Builds Back dated mid 60's fst Troopy build (1 Viewer)

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whitey45

SILVER Star
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
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411
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Location
San Gregorio
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Been wanting to do this for a long time, years actually. I have been collecting everything to turn an 80's Troopy into a 65 fst Troopy! I picked up an 82 bj45 from Abe here on the forum( thanks bro). I've had Rhd aussie troopys but couldn't pass up a lefty,3b, 12 volt Troopy from Portugal. It was rough around the edges with rust in the usual places, but mechanically very good with a clean rust free frame. The front sheetmetal, doors and top all had rust, but I had a plan! First thing was to strip it down, front clip, doors, top,etc. I have collected the best early sheetmetal,
bib lights, stamped bezel,pto winch, jump seats, factory soft top Troopy bows, fst front doors, fst amby doors. Paki split windshield.I've had these parts long before the Troopy. This is what I started with.
 
Stamped bezel = eye candy!
 
That is sweet! The older metal, round turn signals, stamped bezel, split windshield and softop! :steer:
 
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as it sits today, first drive, going to source a full soft top as soon as someone makes one. I have an original aussie soft top from 1977 but it's seen better days. Of course I had to turbo the 3b as well, but with all the heavy doors and top off, this thing scoots!
 
Man - I dig it!!
 
SOOO COOL!!! I don't even have words for how cool your truck is now! I can't believe how much you've done to it in so little time. Really makes my projects look like dog doo! I've always wondered if a split windshield would be cool on our troopy, and sure enough your looks great. I don't know about there, but here is hot & dry, so I always though a split windshield cracked open would make a huge difference in temps. You'll have to let me know how it does...
 
What transmission and transfer case are you running? My guess stock South America transmission would be a H41 with a split T case in 82. Split T cases are harder to find a PTO for, even harder the correct two direction split case PTO.

I've kicked around the idea of making a ten passenger early soft top with two rows of bench seats and long jump seats in the back. Don't have a frame long enough to work but have plenty of early frames to stretch. Would hate to use a couple of sets of early bows but after all the failed attempts at getting them made it is tempting. In the long run probably not more work dealing with four doors compared to when your going custom anyway. I do not have the ambulance soft doors or canvas but should have everything else I would want to use. Except for time that is.
 
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It's a euro spec bj45 and does have an h41/ splitcase. I have the correct split pto gearbox for it. I somehow sourced a bj44 rear folding bench and a set of bj43 rear jump seats which worked out perfect. It can seat 12 kids or 11 adults! I also installed an oem dash tach repro out of billet aluminum. Looking for a tailgate if anyone has one!
 
Guess I miss the location by a few thousand miles and a continent.:doh: Think Portugal got some of the poverty cruisers with the three speeds with a attached split transfer case. Wonder if that was only gassers? Could also may have been I read about a couple that were imported they from another market. Don't see a shift lever for the PTO. Have you not installed yet or possibly using a cable to shift it from the dash? Curious why you not just going to use the soft top barn doors and remove the top half? I like a tailgate mainly because it makes a nice quick easy seat/table when you stop on the trail. For passengers it makes it harder to get in. Young kids think it's cool climbing up a tailgate but that's about it. That BJ44 rear seat works well in a troopy. Can load the family for trip and have everybody facing forward. Then put all camping gear in the back. That is unless you have huge family. I remember when I bought my first FJ40 we took my now ex's parents to Grand Falls just outside of Flagstaff. My mother in-law almost got sick riding in the side facing jump seats. That was five years before I had any kids. Once We had kids I located a early Bronco back seat. That left almost no room behind that seat. Back then the 4X series were still being made in Japan but anything non US imported was as rare as hen's teeth. Only thing would ever see other then a FJ40 was the early pickups and LVs. Wasn't until the nineties I knew about the FJ25. Still I had pursued this one. 1963 rhd fj43 on vancouver craigslist
 
Love the tach. That seating arrangement could've been oem.... I like it!
 
Gonna FF that rear end or what?
 
I see you move that split window around abit, looks good on anything. I sure like mine can't wait till I get it installed and better yet get to drive the truck it will be on.
 

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