ROTW: Fiona

[CruisinFJ60]

Allright well i guess its finally my turn to tell the story of Fiona since she cannot do it on her own. Fiona is an early 1984 FJ60.

But first a little back ground.

All during my younger days I was always into the jeeps particularly the cj7 as it seemed to be just short enough to run trails and just long enough to be comfortable not to mention it had rear jump seats for friends and last but not least the top and doors came off, I mean how cool it that right? Well once i got to high school those little things were a bit more than i could afford when in decent shape so the search continued. I eventually ended up with an XJ jeep cherokee 4x4 4 cyl 5spd picked it up for 800 bux. It had some problems and i knew that when i got it but i wanted to drive it so i did ignoring the small little things i went out and wheeled it as hard as i could never got it stuck as i never atempted the huge mud holes and never really ran many trails (for fear of getting stuck) at this pont a friend of mine had picked up a 77 FJ40 for his first vehilce that had been sitting for 12+ years in a field (free is always good) and he had been working on it to get it drivable again always telling me how i should sell the jeep and get a cruiser. I always told him once his was goin i would show him why mine was better... well he got his runnin and driving but i had sold my jeep for a dirtbike and was now driving a dodge dakota i had lowered at first his truck was stock then pretty quickly it had a 4 inch lift and some 35's then it got cut up cause the tires rubbed out back which then made it look just awesome. i ended up with 2 more jeeps XJ'x (now a lover of the longer wheelbase) before the day of fate crossed....

We were both out of school now and i hadnt spoke to him in a couple months and when i passed by his house i saw this big round eyed thing. Well he had just so happened to come over that night i asked about it he told me it was a land cruiser i was confused as the only kind i had noticed was his 40 and of course the 80 series and newer. he said it was a fj60 then i jokeingly asked how much he wanted to sell it to me for. he named his price i asked if he was serious then a week later i had me a bone stock white FJ60 with some 33's stuffed under it.

I then fell in love with this thing as it flexed better than any of my jeeps i could also go through nearly anything i pointed it at and it rode great and looked cool as hell to boot. since she was stock i have done all the wrenching on her myself from small little things to rebuilding the carb to lifting her up.

Curently as she sits she is around 5" lift SUA rolling some 33" Mud terrains aussie locked up front and a full detroit rest out back, to get me movin i have some 4.56 gears. for tunes i have a pioneer 6.5" motorized touch screen some cheap sony explode speakers all around then 3 coustic 12's in the back powered by an old school RF amp. also have a Magellin GPS unit, onboard air, and a box with all my oil, straps, chains, ect in it in the back.

Since that day it has been a landslide for me and i would never sell my Fiona at this point and now i want an 80 as well as a 40 , 45, 72, ect. someday.

and now time for some pictures!!!

this is her the day before i picked her up.



the rest are all after i owned her.









future plans include a SOA with the OME springs i currently have on the truck with either a 3-4" shackle (for flex) some 37's maybe 38's (tho i know she will have 38's eventually) i would like to add a toybox with the 4.7:1 gears on top of my transfer case. a set of bobby longs 30 spline birfs and inner axles.
She will also be getting a built chevy 350 backed by an NV4500 once funds allow me to finish buying everything else. then eventually to the small block chevy 4.5TD (turbo diesel) chevy is coming out with next year when that will be in i dunno but im gonna get it in there.

[CruisinFJ60]

I then managed to stuff some 35's under her with a shackle lift in the rear and just a little beating up front (she she rubber pretty bad when flexed but i had big tires)




The dangerous looking shackle lift (tho never had any problems)


e-brake wasnt working and it came out of gear and roled down a hill.... that was the height i wanted to lift it to ( i knew i wanted it lifted but didnt know to what point)

[CruisinFJ60]

some wheeling shots with the gheto lift and the 35's







then it was time for a lift (my left arm was in a cast at the time too by the way)







these are the day after the lift in the sunlight

[CruisinFJ60]

[Tvaldriz]

Trent:

You write well and tell your story and that of Fiona's well. She is a
sweet rig and I've enjoyed seeing you wheel her in the past.
Have fun with her and long live Fiona! Great pics!

[CruisinFJ60]

and then some time went by before i could get any wheelin done as i was chasing a mystery coolant leak (turned out to be heater hose behind head) and a few other small but potentially damaging issues.

then i did the 2lo mod. write up can be found in the link http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wa...-easy-mod.html
and replaced a throw out bearing keeping me from driving my baby.




poser shots.

[CruisinFJ60]

exhaust pics. removed cat and a 40 series flow put in its place and dumped and angled out from under the truck.





for a little while i put on some 38's cause i could.


and some of the first wheelin shots after she was lifted.

[CruisinFJ60]

aux fuse block i installed to run lights, CB, Radio ect.


picture of switches for rock lights.


picture of switch for hellas on bumper.


first broken rear axle.

[CruisinFJ60]

finally started gettin some good wheelin in and i bust a tail light out.




goofin off.



second broken rear axle

[CruisinFJ60]

at this point i had been locked in the rear since shortly after getting the truck via an Aussie locker (single best mod i think i ever did)

and now after being lifted and bigger tires i really felt i needed gears found a great deal from a fellow mudder for some 4.56's, new bearings, and new detroit (detroit only in 1 third) everything less than 5k miles. for a smoking deal so much so yall would all puke if i told ya how much.

new present came in mail


that was then motivation enough to do a front end rebuild with the help of steven a good friend / fellow mudder / x co-worker and move the aussie from the rear put it in the new to me 4.56's and stick it up front and stick the detroit out back.

now after wheeling with lockers front and rear leme say it is amazing and i love it!!!!!!

couple shots.



could hardly feel the axle was draggin with the front locker pullin so nice.




more playin around



tire was off the ground about a foot here and it just walked it like it was nothing


other side that was still touching


a clean truck?!

[CruisinFJ60]

it was this or flop it...


common driver view



look its me


nice butt

[CruisinFJ60]

i then broke a spring hanger goofin off one day got it fixed and drove it home not a big deal.

[CruisinFJ60]

couple more.

[cfdlighthouse]

love the pics. looks like lots of good times. what did you do to break the rear axles????? just a bind or too much hard chargin????

[CruisinFJ60]

well in the process of breaking a sping hanger i bent my rear driveshaft so once i got it back from the shop i decided to add some bling







out wheelin again





the beauty


me driving and my fiancee ridin shotgun



I will end with a shot of a multi generation of cruisers.


I hope yall enjoyed my story as much as i enjoyed telling it, My Fiona and i have been together for 1 year and 8 months at this point and i feel good about the changes she has had over the time alloted i know that sometimes things are slow but compared to many others she is moving along quite nicely and will be more to my liking soon enough.
If you have any questions or would like any specific pictures please ask.

Trent & Fiona

[cody c]

very nice! like the bling paint too!

[84yota4x4]

Great write up man! lovin it. Awesome cruiser too.

[iaintscared1969]

Nice truck to bad it doesn't have a V setup under the hood!!

Good write up though. Keep at it. Your almost home free.

[Ducks]

So what did you think about running 35s with your 5" SUA lift? Why did you go to 33s? Looks great. Nice to see that you get out so much. I'm also dreaming of a diesel.