Builds My New Project (2 Viewers)

[J Mack]

but I think the starter is grounded to the frame.

I'd get a cable to the battery on that at the very least.

 

[scrapdaddy]

I'll check tomorrow, so I know what I'm saying.

 

[RUSH55]

@NikP , what the deal be?
What’s the latest with My New Project?

 

[NikP]

@NikP , what the deal be?
What’s the latest with My New Project?

Too busy enjoying Colorado retirement. The 55 is my daily driver/ raft and kayak getter and mountain bike hauler.

I’ve been busy trying to put a 4-link/3-link and coil overs under my FJ40. That’s been interesting.

I was down your way last spring and didn’t realize it or I’d have dropped in to see your progress.

Nothing but adventures in the 55.

 

[scrapdaddy]

Perfect!

 

[NikP]

@RUSH55 maybe you recognize where these came from.

 

[PabloCruise]

Nothing but adventures in the 55.

Nothing but Win going on there!

Adventure pics?

 

[RUSH55]

@RUSH55 maybe you recognize where these came from.

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That guy’s name came up in the break room a few days ago. Don Robertson (?) assembled that collection. Pretty impressive, but I’ve never actually walked through there to look at any of it up close.
He had some badass stuff that he drove around Cottonwood and the Verde Valley and entered in car shows and other local events.
One time when I was working at CTI, he went driving by in a truck that must have been from the 40’s, like a Peterbilt or something, with a flatbed on the back and dual open stacks, with some hellacious old Detroit or Cummins diesel. After I watched him scream by, I could continue to hear that thing for several minutes as he disappeared out of sight, and blasted up the road and into Jerome! It was frickin’ awesome!

 

[PabloCruise]

That guy’s name came up in the break room a few days ago. Don Robertson (?) assembled that collection. Pretty impressive, but I’ve never actually walked through there to look at any of it up close.
He had some badass stuff that he drove around Cottonwood and the Verde Valley and entered in car shows and other local events.
One time when I was working at CTI, he went driving by in a truck that must have been from the 40’s, like a Peterbilt or something, with a flatbed on the back and dual open stacks, with some hellacious old Detroit or Cummins diesel. After I watched him scream by, I could continue to hear that thing for several minutes as he disappeared out of sight, and blasted up the road and into Jerome! It was frickin’ awesome!

Jerome...
Love that place!
There is an old Pig up there, eh?
I stopped through there one time and there was a girl at a coffee shop - I still remember her eyes. Haunting...

 

[MacDaddyRabbit]

Jerome...
Love that place!
There is an old Pig up there, eh?
I stopped through there one time and there was a girl at a coffee shop - I still remember her eyes. Haunting...

Trucks, girls, and cold PBR's in the bottle... what else is there...??

 

[PabloCruise]

Trucks, girls, and cold PBR's in the bottle... what else is there...??

Some dogs and a little Zeppelin, that about covers the meaning of Life!

 

[Hobbs81]

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I got sidetracked swapping another motor into my FJ40. I told someone I was tired of being a mechanic so I was glad to change my focus back to the FJ55. It just seems more therapeutic to create something vs fixing something that's broken and causing frustration. Hard to explain.

Anyway, I placed the fuse panel in its final place on the firewall and started hooking up the basic connections. My goal is to be able to run it on and off the trailer as I drag it to do my painting. I should be able to start it up tomorrow and get it up to temp now that I have the radiator in and all the pulley driven items connected.

Who knows, maybe I'll get brave and see if I can pull it out of the garage under its own power. Maybe even get crazy stupid brave and drive around the block.

I assume that is a Painless Wiring, or similar multi-use kit? I also assume you cut it into the firewall like a stock GM setup?

 

[Hobbs81]

View attachment 1353639 View attachment 1353640 Hooked up enough vacuum 4 wheel stuff to route brake lines. I sure admire electricians who can bend conduit into perfect alignment....I wished I was one of those.

In that first pic,, what is the device with the two vertical brake lines going up in to it?

 

[Hobbs81]

Finally got around to heating and bending the sway bar. I have to build a frame mount so need to make a run to the scrap metal yard. How heavy do these need to be? I get the impression from the axle brackets they don’t need to be super heavy. 1/4 or 3/16?

I extended my rear sway bar links by using a bmw strut shaft and welding stock ends on it. Got them installed.

I then focused my energy to other items needing my attention under the vehicle. I built up a cross over pipe for the exhaust. PITA since my high steer puts the tie rod on the rear. I had to drop down and wrap around the front of the oil pan. My SOA is high enough I could have dropped under the pan but it wouldn’t be nicely tucked in. I never do things the easy way. I had it all welded up and installed and the driver’s side O2 sensor hit the frame so had to completely remove and reposition.

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You obviously have mad skills.... do you have a bender or did you buy bent sections and invent this? I'm kinda worried about how to run the exhaust...

 

[NikP]

Ez-wiring harness but from I understand it’s pretty close to the painless but less expensive. Not sure about what you mean about cutting into the firewall. I just bolted fuse panel in and ran wires.

 

[NikP]

You obviously have mad skills.... do you have a bender or did you buy bent sections and invent this? I'm kinda worried about how to run the exhaust...

Rear sway bar is stock 55 series. I just extended links. Same on front. I didn’t do any bending on the sway bar itself since I figured out how to make it all fit. Front is 60 series sway bar.

 

[Hobbs81]

Ez-wiring harness but from I understand it’s pretty close to the painless but less expensive. Not sure about what you mean about cutting into the firewall. I just bolted fuse panel in and ran wires.

The GM ones, that look like that, actually fit in to a hole in the firewall. The fuses fit and look like that, but most of the wiring comes out on the engine side. The engine side bolts to the interior side with a thru bolt.

 

[Hobbs81]

Rear sway bar is stock 55 series. I just extended links. Same on front. I didn’t do any bending on the sway bar itself since I figured out how to make it all fit. Front is 60 series sway bar.

I was talking about your exhaust cross over. I think I responded wrong to the pictures...

 

[NikP]

In that first pic,, what is the device with the two vertical brake lines going up in to it?

That’s the vacuum valve for the 4wd selector. I kept the stock vacuum selector because I liked not having a lever sticking up through the center hump. Kinda cool just to pull a button on the dash to engage 4wd.

 

[Hobbs81]

That’s the vacuum valve for the 4wd selector. I kept the stock vacuum selector because I liked not having a lever sticking up through the center hump. Kinda cool just to pull a button on the dash to engage 4wd.

I didn't know they offered fancy electric transfer cases. So up town!