66 fj40/80

[rockreeper]

I have been lurking around on this board for a while and figured it was about time that i put my build up on here. I bought my 1966 fj40 about a year and a half ago. Used it for the summer to drive to work and back and took it out wheeling a couple times. Ended up blowing a front brake line on one trip and gave me the push to start tearing into the 40. I used to have an 86 xtra cab toyota with a sas on 37 claws locked front and rear so i was going to build something that could go just as well. The plans are to keep the whole thing toyota. The plan was to link it front and rear with fj80 axles and run 39.5 iroks. So i'll start it off with what i started with

 

[rockreeper]

then i started tearing into the tub and frame. Stretched the body and frame by 10" and made my own rear quarter panels out of 16 gauge steel since the old ones had about 1/2" of bondo in some places

 

[rockreeper]

also made the new inner wheel wells raised up to clear the 39's and keep it low

 

[rockreeper]

started to stretch the top also because it can get very cold in the winters aroun here. I also started tearing into the front. got the winch plate i had around cut and set in the front. ended up cutting a few inches off of the front of the frame.

 

[rockreeper]

I made all of the link mounts myself from 3x4 boxed steel. I mocked up the links first with abs plastic tubing since is sooo much cheaper than 2" .25 wall dom tubing

 

[rockreeper]

I plated the frame so that i could mount the steering box and shock hoops for the coil overs

 

[rockreeper]

After getting all the links tacked in and the rear done too i was able to roll it out of my shop for the first time in a year or so

 

[Christian]

WAUW! That looks like one COOOOOL build! I love the aproach angles! Lets see some more!!!

 

[rapovt]

Nice work and good pics. I am about ready to strech mine 8"

 

[rockreeper]

well i'm gonna be getting a new engine tranny and tcase from a 94 cruiser today and then my freind is going to bring over his 220v miller so that i can burn the link mounts into the frame. I also got to get over to my friends house and replace the clutch master cyl in my 55

 

[tclndcrz]

awesome!! i really like that you are stretching the hardtop. Its nice to be able to stay warm and still go wheelin in the winter

 

[Tapage]

I like your approach angle .. and did you have a idea how much weight your build end ?

 

[rockreeper]

I like your approach angle .. and did you have a idea how much weight your build end ?

thanx and i don't know for sure what the final build wieght will be. i will be picking up a fzj80 4.5l engine tranny and tcase up this weekend and hopefully swapping it in in the next month or so. gotta put the whole top on and build the rollcage for it also. lots of work before i will know the weight.
In the mean time ive been working on this beauty

 

[fj40forlife]

May I ask. what back spacing you runing on the wheels? Fj looks great

 

[incogrhino]

Whatcha goin to do about the glass for the top?

 

[rockreeper]

Whatcha goin to do about the glass for the top?

I got two fiberglass tops to combine into one.

 

[rockreeper]

May I ask. what back spacing you runing on the wheels? Fj looks great

I believe that they are 4.5" but not for sure. I've had them for a while. They are 10" wide wheels, i know that.

 

[truvaine]

where exactly did you stretch the body?
i can tell you added the 10'' behind the wheels at the rear of the frame, and that on the hardtop you added the space in the middle of the large window.

did you move the rear axle back at all, or did you keep it in the original positioning? my question is, where on the tub did you add the space -- in front of the wheel, behind the wheel, or in the wheelwell?

 

[rockreeper]

where exactly did you stretch the body?
i can tell you added the 10'' behind the wheels at the rear of the frame, and that on the hardtop you added the space in the middle of the large window.

did you move the rear axle back at all, or did you keep it in the original positioning? my question is, where on the tub did you add the space -- in front of the wheel, behind the wheel, or in the wheelwell?

I moved the rear axle back quite a bit, cant remember how much and i had a picture of the axle moved back with the old rear quarter panels but my laptop with the pics on it crapped out so now i dont have the pic. As far as where on the tub the space came from. If you look at the pic of it stock, you can see the wheel wells start right after the cab/door section and when i built the new rear quarter panels i added ~10" in front of the wheel well.

 

[rockreeper]

I havent gotten much done lately but have been getting parts for it so in january i can hopefully get it running and caged. I'm gonna trailer it to a buddy's shop that he's letting my borrow and i'm taking a couple weeks off from work so i can concentrate on it get alot of stuff done to it. It has been sucking lately having to ride shotgun with everyone else when we go wheeling since i have two non running cruiser projects.