The ol' frame vs. body swap dilemma

sed8 · 03-12-07, 09:25 AM

Decisions, decisions... Ive got two trucks and too many options. I've been on the quest for a rust-free parts truck for a while to bring my HJ60 with rusty frame back to life. I just sold another one with extensive roof rust I thought I'd fix and found a nice one in CA.

In the red corner I've got my HJ60 from Canada with a great 2H drivetrain, very nice looking body (slight fender rust), and a scary rusty frame. In the blue corner I've got my rust-free FJ60 from California with a great body (repainted after fading) and a perfect frame. The bottom line is that the current frame on the HJ needs to go. Here are the options I'm looking at:
A. The body swap - swap the 2H drivetrain into the FJ60 body
B. The frame swap - replace the frame on the HJ60 with the frame from the FJ60 and (eventually) use any body panels needed from the FJ60 to repair the HJ60

More things to consider:
-The HJ60 has 204K miles on it and the FJ60 has 258K.
-The HJ60 has a super clean title; I'm the second owner. The FJ60 has a more typical title and a gross polluter designation to boot.
-The HJ60 currently has an A440 automatic. In either scenario I'll be swapping in an H55F and using all the parts from the FJ (bellhousing, clutch, flywheel, shifters, shafts, floor cover, boots, pedal bucket, crossmember, mount, clutch master, slave and lines) if that makes any difference.

I'd love to keep the HJ60 intact and on the road (option B). Assuming the labor I'll be taking on for either swap is similar, is it worth repairing the rust on the HJ with panels from the FJ? Anything else to consider?

GulfShoresFJ60 · 03-12-07, 11:26 AM

You can get a frame from Cruiserparts.net for $600. Here is the listing:
Frame Assembly -Nice chassis / frame assembly either 81-85 / 85-87 / 88-90. Not rusted. Clean. - $600
http://cruiserparts.net/parts/fj60.htm

It would be a heck of a lot easier to get this frame than to completely swap frames from one vehicle to another. You will have to dissasembled cruisers at the same time. I've been doing a frame up restoration/modification on mine and getting the frame by itself is a lot of work and very time consuming. You have to have someplace to store two bodies and two drivetrains if you are going to swap frames between vehicles. Plus then you'd have two nice cruisers instead of a nice FJ with a rusty frame.

GulfShoresFJ60 · 03-12-07, 11:28 AM

You can also get a manual conversion kit from cruiserparts.net for about $750. This is all just food for thought.

sed8 · 03-12-07, 12:35 PM

Thanks for the reply. Are you doing any body rust repair on your truck during the frame off? I know cruiserparts sells body panels, too. I'm just trying to decide whether to cut into the FJ to fix the HJ or just to source all the parts I'll need, and also whether it makes sense to try to fix the rust when I could just do the drivetrain swap.

GulfShoresFJ60 · 03-12-07, 12:46 PM

I'm doing rust repair on mine. I have a totaled 60 that I can pull some parts from. It had a tree fall on it during Hurricane Ivan and had cancer in some places. Mainly I just cut sheetmetal off the old cruiser and form it into patch panels. The totaled 60 has a good drivetrain and frame but bad body and it was cheap - so I bought a parts truck just to have.

I don't know the body condition of the HJ60, but it comes down to time and money. It might be nice to have two 60s, but it might cost more than you are willing to spend. Apparently the easiest and cheapest option would be your option A. It depends on how much you are willing to do or pay as to what your final decision will be.

Mace · 03-12-07, 01:37 PM

Gotta ask, are the motor mounts the same on a HJ 60 Vs a FJ60?? (diesel vs gas??)

svo_jon · 03-12-07, 01:57 PM

Put the diesel in my 60 errerr in you fj60 with a good frame and body, to me this is a no brainer. Why screw with swaping all the clutch parts, trans, FRAME, ecs. and still have rust to deal with.

Don't quote me on this but it would seem to me that swithing the fj to an hj would clear up the grose poluter status as well.
Jonathan

sed8 · 03-12-07, 02:02 PM

Mace, I think they're the same but I haven't confirmed yet. If they're not identical they're very close, but someone correct me if I'm wrong.

sed8 · 03-12-07, 02:06 PM

svo_jon,

yeah, that's what i've been told, too. i've been holding on to the idea of keeping the current HJ60 as close to original as possible, with the non-US spec fenders and of course the VIN.

that probably doesn't make a ton of sense since if i get rear-ended the week after doing the work the insurance company will only see the KBB value anyway.

i'm sure i'll go for the body swap in the end. the value of the truck's in the drivetrain, clearly.

cruiser_guy · 03-12-07, 11:03 PM

Do you already have the FJ60? You can probably get it done easier and cheaper by going to Central America for it than by buying an FJ60 and shipping it etc. etc. PM me if you need connections and an approximate price. I had mine done last year in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Search for BJ60 frame swap.
They have way more HJ60's than BJ60's too.

sed8 · 03-13-07, 08:42 AM

hey cruiser_guy,

i do already have the FJ60, but no work has started. i read your thread and found it fascinating. i also speak spanish so that would make things easier. but that trip down had to take at least 10 days, no?

i'll PM ya.

cruiser_guy · 03-13-07, 09:12 AM

Depending on where you are in Canada it's not a 10 day trip down. I can do it in 6-7 days from Vancouver, B.C. Add another day to get to Tegucigalpa where I had the work done.