BJ74 Restoration and LHD Conversion has begun! (2 Viewers)

[Shes Mad]

I purchased a good condition 1985 BJ74 about a year ago. I have been driving it daily since then, just to make sure everything worked, find any bugs, and just enjoy it. During that time, I searched and found a wrecked 1985 BJ70 that I imported for parts.

70 donor vehicle--partially torn down


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74 project


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I was fortunate that the previous owner of the 70 had purchased a complete AC kit for the 70, but never got it installed before having the accident. I tore the 70 down to the frame and body, ready to scavange what parts I needed for the 74. I was also fortunate that the 70 was a good runner, just a rusty bent body. So now I have an extra 3B and H55 ready for whatever comes my way. Good oil pressure-60PSI cold, 25 PSI warmed up. Compression in the low to mid 400 for all cylinders. Here is a video of it running. A little smokey for the first start cleaning out the storage fluid!. Maybe a 4 runner transplant is in the future!

http://s430.photobucket.com/albums/qq29/a550550/BJ70/?action=view&current=MOV00824.mp4


Since it is winter in Minnesota, I have started tearing the 74 down for a full restoration. Here are a few pics of that happening. Well in progress


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Not a lot of rust, but some areas in the front of the quarters, and a little in the bed.


I started fixing the quarter rust before I pulled it apart, using metal from the body of the 70, because it had a factory bend in it which fit the 74 very nicely.


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And the other side


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[Shes Mad]

I got the 74 down to the frame, ready for sandblasting. Since I am also doing a LHD conversion, I needed to make the frame ready for the steering box. There is support in the frame for the box on the 70, but not on the 74. So I cut the support out of the 70 frame, and opened up the 74 frame, inserted the support, and closed it back up. Pretty easy job.

There was a welded nut in the support from the 70 that is part of the frame in the 74, so I just cut that part our of the 70 support before I put it into the 74.

[URL="http://i430.photobucket.com/albums/qq29/a550550/BJ74%20Conversion/DSC00968.jpg"][URL="http://i430.photobucket.com/albums/qq29/a550550/BJ74%20Conversion/DSC00968.jpg"] [/URL][/URL]


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Here is the insert

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I used the steering box bolts to pull the frame back together, and welded it up.
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[URL="http://i430.photobucket.com/albums/qq29/a550550/BJ74%20Conversion/DSC00971.jpg"][URL="http://i430.photobucket.com/albums/qq29/a550550/BJ74%20Conversion/DSC00971.jpg"] [/URL][/URL]

That is where I am today. Next will be getting the frame and axles sandblasted, painted, reseal the axles and put the frame back together with new Ironman suspension. Then I will sandblast and paint the bottom of the body and bolt it back to the frame before I cut the firewall out for the LHD conversion.

 

[boozewz]

Subscribed

 

[AlbertoSD]

Subscribed

 

[gofast]

I found that the easiest way to do this is to swap the firewalls. Drill out the spot welds and then transfer the 70 fire wall to the 74, everything will fit as factory.

Cutting and patching is far more time consuming and will be difficult to get right. Looking forward to this thread!

 

[Shes Mad]

I learned that from other threads---try not to just piece it together, as the wipers and fresh air are as big an issue as the steering. Once I get the 2 tubs side by side, then I can determine how much to take.

 

[crushers]

subsribed

 

[gifu]

great work so far.

are you swapping to 12-volt as well?
Might be a good time to mess with an intercooler for the 13BT.

I did the other route... swapping the individual brackets from BJ70 to BJ74 tub. It was really quite easy. There were a lot of spot welds, but a good spot weld cutter makes it easy. So does a spot weld cutter monkey (ie: friends who work for beer). But there are more than one way to skin a cat... or cruiser.
I never moved my handbrake... which I don't regret... but it would have been about an hour or so of work to do it. I did my entire swap without removing the carpet inside (completely) and only removing one fender. I guess what I'm saying, is even with my grind-to-fit-paint-to-hide approach, it still looks good and stock and no one would guess it was a RHD.

 

[Shes Mad]

great work so far.

are you swapping to 12-volt as well?
Might be a good time to mess with an intercooler for the 13BT.

I did the other route... swapping the individual brackets from BJ70 to BJ74 tub. It was really quite easy. There were a lot of spot welds, but a good spot weld cutter makes it easy. So does a spot weld cutter monkey (ie: friends who work for beer). But there are more than one way to skin a cat... or cruiser.
I never moved my handbrake... which I don't regret... but it would have been about an hour or so of work to do it. I did my entire swap without removing the carpet inside (completely) and only removing one fender. I guess what I'm saying, is even with my grind-to-fit-paint-to-hide approach, it still looks good and stock and no one would guess it was a RHD.

I thought about 12v, since I have everything to do it, but I think I will leave it 24V. Then the 3B spare motor will be 12V, easier to transplant

 

[n0ferz]

subed

 

[NGray]

Likewise

 

[Shes Mad]

What the hell have i done!

That is the thought that goes through my head every time I get a project to this level. I wonder if I will ever get it back together again.

A month ago I was driving this truck, now it looks like this!

Well I got the wiring harness all labeled and pulled out, and identified the rust areas that I need to give attention to. None are very bad, and I will have plenty of metal to scavange off of the BJ70 donor vehicle.

There is a little rust in the right floorboard, which will be repaired with the firewall swap. I little patch on the top of the rear sill. A patch on each side behind the seats. I beat on the rust areas pretty good to see the extent of repair needed.

Next step will be to weld braces across the doors and to the front pillars. I am going to be cutting the firewall out, so I want to make sure everything stays where it belongs, which will make it much easier to put back together. Even a shift of 1/16th to 1/8 inch makes everything fit very badly. I've learned from experience.....

Pile of wiring Harness

Rear sill rust

Floor rust

Rust behind the seats

Tub Pics

 

[crushers]

a sand blaster is your friend at this point ...

 

[Shes Mad]

a sand blaster is your friend at this point ...

THAT is what I was hoping for this weekend. I have a sand pot, but my buddy with the diesel compressor is deer hunting---so i am waiting. My shop compressor will do it OK, but for larger projects, the diesel is 3X faster


I am going to go through the front axle and real, at the very least. Anyone tell me if the parts are the same as say, a 40, 60 or 80 series with disc brakes. Would like to have the parts before tear down

 

[crushers]

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/q?vin=JTELB71J8Y7007364
is your friend
punch in the area, year, model and compare part numbers ...

 

[Shes Mad]

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/q?vin=JTELB71J8Y7007364
is your friend
punch in the area, year, model and compare part numbers ...

Thanks a bunch!

 

[gifu]

I thought about 12v, since I have everything to do it, but I think I will leave it 24V. Then the 3B spare motor will be 12V, easier to transplant

You might think through the 12-volt decision again. It will save you a TON of work re-wiring your 24-volt harness to be LHD (fuse box needs to mount on the LHD side). You do not need to scavenge anything off the 3B, but rather have your 13BT starter and alternator re-worked to 12-volt. Then all you need is a 12-volt VSV to stop/start the motor.

Oh... and 12-volt bulbs.
And use the gauge cluster from the BJ70.

When I did mine it was plug and play.
The rear harness that runs to the tailights and rear washer should be extended... though I cheated and just... sorta... stretched it. I think I rerouted it to cut a couple corners.

 

[Shes Mad]

You might think through the 12-volt decision again. It will save you a TON of work re-wiring your 24-volt harness to be LHD (fuse box needs to mount on the LHD side). You do not need to scavenge anything off the 3B, but rather have your 13BT starter and alternator re-worked to 12-volt. Then all you need is a 12-volt VSV to stop/start the motor.

Oh... and 12-volt bulbs.
And use the gauge cluster from the BJ70.

When I did mine it was plug and play.
The rear harness that runs to the tailights and rear washer should be extended... though I cheated and just... sorta... stretched it. I think I rerouted it to cut a couple corners.

How about the AC, power windows, power locks and Power mirrors. Obviously, I haven't gotten that far, but they would be concerns. I will lay the 2 harnesses out and compare tonight.

 

[gifu]

Why you got to be like that?

Heh.

Uhm... didn't your 1985 BJ70 come with an ac compressor?
Find an AC shop that can swap the 24volt clutch to a 12 volt.
Roll your windows down?

 

[Shes Mad]

Its always somethin........