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- #21
Thrashed rear cross member is gone. 
'76 on a '64 - FJ40 SBC/700R4 Build Thread
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- #22
Got the new rear cross member fabricated
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- #23
Front axle is sitting on springs again.
nice clean fibbing on the spring purches, motor mounts and rear cross member (I only wish) ... are your putting the tail-lights back into the cross-memeber ... looks like you have the cutout marked out ...
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- #25
nice clean fibbing on the spring purches, motor mounts and rear cross member (I only wish) ... are your putting the tail-lights back into the cross-memeber ... looks like you have the cutout marked out ...
No taillights in the cross member. They will end up as a removable part of the tire carrier/ice chest rack that ends up on the rear. That way they are out of harm's way, and there is more strength in the end of the rear cross member (Like if you decide to use a Hi-lift jack).
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- #26
More progress.
The engine, trans and t-case are mocked up in the frame. Spring mounts are all welded up and the rear cross member is finished. A shipping error with the radiator has delayed installation of the radiator and the fab for the brackets and shroud.
I trashed the idea of using the AA rear cross member in favor of a skid plate-mounted rear support. I've avoided them in the past, but after seeing what Georg (Valley Hybrids) has done with his rig, I'm sold. My rear 'propeller' mount will get the heave-ho when my Orion goes in my rig next month. I still need to fabricate a front plate to protect the front half of the trans and the engine oil pan.
The rear mount will get replaced with an Energy Suspensions unit in final assembly. Twin sticks still need to be finished, but the new Orion looks right at home waiting for some input from the engine and trans. I picked up the newly rebuilt 700R4 from the shop (it's not the one in the picture
) yesterday morning, along with the torque converter, TV cable, super cool aluminum oil pan, and B&M torque converter lock-up controller.
Also got the torque tube tacked in place and have some minor welding to finish up before everything comes apart and the frame goes out for sandblasting and paint.
Now for the bad news. The tub came back from sandblasting and is a POS! Have I ever said how much I HATE
Rhino lining and all it's cousins? The floor had been coated top and bottom and was hiding a Swiss cheese mess. Oh, and then there's the 15 pounds of Bondo from the A pillar back.( I knew there was some, but 
)
The good news?? I am picking up a nice '76 tub on Saturday that's already sand-blasted and primed - I just have to drive 4 hours each way to bring it home.
The engine, trans and t-case are mocked up in the frame. Spring mounts are all welded up and the rear cross member is finished. A shipping error with the radiator has delayed installation of the radiator and the fab for the brackets and shroud.
I trashed the idea of using the AA rear cross member in favor of a skid plate-mounted rear support. I've avoided them in the past, but after seeing what Georg (Valley Hybrids) has done with his rig, I'm sold. My rear 'propeller' mount will get the heave-ho when my Orion goes in my rig next month. I still need to fabricate a front plate to protect the front half of the trans and the engine oil pan.
The rear mount will get replaced with an Energy Suspensions unit in final assembly. Twin sticks still need to be finished, but the new Orion looks right at home waiting for some input from the engine and trans. I picked up the newly rebuilt 700R4 from the shop (it's not the one in the picture
) yesterday morning, along with the torque converter, TV cable, super cool aluminum oil pan, and B&M torque converter lock-up controller.Also got the torque tube tacked in place and have some minor welding to finish up before everything comes apart and the frame goes out for sandblasting and paint.
Now for the bad news. The tub came back from sandblasting and is a POS! Have I ever said how much I HATE
Rhino lining and all it's cousins? The floor had been coated top and bottom and was hiding a Swiss cheese mess. Oh, and then there's the 15 pounds of Bondo from the A pillar back.( I knew there was some, but ) The good news?? I am picking up a nice '76 tub on Saturday that's already sand-blasted and primed - I just have to drive 4 hours each way to bring it home.
Looking good keep it up
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- #29
I created to new 'rails' welded to the frame, with blind nuts to bolt the skid plate to the frame. They are one of the minor items that need final touches. Each side has five 3/8" bolts now holding the skid plate. I'll post a few more pictures of the entire assembly soon.
Cool project! Subscribed ~
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- #31
Cool! Glad to have you follow along.
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- #32
A few pictures of the some of the new pieces going into the frame soon. Radiator arrived today, as did the aluminum trans oil pan.
I have a 700R4 in mine also. I bought a new TV cable from TCI. I learned the hard way what to look for when installing the cable. If you can, attach the cable with the trans on the bench and with the trans on it's side and the pan off verify that the TV cable will move the TV plunger the full travel.
My TCI cable had a manufacturing defect that didn't allow full travel. I found out when I lost 3rd and 4th gears after about 100 miles. It was a costly learning experience.
Notice on the fitting where it is swedged to the cable that there are ears created from the swedging process. On mine the ears were so wide it didn't allow the fitting to go all the way up the cavity in the cable end. It felt good from the carb side and I even had it adjusted at a trans shop. The trans had a kit in it which raised the fluid pressure so the shifts were hard. This covered up the issue that might have been noticeable on a stock trans. This picture doesn't show it well, but I circled the one visible ear.
Even after filing the extra material off I had to shim the cable housing end up a little to get full travel on my replacement trans.
I don't have a picture of my trans pan, but because the front drive shaft is so close to the pan I needed to cut the lip down at the rear edge and hammer the front corner of the pan in. You can't do that on an aluminum pan so check carefully in case you need to return your pan in favor of a steel one.
Keep up the good work!
My TCI cable had a manufacturing defect that didn't allow full travel. I found out when I lost 3rd and 4th gears after about 100 miles. It was a costly learning experience.
Notice on the fitting where it is swedged to the cable that there are ears created from the swedging process. On mine the ears were so wide it didn't allow the fitting to go all the way up the cavity in the cable end. It felt good from the carb side and I even had it adjusted at a trans shop. The trans had a kit in it which raised the fluid pressure so the shifts were hard. This covered up the issue that might have been noticeable on a stock trans. This picture doesn't show it well, but I circled the one visible ear.
Even after filing the extra material off I had to shim the cable housing end up a little to get full travel on my replacement trans.
I don't have a picture of my trans pan, but because the front drive shaft is so close to the pan I needed to cut the lip down at the rear edge and hammer the front corner of the pan in. You can't do that on an aluminum pan so check carefully in case you need to return your pan in favor of a steel one.
Keep up the good work!
nice build ... man, it made me shudder about what you found with the sandblasted tub ... that is a PITA ... no berliner here, but my tub is allegedly "original" that was "refreshened" due to faded paint ... it doesn't look too bad, but who knows ...
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- #36
I have a 700R4 in mine also. I bought a new TV cable from TCI. I learned the hard way what to look for when installing the cable. If you can, attach the cable with the trans on the bench and with the trans on it's side and the pan off verify that the TV cable will move the TV plunger the full travel.
My TCI cable had a manufacturing defect that didn't allow full travel. I found out when I lost 3rd and 4th gears after about 100 miles. It was a costly learning experience.
Notice on the fitting where it is swedged to the cable that there are ears created from the swedging process. On mine the ears were so wide it didn't allow the fitting to go all the way up the cavity in the cable end. It felt good from the carb side and I even had it adjusted at a trans shop. The trans had a kit in it which raised the fluid pressure so the shifts were hard. This covered up the issue that might have been noticeable on a stock trans. This picture doesn't show it well, but I circled the one visible ear.
Even after filing the extra material off I had to shim the cable housing end up a little to get full travel on my replacement trans.
<a href="http://s378.photobucket.com/user/srgould41/media/images_zpsc94b2c7e.jpg.html" target="_blank"><a href="http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo222/srgould41/images_zpsc94b2c7e.jpg" target="_blank"><a href="http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo222/srgould41/images_zpsc94b2c7e.jpg" target="_blank"><a href="http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo222/srgould41/images_zpsc94b2c7e.jpg" target="_blank"><a href="http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo222/srgould41/images_zpsc94b2c7e.jpg" target="_blank"><a href="http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo222/srgould41/images_zpsc94b2c7e.jpg" target="_blank"><a href="http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo222/srgould41/images_zpsc94b2c7e.jpg" target="_blank"><a href="http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo222/srgould41/images_zpsc94b2c7e.jpg" target="_blank"><a href="http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo222/srgould41/images_zpsc94b2c7e.jpg" target="_blank">
I don't have a picture of my trans pan, but because the front drive shaft is so close to the pan I needed to cut the lip down at the rear edge and hammer the front corner of the pan in. You can't do that on an aluminum pan so check carefully in case you need to return your pan in favor of a steel one.
Keep up the good work!
I am fortunate on several accounts:
First, the guy that builds my transmissions comes out and sets the TV cable, makes sure the shift detents are correctly set and works with me during the initial test drive. You are right, if the TV cable is not correctly set the results can be a loss of line pressure and subsequent clutch failure (among other problems). I was pleasantly surprised the first time he asked if he could help me get the trans dialed in, it certainly makes initial start-ups less stressful. He makes sure the shift points are correct and that the trans shifts smoothly, no neck-jarring 'hard' shifts. He knows his stuff and has saved me from a fate similar to yours.
nice build ... man, it made me shudder about what you found with the sandblasted tub ... that is a PITA ... no berliner here, but my tub is allegedly "original" that was "refreshened" due to faded paint ... it doesn't look too bad, but who knows ...
Second, I was lucky enough to have saved the phone number of a guy who had contacted me last year looking to sell parts, including the tub he still has. We are headed out tomorrow morning to pick it up. Hopefully it looks as good in 'person' as it looks in the pictures he sent.
Third, I have friend/business associate who owns a machine shop here, and is also a TIG welding perfectionist. We plan to mill the pan where appropriate and remove and reconstruct where needed. At least that's are plan right now
. You'll get to see the finished work.
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- #37
Picked up the new tub Saturday. Aside from the usual FJ40 rear sill issue 
, it is in MUCH better condition. The existing sill possibly could have been salvaged, but we're so deep into this it just made sense to replace it all.
The tub is all stock, not even any aftermarket roll cage holes. There is only one extra PO-installed hole in the dash, one an extra antenna hole on the outside and a few minor screw holes elsewhere.
Aside from the usual FJ40 rear sill issue , it is in MUCH better condition. The existing sill possibly could have been salvaged, but we're so deep into this it just made sense to replace it all.The tub is all stock, not even any aftermarket roll cage holes. There is only one extra PO-installed hole in the dash, one an extra antenna hole on the outside and a few minor screw holes elsewhere.
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- #38
Well, Gremlins are preventing me from posting pictures. Something about a "security token", whatever that is. I have emailed the Administrator for some insight, but until the Gremlins are dispatched I'll just have to use a narrative and everyone else can use their imagination! 
I finished the frame last week, including the Metaltech sliders, relocateing the rear shock mounts, setting the pinion angles and welding the perches in place and finishing up the frame mounts for the skid plate. Almost everything is now in the hands of the sandblaster and paint shop.
The new tub, while much better than the previous one, still has issues that are going to up the cost of the restoration. Good tubs are almost impossible to find and I am hoping for a little body shop magic to help keep the cost down.
I got most of the hardware back from plating last week. Very pretty! (insert imagination here). I have a few more pieces to ship off plus my personal collection of OEM FJ40 hardware. It looks so nice I can't resist (insert imagination again).
I finished the frame last week, including the Metaltech sliders, relocateing the rear shock mounts, setting the pinion angles and welding the perches in place and finishing up the frame mounts for the skid plate. Almost everything is now in the hands of the sandblaster and paint shop.
The new tub, while much better than the previous one, still has issues that are going to up the cost of the restoration. Good tubs are almost impossible to find and I am hoping for a little body shop magic to help keep the cost down.
I got most of the hardware back from plating last week. Very pretty! (insert imagination here)
. I have a few more pieces to ship off plus my personal collection of OEM FJ40 hardware. It looks so nice I can't resist (insert imagination again).
my imagination says your work looks great as usual ... lot easier to do the "underneath" stuff without the tub on, eh ... hope it works out with the body shop magic ... it is a never ending battle here ... I think fibreglass or aluminum is in my 40's future down the road ...
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- #40