Builds 1984 Desert 40 - Teardown and Rebuild
- Thread starter jgeoffr
- Start date
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Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Looks great. How much lift that you were worried about the five speed length? Looks like it was from a 60 or 70 series. Are they hard for find there especially from a 40 series?
- Thread starter
- #63
2" OME lift and larger tires. The H55 was from a FJ62 with mechanical shifting. With everything all together I was looking at 12 degree shims based on measured angles. With rest of body weight that would have reduced some but was likely still looking at double cardan driveshaft and having to cut and turn.
Since I picked up a troopy, I figured it was easier just to put the 5 speed in that and return the 4 speed to the 40.
-Geoff
Geoff, really nice build!!! Keep the pics coming my friend..........
Beautiful work!
You have taken the time to accent all the little details and it really shows/looks great.
Looking forward to more. . .
You have taken the time to accent all the little details and it really shows/looks great.
Looking forward to more. . .
- Thread starter
- #66
Thanks! Am certainly trying to be more consistent.
Thank you. I like to take inspiration from your build! The new hinge pins for the windshield, amby doors and good were a function of necessity. With horribly frozen and rusted pins it was necessary to make new ones and once that started, we decided to make them look nice. With new stainless pins and brass bushings we figure these won't have to be redone for quite some time.
-Geoff
- Thread starter
- #68
Thanks! We're pretty fortunate. But the differences are interesting. For instance the 84 came with drums all around, no smog, large air cleaner, small cap distributor, H41 trans and externally regulated alternator. It's like it was a throwback to an earlier, simpler truck.
-Geoff
boozewz
SILVER Star
Great stuff Geoff....sure you want to be driving that apres? Just park it at home and stare at it all day
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Think it was markets like North America that forced the 4x series away from a simpler vehicle. Large air cleaner and smog/air pump went hand and hand. Same with disc brakes. It was all EPA/DOT. Water crossings are the only place I see a big disadvantage of drum brakes. Most markets had the H41. We got the H42 and then 3.70:1 diffs in 79 because of gas mileage not because it was better off-road. Doesn't look like you have the factory roll bar either. Don't think it was designed for off-road as much as meet DOT requirements. My guess if the hard top were permanently attached one wouldn't have been required on a hard top. Would love to find a 83/84 hard top with five speed, A/C and power steering from your market. Find it interesting the five speed wasn't more common there. Seems the BJ42s in 83/84 they were almost standard. Probably to keep the RPMs down on the four cylinder diesel engine. Since almost all are petrol there with very few diesels may explain it. Besides a late model FJ40 hard top a set of chrome FJ45 bumperettes would nice if you found a set. Hopefully within a year the home projects will let up enough to get started on my pickup. Collected most the parts except the bumperettes and maybe some nice 82+ doors with vent windows. I can dream can't I?
- Thread starter
- #71
So a bit of random progress. Started fitting all the bits and Bob's to the engine. Got the new power steering pump and new a/c compressor in.
All brake lines and the suspension components have been tightened down.
Air filter is in. Need to fab up the missing lower bracket at some point.
New accelerator pedal with grommet in place. Bracket and other associated hardware re-plated.
-Geoff
All brake lines and the suspension components have been tightened down.
Air filter is in. Need to fab up the missing lower bracket at some point.
New accelerator pedal with grommet in place. Bracket and other associated hardware re-plated.
-Geoff
MEGA LIKE!! SUPER COOL!! I MIGHT DO THE SAME!!
BTW....if you don't mind my asking? What is the hourly labor shop rate over there?
Amazing work. Are those PS pump and AC compressor FJ40 units or adaptations from another model?
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Non air pump markets have the power steering pump on the opposite side and the larger air cleaner that went away with the 2F/75 model here in the US.
It appears to be a different part than what we're used to seeing in the U.S. Notice how the U.S. pump below has the reservoir tube on the opposite side. Also we don't have have the decal in front.
- Thread starter
- #76
Shop rates depend, but average SR25 an hour which is a bit less than $7 an hour, and that's generous. At that rate, I keep drilling into the guys that you do the job right, no matter how long it takes. It was a hard sell at first because the normal mentality is to get the job done as fast as possible, which I don't want.
-Geoff
- Thread starter
- #77
They are FJ40 specific, but as @Living in the Past said, our standard parts are a bit different. Here's the original p/s pump that I'm rebuilding now.
-Geoff
Hmm, nice....
That is a great looking group of guys they look pretty happy and motivated to be working on your rig.
- Thread starter
- #79
Power steering hoses rebuilt and installed.
-Geoff
-Geoff
- Thread starter
- #80
Hinges and doors on.
-Geoff
-Geoff
