I recently picked up a 1978 55 series. I might of bit off more then I can chew on this one but the plan is keeping it stock and making it nice again, aside from an ome lift and some 33 inch skinnys on factory wheels.
55 rebuilding project (1 Viewer)
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Tuesday night I got a bit of work done on stripping it down
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Tonight went at it again tonight getting the front clip off along with the drivetrain out. I pulled the head off to see if everything was kosher and it looks pretty nasty inside. The cross hatching on the cylinder walls is almost fully gone with alot of vertical streaks not to mention the head needs to be fully gone through. I was a bit unpleased to find this because I was hoping to keep it all original. I do have a fantastic running 2f sitting just waiting for it to run again so I might go that route? The next move will be getting the body off and the rolling chassis out for sand blasting
Brian/99uzj100
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Nice Iron Pig, congrats!
Getting a lot of work done quickly. Nice start. Might join us pig heads over on the 55 page too. Lots of support and skills there .
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What 55 page do you speak of?? And thank you!
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Aside from being swiss cheese! Thank you sir
Iron Pig Preservation Society. A sub forum here on mud. Scroll down towards the bottom of the forum page. You’ve already got a good start by posting a lot of pictures, we love pictures of swine.
FJ55 Iron Pig Preservation Society
Home for the "Knights" to discuss restoration items unique to the FJ55 Series wagons.
forum.ih8mud.com
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Awesome thanks guys! Is there a way to get this thread moved over? Thanks in advance
4Cruisers
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No harm at all keeping the thread in both forums.
How's the transmission and transfer case? I had a set-up in my '71 FJ40 until a few years ago from a '78 FJ55. Sold it to Georg at Valley Hybrids - it's probably found a new home by now.
How's the transmission and transfer case? I had a set-up in my '71 FJ40 until a few years ago from a '78 FJ55. Sold it to Georg at Valley Hybrids - it's probably found a new home by now.
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The Trans feels tight just playing with the shifter. I'm going to pull both apart and inspect it all and reseal it.
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Got some more work done on the swine. I still need to get the glass and tailgate off. A few more odds and ends and the body can come off and the frame will be ready for sand blasting
I remember my 78 came apart pretty quickly, like less than a month. That was 2011, and I almost have a rolling chassis! Making great progress .
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Coming apart is the quick side of things unfortunately.
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I'm a little behind on posting lately, but we have a shell and a frame. Time for media blasting and body work to start
I’m jealous, I’m wanting a pig. Unfortunately, the 40 is realistically the only project I can handle at the moment. Tempted to pick one up and shelve it. Keep up the progress, you give me hope.
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I'm glad to hear it gives someone hope because I don't see the light at the end of this tunnel! Unfortunately my 40 is sitting on the back burned right now
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Slowly but surely I am making progress. Decided to make a booth in the shop to wire wheel the frame (not recommended at all) about half way through I decided it was too nasty to continue that way. My plan is to pull the frame into the driveway and finish it out there. I am however on the fence. The body has seen alot better days and body work is not my field of expertise. I was going to go close to stock and clean with and OME lift and 31s. But the gears have been turning and I have been thing about springing it over on my build 60 series axles I have laying on the ground with 4:56s. What is everyones thoughts on what route I should go?
My dream is find a pig that is a bit modified, so I don’t have any guilt about my desires. V8, 5speed & 33-35”. I fantasize about using it tow my 40 to the desert. Just enough interior upgrades to make it comfortable on the interstate. It a fantasy, cause the forty still isn’t close to done. Oh and I’m not a purist.
I like the idea of the 60 axles, but for me I’d try and stay SUA. I have 4” of lift on my forty with 35’s and I like the ride.
