Fulfilling a childhood Dream... (3 Viewers)

[PabloCruise]

You could be running rich.

Set mix and timing before spending $ on valve job...

 

[OregonCruzer]

You could be running rich.

Set mix and timing before spending $ on valve job...

lol yeah--well it sure is amazing what 6 new plugs a new set of wires, cap and rotor do for ya! Went out this morning to start on a tuneup. Pulled all the plugs to inspect-solid black crud and a couple missing insulation. The plug wires were hard and brittle and tons of scoring on the dizzy cap. Went to NAPA, got the stuff I needed, and installed them in the parking lot. Turned it over and it sounded like a new engine! No more backfiring. I'm still thinking I am going to go back to the AISIN carb--I think the Holley that's on there is pretty thirsty. I'll tinker with the timing/dewll and mixture probably on Tuesday when I can get her undercover. Was reading in the HAynes manual that valve lash needs to be set also-I'll check that out too. Otherwise, the main stuff I had to get done to drive it is complete!

 

[PabloCruise]

Sounds good man!

You are on your way.

Glad to see you have a star already.

 

[OregonCruzer]

Sounds good man!

You are on your way.

Glad to see you have a star already.

Best deal running!

 

[rsbcruiser]

So, first time post, first time pig owner--figured I'd kill two birds at once!

I didn't really mean to set out to buy a pig a month ago after a 75 foot steel beam tried to take the top off of my 6.2 diesel suburban (and my head along with it). In the doldrums of dealing with the insurance company and trying (unsucessfully) to find a diesel 'burban as nice as the one I had, on a lark I typed in "land" (cos I thought I might find me an old rover) in the Craigslist and up popped a pig. I honestly had never seen one before. And yet something clicked inside, a weird sort of longing. So, first I googled FJ55 and ih8mud appeared. Like Pandora, something just drew me to click and read. And Read... And Read... I was hooked, long before I found the posts talking of "the sickness". I had tasted that sweet heroin, and there was no going back. I guess I'd have to blame my father. When I was seven, my parents divorced, so my dad and I went shopping. We looked at three cars: a VW Vanagon, a Diesel Jetta, and a red (emphasis on the RED) FJ60. I can clearly remember the first glimpse of that car and how much I begged and begged my dad to buy the FJ. Instead he settled for the Vanagon (it was a grand cheaper...). I thought about that FJ, every time we climbed Monarch pass at 20mph while the world passed us by at the speed of light. But IM not bitter...

Aight, enoguh about that. Lemme finish my

So, the specifics are a December 1973 Pig with stock F engine, holley carb (with some issues), a partial desmog, and minimal/normal rust (It was a CA rig, then went to Bend, OR, then came over in the valley around 2000-2002). The driveline is tight and Xfer case seems solid (it engages and desn't seem to be leaking).

Priorities? I'll post some pics once I find out where the missus took my digi camera (or if I can find my damn cellphone charger...). It needs a tune up awfully bad. It misses under load unless I choke it down a bit. The ball joints in the steering system are a little toasty. usual rubber issues. It will be my DD until I amass the stuff to begin the derusting. I guess the final goal is a 2-4" lift, bigger tires, power steering, Aisin carb and vac advance distributor (JimC?) and chemo. FIrst, I'll probably try to tackle completing the desmog and the tuneup.

Well, thanks for showing me there are other crazed fanatics like myself.

Hello, I'm Darren, and I'm a Pig Fanatic.

Hi Darren, my name is Richard, I am playing the role of the pusher man (*** damn the pusher man), What you have is infatuation, To stick the needle in first drive to where you know the burb will go no further, keep going, now you are a little scared, keep going, now you are scared to death, stop, at this time notice that the pig wants to keep going, you are almost there feel it flow, turn back, as you drive back from the brink NOW notice the real point, piggy gets you back! Now you are doomed for sure, welcome to the club. Forget the AA meeting only death will truly part you from this torment. When your wife sreams with truth in her voice "we are going to die" , thats' the clue you have gone far enough! A couple tips, check the rubber flaps covering the rear frame mounts. Keep those affixed, area clean, and the underside of the body (huge shelfs down there) mud free. The brakes.... consult these guys before going there, I recomend the stock toy brake tool, the brakes are all manual adjust, your job. Own a greese gun? Just know that there are 16? greeze zerks on the pig.

ps best avatar ever

 

[n2666s]

and a few more zerks when you put in greasable shackles

Lou

 

[OregonCruzer]

Hi Darren, my name is Richard, I am playing the role of the pusher man (*** damn the pusher man), What you have is infatuation, To stick the needle in first drive to where you know the burb will go no further, keep going, now you are a little scared, keep going, now you are scared to death, stop, at this time notice that the pig wants to keep going, you are almost there feel it flow, turn back, as you drive back from the brink NOW notice the real point, piggy gets you back! Now you are doomed for sure, welcome to the club. Forget the AA meeting only death will truly part you from this torment. When your wife sreams with truth in her voice "we are going to die" , thats' the clue you have gone far enough! A couple tips, check the rubber flaps covering the rear frame mounts. Keep those affixed, area clean, and the underside of the body (huge shelfs down there) mud free. The brakes.... consult these guys before going there, I recomend the stock toy brake tool, the brakes are all manual adjust, your job. Own a greese gun? Just know that there are 16? greeze zerks on the pig.

ps best avatar ever

LOL-the bit about the wife yelling "We are going to die" rings home rather true (she gets terrified on logging roads--there's plenty of room in my handbasket for all)... Thanks for all the other tips--i did not know of the plethora (Hefe, would you say I have a plethora of pinatas?) of grease zerks--will have some fun at home tonight. The avatar reminds me of my 11B days and all the fun we had with poor 2nd LTs. (Where the fxxx are we, sir? Put down the ******* plugger and pull out the map!)

and a few more zerks when you put in greasable shackles

Lou

Yes, one more thing to hunt down and install... I'm feeling the bleed already!

 

[Trollhole]

Keep it stock. We are a dying breed.

 

[OregonCruzer]

Keep it stock. We are a dying breed.

Speaking of stock--I've been wondering about where the suspension should sit. Ill try to get a pic up here now that I have my camera back, but I think my rear leaf springs are ready for a little love. It definitely has some sag. Also, it seems to have more roll to it in the corners as compared to some other landboxes I've driven. Is this all par for the course, or should I be factoring in some suspension love soon?

Also, if anyone has a good line on a fan shroud-I am without.

 

[n2666s]

Agree with Marshall..........keep it stock!..........well sorta; somethings are just not made anymore........get alcan springs and you will never regret it + greasable shackles!

Lou

 

[Ginzu]

Stock or not? I found the perfect solution: keep your first pig stock and go wild with your 2nd pig. And definitely go back to the Aisan carb. I had Jim C rebuild one for me and was amazed at how much better it runs.

Welcome aboard!

 

[OregonCruzer]

Agree with Marshall..........keep it stock!..........well sorta; somethings are just not made anymore........get alcan springs and you will never regret it + greasable shackles!

Lou

I checked out those Alcans--niice, but spendy!

 

[n2666s]

yep, they were spendy but the plan it to keep this piggy a long long time and other options didn't seem as good;

Lou

 

[OregonCruzer]

yep, they were spendy but the plan it to keep this piggy a long long time and other options didn't seem as good;

Lou

So, speaking of Alcans, how much modification would I need to do for a 2" lift if I went with Alcans?

 

[CandyPants]

I'm still thinking I am going to go back to the AISIN carb--I think the Holley that's on there is pretty thirsty.

Your piggy is about in the same (or a little better) shape as mine was when I got it last Feb. The differences are that my PO put on a Weber carb (but it was thirsty like yours), and electric fuel pump that promptly died, and a few other minor tweaks of the fuel system. My truck was not smogged (gotta love Georgia). Looking into my engine bay is like looking into a cavern...lonely engine and that's about it.

That being said, one of the fine folks in Upstate Cruisers came up with an Aisin carb for me off another 73 and I shipped it off to Jim C for a rebuild. It's back and I can't wait to swap it out, rebuild the linkage, and reinstall all the fuel lines.

So, speaking of Alcans, how much modification would I need to do for a 2" lift if I went with Alcans?

I wrestle with the "keep it stock" question all the time. What I finally decided on was to leave it "mostly stock" and only lift it 3-inches. that's the plan now and I have my alcans and all the shackles, etc. sourced and ready to be installed. I also have 4 original wheels dressed up with 33" MTR's ready to go on.

The modification needed? Not much. New springs, shocks, bushings, greasable shackles, and up she goes. I am not going to even shim for castor correction yet, as the Alcan guys said that they build that correction into their springs. I am not sure about all that, but I'll see I guess when I get the spring on.

By the way, that's a damn fine looking swine you got there. Congrats and welcome!

 

[OregonCruzer]

Thanks! I'm beginning to worry about my little paint bubbles a tad, especially around the roof. I'm pretty sure it is a repaint, so Im wondering what they covered up... Ah well, goes with the territory I guess.

I worked on the mechanical a bit this weekend. She didn't want to start on friday after work, so a friend helped me troubleshoot. The capacitor wasn't grounding properly (screw stripped and insulator gone) and the points were dirty. Got er good enough to get down the road.

So, on Saturday I got everything lined up to do the valve job and decided to take off the last vestiges of the partial desmog one of the previous owners had started. I THOUGHT I had the right 1/4" plugs, but no. Took a while, but finally tracked all the plugs down (in brass no less) at a local hardware store. Checked the timing after the valve job-it was waay off. Fixed that.

So after all is said and done, she purrs like a kitten...BUT...in 3rd gear (of 3) at around 1500-2000 rpm she still bogs down and/or backfires intermittently. I am being told it is probably the power vavle in the holley. Instead of rebuilding it I want to go back to the stock Aisin- just trying to find one floating around that I can get rebuilt by JimC or Mike.

 

[CandyPants]

I have a carb for you. It's an early Aisan so it should work. It will need rebuilt for sure. It was given to me by a fellow cruiserhead in our club. PM me for details.

 

[OregonCruzer]

PM sent.

 

[OregonCruzer]

Thank You!

So I stopped at my local Albertsons in Eugene after work today. After my parking job, there was an older gentleman waiting for me to exit the car. He approached me and commented on my 55. We got into a discussion about TLCA, land cruisers, suspension, rebuilds, and just the intrinsic coolness of LC's. I thinks its just damn awesome that there is this bond between cruiser owners.

To all who have extended friendship, advice and instruction to me in the very short time I have been here, you have my eternal thanks!

 

[OregonCruzer]

Painted my front and rear bumper today. Next mechanical is rsb's hinge rebuild and some serious steering love.