77 FJ40-coming home

[yOHda]

This week I pulled the brake master out of my 80 and installed it into my 40. 80 master cylinder with 80 disc brakes front and rear is amazing on a 40. Even with my 37s, it will straight throw you through the windshield if you are not careful. I havent had brakes like this on any other truck I've built and it is awesome. Knowing you have good brakes is a very good feeling. It is a necessity driving around Columbus.

Somewhat recent pic. It is partially OD Green now. And a soft top will be here Tuesday.

This experience has gotten me even more excited about swapping the 1FZ. This should turn out to be an all around great truck.

 

[yOHda]

My 2F is trying to kill itself before I can pull it out. I don't really drive it on the highway, but I ventured out to visit my mom Sunday. Not even 10 miles down the highway I am overheating with the quickness. I let the truck cool and take it back home. After tearing into it and reading the past few days I have come to a few conclusions.

I recently removed the heater core and rear heater out of the system. I think extra mileage helped cool the coolant.

I also think my winch is restricting airflow. My bumper is pushed in a few inches as well further restricting things with the tall winch. Bummer, because I had planned to move it in even further.


Things I know:

Thermostat removed, tested, and working.

Water pump removed, inspected, and appears to be fine.

Exhaust manifold gasket looking ugly. I went ahead and replaced it even though I don't plan on this motor being in here longer than a few more weeks.

Clutch fan appears to be operating correctly. I had planned to replace it with a volvo fan with the 1fz so I am just going to replace it now.


I'd like to not kill this motor because I wanted to give it to a friend. Hoping to have it sorted out. After I put it back together, looks like I'll need to start thinking about new bumper to move the winch lower.

 

[FJ40Jim]

A stock FJ40 cooling system is plenty adequate for a 2F. Chances are the radiator itself is not flowing sufficient water. Because it is a vertical downflow rad, all the sand and gasket debris ends up layered in the top tank of the radiator, restricting flow down through the tubes. Have a rad shop open the top tank, "rod out" the tubes and dispose of gunk. Or just get a new HD radiator to cool the pending 1FZ.

 

[yOHda]

Done. Ordered the mid-level alum Champion Rad Monday. The 500 hp version. Be here Saturday.

Like you said Jim, with the 1FZ around the corner, I would need to do it anyway.

Still making the harness, I am jumping back and forth between this one and a 1UZ harness for my IS300. fun, fun.

 

[yOHda]

Starting going Indigo...finish it whenever.

Champion Radiator:

Hung out with a buddy up on his farm in Powell. I just enjoy being in nature. 100" wheelbase and that hard top make for some interesting climbs.

I had to haul some scrap to the yard last week. 660 pounds of scrap I loaded in back of the 40. I was surprised it handled it as well as it did. That 2F is a workhorse. My empty weight was a staggering 4560 pounds. I was surprised.


I hate to say it but I have a new game plan for my 80 series chassis. Making something like this would be 100x more practical for me. I could play in it on the weekend and use it every day. I have been borrowing my friends ford diesel flatbed with stake sides and it is such a useful truck to have around the house. so I'm going for something like this on my 80 chassis. Stock 112" wheelbase. Just make new body mounts on my torchmate and new sides like in the FJ40.5 build and a nice tube/flatbed.

This is honestly the first truck I have ever showed the wife and she really liked, not just feigned interest. That lets me know I'm on the right track. HAHA.

 

[yOHda]

 

[yOHda]

Rear 80 suspension will stay stock. Up front, I'll cut new lower link mounts, upper link mount, and shock towers on the Torchmate and swap in my RuffStuff axle using the factory steering box, panhard location. I'll make new motor mounts to slide the motor back a few inches so the body can sit in the proper location and have the radiator up front.

I'll take it out to circleville and have a tube bed put on it by a friend that does awesome tube work.

This was one of my original plans a year ago and I should have stuck with it.


So much for the soft top and doors I just got. Guess I'll put that stuff back up for sale.haha

 

[offroadohio]

You are still alive! Havent seen ya in for ever!

 

[zebrabeefj40]

I'll assume you've seen Project X... https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/project-x.34899/

Nick

 

[Delancy]

But I have what I need to make a standalone harness for the motor and the necessary circuits for the 40

'Cuse me?

 

[Delancy]

Bump....

 

[94SRUNNER]

Bump....

You may need to bump him a little harder!

 

[EWheeler]

Starting going Indigo...finish it whenever.

Champion Radiator:

Hung out with a buddy up on his farm in Powell. I just enjoy being in nature. 100" wheelbase and that hard top make for some interesting climbs.

I had to haul some scrap to the yard last week. 660 pounds of scrap I loaded in back of the 40. I was surprised it handled it as well as it did. That 2F is a workhorse. My empty weight was a staggering 4560 pounds. I was surprised.


I hate to say it but I have a new game plan for my 80 series chassis. Making something like this would be 100x more practical for me. I could play in it on the weekend and use it every day. I have been borrowing my friends ford diesel flatbed with stake sides and it is such a useful truck to have around the house. so I'm going for something like this on my 80 chassis. Stock 112" wheelbase. Just make new body mounts on my torchmate and new sides like in the FJ40.5 build and a nice tube/flatbed.

This is honestly the first truck I have ever showed the wife and she really liked, not just feigned interest. That lets me know I'm on the right track. HAHA.

How has this 40 evolved in the past decade?

 

[yOHda]

How has this 40 evolved in the past decade?

Well…as most things go. Life gets in the way. But I held on to the 40!

Interests changed. I built a 2nd gen ext cab pickup and wheeled that for awhile.

Now that the kids are older and I’m a little more settled, I am slowly but surely making my way back to this project.

The 1uz I had planned for this project went in my ae86.

I got into squarebodys and 69-72s for a bit.

And now I’m finally back to the 40. Lol

 

[yOHda]

The 40 was in desperate need of a new tub and I always wanted to build a pickup. So that’s what I’m doing.

I have cut the 40 and frame and top. Slowly but surely piecing it all back together. I cut the body up at my old shop before I got rid of it. From the door back there wasn’t much of the original tub left.

I then started on the top. I basically just took out the large side window.

 

[yOHda]

and cut the fiberglass and fitted it together.

 

[yOHda]

Sorting out the rear. Still using the rear hatch.

And a shot of it all together.

 

[yOHda]

Engine: 4bd2t

And what will bring it all together

 

[yOHda]

A lot of work still ahead of me. Figure out wheelbase so I can figure out length of frame. I made the rear slide on the rails so I could play with it a bit. It will get cut back apart and boxed and yadda yadda yadda when I’m closer to suspension.

Superduty’s. 3 link or radius arms up front with bags. I built a wishbone 3 link setup for my c30 and now I’m all into airbags. Still may be leafs rear though.

40-43s.

 

[EWheeler]

A lot of work still ahead of me. Figure out wheelbase so I can figure out length of frame. I made the rear slide on the rails so I could play with it a bit. It will get cut back apart and boxed and yadda yadda yadda when I’m closer to suspension.

Superduty’s. 3 link or radius arms up front with bags. I built a wishbone 3 link setup for my c30 and now I’m all into airbags. Still may be leafs rear though.

40-43s.

Sweet! Going to be a cool truck when you're done.