Builds 1978 BJ40 Restoration (1 Viewer)

[Alexh85]

Chassis back from the sand blasters.

Brake hose on the 70 series failed while i was doing 100km/h towing the chassis home, got the rest of the way with a pair of vice grips crimping the hose, lost front left braking.

 

[Alexh85]

What is usually done when a 24V truck gets a 12V engine? is the whole truck converted to 12V or does the engine and computer run off just 1 battery?

 

[clintnz]

Can't help much on the 12V vs 24V - with something as electrically simple as a 40 you may be best to convert the whole thing to 12v?

I spotted a bonnet locally that you could probably get for a box of beers - at least as rusty as your one in most places but the louvres looked in much better shape.

Cheers
Clint

 

[Alexh85]

Can't help much on the 12V vs 24V - with something as electrically simple as a 40 you may be best to convert the whole thing to 12v?

I spotted a bonnet locally that you could probably get for a box of beers - at least as rusty as your one in most places but the louvres looked in much better shape.

Cheers
Clint

Who do i talk to about another bonnet, is it still available? I wont need your transfer case gears my mates H55 gearbox is from an 80 series and i don't really want to muck around with a centre diff and altering drive shafts, they wouldn't have fit any way, so ill have to keep looking around wreckers, or get one in from Aussie maybe. Cheers

 

[clintnz]

Who do i talk to about another bonnet, is it still available? I wont need your transfer case gears my mates H55 gearbox is from an 80 series and i don't really want to muck around with a centre diff and altering drive shafts, they wouldn't have fit any way, so ill have to keep looking around wreckers, or get one in from Aussie maybe. Cheers

The bonnet is at the local mechanics. He did say it would be a swap deal as it's covering the motor in his parts truck. I'll have a closer look & grab a few pics for you tonight so you can make sure it is a better option that what you have.

Cheers
Clint

 

[Alexh85]

Been waiting for parts, so i decided to make a stand for the engine that isn't going back in

And got it running again for the first time since it was in the cruiser

It looks like ill have to sort out an exhaust pipe that sticks out the window if im going to put it in the living room.

 

[Alexh85]

I hung the new engine roughly where i thought it will sit in the chassis to get an idea of what im in for

(It will sit about 100mm further ford that it is in the picture )
From this i worked out i will need a rear sump, which i ordered from marks4wd adapters. And i need to move the alternator, a relocater kit is $275 so ill probably make something. I cant use the commodore header on the drivers side because it interferes with the steering box. I could either do away with the 40 series steering box and use a 70 series one which sits a lot closer to the front and hope the steering column isnt in the way, but ill probably make some custom stainless headers which go around the steering box because a power steering conversion is like saying ive got weak arms.
I found a H55 gearbox from a 60 series in reasonable condition.

And a transfer case from an older land cruiser with a mechanical 4wd shifter so i don't have to muck around with electrics and vacuum hoses

Fitted the 60 series H gearbox cross-member, just had to drill new hole to line up with the existing ones.

It turns out this isn't the first engine conversion this trucks had, it original had a 2F and about 25 years ago it was converted to diesel, Got a B engine.

 

[Alexh85]

More parts arrived

I fitted the rear sump

 

[Alexh85]

I bolted it all up so i can sort out the engine mounts

I want to use the original engine mounts on the chassis to save some mucking around when im getting it certified, but i had to shorten one of them

Im using left over leaf spring bushes

Its hard to tell how high the engine should sit without the cab on, but its easy enough to alter these bits later. The engine is about 20mm offset to allow a bit more space for the headers to clear the steering box.

 

[clintnz]

Nice work! Good design & styley welds

Cheers
Clint

 

[bpeeps00]

Coming along nicely. Can’t wait to see more

 

[Alexh85]

I bought some paint to repaint the cab, all up it cost $800 so i realised i need to do a good job of it, so im striping every thing back to beer metal, im doing it all with a grinder with a paint stripping wheel because Ive already spent way to much money on this truck

i was looking for an excuse to stop doing this for a while, and i decided to make a soft top so i could swap between this and the original roof

At my local 4wd panel beater i found some rusty 40 series panels i could cut the b pillars off for my soft top.

And i found a bonnet with out any rust

I don't know where im going to find the fabric bit for the soft top, i might have to find a girlfriend who can sew.

 

[mohawk]

My mate has an imaculate 40 with a carbed LS1 and 6spd auto near by us ... Should be home from cert in a week or so

 

[Alexh85]

Im slowly making progress again, I got a coat of etch primer on most of the panels

And i sorted out a way of mounting an intank fuel pump. I cut a 60mm hole in the tank and made a flange from 5mm mild steel, which bolts to the tank with counter sunk bolts and has threaded holes to mount the fuel pump bracket

I made the fuel pump bracket from stainless tube i cut most of the side off, and welded a round bit on the end

I mounted this as close to the centre of the tank as i could, without interfering with the standard fuel level sender float and any of the fuel separator lines

 

[Alexh85]

Im getting impatient now, i haven't driven this cruiser in 5 months now.

 

[Alexh85]

I bought this cruiser unseen on the internet. These were the only photos i had seen of it before i won the auction, it sold for $2410. I drove from Hamilton to Wellington to pick it up. When I arrived in Wellington and met the guy who was selling it. I think he was expecting me to be unhappy with the condition considering the price. We walked over to his car port and he said "well this is it" I said "Its f#cken beautiful" Well im glad you think it is. He paused for a bit and asked, Ive told you its seised up and doesn't run aye? "doesn't worry me mate". And without even lifting up the bonnet (Mostly because the bonnet hinges had seised up) we started winching it out on to the road to load it on the trailer, which was pretty hard because of how steep his drive way is. We got it on the trailer and i gave him a sandwich bag full of cash. he must had thought my trailer looked a bit dodgy. He said hope you make it home mate.

 

[-MaTTi-]

I bolted it all up so i can sort out the engine mounts

Im using left over leaf spring bushes

Are you sure about this? I would assume quite a lot engine vibration going through to the frame/chassis... So thin insulation.

 

[Alexh85]

Are you sure about this? I would assume quite a lot engine vibration going through to the frame/chassis... So thin insulation.

Im only copying what alot of other people do, mounting an LS in something, There are heaps of engine mount kits you can buy that use bushes that thin. So i hope its a good idea.

 

[Alexh85]

Got the tub finished, its ready to drop back on the chassis and I can start putting it back together with its new engine

Primed:

2 coats of stone chip paint on the underside

And yellow again

Im happy with how it came out, but a panel beater would probably spew if they saw my work.

I only made 2 f***ups, I sealed all the seams with bathroom sealant and the paint just beads up on it. And i was mixing the 2 pot paint in a plastic container with a drill and the mixer punched a hole in the side of the container

I wasted 600ml of the 4.5l i have in total, so i hope i still have enough to paint all the other panels.
If it sticks to the truck as good as it sticks to my skin ill be happy.

 

[vikor]

hi,
nice work and sure a lot of days and weeks passed

but why do you have used a paste on the differential for the front and rear axe ,
the price of the original seals is very low
and the day where it's necessary to remove the carrier , differential, front or rear they will be sticked

other detail , on all the 40 the frame is not fully rigid ,and your motor is directly fixed on the frame without dampers
in off road you take a risk of break yours fixations side motor..