1HZ lovers look away -- 350 Chevypowered HZJ75

[JuanJ]

2nd gear starts are easy (general export trucks have 4:11 gears, are they all that way?) All in all it seems like a huge improvement, and so far we've not found any thing that the diesel was able to do that the 350 isn't able to do just as well if not better. Once it's through break-in we'll do some off-road stuff with it and see what it's like, but seeing as how we went with a fairly low hp/high torque version of the 350 (a truck engine), I think it's going to be alright. I promise to let you know, though.

Hello,

That fabricated exhaust bend brought some memories back. It was usually followed by "it will do while we get something proper" after installation; years later it was still there.

From my time in the tropics, second gear start up was quite common in general export trucks. First gear was deemed too strong for dry, hard roads, so people opted for second.

The Cruiser is looking good with the new engine.








Juan

 

[JungleBiker]

we will need videos.

Videos might be tough, but I will see what I can do.

 

[JungleBiker]

Hello,

That fabricated exhaust bend brought some memories back. It was usually followed by "it will do while we get something proper" after installation; years later it was still there.

Ha! Well, if nothing better ever comes along....

Where are you located, Juan? I spent some time in South America (Peru and Bolivia) as a kid. The Peruvians were great at keeping things going, didn't matter what ti was, they came up with clever ways to keep things going. My dad once hired a truck driver to transport a load of roofing tiles, this would have been in the early 1980's and he was making his living with a '35 Ford truck with a '57 flathead V8 in it. Only the hood and front fenders were left of the original body, the whole cab was carefully built out of tounge-and-groove cut jungle hardwood.

Unfortunately we don't see that kind of ingenuity here in PNG--not yet!!

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

I spent quite a while working in oilfields in the Amazon. Currently I am waiting a job reassignment (and relocation.)

Toyota or Ford spare parts had to be ordered from dealers on the capital cities, which might as well be on another continent. A purchase order usually took months to arrive; aftermarket equivalents from Taiwan (yes, I remember made in Hong Kong and Made in Taiwan) had to be used in the meantime. Many an operations briefing lasted longer than usual because a replacement universal joint, sparkplug, injector, vacuum pump, you name it, had failed while the OEM part was still in transit from overseas or waiting in a city warehouse.

Every base had shops, mechanics and engineers who managed to keep equipment working while parts arrived, and a lot of ingenuity was used. I still remember the loud "weld point, QUICKLY!" or "turn that bolt, NOW!" order, usually followed by sailor like cursing, when two pieces were held together with a forklift or winch, to be re-welded or reassembled for the umpteenth time. But even those guys ran out of ideas sometimes: a consultation with local mechanics who ran barebones shops was due.

Every now and then I find myself repeating those words when working on my Cruisers.

One very reliable piece of equipment was the Detroit Diesel engines' pneumatic starter. Sometimes, on well pads 80 km from the nearest town, long after batteries had run dry, computers forced to operate under the simplest configuration and hydraulics gone haywire, you could always trust that starter to perform flawlessly when restarting the equipment.

Wood tops are still used there on 5-ton trucks that transport people between jungle towns. Some are added on cab chassis Hinos and Isuzus, while others are built complete with cab. No side windows, there is nothing between seats and the road. Forced airflow while this bus is moving helps keeping the passengers cool. By "cool" I mean 28 C; a closed cabin without air conditioning could reach 38 C or higher even when the fans were at full speed, ask me how I know. At night you had to choose between heat shock and mosquito bites; luckily air conditioned cabins become commonplace.

I guess I could talk a couple mechanics I knew (and worked with) there into moving to PNG, provided I could find them... They would feel at home in your shop, I guess.






Juan

 

[JungleBiker]

We borrowed the wheels and 33" tires off of my very possibly dead FJ45 project:

Also we had a chance to get it muddy today--I hear that there was video taken, I'm trying to get ahold of it.

 

[JungleBiker]

video was pretty much worthless, though the man driving the truck in the mud says it wasn't any harder to drive than the diesel was. We also got the chance to load it down with a heavy load of lumber and it didn't even seem to know it was there. There's something to be said for doubling your hp and adding 33% to your torque...

 

[cruiserdan]

There is no replacement for displacement.....

 

[JuanJ]

There is no replacement for displacement.....

x2.






Juan

 

[ozcrusier]

That's a shame with the 45 mate hope the 75 lives a long life.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Why can't we have a simple purpose built truck like that here any more? Looks great.

 

[JungleBiker]

That's a shame with the 45 mate hope the 75 lives a long life.

Yeah, it's kind of a shame, but that FJ45 was pretty rough, rougher than I realised at first, nor did I realise how hard it was going to be to get parts for it (compared to other things I work on, like my 1960's Series Land Rovers and my '69 VW Beetle). Never fear though, those parts I bought from you will go to another project I have, a sort of Land Cruiser/Land Rover/Ford thing, sort of a "Land Fortoyver" (need to work on that).

The Chevota, however, is working well so far. As an added benefit, now that it has a new engine, it's easier to justify dumping money into the suspension, interior, etc.

 

[JungleBiker]

Why can't we have a simple purpose built truck like that here any more? Looks great.

Yeah, when you find yourself in a country like PNG (where parts are hard to get and where you usually end up having to do all your own repair work), you eventually realise how little you need/want the frills, and how valuable the simple/easy to fix things become. This is why I tend to stick to "cult" vehicles like Series Land Rovers and old VW's.

 

[ozcrusier]

I understand mate we have heaps off 45 series around Coffs Harbour but there been work trucks in the hills for 40 years so most are stuffed with little tin left on them but remarkable there still chugging along not spinning wheels tearing up the hilly tracks. I'm with you mate the 70 platform is a lot more comfortable and easy to invest in.

 

[JungleBiker]

Finishing touches--I picked up a set of "8/350" badges off of eBay for cheap. I think they were originally on a late '60's early '70's Chevy pick-up:

Engine break-in is nearly done, we still need to take it for a long-ish drive. Had it in the mud yesterday after work, just playing around with it, trying to find the flaws. Seems to work every bit as well as it did with the diesel in it. Working on uploading a video, but it's not going well.

 

[cruiserdan]

Nice touch. Used on the fenders up to 72 and then in the grille 73 and up.

 

[JuanJ]

Finishing touches--I picked up a set of "8/350" badges off of eBay for cheap. I think they were originally on a late '60's early '70's Chevy pick-up:

Engine break-in is nearly done, we still need to take it for a long-ish drive. Had it in the mud yesterday after work, just playing around with it, trying to find the flaws. Seems to work every bit as well as it did with the diesel in it. Working on uploading a video, but it's not going well.

Hello,

Looking good.

I agree with you about simplicity.

Keep up the good work.





Juan