70 series Landcruiser Troopy expedition build - Frame off. (8 Viewers)

[gifu]

Who did the upholstery?
Did they just replace the air bag part with more foam?
What year/model BMW are these from?

 

[RobertoL]

What a great project!

 

[ofer bruhis]

Who did the upholstery?
Did they just replace the air bag part with more foam?
What year/model BMW are these from?

Hey Brian,

Sid’s in Mountain View, CA spent over 10 hours. Foam was in great shape and had no bags.

The sport seats came from a BMW E36. Not sure what year. That’s all what was published in the Craigslist ad.

 

[ofer bruhis]

Today got two boxes from partsouq.com. These are some frame parts to replace the front suspension to coils. A doner 79 series frame will be used to get the rest of the parts including axle. The thought is to change the knuckles to 80 series 6 bolts. Stay tuned.

 

[ofer bruhis]

So it is an active weekend. It IS a frame off project. We are headed to Arizona carrying all bare metal parts with our diesel 60 series. Frame left naked in the SF Bay Area. Luckily the weather is warm.

Body fitted in a uHaul 6x12 with 2” to spare on all 4 sides.

Stuck on I40 for 2 hours. Crash.

 

[gifu]

Very cool. Second only to transporting your FJ40 on the roof of your FJ60!

 

[TonyP]

Same color?

 

[ofer bruhis]

Same color?

No. It will be the same color as the 80. I have a gallon left and it’s almost $1k /gallon so I figured I’ll use it.

 

[ofer bruhis]

Very cool. Second only to transporting your FJ40 on the roof of your FJ60!

You mean this one? Hahaha.

 

[ofer bruhis]

Now I can focus on the frame/drive train. Got the IP and injectors. They look new. Rebuilt with Denso parts.

 

[ofer bruhis]

All body parts were dropped on Saturday morning with @kelly saad to give them life again. I’ll be visiting periodically and hopefully posting photos of the project as well as Kelly.

 

[ofer bruhis]

Juggling parts of one vehicle. FLYBOX, the diesel 60 has been working hard this week. Managed to tow the frame with a dolley back to our shop. Uhaul asked what vehicle I am towing. I said Prius, and it was too big. Then I tried Yaris and it worked. They even asked the color - WHITE!

I can start modifying the frame for the drivetrain. Once done I'll deal with the suspension coil swap.

Also today did a vehicle registration in Arizona. We own property there. California does not want our money I guess. They will not register this vehicle.

 

[PAToyota]

Juggling parts of one vehicle. FLYBOX, the diesel 60 has been working hard this week. Managed to tow the frame with a dolley back to our shop. Uhaul asked what vehicle I am towing. I said Prius, and it was too big. Then I tried Yaris and it worked. They even asked the color - WHITE!

UHaul: Stop. Who would tow with our dolly must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see.
Ofer: Ask me the questions, UHaul. I am not afraid.
UHaul: What… is your name?
Ofer: Sir Ofer Bruhis of Palo Alto.
UHaul: What… is your quest?
Ofer: I seek to transport my vehicle.
UHaul: What… vehicle are you towing?
Ofer: A Prius. No, a Yar…
[he is thrown over the edge]
Ofer: Auuuuuuuugh...

 

[SNLC]

Are you just converting the stock axle to coils?

If so I think you are going to have packaging issues. I have done a full conversion on a 70-series. Check the build thread “PZJ70 refresh/rebuild” for all the pics and details in the conversion.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

BTW, I think you will be happy with this Cruiser for overland duties, Troopies excel for this kind of thing.

Cheers

 

[ofer bruhis]

Are you just converting the stock axle to coils?

If so I think you are going to have packaging issues. I have done a full conversion on a 70-series. Check the build thread “PZJ70 refresh/rebuild” for all the pics and details in the conversion.

Cheers

Thanks Ian. I read your blog. Amazing!!!!

I talked to Georg @orangefj45 and a few others. I have a 79 series rolling frame and thinking of ripping the front suspension/axle/power steering and replacing mine. Georg said that they can be rebuilt with 80 series from the knuckles out (for 6 bolts).

As for the rear axle, We were thinking of 80 series but its a few inches wider, so the other option is leaving 5 studs and putting the full floating axle from the 79 as well.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[ofer bruhis]

BTW, I think you will be happy with this Cruiser for overland duties, Troopies excel for this kind of thing.

Cheers

I really don't know why I'm doing this. End up spending $90K and doing most work myself except the body and transmission/TC work the @orangefj45 magically did. I know it will be amazing when done, but...

Our 80 is a dream touring/expedition rig. We spent 2 trips for 30 days with 9000 miles each and it just so much fun to drive. I get amazing milage (20-26 mpg) and it is so smooth and torquey. We have done nearly 65000 miles on it in the last 3 years only as touring and never as DD. Just spent the weekend in Death Valley and I almost feel sorry for the jeeps that have to empty the jerrycans every few hours into the fuel tank. In my opinion Toyota designed the 80 series at their finest hour.

Thanks again Ian for checking me. I could use all the help I can get.

Cheers mate. And one of these days I'll stop by your shop to check your magic.

 

[ofer bruhis]

A bit of progress this weekend. Finished the engine except the flywheel. Installed the IP and injectors as well as the exhaust manifold.

For now mounted the tranny so the cross member on the frame can be placed. Removed the gussets on th outside of the frame (very carefully so they can be reused). The cross member has to be moved back a bit more then 13" but the frame widens toward the back. I would like to reuse it, so I'll weld 2 1/8" plates on the edges to widen it and drill 4 x 10 mm holes on each side to attach to the gussets at the new location. You never know, until you try it...

 

[ofer bruhis]

Ended up getting a 1/4" thick steel plate ($13.45). I guess price of steel tripled since last year... This will extend the cross member and allow me to use the gussets in the new location. Sand blaster is not working this week so I used the wire brush to clean the weld spots.

 

[ofer bruhis]

Well, the cross member is currently supporting the drivetrain in the new location. I managed to sneak a few hours during the week. Next , I’ll pull the engine off the frame and remove the inner gussets and move them to the new location. After that the cross beam that is welded to the frame will also move back, but for that I’ll need to install also the transfer case so I’ll have all the right spacing.