too short (1005 rather then the 1010 that was on it first and the 1000 that was too short)... yeah, 1/2"

[SuperBuickGuy]

drove it today - runs excellent.... I utterly hate it when I follow instructions, despite my better judgment, and they turn out to be wrong. All the books say set the timing at zero degrees with the distributor disconnected. The author must be a Ford owner, because, just like Fords, he's all wet. 6-8* is good, 10* is better. .... and it doesn't run as warm - 180* vs. 220*

*sigh* and my wife wonders why I don't do instructions