74 Land Cruiser FJ40 on a 2002 Tacoma, advice? (1 Viewer)

[barberjd]

As mentioned in the title, I have a 74 FJ40 that is minus a motor... I have a 2002 Tacoma extended cab 4x4 auto 4cyl with 36k miles and a salvage title due to a roll over. I have this planned in my mind but now I'm getting nervous and I am requesting advice as to merrging the two together in hopes of creating a 74 FJ40 with IFS, auto, cruise control, and A/C... Yes I understand this is sacrilegious to most but I want a unique streetable Fj40.
My main concerns at this point are:
1. Do I keep the firewall and floors of the tacoma and graft the Fj40 over top of that in hopes of saving time and eliminating issues?
-or-
2. Do I remove the Tacoma body, adjust my mounts on the tacoma frame to accept the FJ40 body (aligining/centering wheel wells to wheels) and then swap over the Tacoma goodies that are retained in the dash?

Side note, a Tacoma dash by measurements will fit in the FJ40 body after you remove the panel... the curve in the Tacoma dash in regards to the defrost would have to be cut straight...

Here is the donor truck....

 

[PAToyota]

I'm not sure that grafting the Tacoma firewall into the FJ40 is going to save time - most likely the opposite. And chopping about 30" (as 40Habits mentions) out of the frame will likely be a consideration as well.

 

[wspastorbryan]

I've been trying to graft body panels from a 40 and 60 into an 80 and it sucks. I think that a full on body swap would be much easier. For the wheelbase issue, maybe do a 45 bed or tray?
And as far as IFS goes, more power to you. But I think that you should pull an IRS out of a Sequoia, then the IFS isn't so out of place.

 

[PAToyota]

Take a look through the Trucks! episodes on their Project Super Dually.

Totally different project, but it gives some ideas of things to think about when combining vehicles. Basically, they put the Ford body on the Dodge chassis and drivetrain, but incorporated the Dodge dash and other components into the Ford to make the Ford "talk" to the Dodge easier. I'm seeing a similar train of thought with your conversion.

 

[Toyoland66]

Swap the tacoma engine into the 40, an IFS 40 is crazy talk

 

[90FJ]

^this.

 

[dirtnerd]

you are going to go through a sh1t ton of work to make a 4 cyl FJ40? Might make more sense to part out the Taco and use the money to buy a more reasonable power plant for the landcruiser.

 

[PAToyota]

you are going to go through a sh1t ton of work to make a 4 cyl FJ40? Might make more sense to part out the Taco and use the money to buy a more reasonable power plant for the landcruiser.

Well, the 74 FJ40 had an F engine that made about 125 hp. The 2F made 135 hp. The 2002 2.4L made about 142 hp. You're losing torque, though.

The OP hasn't bothered to follow up on his post (his only one), but depending on his use (he says streetable) and the shape of the orignal FJ it may make sense to do what he is talking about.

 

[barberjd]

Sorry, for the delay and lack of information. The 74 fj40 I have is bare sitting on a good frame with no motor. The tranny is in unknown condition but the transfer case does have a twin stick setup with other signs leading me to believe someone wheeled it aggressively. The original wiring harness is gone and a painless kit is in place for a 350 but it is spliced severely rendering it junk.
Therefore, I purchased the taco for $3000 and I can fix it back to an truck but I thought it would be great for a donor to take the fj40 down to a extended cab, then remove the bedsides from the taco and replacing then with flat quarter panels or late 70's Toyota pickup bedsides to closely mimic the original fj45 sides.
The goal is to make a good streetable fj40 with all the amenities and modern conveniences.
Thanks for your comments, suggestions, and/or constructive criticism.

 

[barberjd]

Plans have changed...

As always plans change as a result of trusted opinions and cost... Therefore, I decided to build the 02 taco back to it's former glory and keep the 74 FJ40 for a 2000 Tundra V8 that I found.
Plans for the 1974 FJ40 will be to remove the body of the 2000 Tundra leaving only the chassis and drivetrain (yes, the IFS will stay) and shorten the frame to desired length. The 74 FJ40 will receive a half top conversion and the body will be lengthend to what some call a "ute."
Here are pics of the 02 Taco and it's current transformation... lots of welding ahead!

 

[Tapage]

What are you planning on terms of dash and gauges?

 

[barberjd]

I will be using the tundra gauges/steering column and anything else I can swap over into the fj. A drive by wire would be nice but the 2000-02 tundra's are cable...
I can't remember where I seen it but, another builder swapped over his newer land cruiser gauges and steering column into an fj40 that sits on top of the newer chassis. Looked great and close to factory.

 

[2fpower]

update?

 

[jim land]

i love the mpg of my 2.7L 96 4runner and for all around driving to work or the grocery, the power is not that bad if you dont tow a boat and it is surely weight as much as my 40

do it and they will come to see it , extended body or 45ed

 

[jim land]

holy moly this thread is old , he probably change his mind