[Isotel]

Project to include

TH700R4 Beefed up by Georg aka Orange45
Dana 300 T-case
32 Spline Rear Output Upgrade
MiniTruck/Cruiser Hybrid Rear Axle
New Exhaust (Ramshorn)
New Cooling fan (Tarus )

+ Alot of other mini Projects to fix my Previous Hacks

Before Photo (last weekend)

Issues with the Current Setup
The Truck Prevously had a Clutch Fan that would hit Shroud every time i flexed it out..(makes it intresting while trying to focus on the rocks)

The Stock 4 speed Tranny And T-case made the truck way to fast on the rocks.. i found myself Pounding my way thru trails..

Exhaust Used to be Fender Exit Headers, They Heated up your feet for you, Leaked Bad, Mufflers Dragged on rocks, and i cant say how many times i burnt my hands on them


Why..

700r4

7004r is what Came behind my TBI 350.. The computer will control the lockup, ect just as Stock. Overdrive of .7 Keeps the RPM's down on the HWY.. 3.05 First Gear is Low for an Auto.. One of the most popular Trannys every made, parts everywhere.. the list goes on..
Dana 300

Many Adapters to a 700r4.. Ture Twin Stick.. Clockable.. 4:1 Low Range Avalible.. Front/Rear 32 Spline outputs.. 2.6:1 Stock Low range.. Common Item in Junkyards/parts stores

First Photo after i got most the Junk off of it

[Man Jerk]

Kick ass man. Keep us updated.

What's your timeframe? Gonna have to make sure it's done so you can take me wheeling in June

[wtmtnterror]

Over fifty views and no replies......?

Looks like a good plan to me, I may be mistaken but I thought you had to disable the ecm control to the tranny even if you are running the 350 tbi motor because of differences in R&P gearing?

I only ask because I'm working on the same project now, only using a stock LC t-case.....

Maybe one day it will grow up to be an Orion

[woody]

hhhmmm...sounds familiar...

IMO, upgrade the front out on that D300 while yer in there...and do the 4:1 kit and DO NOT buy a rebuild kit for it, since doing the outputs and gears gets you 99.9% of the bearings/gaskets anyways...

twinstick with cable shifters, not the levers...I wish I had....

[Waggoner5]

How short will the rear driveshaft be with the 700R4? This will be a great build up as its economical and strong.
Gary

[woody]

my TBI350, 700R, Sunray adapter, and D300 with the AA rear output and Highangle flange allows for a stock minitruck CV front shaft to fit precisely...about 26" working length. (my rear axle IS pushed back with the 4-link tho, wheelbase is ~100")

my front 2-piece shaft uses a ~13" carrier shaft and a nearly identical 25-3/4" front mini-jointed shaft....makes them interchangable....if ya can break them...lol

[Isotel]

i am aiming for a 100" Wheelbase.. but i want to keep leafs for now (FJ60) put my Shackle as far back as possible. My adapter is a bit thicker that the Sunray, (i will know how long tonight when Georg shows up with the Tranny+adapter).

Sorry Woody, im a CopyCat, but for good reasons.. Cheep, Strong and effective

I was originaly going to go with a sm465, but that would have lead to me yanking everything out and starting over down the road.. From here i can upgrade in stages..

As for the Front output and 4:1, its not in the budget .. In a year i will be out of school, and i will be able to pull it out and Slap in the good stuff..

[Isotel]

Georg Dropped off my Tranny Tonight, (Thanks again man!)

Time to get busy..

Driveline will be about 38" with a Toyota Flange..

Driveshaft should end up in area of 26" with the FJ60 Springs

Exactly the same lenghth as with my stock 4speed Tranny/tcase and Stock Springs

Woody what did your shaft come out of? The Minitruck CV shaft i got at the junkyard is only like 21" long

[Isotel]

Axle housing is already done, Minitruck Outers, Cruiser Center Section..

55" WTW same as stock FJ40

i Still need to Finish the Disk Brakes, and figure out a 3rd Member

i have a used 4:11 Fine Spline Gearset i may toss into my Welded 3rd for now

[Isotel]

The Dana 300 is already Rebuilt..
I put in the Tera Low HD 300 32 Spline Rear Output.
Twin Sticks are already Purchased.. Currie Style..

Rear Output Flange i need to order from Jessie Soon!

Still need to order a VSS

my photos went missing so just imagine what it would look like for now

[coolcruiserfj40]

Originally Posted by isotel

Georg Dropped off my Tranny Tonight, (Thanks again man!)

Time to get busy..

Driveline will be about 38" with a Toyota Flange..

Driveshaft should end up in area of 26" with the FJ60 Springs

Exactly the same lenghth as with my stock 4speed Tranny/tcase and Stock Springs

Woody what did your shaft come out of? The Minitruck CV shaft i got at the junkyard is only like 21" long

dam you got that shit bolted up fast we didnt drop that off 30 minutes ago

[Isotel]

Lol, Its not bolted, just slid into place

one thing that had me worried was Length, due to the longer adapter and output..

[awp_cruiser]

Photos! I crave photos!

I am really looking forward to seeing this together.

VSS?

What is the advantage of a Dana 300 case? If you are going to spent the $$ why not go Atlas?
(newb question, sorry)

[Advent]

An atlas is almost a bolt-in replacement for a Dana 300. And you can get a '300 for $50 if you look carefully.

[Isotel]

The Plan is a 17x10x 3/4" Summit Tranny Cooler in front of the Radiator, Placed right behind the bib for maximum air flow..

Somone brought up the idea of using an A/C heat exchanger off of somthing instead.. dose this person have any Merit, They are pretty big, cheep..

I will be using a Taurus fan to cool it all, Hooked up with 2 sending units controling the Relays. One for coolant, one for tranny..

VSS will be used , From JTR or maybe Painless.. 2 PPM 7/8 18 Thread for the D300


Dana 300's ive never seen as cheep as $50, but i picked mine up for a decent deal, $200 w/ new rebuild kit from a Heep Freind..

Ive got about $500 in mine so far w/ HD rear Output and Twinsticks.. Add $130 or so For a Toyota Flange, IN the future i can do the 4:1, etc.. and still be cheeper than the atlas.. main thing for now is getting rid of the Aluminum Cruiser case, and options for Strength and Gear Upgrades down the road..

PS Cooler is installed (almost),

[DHONDAGOD]

nice rig. looks to be a good plan for sure. are you planning on a two piece front shaft ?



chris

[Isotel]

I am Planning on a 2 piece front

but i will also look into other options.. Im like 99% sure i will do it.. this weekends project entails some Driveline Plecement and clocking decisions..

I was grinding the old mounts off last night till 2 AM.. not my favorite thing to do

[Radd Cruisers]

Super cool rig man, I love the mustard and the clean body lines.

Rob

[Isotel]

Originally Posted by Radd Cruisers

Super cool rig man, I love the mustard and the clean body lines.

Rob

Thanks, the other side is Pretty bad, and the Rear Sill is almost gone ..

This photo explains some of the body damage, Prevous Owner liked to Drink + Drive :(

Misc 70's era Pull tabs and Bottle Tops.. the intresting stuff you find in the cracks of the gas tank.. This is only about 10% of them, ive been finding more and more since i got the truck..

[Isotel]

Got the Tranny and T-case Wrestled into place last night..

Any input you guys have as far as driveline placement?

The T-case is going to be a tight squeeze.. i dont think i can get it all the way clocked up without cutting out of the tub and modifying the gas tank.. It will be close..

2 Peice shaft is going to be a must.. Or drop the t-case alot..

[DHONDAGOD]

although mines a sm465 im about where you are now. i hope i dont get into the floor on mine as ive already built a 26gal aluminum tank that i really dont want to modify. hopefully ill be ok as i removed the stock fuel sump part of the floor and moved my sump to the outside of frame. if clocking mine flat gets me into the floor im planning on pulling my novak adaptor and welding the upper 2 holes shut and redrilling for a "1/2-clocked position" in between the highest clocking option and the next one down. see my buildup thread on pirate for pics


nice work by the way
chris

[orangefj45]

nice work trevor. sorry we could'nt hang out more, we were already running way behind. to keep the trans cool, i'd run a cooler strictly designed to do so. the ac units are too big and will restrict airflow to the rad. and they're not nearly as efficient as the trans coolers. i still have a few for sale if you're interested.

[Isotel]

I had access to a Plasma Cutter today so i had to Hurry up with some Driveline Brackets
The Axle tube halfs will be added to my Rear Housing for some more beef for the Mopar Spring Perches to sit on

Some photos of how its looking now.. its going to end up a little to the Drivers side to clear the t-case better.

t-case is going to hang a 1/2" or so lower than the Frame

[76BigheadFJ40]

Nice buildup. I really like that before picture too.

[Isotel]

What Bolts should i be using for the Tranny into the Engine Block?
Junkyard search had Different sizes from 9/16 up to like 18mm.. Engine is a 1988 tbi

Spent some time Getting my Audi Ready For Sale, so i can Pay for the Rest of this Build

[zebrabeefj40]

IIRC I used 9/16 on my '89 350 to bolt the bell housing up.

Nice build!

Nick

[warpdriv]

Cool build up.

Get a good tranny cooler. You will need it when your trail'n slow. Teh tarus fan will pull some good breez through it. Here is mine (3rd pic down) to give you an idea.

http://lslc.org/austin/bios/blumenthal/Dulciena.html

Keep the posts coming!!!

[Isotel]

Thanks for the info, nice setup, Georg is sending me a nice Stacked plate style cooler.. Whats the Story on that Beefy Steering U-Joint. My Afco U-joints are Junk,only got a year of use out of them :(

[Isotel]

Finaly an update.. i sold the Audi All the $ has gone and parts are on the way
My digital camera was in the audi so crappy phone pictures will need to do for now..

Ive been a welding fool, finaly getting good at it too..
Motor Mounts and Rear Crossmember are done, Poly Bushing kits came from MAD Off road.

[Isotel]

wow those photos are bad..

I could not find a Machine shop to drill holes to clock the T-case quickly, so i got out the Harbor Freigt Drill press and took my time with the holes, it came out pretty good..

time to go to bed!