Biodiesel Piggie #2 Buildup (was Sad Sad day...) (1 Viewer)

[scottryana]

Not that it matters to your problem, but this is the exact combo I wanted to put in my pig. A 4BT, with an NV5600. Not sure if its as hard to find good 4BT's where you are, as it was where I was, but I looked for months. I even offered an OBSCENE amount of money to the Cummins dealers to sell me a new one, but the EPA regs have made it impossible.

I would be tempted to get a storage unit hold on to the drivetrain and body and sell off the 80 chassis. Tough call! I am going through the same thing. Are you going to run the 80 axles behind the 4BT? That would be my only concern if you are running a lot of torque with such a strong drivetrain.

Ryan

 

[lowtideride]

Good to hear from you lowtide!

I come out of lurk mode from time to time. When I get another 55 I think Ill be online a little more. I see the 55 blood still runs strong in you

-Al

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

I wouldn't sell it until the white one was 100% done for sure...

As I mentioned I have have a lot of work before I could even sell it so we are looking at a few months if I even went this route. Leaning pretty strongly towards just keeping it, about 90% or so...

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I wouldn't sell it until the white one was 100% done for sure...

As I mentioned I have have a lot of work before I could even sell it so we are looking at a few months if I even went this route. Leaning pretty strongly towards just keeping it, about 90% or so...

Good call. Make your decision when you have the white truck done and get some seat time in it. I really think your a 'wagon guy' and the truck will be too small for you? I predict a finish the truck, enjoy it for a few months, sell the truck and use the money to finish the 55, keep the 55

 

[RHINO]

I predict a finish the truck, enjoy it for a few months, sell the truck and use the money to finish the 55, keep the 55

sounds like a winner to me. i have a modern tacoma but its really just for family camping in comfort for them,, the pig is my toy and i will always have one.

on that note i recently posted my pig up for sale to see if there was any interest, not to get out of pigs but because i am building something better and it makes sense to sell a turnkey rig, but interest is nill at the moment so i will soon be tearing it apart and re-building the trusty beast.

 

[uglyoinker]

I vote for keeping it. I think the 90% will win to keep it. Good luck man.

 

[scottryana]

Andre,

What happened with this project? Just checking to see if you kept it or ended up selling it off.

Ryan

 

[greasysmitty]

Maybe I’ve missed something here, but has this thread died? Andre, what’s the STATUS?

You won’t remember me, but I talked to you a few times on the forum back in ~2006 when I started an eerily similar conversion, putting a factory new, unused, still crated(!) 4BT into a LR series II 109/ D110 hybrid that I’ve been building. NV4500, A/A FJ40 “Orion” T-case 4:1 low, stock D110 axles probably with ARB’s and chromo shafts on the way. The suspension geometry, hydroboost, axles, and design philosophy on my project are almost a dead ringer for the work you’ve been doing on your project… it’s like I’ve been looking at my own project history. Many of the solutions that I’ve taken have worked out exactly the same. I’ve been grinning as I follow along with your work!

Since I’ve started my project I’ve finished out some time in the military, had three different engineering jobs, moved three times, and all the while “the project” has come with me. You don’t have to remind me what it’s like to move 5 tons of accumulated auto parts, tools, and shop crap… I’ve even got two knee mills (8K lbs worth) in the shop waiting for a resto. Girlfriends love that stuff too... lugging around tons of metal!?! Yeah... it's a great way to "build a relationship."

I now own my own house / shop in Seattle… but I’ve spent all of my free time over the last few years pimping the house and shop, and NONE on the project. The shop got full 100A electrical with lots of outlets and lighting, interior finish and insulation, a woodstove, full security, and should be ready to go come spring. Every iota of that work was done by me though, so I haven't had a moment for much else besides the occasional hike or ski day. Somehow my project has just slipped to the side like I swore it never would; I just lost momentum really, and life got too busy.

So I found myself eagerly reading this thread (first that I’ve seen it) over the past few days, trying to get myself all amped up to get back to working on my own crap.

The question is: what’s the latest status on your pig?

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Still have it... Psyched to actually post up a little update, so here it goes. this also goes out to Gifu who's been bugging me for a little while on what's going on (wasssup gifu!)...

Unfortunately not a whole lot more done. I am pretty sure I won't sell it. I might consider selling just the carcass of the pig (which has been sitting outside for the last year, but is doing just fine with little rust here in Utah) but only because I have a super clean (body-wide) 62 these days. The 55 is down at UglyOinker's place just sitting there. Down underneath Mount Timpanogos in the Heber Valley..

Considering doing the 4BT and the 80 axles into the 62 as I realized it was the body work and the finish work with the 55 that will take a lot of time. These days I'm I guess about 6 years older from when this thread first started. Well into my 30s with our own real house and lives and a pretty good job down in Salt Lake City now. Frankly/honestly, no longer much of a kid if you ask me (except that we don't have kids now and still having a lot of fun). Loving life, in the best place of my life probably anytime maybe since the glory days in my 20s. Frankly its amazing how much time I had. I wish I'd known (and frankly had the motivation, then I would have finished all of this stuff). But I still have nights and days and am tweaking with cars and bicycles and other junk as much as always. First, I also have a sweet old '83 BMW 800G/S (the bike that won Paris/Dakar about 4 times from '79 to '84) and a pretty sick KTM 520 dirt bike. Check out this unreal adventure if anyone is interested in reading about an unreal trip on a moto. The trip changed my life. Also made me completely spoiled, it's hard work but being on a moto is completely different than exploring in a cruiser. You're in the elements... You're completely free as even a 1-foot wide sheep path can get you to where you need to go. You're also hardcore. No coolers, just you, your stinky ass boots, and your dirt bike that has just systematically taken the most unreal beating you could possibly dish out, and the thing just keeps going and going and going... On this trip, I swear I almost felt like I met God. My body was weak after about day 4 and my arms and body were so sore and I numb and limber almost like I was getting sick. At this point we were cruising on Road 62 (if I remember correctly) outside of Ridgeway, Colorado. We actually passed the house of one of Proffitt's Cruisers customers (the guy from Florida with all the junk/stickers etc all over his FJ40) and the road opened up and was literally one of the most spectacular places I'd ever been. Here is photo. Wide open high elevation farm land in the middle of nowhere, the sky was big and beautiful. We passed a chick in an old '60s Dodge pickup truck with her dog and a ton of hay in the back. Sort of like that moment at the end of Castaway when Tom Hanks delivers the package, and is at that 4 way intersection and the chick drives by in the old truck. And that's about how I felt. No one else had any idea what the hell we were doing or what we'd been through. And there I am cruising at about 70 on this epic, unreal machine, 250lbs of dirt bike, and just then at that moment, not one but two animals ran out in in front of me in separate instances a minute or two apart. Because I was soft and limber, it would have likely ripped the wheel right out of my hands and killed me. Not one but two animals shortly apart to remind me who's (or what's) in charge. So basically God (or nature, however you want to put it) reminded me he could just take me at any time. It was amazing and made me realize if I died today that I actually could say that I "lived" and made me remember my commitments to others, like my wife, who I love with the bottom of my heart. The trip honestly made me a better man. The trip also reminded me of all of this stuff. Of living in Utah. Of the years wrenching of cruisers. Of this fxxxing FJ55 that I've poured my heart and soul into and though it's just a hulking pile of steel it has me in it. Literally, some of my blood, deep in some of the pores of steel. And some of my friends, the best people in the world, the cruiser people, and people who have changed my life forever... Of course, I don't regret one bit of it...

Other misc updates (if anyone cares) is the constant musical chairs of my cars: My old Volvo. This was basically the car I had in college except that its 10 years later and this time its a 240 hp all wheel drive, '98 V70R turbo wagon that is my commuter now, instead of a 1983 5-speed 245 wagon at 20 years old. This Volvo is a pretty sweet ride and also keeps me to my roots. For all I know I might have mentioned it deep in this thread somewhere but when I did my first clutch on that old '83 Volvo, I knew I could do anything with a car.

Other musical chairs. As of about a week ago there is also a beautiful baby blue, perfectly rusted '74 FJ40 sitting in my front yard that I might maybe polish up one afternoon. Belongs to a friend who moved to Texas. I lost a bet on Game 4 of the Brewers and the result is me having to store this thing. But it is basically mine I suppose. Needs a carb (just running weak) and a battery and maybe a 1/2 way decent exhaust and would be an awesome I guess 5th or 6th vehicle or so...

And then I have that white mini truck with the Mercedes diesel. Hopefully I'll get that running too. "It's close!" But it's also been close for 2 years.. In general I am trying to simplify my life though. I'm sort of a slave (but also in love with) my possessions in some cases, but particularly with cars. I'm feeling good right now but there was a time where just a couple months ago my money and time and energy were being sucked up into particularly all of these cars. So you can only do so much. For example, in the next month I'm going to have to buy at least 12 tires to get some decent rubber under 3 of our vehicles...

This said, my current plan it to probably just keep the 55 body indefinitely. As long as its clean and safe it's likely only getting rarer and cooler and cooler. I guess I'm considering it a longer term project, and working on it to maybe have it ready in 10-15 years or so. Then, once the 62 body is hammered and rusty as 60 bodies seem to get, just pushing the drivetrain into the 55. That's if I get to the 62, but I have a feeling I actually probably will.

Also, our house is on .6 acres so I want to build a shop. Run the white pickup with the mercedes diesel for a year or two, likely sell it, and then tackle the 62. Then just leave the 55 in the shop, do body work and prep as I have the time, and just get it ready to slide in that drivetrain...

So that's it, in a nutshell... hope it helps...

 

[uglyoinker]

sir. that is not a nut shell. I actually moved your pig to the other side of the barn trying to line up and clean up the umpteen cruisers and stuff out there. you know whats interesting? I recently acquired a fj60 with an 80 chassis. plan to have it going by christmas with........hold your breath........diesel power.

 

[htownfire]

I'm loven the 4bt in my rig. It sound really cool and you sould see the heads turn when you pull up to a diesel pump. It's a one of a kind trip.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

That is an incredible story man, holy crap.

 

[redcorn]

Good to hear an update from you Andre

peace

john

 

[scottryana]

Awesome update Andre and I couldn't agree more, a dirt bike or a mountain bike is a much more immersive way to get out there, but you are also limiting who you can take with you to enjoy that adventure. Best to just make sure you always have both!

Good luck with the vehicles and I think EVERYONE on this board knows exactly how you feel being a slave to these old trucks and just wanting to ditch them. Its not for everyone and life has a funny way of changing but I sure seems like it is still in you maybe just not as close to the surface as it used to be.

Ryan

 

[KliersLC]

Well, it has been over two years? Do you have this thing on the road yet? Any updates?

Cheers!

Dan

 

[solidfrontaxle]

Three and a half years now. I still think about this project. Is the pig still just rusting away?

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Unfortunately life just shifted, way less time, I am running not one but two businesses now and things and priorities have changed. About a year ago or two I sold the remainder of the project to my good friend Jake Smith / UglyOinker who has the frame and body (along with dozens of other incredible Land Cruisers) and he's planning to do something else with it. The engine and trans/t-case went to our other buddy who put it in his FJ45 rock crawler. It's actually just barely in the home streteches of being done and running.

Unfortunate but I had to just let it go.

In hindsight it was really the body work I think that slowed or even killed this (or my reluctance to do it). I think if I had started with a clean, running FJ55 that looked good then it might have been completed.

Bummer but such is life...

The current state of the body and frame doesn't look great but it's still clean and totally salvagable here in Utah where rust doesn't kill. It has some light surface rust but one day could (and hopefully will) be a sweet rig.

Sorry to post this update. Is what it is...

cheers, Andre

 

[PabloCruise]

Unfortunately life just shifted, way less time, I am running not one but two businesses now and things and priorities have changed. About a year ago or two I sold the remainder of the project to my good friend Jake Smith / UglyOinker who has the frame and body (along with dozens of other incredible Land Cruisers) and he's planning to do something else with it. The engine and trans/t-case went to our other buddy who put it in his FJ45 rock crawler. It's actually just barely in the home streteches of being done and running.

Unfortunate but I had to just let it go.

In hindsight it was really the body work I think that slowed or even killed this (or my reluctance to do it). I think if I had started with a clean, running FJ55 that looked good then it might have been completed.

Bummer but such is life...

The current state of the body and frame doesn't look great but it's still clean and totally salvagable here in Utah where rust doesn't kill. It has some light surface rust but one day could (and hopefully will) be a sweet rig.

Sorry to post this update. Is what it is...

cheers, Andre

Well at least it is in good hands!
I got to meet Jake in Moab on Hell's Revenge (Escalator). I helped this guy up a slope and then saw he had a 55 t-shirt on so I asked who he was. It was Jake/Ugly Oinker!

 

[solidfrontaxle]

Yeah, thanks for giving us closure on this. I know how projects get bogged down... At least it isn't rusting away somewhere. Glad someone is giving it some attention. It was a really rad and ambitious project.