Builds Lynchburg Lemonade, matzell's STW (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Feb 4, 2005
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Location
Richmond, VA
So what is a STW? When one has wheeled on 37-40 tires for the past 20 years something smaller is a "Small Tire Wheeler"

What is Lynchburg Lemonade? If you do not know, you should try one. A refreshing drink made from some sweet stuff and some hard stuff.

This project is a "getting back to basics" kind of rig. I picked it up earlier this year in Lynchburg Virginia, hence the name.

Back up a few months ago when I decided to take my stockish FJ40 to Coal Miners. I added some 33" tires, swapped the LSD from the front diff to the rear and created a STW that I could take. I added a winch on the front just in case. Fast forward to the event. I wheeled the 82 all over Anthracite and Rauch Creek off road parks and had a blast. That little rig went everywhere I wanted it to and some I was not sure about. I never got stuck or had to use the winch. Problem was it was too nice a rig to keep doing this with. It still has the factory hard top and doors. It does have a nice H55 conversion so it had plenty of low gearing even with 3:70 gears. This got me hooked. I started making plans as I drove home and thought about what I could build with all the other project 40's I have. I went back and forth on my 77 and my 78. The 77 won out.

The 40 is basically stock. Has 65k on it and some old body work that is showing itself. It also came with no top or doors and some makeshift tailgate with the spare tire carrier welded on. Good news it is a low mileage drivetrain. Engine compression is in the 140-150 range, oil pressure at cold idle is 60 psi with 5w-30 oil in it. Bad is the carb has been replaced, Holley/Rochester, forgot. Either way it will get a Weber 32/36 for now and maybe EFI later. I picked up a non-USA H41 to swap in. This would give me almost the same low crawl ratio that the H55 has with 3:70 gears. Perfect as I really enjoyed that ratio.

I swapped the trans this weekend and istalled a new AISIN clutch while I was there. Someone had a lot of fun in this rig, the frame rails were full of mud and debri and I think I knocked out about 58 Mud Dobber nest too. With the tranny out this was the time to clean all that up and paint. I have most of the build planned out and will post as I go. This will not be a restoration, a resto mod, just a simple FJ40 that I can take wheeling and will look the part of a FJ40.

Rob

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more pics of the rig and the brown 1982 FJ40 that started all this. I threw some doors and a top on the 77 but they do not line up correctly. I think the body is tweaked.

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Looks like you have a great starting point. Keep us posted with developments of course ;)
 
Here are some pics of my 1976 FJ40 driver and my Big Tire Wheeler Ultra4 race car on 40" sticky Maxxis Trepadors.

This stw will get me back with the "real world" wheelers and test me a lot more on the trails. I will take what I have learned over the years to make this what it will turn out to be. Everyone builds there rig a little different. I have built many and plan to take the best of each to make this one fun.

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Is this the rig that you are putting the 33" Maxxis Razors on?


Did you wheel those Maxxis up at the coal mine shindig?
 
Is this the rig that you are putting the 33" Maxxis Razors on?


Did you wheel those Maxxis up at the coal mine shindig?
I put the 33 Maxxis Razrs on my 82 tan one posted above. I look at it everyday at work were I store it and think I am going to buy another set to put on this 77 build. (I was just going to swap those to this one) I just like the look of them on the 82 so much.

Yes I wheeled the heck out of them at Coal Miners and loved them, I can not be more impressed with them on the trails and different types of terrain. I had a set of 40's on my race car as well but that thing just goes so I was not sure how much of it was the tires.

This build will have a small 2 1/2" lift to help clear the tires a little better, they rubbed when really flexed out.

BTW I really enjoy the pics of your rig and travels. @rkymtnflyfisher
I also really like the mustard
Project Pikachu: 1977 FJ40
that @cbmontgo has built.
 
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I really wanted am original paint 40 but this one is no where close. It was originally Olive, then painted green, then camo. I really wanted to paint this Mustard yellow but have not found a close color in Rustoleum spray cans. I want to be able to easily touch it up.
I tried Tuscan sun agains a faded original Mustard yellow hood
I tried Gloss Orange just because it is my favorite color, see race car above
I tried Maui Blue that is a close match to my 78 40.

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I really wanted am original paint 40 but this one is no where close. It was originally Olive, then painted green, then camo. I really wanted to paint this Mustard yellow but have not found a close color in Rustoleum spray cans. I want to be able to easily touch it up.
I tried Tuscan sun agains a faded original Mustard yellow hood
I tried Gloss Orange just because it is my favorite color, see race car above
I tried Maui Blue that is a close match to my 78 40.

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Are you looking for opinions? Start a poll!
 
Of those colors I like the blue the best.


Of course it is also hard to hide a blue rig in the bushes at your secret fishing spot.
 
Yes I wheeled the heck out of them at Coal Miners and loved them, I can not be more impressed with them on the trails and different types of terrain. I had a set of 40's on my race car as well but that thing just goes so I was not sure how much of it was the tires.


Good info, I'm about to spring for some new tires and I'm trying to dig up all the feedback I can on those. The only drawback I see as of now is the fact they are MT's. I pound a lot of pavement and gravel roads, snow for a good part of the year. I'm between the BFG/KO2's or the Maxxis MT's.

The Maxxis will hurt the wallet a lot less.
 
Good info, I'm about to spring for some new tires and I'm trying to dig up all the feedback I can on those. The only drawback I see as of now is the fact they are MT's. I pound a lot of pavement and gravel roads, snow for a good part of the year. I'm between the BFG/KO2's or the Maxxis MT's.

The Maxxis will hurt the wallet a lot less.
They do have some good siping in them and they ride well on the road, another reason to leave them on the 82 and buy another set.
 
Are you looking for opinions? Start a poll!
I would but my wife has already picked a color, although she said she liked all three!
 
Not much has happened with this build but a lot of parts have been ordered and in the process of being manufactured. I am having a few custom pieces being made for this one. I will be using some off the shelf parts as well. Everyone builds 40 a little different, I am not sure there is a perfect mix of parts. I am using mix of parts that I have used in the past, a few new ideas, and some plain old proven parts. I will post more pics as I go and let you know what I am using as well. Here are a few parts that have shown up so far. I have used some top shelf parts on my race car so some of those will carry over to this build.

I hope to get more parts in soon and really get started on this. I would love to have it ready for Fall Crawl at the end of October but not sure if that will happen. Just a goal!

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More parts showing up! I scored a set of new old Rancho 2 1/2" lift springs from a fellow mudder. I bought a set of the new Rancho 5000X shocks. These are gas charged and have variable shim stacks for better valving, also nice rubber bushings. I am going to put a 62 series rear axle to gain some width and keep the tires off the inner wheel wells. I will blast a set of 60 series wheels and paint them cygnus white like my others. I will add a set of 1 1/2" wheel spacers on the front to help protect the hub and keep the track width close to the rear.



I have trusted Yukon Gear and Axle in my race car and am adding their Zip locker to this build front and rear. This way I can make it as easy or as challenging as I want and have good road manners.

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More parts showed up today. I know when do I start building... I have found it is easier to build it once most of the parts are in. Plus I want to build the axles and swap them and the suspension all in one shot.

For a wheeler I wanted strong quarter panels and rockers. I found some quarters but I did not like the way they used a brake to make the radius. I had a local company make me a set of 3/16 rockers using some CCOT quarter panels. They rolled the corner so it will match the lines of the stock quarters. I left out the side marker light because I figured I might smash it, plus I can add it back later.

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While I was at it I had them make some rockers as well. These will go seam to seam under the door. It will have the bottom lip inwards to add strength and durability.

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Finally got the Weber 32/36 cleaned and rebuild. I installed it using a one piece JT Outfitters adapter. I have used this on my 76 as well and it make it line up for the stock air cleaner. I need to adjust the linkage and set the idle but it starts, idles smooth and revs up good. Simple little carbs.

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What is better than one Yukon Zip locker? How about two!

I got the housings cleaned up today and ready to add lockers and reassemble.

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