RobotMoose

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Hood back on today, headlight buckets installed properly with stainless M8 bolts and lock nuts, windows and sunroof cleared of overspray with Jasco's paint stripper.


This means that tomorrow I'll get to wave my soldering iron at various wires menacingly.

RobotMoose

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Got rained out these last few days, but nothing to gripe about.
I've got a quote from Slacker in the works for new fenders, and I've been in touch with a Land Cruiser dismantler for the harness I need to make my 62-series power mirrors work (less of a necessity and more of a tool for blinding tailgaters).
Other than that, I'm planning on bribing my neighbor to swing by with his backhoe and move the bed off to a place where I can work on it as well as the rear frame.

RobotMoose

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I'm just updating some recent progress.
Here's the exterior progress, you can see the hole cut for an eventual homebrew snorkel:


Mocking up the headlights to make a new grille:

RobotMoose

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I've also done a lot of interior work. My doorcards were trashed by moisture and careless previous owners, so I'd chosen to make some out of ABS plastic sheets. These are 11/32" thick, cut to 35.5 x 20", but I think 36.5" would have been better in the long run.


The reverse sides got a layer of foil tape to help keep the weather out.


Then I used 3M Super 77 to attach a layer of acoustic foam onto the foil:


Finally, a layer of neoprene went onto the foam to help seal it up, and then they went into paint. On the door side, I'd glued on a small disc of acoustic foam and a layer o heavy-duty plastic to help seal out buffeting and wind noise.


Here's a shot of the driver's side, painted and mounted up:

I'm pretty happy with it, this sucker's really quiet now.

RobotMoose

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I also tried dying the headliner using Dupli-Color Vinyl and Fabric dye. It turned out really well, too.


I feel that it left the texture of the original fabric was really well preserved.

RobotMoose

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Finally, mocking up the rear bumper I've been saving for this project.

Reluctanse

cool build, I like your end goal.

RobotMoose

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Thanks, man! I really just want this to be a common-sense driven adventuring machine, and I'm glad that it's showing.

yota81

If it were me, I'd build some sort of legs and platform above the topper...so you could use an 'on the ground' tent up high when needed, and not have the expense of a roof top tent and the attention that may bring.

Those truck beds are not big at all.

RobotMoose

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My goal is to have a lumber rack over the shell to carry kayaks and cargo, but the more I think about it, the less bothered I am buy just using an actual tent and calling it honest.