Project Dane ish (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Aug 9, 2012
Threads
15
Messages
351
This tread is intended to document the multi year transformation of an FJ40. I'm going to include all the fits and starts, changes in plans , good and bad decisions and lessons learned. It all started 5 years ago while living on the campus of the Fountain Valley School . For 8 years my wife worked at the Fountain Valley School as the school nurse. The school Mascot is a Great Dane, school colors Red and White. My wife and I had Dirt bikes but she really didn't feel comfortable riding so we began looking for something else to trail ride. I looked at ATVs but wife said she would rather just ride with me so I looked at a UTV. UTV was "Very Expensive" I had neighbor Ken Ramey who was into building Jeeps and he got me interested. After some research, looking at images on line finding the Mudd website, I fell for the Toyota FJ40 land cruiser. I thought this would be cheaper than the UTV.. Looking back that was my first mistake. Next step Find an FJ40 project vehicle.
 
Located a Barn Find just east of Colorado Springs. It was being sold by the widow of the former cruiser head and had been sitting for about 10 years in their barn. It was cheap but a really frankenstein, a weird 2 speed transfer case, some kind of auto transmission, a Dana 44 rear end and a junk ford engine sitting in the corner of the barn. I figured a year and a couple of thousand dollars and I'd be wheeling.
 
So like a good noobi I figured the first thing was to take it apart. When I got down to the frame I discovered the PO had cut the frame in several places and had rewelded with scab plates, he had removed gussets and that round tube in the back. Basically the frame was no longer a good skeleton to rebuild. .
 
Next step find a frame. But why just buy just a frame when you can get a whole FJ40 for almost the same price. So I acquired a 78 FJ40 and just drove that frame home.
.This thing was bone stock. and once again "very cheap" because of all the rust but hey I had a good body from the 75 sitting in my yard.
 
Next Step Go Wheeling. We took off with some friends on a fine winter day for ride up Old Stage road figured to come down the Shelf Road and then home. My Friends suggested a small detour, I protested my rig was stock and the tires didn't have much tread. They assured me all would be fine. We located deep snow drifts on the North side of the mountain and I got stuck. They pulled me out and I got stuck again lots of drama that day, our group rescued two families, one of our party fell and got a head injury got home after midnight. Wife tells me I need better tires before she goes wheeling with me again. BFG 15x33 10.5 MT should do the trick. But that also meant I needed some fender well clearance so OME 2.5 inch lift kit order was placed.
 
Installed the OME lift over a weekend, When removing the old suspension Heat as in a torch was helpful getting the bushings out. I sear the shocks were original. Installing the new suspension wasn't too difficult. Probably easier with two people than one. Used tie down strips to get axles lined up properly. There was a pile of melting snow then kept sending a trickle of cold water down my back whenever I was under the LC. Then it got windy and tumble weeds kept attacking me by blowing under the rig. Note to self and others. Don't forget to work to spec all four spring plates. Took LC out for a test drive and got the "Death Wobble" had to change my shorts. Anyway once I got everything tight LC steering behaviors was better than new, ran straight an true and no wobble. Next step Wheels and tires.
 
I wish you would have put the BFG 33x10.50-15's on the 40 before you raised just to see how much of a clearance factor there is. Also fwiw, personally I wouldn't put on a very wide wheel, It's always good to keep those sidewalls from bulging. I think they fit ok on a stock 40 wheel???
 
Last edited:
2 40's! Didn't you have a 60, too? My wife would kill me...

Nice write-up so far, keep it coming.
I had two 60's One for each of my boys. I thought we could work on them together but they didn't like wrenching nor could afford them remember gas was almost $4 / gallon back then. I sold them off one to Travis and one to a Libyan Militia group AKA ISIS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SAS
So this is the Frame I drove home 4 years ago. I fell for the 78 and really like wheeling so gave up the idea of building a rock crawler out of the 75 and decided to concentrate of fixing up the 78. I'm using the body off the 75 and will place it on the 78. Brandon from Classic Cruisers set me an email telling me they found about 150 screw holes in the 75 body. I just don't know what the previous owner that rig was thinking.
 
So going back about 4 years. After installing the OME lift and putting on the BFG 33 x10.5 Mud terrines, I took the wife out wheeling I think it was one of our annual shubarth runs. Anyway someone got stuck and out came a winch and wife says to me You should have a inch on your LC in case we ever get stuck. So Being the dutiful husband I went out an purchased a Warn VR8000. Ultimately not a very good choice as I used it about 4-5 times before the motor burned up but that is another story.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SAS
I went out an purchased a Warn VR8000. Ultimately not a very good choice as I used it about 4-5 times before the motor burned up but that is another story.

Some of us know that story, hehehe. Lovin' the write-up, Doug.
100_5889_zpsigemdfor.jpg
 
Some of us know that story, hehehe. Lovin' the write-up, Doug.
100_5889_zpsigemdfor.jpg
Just can't see the smoke rolling out of the winch in this picture but smoke it did and after only a couple of minutes winching. That was one deep mud pit.
 
An update from Classic cruisers. Body work is coming along. Found more evidence the old 75 was a real frankenstein. Take a look at the weld in one of the pictures I suspect the PO welded a tub to the cowl but can't be sure. Going to mock everything up and make sure doors and top fit properly before proceeding.
 
So returning to the story. Several years ago was driving up to run Rawlings pass and while on 470 I heard a bad screeching sound coming out of the engine bay. And with the usual wind noise if you can hear a mechanical noise it must be pretty loud. Anyway I pulled over an the smoke began to come out of the hood. Turns out the smog pump has sized. I removed the belt but LC would not run right without the pump. So now I need a tow. Due to good planing on my part I had towing insurance rider on LC . Tow truck came picked me up and drove me and LC back to Colorado springs. I had some trouble sourcing the correct reman smog pump because they have different pully sizes . Finally got the correct one and installed it with a new belt. Ran good as when I first got it which is to say not so well but drivable. I figure it might be time to think about replacing other parts of the emissions and while at it fuel delivery system but that is another story.
 
Since I'm rebuilding the 2f engine I want to install a new Radiator. Does anyone have an opinion on Aluminum vs copper brass radiators?
I've looked at Spectra Radiators and CCOT any suggestions?
I'll also be installing a new Water pump, Belts ,Thermostat etc.
 
I replaced mine with a 4 core copper brass. Don't go through one of the main vendors, you can get them for half the price from other online vendors that just do radiators. They are identical.
 
So I did some looking and do a google search for CSF2888 radiators. That will get your a copper-brass 4 core radiator for about half the price of CCOT or SOR. It should fit a 78...
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom