1965 fj40 build (1 Viewer)

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Picked up a used 4l80e for mock up. just need to clean it up a bit.

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got the frame on the rack . time to take off all the old hangers.

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subscribed to your thread ... are you going to beef up the frame with that monster in there ...
:cheers:
 
The only part I am beefing up is the cross member in the middle of the frame that I had to cut out.
 
I finally got around to scanning in the old slides I had. these photos were taken shortly after dad rebuilt the cruiser after it was rolled. If I can ever find those photos I will post them. Also found a couple of photo of a cruiser my dad raced with a friend of his. thought I would post them to.
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another photos of my cruiser at the dunes. it landed on its nose almost rolled to the side. us kids had just got out. wish I had that photo.
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:doh:
 
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Transfer case arrived so I thought would set some things in place and take some measurements and see just how screwed I am…lol looks like the rear driveshaft is going to be about 18-19” that’s with the rear diff pushed back 2” front drive shaft looks like it will be good.
 
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It has been crazy busy at work the last few months and I haven't had time to work on the cruiser. Finally decided to just make some time and get some fab work done. after doing some mock ups for the four link suspension. I had to change my front motor mounts. the upper links were going to hit the motor mount I had selected. So I had to fab up some new ones in the stock location.
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I also had time to get started on the four link suspension that meant getting the trusses built so I would have some mounting points. this looks easier than it turned out to be. I think I measured cut, measured and cut about twenty times.
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Neat build, I must admit that I'm jonesing for that 427 - I'm building one for my 75 Corvette.

I'm doing a SBC version of your build... 3 link front, 4 link rear, only I'm going with a 4L60e, sbc 400, and 9" ford rear with the stock 40 cruiser front.

How long do you think your drive shaft will be. I took some measurements tonight. Mine looks like it might come out at 15 inches. I'm not sure that's going to be long enough for what I want to do. Got to talk to the drive shaft guys.
 
I priced the high-pinion 9" from Currie.... 3 3/4" up is a really good thing - but oh at such a price (call it a cheeseburger more than 2k for just the parts)... I'm also going to cheat the motor forward as far as I can physically make it. But it's like anything, you can have cheap or you can have longevity... with that said, I'm going to move the rear back a bit when I go with the larger tires - and make the wheel well opening larger all in the back of the wheel-well.... I might even lower the back of the t-case as well.
my plan is 14" of travel in the rear - 4" up, 10 down... but, as you pointed out, unless the driveshaft is made of rubber, that might not be possible.
 
I did the same. I cheated the wheels back 2" I'll let you know what the drive shaft guy says.
 
Well this project may have just made a left tern in Albuquerque. The 4l80 and the BB motor just may be to big for what I am trying to achieve. Looking at a LS2 with a 4L60e. This should hive me a 10" shorter drive train that I currently have. Anyone running one of thies transmishion?
 
I think the 4L80e is longer than the 4L60e - but - the 700r4 has come a long way in durability and ability to hold pretty amazing power levels; thus, do you really need the 80e?
My first thought was Cadillac motor and turbo 400, but that'd be so overkill for what I do - plus, the 500 ci cadillac motor is a wide beast...
I'm building either a 400 or a 350 for mine - in any case, I'm moving the motor as close to the radiator as possible, and I might add 2" in front of the rear wheels to get just a bit more... dunno yet, I really need to start putting large bits in place so I can visualize what's next.

As for that transmission. My daily driver is a H3 Hummer Alpha - so I have a 5.3l LS motor, 4L60e transmission, 4:1 transfer case and e-lockers front and rear. The truck weighs a donut more than 6000 lbs with me and my SAR gear in it - and I am not nice to it, it came to me as something that never climbed anything higher than a curb at Nordstroms; so I feel obliged to beat the south out of it every time I play. I've broken a front differential, the transfer case (a link came off the chain and did no good to the gears it got caught between) - but the 4L60e hasn't even whimpered and I've put 40k more miles on it from when I bought it at 80k.
 
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Surely a built TH700 will handle your 427? The LS/TH700 will be smaller and will probably better suit the short wheel base, but it ain't gonna be no 427 powered 40.. :grinpimp:
 
Anyone know how much shorter the 4l60 is over the 4l80 and will it bolt up to the BB
 

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