ROTW: Paulwolfs Warthog

[paulwolf350]

I Guess the best place to start is at the beginning.

For those who dont know me, the name is Paul, I had a nikname of 'wolfman' at work, hence the paulwolf350. I am from over in the Land of Oz, in Queensland, great countryside to go wheeling.

When I was a young lad (about 4, in 1978) my father started taking us to the bush where he and his brother had a bit of land, they built a shack, we rode motor bikes, and drove around in a jeep, it was basically a buggy, no body at all, flat steel deck all the way round. It was a big flat tray with a hump for the motor, drivers seat and steering wheel.

Diving up and down hills in this jeep must have ignited something in them because my uncle bought a FJ55 and my dad bought a FJ45 Tray back in 1980. From there I grew up with my dad driving that 45 until 1989. It was a pretty reliable beast, the only mods my dad made were a set of 31x10r 15s on white rims. he did a lot of miles in that thing, going fishing and to the bush. Eventually he sold it, his boat, our family home and bought a Pajero and moved us all interstate, 12hrs drive away.

We went fishing, a lot, dad did a couple of 4wd holidays. But I mainly went to school and played street cars until my 21st bithday party. My cousin rocked up in his 1st gen 4 Runner, all decked out, 33s, rear locked, 2.4 turbo diesel with heaps of stories to tell. These stories festered in my head for a while, He sent me a video of his latest trip to Wirriba Ridge, well this just blew me away, 16 hours to go 20 miles, body damage, trees, rocks, rain, mud, you name it it was there, great stuff.

This was the turning point, about 6 months later, my wife and I were thinking of buying a new car, after looking at a few cars, I said to my wife that I really wanted a 4wd, she was not convinced that we needed one. In the end she relented, stating that if it didnt get used, it got sold.

We looked at a few, I wanted an 80 series or at the very least would settle for a 4 runner. We couldnd affort an 80, and we eventually bought a 1991 2nd gen 4 runner for $14500, it had a 2.8 diesel engine and was bone stock. I was off and running, we packed it up and went on a 4wd holiday to Fraser Island, the largest sand Island in the world.

Around this time my dad bought a 1991 Hilux and we both joind the local 4wd club. I went on heaps of trips and after about 12 months, I realised we needed a bigger more powerful 4wd than we had now, we needed a cruiser and it was gonna be an 80!

Enter my 1997 80 series, also bone stock, 1HZ diesel 5 speed. First thing I did was install a set of drawers in the back, a new uhf, and a set of cibie spot lights.




Here it is today, 33 inch muds, 3.5 inch lift, 12000 pound warn, ARB, rear swingaway, intercooled turbo diesel, double air lockers and lots of other fruit.

About 3 years ago, my 4wding took a harder edge, with double lockers, and my wife got a bit sick of the body damage and potential for ruining our pride and joy, SO I decided to build something a bit meaner to take out and bash. I couldnt afford another 80, The 75 series utes were out due to not enough room, 60 series seemed to be pretty cheap so decided to buy one and cut it down ot a ute (pickup).

I got a silver 1985 HJ60, factory auto.

This is what I thought it should have looked like, But with 500 000 km on the Odo, it was well used with dents in every panel


( sorry for the very long introduction, from here we get into the ROTW proper )


The first thing I did was remove the old 2H, wheels and ARB bull bar, fornt and rear diffs and sell them

pretty soon it looked like this

I had installed 80 series diffs front and rear, giving me 5 inchs more width, an efi 5 litre V8, and 15x8 sunrasia rims


Engine


extra width from using 80 series diff

One weekend I went and watched a Winching competion, I was inspired, I had an explosion of faith in my ability

and attacked the body with gusto, thinking the whole process would be done in a couple of weeks


Some months later this was the result.

From here I went on to move to a bigger house, build a bigger shed and about 18 months later here is the warthog today


Unfortunately it is still not up and running, but it is slowly getting there

Specs are as follows -

- 1985 HJ60, standard chassis lopped at the rear hangers.
- 1989 Holden EFI V8 308 ci (Aussie GM product similar to oldsmobile V8)
- turbo 400, full manual, reverse pattern mated to 1985 split transfer case
- Front Coils, Diff, Steering box and lincages all Nissan Patrol
- Chromoly steering arm and panhard rod
- Rear diff, 80 series, converted to leaf spring with extended shackles
- Custom body chop with 18 inchs room behind front seats
- Custom tray
- 36 inch simex centrepede tyres with staun beadlocks on 15x8 sunnies
- Canary Yellow paint (my son picked the colour)
-2 inch body lift

some more pics





The 80 series front was removed after a mate destroyed 2 of his crownwheels whilst in a comp. Although I am not happy about using Nissan parts, they are much much stronger, and easy to source over here. The front coil conversion was completed by cutting all of the spring buckets, brackets and mounts of a nissan chassis and transfering them to my 60 series chassis



a couple of shots TRYING to show the front end and coils

a couple more pics before I go

I like the stance

Not sure why but I like this pic so I put it in



I would like to say a big thankyou to all the guys on MUD in the 60 series section, I was origonally only in the 80 series section, but you guys have converted me

Mace, Lowtide, Iaintscared - you guys have inspired me
Serenity - thanks for swapping ROTW with me, I appreciate the extra time you gave me

I hope I can inspire someone with my work, this car is all built by me, motor, tranny , paint, fab work, body work, all build in my backyard. A big thanks to my wife and neighbours

Sorry its a bit long winded, but that is the story from go to whoa, thanks for sticking with me

Paul

[krookedpandas]

I hope to be seeing a ROTW #2 for the finished product. Great build!

[iaintscared1969]

As usual Paul, LOOKS GREAT! Still waiting to see some hardcore wheeling shots! Nice to see a project that takes time, Thought and a lot of love.

[klinetime574]

Good job. That paint ought to set it out from the rest.

[Sarcastro]

love your aussie manly runnin the 5" grinder with flip flop sandals on... friggin awesome, and a cool looking project, caint wait to see more!

[serenity]

No problems on the swap mate, it was worth it to see a damn sweeeeet rig.

wow!! that is insanely impressive, your lack of posting recently is fully justified.

-note to self: my tyes are too small.

[beaufort-fj60]

is that a plow anchor on the back bed? (the orange thing)

[serenity]

it is and i am assuming that would be for winching in areas with a lack of suitable trees, such as on a beach.

[Tapage]

Nice build dude ... fliped Patrol control arms .. nice too nice . !

[serenity]

hey paul is this gonna get registered? or is it gonna be a comp only rig?

i'm just imagining it will be a pain in the ass trying to get it registered with our crazy 4wd laws.

[AKcruiserfreak]

Looks great! Quite the undertaking.

TK

[Dirtgypsy]

that thing is crazy looking!!

must post up some more as it progresses.



clint

[mel lowe]

Wow!

lookin great!

[iaintscared1969]

BTW have you named it since you picked th paint scheme??

[Nemesis Gnat]

big bird!

[paulwolf350]

Originally Posted by serenity

hey paul is this gonna get registered? or is it gonna be a comp only rig?

i'm just imagining it will be a pain in the ass trying to get it registered with our crazy 4wd laws.

Yep, fully registered, a blue plate guy has told me it shouldnt be too bad, gotta get a engineering report for the front end. otherwise he will aprove the rest

paul

[paulwolf350]

Originally Posted by iaintscared1969

As usual Paul, LOOKS GREAT! Still waiting to see some hardcore wheeling shots!

you and ME both, brother
you and me both


Paul

[paulwolf350]

Originally Posted by Tapage

Nice build dude ... fliped Patrol control arms .. nice too nice . !

complete Patrol front end, but the arms are not flipped

Paul

[CruisinFJ60]

it looks like the old tonka toys.

[paulwolf350]

Thanks for all the encouragement, there is definitely more to come, hopefully Rotw #2 with wheeling pictures not too far away

I am nearly ready to mount the tray permanently, getting the last of the chassis fab tidied up as we speak, then onto the motor, woohoo, cant wait to hear this baby fire up

Paul

[iaintscared1969]

That is the best and the worst time. You heard it run and you can't wait to drive it so all you do is start it every time you walk out to the garage until you finish all the little details.

[paulwolf350]

Still a few weeks (or months) away, I am a shocker once I hear something, so I am finishing all the little jobs, tranny fiddly bits, exhaust, drive shafts and wotnot so I can at least drive it around in the yard. Thats why i am working on finishing the chassis welding, then onto my auto, then drive shafts, then fuel tank and lines, then rest of motor

Paul


ps, Randy, what you think of paint, and stance with wheels and tray on?

[MutleyFJ62]

well done Paul, I'm just not brave enough to cut my 60.....although panel damage gets old real quick...

[iaintscared1969]

Love the paint! That yellow will really stand out and the stance is dead on. You should get some good departure and approach angles with the shorter body. Can't wait to see some pic's of that suspension flexed to the max and a v-8 rooster tail off the back! So you didn't give it a name?! Looks like Big Bird on Steroids to me.

P.S Tell your son he made a good choice on the paint!

[paulwolf350]

Mutley, I agree with ya, panel damage ia a PITA. I have been working on a white 60 wagon as well as my yellow ute. Every time it goes out it has more damage to fix. He is too scared to let me chop his too, but it will come to the point where it will have to happen

I did mine to prove something to myself, and to everyone that told me its too hard. Once, I have mine engineered it will let evryone know how best to go about it


Randy, it is now called BFO Warthog, dunno why, one of my mates started calling it that and it seems to have stuck........big bird is apt too coz its a big tall old girl, I will probaby put some big bird stickers on it

ps BFO is for Big Funk off coz it is so tall



paul