Builds 1964 FJ40 Diesel build, 5 speed, vw TDI, 35's....Lets not call it a restoration.

[HandForged]

With what you are planning and what you have I would go with the 80 series chassis and just cut it to the length you want to get the look you want, I took 330mm out of my 80 series chassis to get it to match what i wanted with the FJ43 Body.

The 80 series chassis is so much stronger than the 40's one and comes with all the brackets you need in place for the suspension

View attachment 2114884

That's my plan. I prefer the full length of the 80 chassis. For what I am planning, I think it will work out well. I can build around it.

 

[HandForged]

Well, it has been a while but I am finally back at the project truck. I've made some head way on building the engine/transmission combo and just got the Donor FJ80 moved down to my work area again. No one has shown to get anything off of the 80 so I will strip it myself and sell some things to recoup my time.

On a side note, I recently picked up about 3 full sheets of AR-500 steel in 1/4" and 3/8 thickness. For those that don't know what that is, it is abrasion resistant (armor plate) that folks use for targets around here because of it's resistance to small arms fire. This set a new set of wheels spinning in my already overloaded hamster wheel about what to do with it. The steel can be easily water jetted to produce any shape but I have never tried to weld it. Welding it to mild steel I am sure will produce a weak spot around the weld as this will surely remove the heat treatment for an inch or so at the quench line. I'm thinking AR-500 aprons, cab sides and bed sides. Then maybe using some of it to protect vital areas of the truck from small arms fire. Door skins? Armor glass? It's just a really cool material to have on hand and I gotta figure out something to do with it. Is your cruiser armor plated? Well, mine just might be before it's over with.

I know, I know….you'll say it weighs a ton and is completely overkill for about anything I could use it for except a tank repair. Well, we don't need that kind of negativity around here...LMAO!

 

[Elfman]

Well, it has been a while but I am finally back at the project truck. I've made some head way on building the engine/transmission combo and just got the Donor FJ80 moved down to my work area again. No one has shown to get anything off of the 80 so I will strip it myself and sell some things to recoup my time.

On a side note, I recently picked up about 3 full sheets of AR-500 steel in 1/4" and 3/8 thickness. For those that don't know what that is, it is abrasion resistant (armor plate) that folks use for targets around here because of it's resistance to small arms fire. This set a new set of wheels spinning in my already overloaded hamster wheel about what to do with it. The steel can be easily water jetted to produce any shape but I have never tried to weld it. Welding it to mild steel I am sure will produce a weak spot around the weld as this will surely remove the heat treatment for an inch or so at the quench line. I'm thinking AR-500 aprons, cab sides and bed sides. Then maybe using some of it to protect vital areas of the truck from small arms fire. Door skins? Armor glass? It's just a really cool material to have on hand and I gotta figure out something to do with it. Is your cruiser armor plated? Well, mine just might be before it's over with.

I know, I know….you'll say it weighs a ton and is completely overkill for about anything I could use it for except a tank repair. Well, we don't need that kind of negativity around here...LMAO!

skid plates and rock rails for sure!

 

[HandForged]

skid plates and rock rails for sure!

that is for sure. I was actually just drawing up some sort of rock sliders that were angles up like boat sides would be but not eating up too much room. Skid plates for sure as the truck is already going to have a flat belly pan.

 

[HandForged]

had a question about locking hubs on the FJ80 axles, since I will be using a part time transfer case and not the case out of the 80, what hubs do I need to run on the front? Or rather what is the easiest solution to get lockouts on the front.

 

[OGBeno]

had a question about locking hubs on the FJ80 axles, since I will be using a part time transfer case and not the case out of the 80, what hubs do I need to run on the front? Or rather what is the easiest solution to get lockouts on the front.

Call @cruiseroutfit and get manual hubs for an 80 series. Cruiser Outfitters has them in stock.

 

[HandForged]

I was noticing the clearance on the 285 tires this morning and did a little looking and measuring. Looks like the donor Fj80 has a small spring lift kit in it. Score, I know I should have realized that by now...well I didn't, not really. Now I need to figure out what the Marlin Crawler stickers are for. LOL.

 

[HandForged]

This is my snow cave I got on sale at Northern tool. 12x20 portable shelter logic heavy duty. The donor FZJ80 is now inside and I am about to go fire up the rocket heater in there. Sure makes disassembly much nicer when you can do it without a coat on in 19 degrees. I don't have room in the shop right now so....this is where it will begin. Get it stripped and parted down to the chassis. Engine and drivetrain are already assembled and ready to set down as soon as I get this done. Got a cleaned off flatbed truck ready to haul all of the crap away.

 

[HandForged]

Got the heater running and pulled the hood, doors and hatch off of the rear. The front clip is going to have to come off with a cut off wheel I think. Passenger side is mashed up pretty good and I don't feel like messing with it. I'll get the torch and peel it like a grape.

 

[HandForged]

productive today, got the front clip stripped off and all the wiring harness laid back. Doors are off, seats pulled. Tomorrow I will get the body mounts off and everything underneath taken loose to remove the body. I think I will leave the drivetrain in until after the body comes off so I can remove it as one unit.

Pulled the part numbers off of the OME lift kit on the truck today. Parts look really good, shocks are in good shape, springs look new. I might have gotten lucky there.

 

[HandForged]

Man what a day! Got everything laid back to pull the body off of the 80 chassis. Everything came off well with the exception of one dang bolt. ONE BOLT took about 3 hours to get out. Right front body mount that splits the exhaust pipes. I had to get full medieval on it after the head rounded off and I couldn't get a tool on it. Ran out of oxygen for the torch so I took a cutoff wheel to the floor pan. Opened up a 4" square hole in the floor and cut the head off with a cutoff wheel. What a pain in the butt....

Now I just have to undo a few small things under the chassis and the body will slip off. Should be down to the rolling chassis to start removing the drivetrain this weekend. Get everything cleaned up and ready for the new drivetrain to set in place.

 

[HandForged]

Donor truck body is coming off so I can start cleaning up the frame and suspension. I'll most likely remove the 80 body mounts and use them for the cut down 40 or just rebuild them if needed. I was giving some thought to gear reduction and transfer cases today. Wondering how strong the 80 case with a gear set is and if it's worth using in place of my original idea of the doubler. Just need to work through some of this soon as my drivetrain is not very far from being in the 80 chassis. I'll be reusing a good many things that I can adapt to the build. The brake booster and master cylinder should be good to use for the disc brakes for instance.

 

[HandForged]

NOW we get to really have some fun. Body came off like a cheap prom dress. Two tow straps and a track loader will do that. Now the full drivetrain is exposed so I can take it out as a unit the way I wanted to do. Rolled it out of my portable shelter (which I am loving by the way) snatched the body off and rolled it right back in. I will bring in the pressure washer and clean it all up and get the drivetrain out. Then use large floor jacks to level the chassis before measuring it for the cuts to stretch it. For now it's water an wire brushes.

* Pro tip: For you guys doing things like this in the future. Leave the adapter and joint on your steering box, weld up a cheap socket to a piece of the shaft and use an electric impact gun to steer the chassis while you move it around.

 

[HandForged]

Engine and transmission are out. Didn't have enough length on the arm of my lift to pick both high enough so, in pieces it goes.

 

[HandForged]

OK, so I've asked Mods a couple of times to have this thread moved over to the Hardcore section. No joy so I started a new thread there. Here is a link for the lazy, See ya there!

Builds - Let's not call it a restoration... Chopped down FJ40 to 45ish on an FZJ80 chassis BUILD!

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