Chevy Small Block in FJ40?

[LandC1973]

Over the last two year a friend a I have rebuilt/modified a ‘73 FJ40 I have owned since ‘95. BTW this is the first time I have posted pics to a web site, hopefully they come out ok.



Neither my friend nor I had ever rebuilt an off road vehicle, it was alot of fun/time/research/beer/welding. The following modifications have been completed so far...

Frame and Roll Cage modeled in SolidWorks/Cosmos (Eng Software)
10 Point External Roll Cage
Fab Back Half and Front bumper
Racing seats w 4 point seat belts
Richmond Gear - Front and Rear Lockers
4” Skyjack Lift Kit (From Springs)
8k lbs primary front wench and 2k lbs secondary wench (3 mount points under frame)
Fab front shock towers/shocks with +4.5” travel over factory
Front and Rear articulation shackles
20 Gal Poly Gas Tank
Power Steering w/cooler
4 Wheel Disc Brakes
MSD 6 Off-road Ignition, Timing Computer, and Blaster 2 Coil
Front and Rear Differential Breathers
Headers w Cherry Bomb Muffler
Fab Transfer Case w ¼” steel reinforcement bracket (Similar to the SOR bracket)
New side view mirrors and flood lights
5 Gal Air Compressor System
½” Increased Diameter Steel tie rods and steering linkage
15” MT Wheels and 35” Dick Cepek Mud Country tires w/Staun Internal Beadlocks
Boxed the door tops/sides and removed glass
+ Dozens of structural modifications (Anything Not Mentioned Basically Still Toyata Factory Parts)
On a 20Deg Ramp my average RTI for all 4 wheels at 6 PSI was 840

With all the new weight on the vehicle and taller tires, I can barely go 60mph -- down hill! So it is defiantly not worth upgrading the original straight-6 even though it runs well, as it can never have enough power per the modification costs. Therefore, I bought a Chevy 1977 1/2 ton truck and pulled the 305 CI motor/ turbo 350 transmission from it. Why did I want a 305??? Many reasons, but most importantly I won't need the extra 45 CI, it gets much better gas mileage than a 350, I have had better personal experiences with 305s vs 350s, and the Carb/Intake I already have match better to a 305 than a 350. Here are the ‘new’ parts I have...

Chevy 305 CI w 8.5to1 (Compression Check of 150-165 psi on all 8 cylinders)
M/T Aluminum Valve Covers (Chevy Orange power coat)
Edelbrock C3BX Intake (Chevy Orange power coat)
Turbo 350 Trans
Comp Cam Kit --- K12-235-2 Chevy 262-400 Xtreme 4x4
Holley 670 CFM Truck Avenger Electric Carburetor #0-90670

After all the reading/research... I would like to use the turbo 350 trans but I am not sure what is a good/low cost transfer case (before I spend ~$600 for a man-a-fre conversion kit)?

With the steel bracket modifications to the FJ40 transfer case would it hold up?... What actually brakes on the FJ40 transfer case if it is braced properly?

What should I do about the drive shafts; will the stock shafts hold up?

Also, are there any snorkel kits or home snorkel mods web pages for a Snorkel on a Chevy Small Block in a FJ40?

Tks for any Help.

 

[LandC1973]

 

[LandC1973]

Sorry I have no more space to post more pics.

 

[Vitesse_6]

If you buy a silver star link located at the top of this section, You get a lot more space.

A lot of answers will be coming your way...

What axle will you be using? that would be good info as to which T-case could be used.
on the LC t-case, if its the 3 speed case they tent to crack the housing in the middle under heavy use, There are brackets made to help this.
Good luck and welcome

 

[LandC1973]

 

[LandC1973]

 

[LandC1973]

I am using the stock axles. I have already made a heavy duty bracket similar to the one at the bottom of the Spectra Off Road link…
http://www.sor.com/sor/cat068.tam?xax=8798&page%2Ectx=cat068%2Etam

…to help with the cracking problem. I read somewhere that the FJ 60 transfer cases were +100% stronger than the FJ 40 transfer cases. Is that because of the transfer case housing or are the internal components actually stronger?

Thanks for the advice on the Silver Star

 

[D'Animal]

What are the down tubes in front of the doors secured too?


If it is just the running boards, you have an awfully expensive light bar wrapped around you FJ40.






I don't mean to be a dick, I'm just looking out for your safety.

 

[Weedhopper]

The bezel police are coming... The bezel police are coming... The bezel police are coming... The bez...................................

 

[LandC1973]

No offence at all D’Animal, Since we ‘finished’ the vehicle I have had to add one more 2”X2” steel box tubing section to tow another truck off the ground, had know idea it would be sooo under powered, replaced the front shock towers for larger shock (greater travel), replaced all 4 intertubes in the Staun Beadlocks manually…. On and on…. We didn’t think of many things to do the first time, but we tried. But who cares, I plan on beating the **** out of it and fixing/repairing it more anyway.

----Top Running Board Pic (Pass Side)

The running board top is 3/16 floor plating, the out side frame of the running board is 2”x2” – 3/16 angle steel, and the tube goes straight through but is connected to the running board with a ¼” steel plate. Underneath

----Bottom Running Board Pic (Looking from front to back on the pass side)

Underneath, the original factory running board bracket was lengthened and re-welded to the frame with a ¼” steel base support plate for the drop pipe. Then a second horizontal pipe was joined to the drop pipe, the underside of the running board, and the frame right about the rear spring perch. Lastly a 9/16” steel plate was added to connect the middle of the horizontal pipe with the middle of the 2”x2” – 3/16 angle steel running board frame, and to act as a wench mounting point.

I really tried to build a vehicle that could be rolled or fall on its side (at slow speeds) with only minor damage.

 

[Splash]

Thanks for sharing the pictures of your build. Fun to see.

 

[ghostriders]

That is definately something different. Good to see people thinking outside the box. What is going to be your primary use for the 40?

 

[LandC1973]

When I was building it my primary focus was mudding but I didn’t want to build something that couldn’t attempt a ‘fair’ forest or rock trail. Obviously with all the weight and my lack of concern for power, racing dirt tracks was never a thought. For me, mudding, watching that +20’ wall of water arch ahead of you as you slam into a 3’ deep by 30’ long mud hole and find a small fish in the folded down windshield is as-good-as-it-gets. Going up a 20deg incline with the wheels spinning and EVERTHING is mud brown color…. Wow…. Good memories.

 

[LandC1973]

Function over form --- every time for me (Junk yard cars/trucks are nearly complete in my mind). I almost left it primer black for the meanness effect, painting is much effort.

 

[D'Animal]

The thick part goes on top.

The bezel police are coming... The bezel police are coming... The bezel police are coming... The bez...................................

I'm glad to see the extra support under the running boards.

You may want to lift the rig with the cage. Use a forklift. You will find anything that is going to give or break in a safe and controlled environment.

If the cage will not hold up to lifting the rig it will not hold up with all the weight compounded by the force of the roll over.

Here is the way mine is tied to the frame.

 

[LandC1973]

D (dog man? I and a true canine lover too) that is a very clean install and nice welds. Trucks and 4X4 on Spike recommend bolting the roll cage to the frame… I have never understood why? With 2 trees, 2 wenches, a come-a-long, and chains everything and be bend back in place and then gusseted (painted) after the ‘issue’.

I think I tilted my post wrong it should have been “Good t-case for V8???” But I’m new --- Live and learn lol

 

[D'Animal]

What transmission are you running? H42, SM420, Sm465, etc.

 

[LandC1973]

Now, it is the stock Toyota 3-speed for the '73 FJ40. I would like to use the Chevy Turbo 350 because of the torque multiplication at lower rmps and an automatic is ‘softer’ on drive train parts than a stick (I don’t want to replace the axles unless I have too$$$).

 

[FineWynsFJ40]

Looks like a hella-sweet go-kart FJ40!! I'd wheel it :grin:

 

[CruisinMT]

Thats pretty nice. It kinda looks like a Polaris mule, or a Rhino.