All the local highways to town are 50MPH. Just right. I wouldn't want to go any faster or slower.
'69 and highway speed
- Thread starter John Spies
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splitshot
Head cook, Bottle washer, and Peace keeper.
Found it..
Not sure if it is the same one, but happened to one of our CSC group..
https://forum.ih8mud.com/az-copper-state-cruisers/366503-v8-2f-auto-stock-4spd-72-transfer-2.html
I can't imagine such an occasion. I touched 85MPH once. Six years ago when I was sprung under, on 33s with a new engine. Just to see if I could.
Other people driving by me doesn't make me have to go fast. I drive by ear, vacuum gauge and tach, in that order. I drive whichever speed is safest or where my engine sounds happiest, in that order.
That said, a well running F in good tune will propel you at 65MPH all day without complaining too much. Whether or not you think your suspension, steering and brakes can keep up is always your seat of the pants call.
Id say......h55f with a torque splitter and 3:70 gearing would get you at 65 mph with the tach running around 2,000 rpms
eh i disagree
i'll play this game since i just had it out on the highway like i do almost every day! all stock truck except disk rear, headers, and DUI distributor (desmogged engine) 33''x9.5'' tires
i cruised 160 miles today from talledega to columbus ms quite a few hills at 70 mph got it up to 80 at one point just to see - the pedal had plenty of room to go for more and she feels incredibly stable and smooth no change in feel from 20mph to 80mph... (essentially it all depends on what your truck feels like) they're alllll different
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A 69 and a 78 are 2 different trucks imho.
I wear shooting earmuffs in my 69 with the hardtop on. Its loud at 45mph!
I wear shooting earmuffs in my 69 with the hardtop on. Its loud at 45mph!
Agree, and my comments are for a modified 1969. Spring over, 4 wheel disk brakes, power steering, 4x4 Labs cross-over steering. My only issue is the lack of a sway bar. I wear ear plugs/ear buds soft top or no top. It's loud.
I got my '74 (with a 1971/1974 bastard of a motor, appropriate Aisin carb, DUI, and 33x9.5s) up to 72mph (per GPS) recently and it could have gone faster. It was really stable thanks to recent axle work.
I found the sweet spot where the truck was cruising best and my leg was comfortable and not developing "Cruiser knee" was around 67mph. Which works out well here in the L.A. area.
75+ MPH, all day long with ease. But, this is a 1978, with the 3FE engine, and a 4 speed. I've also got 33 inch tires and 2.5 inch lift.The Hard top on, quietcrap intalled, carpet, and vintage air.
I have no trouble having a conversation with the wife in a normal tone of voice, unless she is yelling at me for buying more cruiser parts!
I have no trouble having a conversation with the wife in a normal tone of voice, unless she is yelling at me for buying more cruiser parts!
thanks for this 10-10 thread // have only driven mine 20 blocks since been putting to were i feel comfort driving 35 mi to work right through the heart of kansas City
lrowe_csp
Too many cruisers, not enough time
I'm with Pappy on this one. No shortage of power to easily cruise well over 70 mph with the 383, H55F, 4.11 and 315's, and while the 4wd discs and saginaw are comforting, with an SOA, you know that if somebody around you in traffic does something stupid, the 40 won't be the safest place to be on that highway.
i have driven stock 40s to california and back several times and many other places across country .and 60 is about it for me and the truck.put 4000 miles on 1 in one trip it was an fst and was a bit lighter and ran 35s .30 years ago driving a cruiser any where was normal time has passed us by but the cruiser just keep on going.
You have no option but to take the freeway here in the Phoenix area. I.ll be happy at 60 mph but need to go faster at times. I owned a wrangler for a number of years that didn.t like going much over 50 mph. Hated that thing. Sold it. Never went back. My 40 has no options but to do over 60 mph. I will upgrade the crap out of it if I have to considering it.s a DD.
As for losing the windshield...a friend in his '66 had the whold windshield and frame come back on him on the highway. Broke a finger on the steering wheel and he would have lost the W/S onto the freeway but for the bikini top holding it in. Luckily he had goggles handy to finish the drive home, but that almost stranded him.
The windshield hinge pins on both sides had finally broke after years of wheeling, lowering the windshield etc. If your W/S flops around a lot, you'd best check those hinges.
The windshield hinge pins on both sides had finally broke after years of wheeling, lowering the windshield etc. If your W/S flops around a lot, you'd best check those hinges.
Never thought about how fast you should or shouldn't. Drove the ALCAN in 76, in a 69,when it was all dirt and gravel. Stopped every hour to remove the mud so the tires wouldn't rub, and decided to come across Canada because the speed limit wasn't 55 like the US back then. We just drove as fast as we could go and never worried about anything. After reading this post and thinking back...It sounds pretty stupid. I was top heavy with luggage rack and 22 foot Tipi poles, camping gear, dog and wife.(in that order) Loved that dog...
I used to have a late-60's IH Scout and driving that thing over 55mph felt like a suicide mission. I can only speak from my experience with late-70's FJ40's, but my '77 DD (stock running gear with 31" tires) feels totally safe at the same speed and no worse at 65, though I don't like to push it that hard. A couple weeks ago I drove it 12 hours straight on the I-84 at 60ish without a single hiccup--other than the two days needed to recover my hearing. Granted, these vehicles weren't made for road trips at high speeds, but I do believe that a solid FJ40 is a totally highway-worthy rig when handled by a careful, sober driver. Just my two cents.
cruiserkev
3 decades in the same FJ40
Did 80 mph a few times in my 76 FJ40, pretty scary but it was nice to be able to pass slowpokes. At the time I was running the stock 2F with a shaved F head, Jim C rebuilt stock carb and headers with 32x11.50 Mud Kings. Lost that engine to catastrophic oil pressure failure and replaced it with another 2F out of a 83 FJ60. Miss that kind of passing power but it really was not safe to dive that fast in an FJ40 for very long. 
With 33s, 4.11s, H42, and a F with headers in my '72, I comfortably cruise at 70-75 MPH. Disk brakes help with stopping.
I drove the ALCAN when I still had drums all the way around...it was a frightening experience "attempting" to stop or slow down when moose decided to cross the roadway.
When you're getting passed by a 40 on a freeway, you know you're going slow!
I drove the ALCAN when I still had drums all the way around...it was a frightening experience "attempting" to stop or slow down when moose decided to cross the roadway.
When you're getting passed by a 40 on a freeway, you know you're going slow!
Same here. Drove my '80 FJ40 up to Montana in an 18 hr. run @ 70+ mph. 1150 miles, got about 14 mpg......not much wind. It has 3.73s w/ 31x10.5x15 on stock wheels. Rig is stock, w/ SOR 2" spring package and LSD. Handled great, not too loud, and motor wasn't working hard. Summer run, so weather was a non-issue.
