[crushers]

not sure if this sould be in the 70 series tech or the 55 series section (or both)

<i always thought the 70 series design was based loosly on the 55 ...>

so Rusty and i were investing some valuable time into seeing if a 78 series body would fit on a 80 series frame. he REALLY wants a 4 door 70 series in the states. we are checking width, length, wheel base, body mounts etc and suddenly i start comparing the wheel base of the 55/60/77 and the 80.
the 80 is a lone beast.
wheel base 2850 mm
body width 1830 mm
body length 4820 mm
tread width of 1595

the 60 series shares some dimensions:
wheel base 2730 mm
body width1735 mm
body length 4750
tread width of 1475

the 77/78 share the exact same wheel base. 2730 mm
the body width 1690 (wide body 1790)\
body length 4685 (77) 4585 (78)
tread width of 1415 (77) 1415 (78)

the 55 has a wheel base of 2700 mm
body width of 1735
body length of 4675
tread width of 1415

since i had not seen these stats up on mud before i figured i would stick them up.

so you want a cool as body on your rolled 77 or 78

[89GASHOG]

I'd love to see you do it, Wayne. An HZ into a plain ole 55 would be way cool too.

[Rusty Phillips]

I dont know what Wayne's anti 80 bias is - methinks it is jealousy of full time 4x4 and leather seats

Im trying to explain to Wayne that the body width number is misleading as that number includes the 50 mm fender flares on both left and right side to accomodate the wider track of the 80 (which was done to minimize chance of rollover - remember all the media hysteria back in the late 80's early 90's with the tall narrow trucks?)

put flares on a 70 series truck and it is close to same width as factory 80 series

I think the 70 (79) series cab will fit nicely on a 80 series frame, with moving of the body mounts.... problem with the wagon is to overcome the 120mm longer 80 series wheelbase - guys are pushing front diffs forward on the 70 series trucks but Im 5 inches too long here... when I was thinking about the 79 cab on the 80 frame WB wasnt an issue as I was considering a short aluminum deck on the back,

not sure if move the rear axle on the 80 chassis forward, or push front axle back, or..... Im not too keen on chopping 4 inches from the frame in the middle & rewelding... but it is easier than stretching the body.... all Id have to do is turn my back for five minutes and Wayne and Moose could have it zip disked apart & prepped for reweld.

Im following Waynes PZ78 build... well actually - Im helping him do it in my spare time. all the while Im thinking in the back of my mind how to force a LJ 78 body to fit onto a FZJ 80 frame / running gear.....

to me the key thing is that the truck would be licensed in the States using the VIN on the 80 series frame instead of the VIN on the 78 series body...... plan is I drive a black toyota Land Cruiser (FZJ80 series) up, and a month later drive a black toyota Land Cruiser (FZJ78 series) back across

having said all that - if someone can find some clean HZ77's (that a guy like me with 4 kids can afford), I would be willing to put just about any damn body on the thing if it helped me get it into the states and get plates on it

[prado t]

Rusty, I would not think out Loud like that. A good way to get fucked

[Rusty Phillips]

I have a lot of projects to work on before I ever get around to doing the "frankensteintrucks".... so for the time being this is all for academic purposes only

[crushers]

nothing wrong with dreaming, i do it all the time.
problem is, the more you dream the more realistic it starts looking and the seed is sowed. then a truck falls into your lap and the money starts flowing out of your pocket as you watch your dream materialize.

dream and it will happen.

[prado t]

I love the idea, I really do , its just the border thing.