Project Space Shuttle - 5.0 powered '84 FJ60 on Coilovers (1 Viewer)

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I got back from the Rubicon and started working to get more and more crap out of my garage and property. Project Space Shuttle is less about a Land Cruiser and more about property value at this point.

You might be a redneck if...

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This is the only part of the Space Shuttle still in my soon-to-be guest room. I also discovered that I have a Stainless Steel barbecue in there as well.

I finally put the dash back in. I bought a $60 cover from Amazon a few months back and it actually turned out quite nice.

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I found a set of door speakers that fit my stock location. They are Kicker audio 5.25 speakers. The previous owner had hooked the speakers to the door panels (instead of the door sheet metal) and the weight of the speaker simply tore the door panel. I like that these look stock. I have already Dynamated and Lined my door with two layers of MLV / Closed Cell foam to insulate and isolate any road noise. I got the driver's side door panel on, but haven't done the passenger side because I need to make a new latch rod since the body shop broke / lost mine.

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As I've noted earlier, FJ 60 rear bumpers are obscenely expensive. I don't plan on carrying all sorts of crap on mine, and I have no desire to hang the spare tire back there. I don't really understand why guys with stock tanks don't put a spare in the stock location. I measured and I can fit a 38 x 13.50 tire and still have it above the hitch. But I digress.

I chose 2 x 5 x .120 wall rectangular tubing, with slight kickouts to protect the corners. The bumper is mounted using the stock rivet holes that the stock bumper bracket bolted to. The bumper mounts also double as clevis mounts (they run through the tubing) and are .500 x 4" band iron. I should have about $100 in material in this bumper when finished.

I threw some dimple died parts on there because I'm also posting this build on Pirate and you can't fabricate without dimple dies!

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I worked on this until about 1 AM tonight because it's hot as hell outside and it takes my house this long to cool down - thus I'm out in the garage where it is much more temperate.
 
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I've been working on the Space Shuttle the past few days. Although I'm a bit annoyed at it right now because it is not cooperating with me. My engine is claiming a lean code, and an EGR code which I am currently going through a slow testing regime to make sure I'm not missing anything. Right now I think I have it narrowed down to bad valve cover gaskets. Yes, the valve cover gaskets can break the sealed engine and allow the PCV valve to pull air from somewhere other than the path of the MAF; thus triggering a code. Since it seems to run fine at speed / RPM which is a big indicator that some sort of vacuum leak exists. I'll get this narrowed down.

I worked to put in all the windows, which I had tinted to 50% tint at a local tint place. I also put in the GM window welting for the rear windows. The key was to use the Harbor Freight plastic trim tools, soap and water in my sprayer. It was way better than the $100 per window the local shop wanted to charge me.

I've been facing another issue that is a bit annoying. I have a free sway bar off of my friend's Dodge, and like his Dodge, my axle plays hell trying to maneuver around this thing. I cut off the brackets I made for this thing previously earlier today and started fabricating new ones. After test fitting my new brackets, I realized I was going to have to bit the bullet and go with a custom long-travel rock racer sway bar, and will likely need a rear sway bar from something like a Suburban to combat all the body roll the Space Shuttle encounters on daily drives.

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I other news, I finished my rear bumper, installed my seats and carpet and got my "Hapa A/C" working as intended. It's ice cold. Fun fact: Ford started using Nippondenso A/C compressors in 1980. I still need to make some sort of inner fender covers to fit over their eventual treatment of MLV.

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My test drives were all very quiet, cool and smooth. I must say turns are a little nerve-racking since there is a lot of body roll with the sway bar disconnected.


I have to build my rear cargo panels (since I'm not paying $700 for them), finish the stereo, track down this lean code, build rock sliders/steps (this SOB is tall).

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keep it coming.

Keeping up with this one.

The trans you are using, what was it offered behind, and what years?

1987-1994 Ford F-250/F350/F450 - engine types were 351 (5.8) and 300 (4.9); but will also fit 302s, though they were not offered in the heavier trucks. ZFs also came behind 460s (7.5) and Diesels (7.3). Those are different transmissions.
 
So I got mad and solved my sway bar problem last night.

I bought this sway bar from TK1 Racing, and I must say that the quality on this thing is excellent. This definitely ups the Bro-factor of the Space Shuttle. I highly recommend it.

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I had to cut the area between the two speed holes into an oval in order to pass the sway bar tube through.

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I also finished the installation of my stereo and it works quite well (only the front speakers are hooked up). It does Bluetooth and a whole bunch of other neat features that I have no idea how to use.


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I have to get the sliders/steps built this weekend, and the cargo area covers. It's getting close.
 
I've been working on the Space Shuttle the past few days. Although I'm a bit annoyed at it right now because it is not cooperating with me. My engine is claiming a lean code, and an EGR code which I am currently going through a slow testing regime to make sure I'm not missing anything. Right now I think I have it narrowed down to bad valve cover gaskets. Yes, the valve cover gaskets can break the sealed engine and allow the PCV valve to pull air from somewhere other than the path of the MAF; thus triggering a code. Since it seems to run fine at speed / RPM which is a big indicator that some sort of vacuum leak exists. I'll get this narrowed down.


I've since tracked down the issue I spoke of earlier this week. I drove the Space Shuttle around and kept getting a check engine light after about 15 mins of driving. Every single time. It had a lean code, but seem to run really well and had a slight sulfur odor from the exhaust at times. I fixed a few vacuum leaks in this process so all was not lost in the effort.

I got home from a test drive and noticed my rear cats (there are 4) were glowing orange and knew this thing was running way too rich. I decided to probe the sensors after letting the cats cool a bit and observed a combined voltage average of over -.5 which led me to believe my Harbor Freight Multimeter (which as a side note is the best god damned multimeter I've ever owned) took a s***.

I then did some research and determined that my 4 wire O2 sensors were actually for a 4 cylinder turbo Mustang which used a separate ground wire to ground the Zirconia inside the sensor - and that the lack of a ground circuit from my 3 wire harness caused the voltage inversion.

The rationale behind this wire was to eliminate the potential for bad readings due to the turbo housing. 5.0L Mustangs however, use the exhaust pipe to ground the sensor. After determining that I had ordered the wrong sensors a year ago, I swallowed my pride and bought new ones and the problem is now solved. Now the Space Shuttle is more like the Discovery and less like the Challenger.

This may explain how it used 20 gallons of gas in 100 miles of driving. That's 2F mileage!



One more driveway poser shot:

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I usually don't like tall cruisers but this is quickly becoming one of my favorite rigs on here. Very unique and creative setup, and clean work.

Are those 37" street tires? Awesome
 
This thing will laugh at cheaps on the trail and the road!

I know you won't get comments from the purists...but I like it!
 
I usually don't like tall cruisers but this is quickly becoming one of my favorite rigs on here. Very unique and creative setup, and clean work.

Are those 37" street tires? Awesome

They are Yokohama Geolanders. They are all terrain and will work perfectly for the intended use of this truck.

I have a hardcore rock crawler and it runs TSLs because of the sidewall thickness and the fact they are a bias-ply tire. I would never run something like that on the street. Too often wheeling newbies and wannabes go way too aggressive on the tires and the gearing.
 
I have read both of your other two build threads in their entireties on Pirate :)
 
You have a Flat-Fender and a Toyota Pickup, right? Both with Ford V8's?
 
You have a Flat-Fender and a Toyota Pickup, right? Both with Ford V8's?


Yes. I have a bunch of other threads on there too. I like building s***, who knew?


Today I got my interior 90% - enough to where I can now drive this thing and not hate life. I installed my speakers and side panels. I made them out of .250 ABS textured plastic. A 4x4 sheet of this was $100 over at TAP plastics. Fortunately I kept my completely dilapidated cargo panels to use as templates.

Not to bash vendors here, but accessories for this damned thing are OUTRAGEOUS. $700 for cargo panels is pretty steep for anything that's not made of platinum. This whole project cost me $125 (including the cost of the jigsaw at Harbor Freight).

I put them on the ABS reversed so the textured side was out, and traced them with a paint Sharpie.

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Then it was to the jig saw with a 10 tooth blade and slowly cut them out. I used the factory clips as templates for the holes, used 6 x 1.00 mm speed nuts in place of the clips and GM tender bolts from Amazon to hold them in place.

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I also boxed in the speakers with more ABS to give a bit more bass and isolate them from the interior panel for resonance purposes.

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All done!

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Did you use a carpet kit, or do it yourself? and did you clean all the old sound dampening out or leave it?
 
Did you use a carpet kit, or do it yourself? and did you clean all the old sound dampening out or leave it?

New carpet kit. I used Mass Loaded Vinyl over top of closed cell foam, then used factory style jute padding over that. I did not remove the factory panel dampners, I still have NO IDEA why guys do that. It is there to reduce panel resonance and does a better job than dynamat.
 
New carpet kit. I used Mass Loaded Vinyl over top of closed cell foam, then used factory style jute padding over that. I did not remove the factory panel dampners, I still have NO IDEA why guys do that. It is there to reduce panel resonance and does a better job than dynamat.

That's the truth! Wish I had left mine alone...
 
Some people like the piece of mind that there isn't rust under it.
 

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