Builds Aussie 1978 FJ40 Buildup

[Twisty]

Tilt steering column is kinda cool.....only use it in the up position, which allows a lot more leg room under the steering wheel then the std. setup.

All the way up.

All the way down.

Bolted to the firewall

The new battery locations. Battery pictured is a 90amp hour Vision AGM. I've currently got it mounted a cheap Witworths Marine plastic battery tray, but am getting some custom trays made up at the moment to hold the 90amp one, and another 120amp hour Vision AGM battery. Am going to end up doing a draw system in the back to hide it all.

 

[Twisty]

Also finally ended up getting rid of the lights off the guards, and am stoked with the result! Looks so much cleaner!
I bought a set of replacement headlights which have a LED ring around them for the parkers. Then I got 4 clear round indicators of the latest range rover for $20ea new. Installed two on the bottom of the bib and one on each side.

Heres some pics of the final result.

With the LED Parkers on.

With the lights on

LED rings and indicators on.

 

[Twisty]

I also got the springs swapped front to rear last week which made a huge difference. Turns out dobinson did original put the stickers on wrong with my leaf packs, and thats why is sat so bum down all this time. Wish I swapped them around sooner!

I just used some silver vinyl stickers to cover up the holes for now. Cant notice it from a distance, but up close you can. Better then having holes there but.

With the stickers on

 

[Twisty]

And llastly I got rid of the ugly std. license plate mount and lights on the rear. I'm using a led light off ebay instead which looks a lot more cleaner. Just used some silver vinyl stickers to cover the holes on that for now too.
Std. setup

 

[Twisty]

Fitted a 4Way return to centre steering dampner off a 80 series today. The tough dog one I had originally bought isn't long enough anymore since the 80 series p/steer conversion.

Was simple enough to fit, just bolted a std. 80 series mount to the front of the cross member. Made a nice difference too.....but still need to sort out the castor to get it driving really good.

 

[Twisty]

Well Australian 4WD Monthly Magazine wanna feature the 40, and the photo shoot is this week, so I snuck in a quick couple mods in time for the shoot.

Went down to Fourbys sarturday morning, and the boys fitted the rebuilt rear diff centre with an airlocker. Had one hickup on the install, the new diff was out of a 60 series, and it turns out they have a different flange to the 40 series.......but Ryano made a few phone calls, and had a new flange there without too much of a wait.
Then saturday arve Matt (Cracka) came up for a bbq and brews and we fitted the recaros out of the 4runner......Matty can lay a pretty good weld with an arc welder for an office boy, and we had them all sorted in a couple of hours (thanks Matty!)......Am stoked with how they look, and they are also a much better driving position then the old seats, which sat way too high. Am back too lookin out of the middle of the windscreen, instead of through the tinted strip at the top.

I spent today fitting the compressor and wiring up the airlocker, then also started getting the 40 nice and clean......gotta polish and fit the offroad wheels/tyres tomo, and then polish the whole truck tuesday, then we should be right to go.

Anyway, heres a few pics.

I wasn't real keen on cutting some holes in the dash for the airlocker switches, so made up a quick alloy bracket to screw to the centre consule. Crackas keen to help out at making a new consule sometime soon, which will have the switches mounted better.

Fitted to the centre consule.

Mounted the aircompressor at the passenger side rear corner. Which will end up being covered with a rear draw setup down the track. Alo mounted the redarc isolator there, but haven't wired it up yet, waiting for the dual battery tray to be done.

The Recaros fitted.

 

[_Mitcho_]

VERY VERY nice job! im loving this 40, and it looks like ill be stealing your idea of the license plate on the rear too! it looks great!

 

[theblacksmith_30]

that is a realy cool cruiser
i am realy jellous and i hope mine will turnout that good

 

[fj40_73]

good thread, keep the pictures coming.

 

[Twisty]

good thread, keep the pictures coming.

that is a realy cool cruiser
i am realy jellous and i hope mine will turnout that good

Thanks for the comments......Most of my pics are down at the moment, as the server I host them on is getting changed, but heres a few pics from the Australian 4WD Monthly shoot on thursday.....only shiny ones.....will have to wait for the action shots when the mag comes out.....
All cleaned up the weekend before with the play tyres and rims!

Trying to get a good shot with one of the glasshouse mountains in the background.

and thats about it.

 

[_Mitcho_]

ohhhh well done! that is one awesome truck!!!

 

[Twisty]

Thanks Mitch!! Got some more mods happening next week......A rebuilt front diff is going in with another airlocker......So will be locked front and rear! (stoked!)

Getting some lightforce 170 spot lights.
http://www.lightforce.net.au/images/dl140170.pdf

Also currently drawing up a new custom steel winch front bar that a mate is going to make for me. It was be based along the lines of this heep one.

After the front bar is done, am going to get a rear one done too.....It'll be based on something along the lines of this.
http://www.4x4review.com/Reviews/ProductReviews/Exterior/MORERearBumper/tabid/244/Default.aspx

Was originally planning on doing all the barwork white to match the bezel and roof.....but some mates have giving me sh!t about it, saying it will look crap. The other plan is to colour code it silver to match the rest of the truck? Whats other people thoughts on what colour to do it? (I dont wanna do it black)

 

[Hulsty]

hey mate nice looking 40 there!

I noticed your running a 3F, is that with a 5spd? what ratio diffs are you running? was just wondering how it goes pushing the 35'' along in the bush

cheers

 

[Twisty]

hey mate nice looking 40 there!

I noticed your running a 3F, is that with a 5spd? what ratio diffs are you running? was just wondering how it goes pushing the 35'' along in the bush

cheers

thanks mate! Yep, am running a 3F in the 40, but its in front of the standard 4spd and xfer.....am also running the std. 4.1 diff ratios.

It pushes the 35s along no dramas, and the low range is still good offroad.....Main thing I notice with the 35s on is the brakes...doesn't pull up real well, even with the front disc brakes. Am keen to do a disc brake conversion on the rear sometime to try and fix that but.

Gearbox and Xfer are both making some horrid noise too, so plan to do a 5spd conversion when that finally sh!ts itself.

 

[Hulsty]

cool thanks for that mate, I might get away with 35''s on my middy then down here in victoria, I think low 1st in the 5spd is slightly lower than in the 4spd so should be sweet!!

cheers

 

[Twisty]

Am almost finished drawing up the new front steel winch bumper that I'll be getting made soon. Heres the drawings so far.....(any comments wether good or bad would be appriecated)

Full size
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/FJ40/FJ40_Front_Bar_Model.jpg

 

[Twisty]

Well I ended up getting a copy of solidworks and did the new bar up in that...am pretty happy with the end result. Have just got to do a final check of all the autocad drawings then it will get sent off to a mates business to get lasercut.

This one is just to show the detail of the lightforce 170...am pretty happy with it.

 

[Teebag]

That is nice, please share the plans

 

[Twisty]

That is nice, please share the plans

As long as its not a business that is going to profit from the plans/drawings, then I'll be happy to share

 

[tmarx]

As long as its not a business that is going to profit from the plans/drawings, then I'll be happy to share

I can vouch for Jonathan, he is definately not a business

Great truck you got