FZJ40

IPOR · 01-30-09, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodean

Damn Lance, do you ever sleep? You started posting at 3:34 am! Get some rest Brother.
Lookin' good!

Later,

In a word, no.

there will be plenty of time to rest when they put me in the ground... right now I have other things to do...

TCinVA · 01-30-09, 07:27 AM

Wow, Lance! The truck has come a long way since I saw it. Have fun in Moab, I hope to bring my 40 out there when I get it done (I'll be calling you for some more stuff soon).

Tony

Waggoner5 · 01-30-09, 08:08 AM

Great work Lance. What radiator did you end up using?

Radd Cruisers · 01-30-09, 09:21 AM

Its the small stuff that makes it what it is and takes forever.

Everytime you do something, you say I would do it a little different the next time.

Looking good Lance, always fun to watch your fabrication skil.

Rob

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPOR

I'm sure I'm breezing past much of the thought that went into this project. I have had nights where I spend 3 or 4 hours just deciding how I want to do something, then go home with nothing but an idea to show my progress. That was mostly in the early stages of the build. These days I'm under a very tight deadline to finish the project and tend to make much quicker decisions. It also helps that I'm really down to the small stuff now.

You see, I've got only a few weeks (3/20/09) before we leave for MOAB and this truck MUST be ready to go...

Here's an example of one of the things that took way more time than made sense, but I did it that way anyway: The rear bi-fold doors look like clean originals, but they're not. They're actually made from 1/4" plate steel. Originals in good condition are nearly impossible to find, and while rusty ones can often be repaired they always rust again. These may rust, but they'll out live me.

I cut out the pattern and then welded the pieces together. Then welded some more, then ground it down, then welded some more, then ground it down, then welded some more... you get the point. This was intended to be another IPOR product, but hasn't gone full development cycle yet because I wasn't sure if there would be enough interest.

IPOR · 01-30-09, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waggoner5

Great work Lance. What radiator did you end up using?

It's a custom radiator from Griffin. We use similar ones on our v8 installs. I think this one was 22"x24" cross flow with 1.25" cores. I had them put the trans cooler on the driver side because of the fan location, and of course all the bracketry and shroud work I did here.

Lance

soenke · 01-30-09, 01:51 PM

if you want to stay TOYOTA
the HZJ 75 with copper net fits very well

badmuthatrucka · 01-30-09, 07:23 PM

Holy crap, this is the coolest build I've seen in my short 28 years of life!! I am riveted and speechless.

GLTHFJ60 · 01-30-09, 07:48 PM

This is an incredible build.

IPOR · 01-31-09, 02:53 AM

Today is Saturday, after about 6 or 7 weeks of seemingly endless work on the all consuming FZJ40 project. My 3 yr old asked last night if today was a school day. When I said no she says she will stay home all day with her Brother and Mommy. There's a pause, then she says, "you go to work Daddy?" Ouch, I need a day off.

I am exhausted, so lets talk about exhaust...

I'm not running a supercharger, yet. With minor modifications to the kit, I can run one. The kit includes a spacer for the fan that I would need to mill down, as well as some fan trimming - but I can make it work. For now I plan to put an on board welder there. The point is I don't need additional flow capacity, but I went with 3" tubing anyway - just in case.

I replaced everything from the manifold back with custom stainless exhaust. 2" down pipes to a collector, O2 sensor, then two back to back 3" high flow catalysts, another O2 sensor, Magnaflow muffler, flex joint (because the rear part of the exhaust is hard mounted) and then up and over the first rear crossmember, under the next rear crossmember then 90* towards passenger side, Flow Master resonator, then up and over the frame and out the rear passenger corner.

All inside the frame rail.

IPOR · 01-31-09, 02:56 AM

More pics

IPOR · 01-31-09, 02:58 AM

One more small pic...

IPOR · 01-31-09, 02:59 AM

... and a couple close ups...

IPOR · 01-31-09, 03:16 AM

As you can see I incorporated an additional stainless steel heat shield over the first catalyst. It sits below the passenger footwell so I wanted to direct the heat elsewhere as much as possible. I'm also using Thermo-tec heat and sound deflecting material (dynamat) on the inside. The rest of the exhuast is either far from the floor or so far back that I deemed heat shielding unnecessary.

Though the truck is titled as the original 1972 FJ40 I retained two functional catalysts anyway. Why? Becuase I could. High flow cats don't hurt performance, keep the emissions reasonable and keep the law off my back. Good enough for me.

Vince has a lot of good ideas, one of which was to bring the exhaust straight out the back on the driver side. I couldn't get my head around this and ignored him. It was a real PITA and I had to hard mount the exhaust back here because the clearances are so tight. (I had to trim out a pinch weld in the body and cut down a body mount just to get it in there) Nonetheless my stubborness prevailed and my exhaust exits on the rear passenger corner. I chose passenger side over driver side exit so that it would be quieter (imagine driving next to a Jersey Barrier with the exhaust exiting on the driver side - lots of reflected noise). I also didn't want the rear exit because it would then pump fumes in your face if the engine is running and you're unloading or otherwise accessing the rear cargo area.

As I'm sure Vince will one day point out, I have directed the exhaust into the face of the poor soul destined to operate the rear winch instead...

Lance

IPOR · 01-31-09, 03:21 AM

While I'm on the subject of ignoring Vince, lets talk about electrical wiring... Vince helped me pin out and pare down the 80 harness. He suggested that we clip the plugs off and tape up the wires - just to make sure we didn't later decide that we wanted to use those circuits for something else (or worse still that we'd mistakenly cut out the wrong wire). Again, a good idea, totally ignored.

The harness was huge, and even in pared down form barely fits in the extremely limited dash space of the 40.

IPOR · 01-31-09, 03:24 AM

I insisted we strip the harness down to bare minimums. This took twice as long, increases the odds of a mistake, and has the side benefit of spending hours trying to scrub the goo from 10 year old electrical tape off of everything you've touched that day.

I'm happy with it.

IPOR · 01-31-09, 03:37 AM

One more topic before we get to the interior: Fuel tank.

The stock 80 tank will not fit with the drivetrain relocated. I had plans to build a completely custom stainless steel tank but ran low on time and cut up the 80 tank instead. I basically cut it in half, turned it sideways and capped it with stainless steel. This keeps the stock fuel pump/sender, filler neck and other assorted requirements like the closed venting system.

IPOR · 01-31-09, 03:43 AM

The problem is that only nets me 15.5 gallons. I know, better than a stock 40... but this is not a stock 40, so like everything else on the truck I had to re-invent the wheel. I added an extension to the front of the tank that gives me another 3.5 gallon capacity for a total of approximately 19 gallons. Much better. I retained the baffles from the discarded portion of the 80 tank and incorporated them into the new extension. I also stripped and drilled the front of the tank to be used as a baffle.
Sorry guys, I couldn't find a picture showing the extension after install, but you can see it in the pics of the tank installed in the truck - later.

IPOR · 01-31-09, 03:51 AM

Toyota mounted fuel tanks either in the body or attached to the bottom of the body. I definitely didn't want it inside - thus the late model floor pan on the early model truck. I also didn't want it attached to the body. When I roll off the side of a mountain I want the body (with me in it) to go one way and the fuel to go the other! Ha... kidding. Seriously though i didn't want the body to carry the weight of the fuel tank. Not that there's anything wrong with that but the body panels I used to fabricate the body are OEM stampings that were not designed to carry the weight of the tank where this tank is mounted. Since I was designing a heavy duty skid plate and mounting system I mounted the tank to the frame instead.

IPOR · 01-31-09, 04:00 AM

In those last couple pics you can see a slightly modified version of our FZJ80 skid plate (using countersunk hardware - the trans mount will be done this way as well for a totally smooth belly pan) and the front extension housing on the tank which comes forward above the crossmember/skid. Also of note: the one hole in the fuel tank skid that is larger and offset to one side is centered on the fuel tank drain plug - IOW, it's supposed to be that way.

The framework is 1.5" x .120 HREW and the mounting bolts will also be countersunk at the frame rail. There are rubber isolators between the framework and tank. The tank is held in place with steel straps. The skid plate is only 11" wide and even with the bottom of the frame rail so unlikely to ever be touched. Mindful of the gluttony of steel in this truck I thought I'd save a pound here and use 1/8" plate.

This is it for now, I need to get back to work so the body can go to paint today...

Lance

Radd Cruisers · 01-31-09, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPOR

More pics

Looking good.

We usually put the flex pimp fairly close to the engine were the most movement occurs.

Don't ya just hate those exhaust flanges, the nut and bolt are so close to the weld., Wish they built a bigger flange with a small insert.

IPOR · 01-31-09, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radd Cruisers

Looking good.

We usually put the flex pimp fairly close to the engine were the most movement occurs.

So do I, but in this case I didn't have enough room. The front half of the exhaust is on flexible hangers and I hope it will move with the motor like a standard exhaust. It's only the rear that I had to hard mount.

Lance

IPOR · 01-31-09, 03:41 PM

So I put some rock rails on the truck today. This has been an ongoing debate for me since I first started the project. I like the truck without any rails, but know that it will be easier on the sheetmetal with rails and that having a uniform surface to slide on is more effective than getting hung up on a fender. With the rails I have a straight line down the side... which should be more effective... but I think it looks terrible.

My son (6) likes them, what do you think?

Lance

IPOR · 01-31-09, 04:01 PM

couple other views for you...

Keep or cut off?

bkfj40 · 01-31-09, 04:30 PM

all I can say is that while the pictures are good....it is even sweeter in person

IronPig does some amazing work - makes my crap look like...er...well...crap :(

bk

EWheeler · 01-31-09, 04:31 PM

I would keep them, they look good. On any other rig I don't think they would look right, but with your widened front fenders and rear flares they fit nicely.

Waggoner5 · 01-31-09, 05:27 PM

Keep them.

Clutchee · 01-31-09, 08:31 PM

Way to go bud....... going to be ready for Moab???

Let Vince off work & listen to him more......

soenke · 02-01-09, 01:29 AM

Code:

 
couple other views for you...

Keep or cut off?

I would keep them, they look good !

making the passage from fender to body fluent (I hope you understand what I mean ...)

but are they welded to the body ? Will that be strong enough to use them as sliders or for a jack ?

Why did you not build them frame mounted

IPOR · 02-01-09, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soenke

making the passage from fender to body fluent (I hope you understand what I mean ...)

but are they welded to the body ? Will that be strong enough to use them as sliders or for a jack ?

Why did you not build them frame mounted

I do understand, in fact I think you said it better than I could have. I'm glad to have some positive reinforcement on the idea!

They are welded to the body, but the rockers are part of the subframe for the roll cage and tie in to the frame with it. So in essence they are frame mounted.

Lance

IPOR · 02-01-09, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clutchee

Way to go bud....... going to be ready for Moab???

Let Vince off work & listen to him more......

Ha! I don't have to worry about any more good ideas coming from that guy. He and Amy had their first baby last week. He's going to start my "no-sleep" regimine now.

Ready in 7 weeks? Not really sure... but I think so. It may depend largely on my painter. I was supposed to have the body to him a week ago. Instead i brought him all of the other panels two weeks ago but even so he still hasn't had a chance to get to them. He says no problem but I see his workload and I am less optimistic...

Even after it comes back from paint I need to finish the electrical wiring, brake and fuel line routing and of course reassemble the body.

Lance