[numtel]

I'm on spring break right now so I'm at home on my parents computer and only have access to pictures that I've posted before. But I've posted quite a few on pirate so I should be a able to still give you a good story about my cruiser. I couldn't find any good rubicon pictures though


This is driving away from the house of the guy I bought the cruiser from back in january of 05. He was Ron "the asshole from Del Paso". He was a clamper who took this thing through the rubicon many times but had to sell it because he had emphysema and couldn't go up to the altitude anymore. It was a great deal, 350, th350 tranny, arbs front and rear. Little did I know....

The engine was on its last leg. New engine from the chevy dealer for $1500 and I'm rolling again. Then I had overheating troubles. Huge aluminum radiator and an auxilary electric fan on the front of the radiator and I'm good to go again. Then after a snow wheeling trip, my transmission won't hold the vehicle when in park, so time for a new one of those too. Then the carburetor died on me so I got a new-to-me q-jet from the junkyard and it worked good for a while then it finally stopped working so I had it rebuilt and installed propane dual-fuel as backup and for the off-camber stuff.


I had a lot of fun wheeling it sprung under. I went to the rubicon numerous times over the last two summers and up to fordyce to the first water crossing a few times as well. Also at least 10 trips up to high lakes for snow wheeling. I don't have any pictures on the internet of these trips so you'll just have to take my word for it.




just a second...new post time

[numtel]

Spring over time!

Last october I had collected all the parts necessary to spring over my cruiser. High steer with mini truck knuckles and a good wheelbase stretch in the rear were in store.

The front end was the easy part, just bolt on new parts and weld up new perches and cut and turn and new outers and .... Okay so maybe it still took a while but it's nothing amazing. The front sure does flex nice though


Progress after first day:



After getting the front done the first day we began work on the rear the next day. This picture is the approximate position of the axle.


Sweet spiderweb gussets on the rear spring hangers

Springs mounted under the rig


Progress after second day:


I had to drive about a mile home with front wheel drive and rear wheel brakes. The rear driveshaft had to be lengthened a lot and the front brakes weren't quite working yet...that was a slow drive

[numtel]

It looked pretty good the next day


Until I tried to stack on my brother's 37 mtr with my front wheel drive and rear brakes...That wasn't such a good idea. At least it notified me of a potential problem.


I put some stock ford explorer shackles on there so I could drive around town until the new shackles were made. I also got the rear shaft lengthened and the front brakes fixed. It was time to flex it out to see how long of shocks I would need....


At this point I learned that the throttle cable should be longer than the exact distance between the firewall and the carburetor. When I flexed, the throttle stuck and shot me off the top of the ramp At least I got my first flop out of the way

We made new awesome longer shackles that would level it out more and look bling.


I got a screaming deal on some 37" mtrs off of craigslist.


It was now time to face my fears and drive up the ramp again... I drove as slow as I could but the new throttle cable handled it like a champ and didn't flip me over





Trimmed the fenders a bit and now it's time to go wheeling

[numtel]

Snow wheeling


Out at clay pit


In vacaville at the Mix Challenge








Now I've flopped it many times and almost went over backwards just today. Good thing for reverse I'm very happy with the spring over. It's nice to to be driving by braile with the spring plates and springs under the axle that rub on everything!

99" wheelbase (all the stretch is in the rear)
4 wheel disc
350 sbc with qjet
propane dual fuel
arbs front and rear
and enough spare parts to fix almost any thing that breaks on the trail in the toolbox

Any questions?

[waydownunder80]

thats sweet man hope to SOA my 40 one day,what are the rear springs off or are they custom?

[numtel]

The rear springs are 2.5" lift cruiser springs. I had broken a main leaf just a few months before the spring over so I had a brand new pair of springs and it worked out to use them.

Thanks for the complement.

[numtel]

I forgot about my youtube videos

Me in mix canyon in the mud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16GdXQPnWpA

Me at clay pit in a trench
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQwE73KvfMQ

And mix canyon again but this time it was pretty dry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW4Rn7XHmKM

I can't wait for summer so I can drive on rocks again!

[tlcruiser66]

Nice work and thanks for posting some videos.

[trekker]

Looks like fun! I'm way too much of a wuss to try to do the stuff you were doing in the vids. Nice Rig!

[camcruiser13]

awesome

[FJFOOL]

Great pics and videos !! Thanks for sharing, I like your spring hanger gussets and rear shackles. Nice custom work!

[scouthead]

Thats awesome...damn RTI ramps! This will kkep me busy for a while, I haven't even gotten to the vids yet. Looks great man, thanks!

[sonnydaze]

awesome vids,and thanks for the brake brackets.i wish i was closer id love to wheel with you

[TLC NUT]

That is some sweet wheeling, no guts no glory, right?

[numtel]

Originally Posted by TLC NUT

That is some sweet wheeling, no guts no glory, right?

You got that right, why go wheeling to take it easy? I built it to handle it. I am amazed at the stock birfs though

[numtel]

Originally Posted by sonnydaze

awesome vids,and thanks for the brake brackets.i wish i was closer id love to wheel with you

So I guess those worked out for you then? You should come out for rubithon in june. Tons of cruisers and tons of fun

[missipboy]

nice stuff you got going on there.

[sonnydaze]

ive got every thing for the brakes just not the time,i should be able to get to them this weekend.how hot is it in june their, its like 100plus here.

[bandy rooster]

nice work dude.. you should be proud of your work

where did you get those spider web truss things?
what aluminum radiator are you running?
and thats the dirtiest crate engine i've ever seen lol (JK)

[HKforte]

Nice work on your rig and thanks for sharing the pictures!

[1973Guppie]

Looks awesome......

Noah

[numtel]

Originally Posted by bandy rooster

nice work dude.. you should be proud of your work

where did you get those spider web truss things?
what aluminum radiator are you running?
and thats the dirtiest crate engine i've ever seen lol (JK)

The spider web gussets are from bent and twisted 4wd. Its a 4wd shop here in chico the owner Mike is BntMike on pirate.

The aluminum radiator is a generic one off of ebay. It was $250 or so.

The engine gets dirty when all the oil comes out the breather then gets covered in more dirt or burns up on the exhaust. It may be a brand new engine but I doubt it will ever see 100,000 miles the way I drive it. At least it's completely stock and not much can go wrong.

Yeah sonnydaze, it gets hot in the summer. Last year there was over a month straight of over 100 degree days. It was rediculous. This year we've had maybe 1 week combined of rain and the rest has been 80+ degrees.

[toyo40]

very nice ride. I'm in Chico almost every weekend, I'm definitely going to stop by Bent and Twisted.

[2badfjs]

great write up!

the first pic, they guy looks pissed, like you stealing his 40.

i really like the pic with the jeep behind you.......looks like the 40's taking a DUMP!!!!

great job, sweet rig!

i can't wait to start working on mine again


jim

[DevilDogCruiser]

Cool vids man!

[numtel]

More pictures

Rubicon - Walker hill July 05




Rubicon July 06




Snow Wheeling Feb 06


Fordyce Jan 07

[Pygmalion]

Dang... a local guy and I missed this thread (I gotta learn to look 'up' more).

Nice rig you got there. Those spiderweb gussets are sweet. I may have to check out BnT, since they're on my way to work. I always see some pretty sweet rigs parked out in front of that place.

I just picked up a FJ55 myself about 6 weeks ago, and am in the process of tearing it down and doing pre-modifications right now. So, give or take a year, I should have it done by next season.

You're right about the heat, too... I scored an A/C unit out of an early 80's mini over at the wrecking yard, and am going to modify it so that it'll work in my 55. I can't imagine having to tolerate a summer around here without some sort of air conditioning.

There's one bonus to the heat, however... the presence of a University, and days too hot to wear much in the way of clothing.

[numtel]

Originally Posted by Pygmalion

Dang... a local guy and I missed this thread (I gotta learn to look 'up' more).

Nice rig you got there. Those spiderweb gussets are sweet. I may have to check out BnT, since they're on my way to work. I always see some pretty sweet rigs parked out in front of that place.

I just picked up a FJ55 myself about 6 weeks ago, and am in the process of tearing it down and doing pre-modifications right now. So, give or take a year, I should have it done by next season.

You're right about the heat, too... I scored an A/C unit out of an early 80's mini over at the wrecking yard, and am going to modify it so that it'll work in my 55. I can't imagine having to tolerate a summer around here without some sort of air conditioning.

There's one bonus to the heat, however... the presence of a University, and days too hot to wear much in the way of clothing.

Sounds good. PM me if you want to come check it out and talk cruisers.

Here's a picture from the rubicon last weekend. There was lots of snow up there still.

[basics]

very imprest, looks awsome

[90 Weight]

looks great...whats the deal with the heap lights in back???