AM General FJ-8A

Very true about finding anything black for interior unless its a can of spray paint. I like the seats you have. I flew fom Big Island to Oahu yesterday and thought how cool it would be (actually how nice it would feel) to have a first class seat from an aircraft as a driver seat. Your driver seat would already have a tray built inside the seat for lunch on the run.

 

Frank, the doors slide back into the walls so you dont see them when they're open. If I were to sell soda, etc, at a show, I'd probably just roll up the back door and have a cooler in the back.

That's a good idea on the seat, sarge. Since there's no room for a glovebox in this thing, a seat tray might work good

 

Ah, roll-up back door! I was thinking of swinging back doors.

 

Hey Mr. F,
I don't think I've ever seen a Postal Van with Swinging Back Doors.

Lorrie Van Haul (1967 Dodge P200 Postal Van) has a "Roll Up Rear Door", and it was just refurbished recently to make it work properly, something that had NEVER happened in all the years since I got her in 1974.

There is a pair of LARGE Springs on a Shaft above the opening in the rear, and a sheave on the outer end of each Spring on which wraps an 1/8" cable connected to the Bottom Rollers on each side of the bottom of the Door.

All one has to do is unlatch the door, and it automatically comes half way open. It can then be pushed fully open, and it will maintain that position.

To close it, there is a Strap that is pulled, and the door comes down to half way closed. It then has to be pushed shut.

The Tracks in which the Rollers on the Door run take up quite a bit of space on the interior, and are "head-bumpers" if you know what I mean.

I, like YOU, had thought how nice it would be to have the ENTIRE rear Wall be able to swing WIDE open. BUT there would have to be some mechanism to make provision for the Tail Lights.

Anyway, Iscream is going to be one spiffy ride no matter what is done with the Rear Door.

Hope YOU are well.

JC

 

Hey Mr. FV,
You'll find that Iscream has stolen your heart!

Lorrie Van Haul has done that with me. I don't know that I could EVER part with her. The REAL problem is finding someone that take care of her the way she deserves to be taken care of when I'm gone.

Just a bit of an update: Lorrie's Electrical Systems (Ignition, Charging, and Accessories) is finished except for the Horn (which is presently in the process of being rebuilt) and the License Plate Light (which but needs to be installed and a wire reconnected).

Have gotten the Engine and Transmission Cooling System connected, and will be working on installing the rebuilt Holley 1920 Carburetor with all that THAT entails (fuel line and filter connected, Choke connected, Vacuum Line to Distributor connected, Throttle Linkage connected, Return Spring Bracket fabricated and installed along with the Spring, Air Cleaner installed, and Hose from PCV to Air Cleaner installed).

All that will remain to do will be add Fluids (anti-freeze, top off transmission fluid, fill gas tank, etc.), connect the Ground Cable to the Negative Post on the Battery, put some fuel in the Carburetor, and see if Lorrie's MIGHTY 225 Slant Six will start and run.

Anyway, we are definitely both on the "homestretch".

Hope YOU and Iscream are doing well.

Hang in there.

JC

 

I know JC, I was thinking more about the box vans we used in the USAF for some reason.

You know, many of us start feeling the way you do about a vehicle that we put a lot of time and effort into no matter what it is!

 

I will be taking pictures of my 84 FJ8C this week when the weather clears up. Learned how to use this new cell phone and how to download pictures now unlike my old cell phone. I still do not know why people that use to own these trucks always used house paint to paint them? The body on mine is in great shape except some rust in the rear on the roof where the rain channel open up to let the rain water run off from the roof. I know I wont paint it white since of all the red road dust we have here on the roads. Im thinking a bright yellow or maybe a metallic apple green. Still dont know if I want one solid color or a two tone color scheme. Currently it still has the 4.2L engine inside and a TF A999 transmission. Finding a speedometer gear for the transmission is almost impossible even on killbay. Hope to see more pics of the iscream soon,

 

That should be a standard TF 904/998/999 speedo gear. Heck, even the Jeep AW4 uses the same setup. Should be a big plug with an offset that can be turned for different gear sizes. The only difference in an AMC and Chrysler TF is the bell bolt pattern and flex plate, everything else is the same as any run of the mill Chrysler. The 727 gears should fit too, I think.

 

I will have to check into that. Went to the Dodge/Chrysler parts department with the speedometer gear pinion and they said that they dont even make them anymore. Its plastic, blue with 28 teeth. Right now Im using my GPS to tell me my speed. Ill look into the other TF and see if any parts come up.

 

Check with transmission shops, or speedo shops. Chrysler may not make them anymore, but they are available.

 

Will do. How many google search I have done for this one piece is killing me.

 

Well, I have my 1984 Military M1008 (Chevy K30) up on Hawaii Craigslist (Big Island) for sale. Hate to sell it but need to if I ever want to get the FJ8C up and running for business. No jobs in Hawaii unless you are in politics, LOL. Still cant think what color or colors to paint the FJ8C. Any ideas????

 

It has that big plug to turn for differant gear (teeth) sizes. When I bought the truck the speedometer did not work and I thought it was the cable. When I took the speedometer gear pinion out, no teeth at all. Know I need to change the fluid and replace transmission filter with that much plastic shaved into the oil.

 

Hey Mr. F,
Have you noticed the way Iscream's Hood opens? It runs all the way across the entire front of the vehicle. I'm thinking about cutting Lorrie's front sheet metal from the bottom of the Windshields to the top of the Bumper, and from each of the Deck Plate Front Fenders. Then making that unit to where that whole front panel could be removed, or maybe hinged at the bottom. That panel would be held in place with Dzuz Fasteners or Pin Type Hood Hold Downs. Sure would make it a lot easier to work on the front of the Engine than having to remove the Bumper, Grille, and Radiator.

Right now, all there is in the front is an access door to get to the Radiator Cap.

We DO seem to have these "love affairs" with our cars, don't we?

Anyway, hope YOU are well.

JC

 

Do you know what size gear you need? Tranny shops should be able to help, if nothing else they may have a used one. Some of the AMC guys can help too. I know the AMC vendors carry them. Try going to one of the AMC vendors, like this one: http://www.americanpartsdepot.com/ElectricalandInstruments2.htm. Scroll down about 2/3 of hte page. Might take a few minutes for all the pics to load. AMC used TF trannys from 72-88. If you can't find it there try Jeep sites. If the gears look right in the pics then as far as I know they are the same in the XJ Cherokee with AW-4 and should be the same in other rear drive Chrysler trannys, unless they changed the design of the speedo gear after 90 or so. I don't think they did, but it's possible.

 

That thing is interesting to say the least......

 

Thanks, Ford guy. That's what I'm going for. Hey Sarge, your truck looks like its in great shape judging from your avatar! JC, it sounds like you've got a road test right around the corner; let us know how it goes.
No pics today but I got my shifter done, exhaust on, and brake lines hooked up, along with having the seats finished this weekend. I'm hoping for a short road test next weekend. My wife got me a garage fan for Fathers day; it sure made it easier to work out there. We've had 95+ degrees for over a week with no signs of letting up in the near future.

 

If you do the hood cutting deal, why not consider a stout piano hinge, top and bottom, ( with a 3/16 or 1/4 dia. pin), across the full width, then you can just drive out the hinge pin, top and bottom, and remove the whole shooting match at once................

 

A&A has them

http://www.aandatrans.com/Departments/Chrysler-727-Trans/Speedometer-Gears.aspx

 

While it would take more work, I like the trunk lid hinges on Honda Civics. Those have a hydro-strut to push the lid up but they also use the multi-jointed hinge that lets the lid open as far as a piano hinge, 180*+. Pretty slick and dirt cheap at the wreaking yard....but it is more work than the piano hinge.

 

Driving the pin out of a 4' or so piano hinge is harder than it sounds, so is putting it back in!

 

Hey Mr. FV,
Oh, YOU are such an optimist! Just because the engine would probably start if it had the right fluids and everything, doesn't mean that Lorrie is anywhere near being ready for a road test.

Still have the Roof to paint, Hurculiner Bed Liner applied to the Floor, the FRP Paneling installed, the Engine Cabinetry fabricated, the Tires put on, the Seat and Belts to install, and then all the painting of the Exterior along with the Graphics. In this heat, that is a couple of months work for me.

I know what you mean. There are box fans going inside Lorrie when I'm working there. It's 98 degrees here right now. Breeze blowing, but it's also 98 degrees.

Anyway, keep on keeping on. Hope you are well.

JC

 

Hey Mr. SC,
Was thinking about making it totally removable. It's still in the "Pipe Dream" stage though.

Hope YOU are well.

JC

 

Yeah, I know, removed a few landing gear doors that way......................That's why you sand down the pin for a drop ,( hand pressure), fit....................and a drill motor is your friend.


" Be the hinge pin, Grasshopper"

 

That's what I meant, Brother............Remove two hinge pins, and take it off!!!!!

And, I'm doing well, thanks for asking!!!..........................Yourself?

 

Hey Mr. SC,
Are you familiar with Dzuz Fasteners? Having been around aircraft and Bomb Bay Doors, you probably have as they are an aircraft item. I was thinking that either Dzuz Fasteners, or Hood Pins might be considered. Still, like I said, this is still in the "Pipe Dream" stage. I just REALLY liked the way the "Iscream" had a full-vehicle width hood making the getting to the innards so easy.

Everything HERE seems to be going along quite nicely. THOUGH, we are having temperatures and humidity both approaching 100. I live 160 miles North of the Gulf of Mexico in the world's largest Pine Tree Forest, and the moisture coming off the Gulf, added to the respiration of the Pine Tress makes it to where one can go outside, and get one's T-Shirt SOAKING wet in about three minutes, and it won't evaporate. It's called "clammy". The solution to this situation, if one is working outside, is to have fans blowing the air around. Yesterday the heat index here was 114 degrees! Thank goodness for Air Conditioning.

Hang in there.

JC

 

Yes, I am familiar with them, but I was thinking something a little more substantial than a Dzus......................That front sheetmetal 'prolly weighs a "right smart".

The hood pins would work, although they would probably be pointed in two different directions,( for example, forward, and vertical), requiring you to section the sheetmetal "sections" even more, ( re: more removable, individual pieces), and requiring another hood pin to "pin down" the corners, of the removable pieces.........Does that make sense?

 

Hey Mr. SC,
I don't know what it would weigh, but you're probably right about it being substantial.

GOOD THINKING. I hadn't extrapolated the situation THAT far yet.

I see that the "hood" part of Iscream is hinged at the top and swings UP like a regular hood. THAT might be what could also be done on Lorrie. Hinge at the top of the Sheet Metal and Hood Pins at the bottom corners.

HYAW,

JC

 

I actually like the later FJ hoods better; just the top part of the hood opens. Sarge's is like that. The hood on this has been a real hassle to repair and get to fit right. I've finally had to say "good enough" and live with it.

 

Hey Mr. FV,
You mean, just the FLAT panel on the top, and NOT the whole boxed-in part?

Haven't seen Sarge's FJ.

I can see how THAT might be a factor.

Still like the idea of being able to get the top open a bit wider than Lorrie's little 10" X 1'-4" Lift Door which permits one to access only the Radiator Cap!

Didn't get a single thing done on Lorrie today. Too HOT to be out. Was a little too fatigued from the past few days of intense effort, AND had to take care of some OTHER stuff that had gotten neglected around here.

Will be reinstalling the Horn that finally started working yesterday after being completely taken apart, cleaned, repainted, reassembled and adjusted. BTW, if anyone needs to know how to "adjust" one of these type Horns, it all came CLEAR yesterday, and using the "grokked" method, both of Lorrie's Horns started working like champs.

If Lorrie were human, she'd sound like Janis Joplin! You know, a little "gravel" in her voice.

Anyway, hope YOU and Iscream are coming along sumptuously.

JC