Builds A little "Sugar" (1 Viewer)

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NCFJ

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Location
Chesnee, SC
A new build has started in the shop, Sugar. Sugar is a 1987 FJ60 going on a 1995 FZJ80 roller with a 5.3L Vortec and an NV4500 trans. She'll also get a list of other changes along the way.

A fresh frame ready to give it's life in pursuit of a FJ140
All brake lines etc are removed now along with body mounts.
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The frame has been cut in the center to shorten for proper wheel base and also behind the rear axle in order to get the frame rails in proper position to catch body mounts for the 60 body
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The center of the frame has been welded back together with 1/4" plate box, 16" long inside the frame rail. Welded at the seam along with 48 rosset welds holding it all together.

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The rear has been tacked in place until the body is set on the frame and final position checked. Two 1/4" plates are rosset welded on each side along with the seam.

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Wow, that's great to see another one of your swaps. Very nice work and thanks for sharing. One question I do have would the factory spare tire carrier still be able to be used if one still wanted a stock bumper?
 
Wow, that's great to see another one of your swaps. Very nice work and thanks for sharing. One question I do have would the factory spare tire carrier still be able to be used if one still wanted a stock bumper?
Thank you. The OEM 80 fuel tank is near impossible and far much more work than it is worth to remain in stock position. For that reason, an aftermarket tank will be used in the position that the OEM spare is housed.

Looks fun. Gotta change the code name for it. "F" (as in FJ40, FJ60, FZJ80) denotes the engine model. Since a Vortec is going in this - it's gotta be a VJ140 (or something like that).

Way above my pay grade :)
 
Can’t wait to watch this build progress. Any plans for the interior? 60 dash... 80 dash? Could that even fit?

And a quick question, is the NV4500 a direct bolt up to the Vortec?
 
Will you couple the nv4500 with a cruiser transfer case to maintain the pass drop driveshafts and run the yoga axles? Or go with something like a NP205 transfer and switch to a centered diff rear axle?
 
No plans for interior at this time other than some Wagon Gear panels and shoulder belts in the rear. I believe that the owner has plans to put in a 62 dash and some new front seats when he gets it back. NV4500 to bell housing to motor, AA has the bell housing.

Using stock T-case from 60 series
 
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I just brought an 80 frame home I got for $100. It needs some cleanup and minor repairs but a good base to start from. Wasn't planning to put my 60 body on it....but its tempting. The shop I got it from was about 100 miles North of here and they had pulled it out from under a customers 80....they found another one which must have been spotless out in Utah and they had it shipped to Colorado where it got hot dip galvanized and then shipped to Vermont. They said this was a cheaper route than sending this chassis to Syracuse NY to have it hot dipped. But I do like the idea of a good hot dipping.
 
Old chassis on the right, new on the left

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The body will be cleaned up a bit then located on the chassis and new body mounts located. Once that is done the under body will be stripped in preparation for Lizard Skin.
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Uh oh. The new chassis backwards. Must have come from Australia. That’s gonna be a lot of work to convert. 😂
 
Now for a serious question. Is the path the axle on the 80 takes close enough on movement that matching 80 to 60 wheel base exactly is ok?
 
It's worked out so far.
 
We shortened a LR disco frame down to build a series truck and it’s still ok but the axles on the series rovers move forward iirc when leaves compress.
 
It's just not that big of an issue Seth. These are not trucks that are going to be put into full stuff far enough for it to be an issue. You are over thinking the circumstance.
 
It's just not that big of an issue Seth. These are not trucks that are going to be put into full stuff far enough for it to be an issue. You are over thinking the circumstance.

It was more of a curiousity than a worry. Even with the rover it wasn’t an issue. Just something g we figured out after the fact.
 
A 60 just looks odd that low to the ground
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Got the rear inner fenders cut to fit the new frame, rear section of frame is where it belongs and the radiator support body mounts in place.
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