Build Brown FJ60 + FZJ80 + Chevy 5.7 = THE FLYING TERD PROJECT!!!

[woytovich]

Very interested to see the outcome of the 80 axle swap. I hope you will be able, and willing, to pull together a summary of the swap and the issues and mods you made. I think that could be a great resource as more and more 80s become parts trucks...
Thanks!

Mark

 

[88chevota]

Very interested to see the outcome of the 80 axle swap. I hope you will be able, and willing, to pull together a summary of the swap and the issues and mods you made. I think that could be a great resource as more and more 80s become parts trucks... Thanks! Mark

I'll do my best.

 

[88chevota]

Got some more accomplished. Back to work so the progress slowed a little. Although I have most of this next week off so I should get a lot accomplished.

I have most of the t-case together. I'm just waiting on a couple parts. I'll be pressure washing it and painting it after it's all together.

 

[dbleon]

mmmmmmm yum

 

[88chevota]

Well got some works done today and yesterday. I was able to reuse and modify the original motor mounts. I started in on the tranny mount which is a bit of a pain. There is not a single tranny mount that fits the bolt holes that are drilled from advance adapters. I used a Chevy truck 1500 from year 95 and the 5.0. I'll double check the part number and post it up. I had to make the wholes a little larger to make it fit the adapter. I'll post pics of that later.

 

[Fitzgerald]

Awesome!

 

[88chevota]

Awesome!

Thanks Travis.

Well it doesn't look like I'll be driving by Christmas. I had to order headers to make the exhaust work. Which also means an all day job just doing the exhaust. I hate doing exhaust.

I am hopeful for driving by new years. I have all next week off so we will see. It also sits higher in the back so I may need to go down to stock 80 springs to get it to sit better.

 

[Pacer]

Well got some works done today and yesterday. I was able to reuse and modify the original motor mounts. I started in on the tranny mount which is a bit of a pain. There is not a single tranny mount that fits the bolt holes that are drilled from advance adapters. I used a Chevy truck 1500 from year 95 and the 5.0. I'll double check the part number and post it up. I had to make the wholes a little larger to make it fit the adapter. I'll post pics of that later.

Nice weldering there!

 

[88chevota]

Nice weldering there!

Thanks Aaron.

 

[88chevota]

I modified the original tranny crossmember to work. Drilled a new hole for the tranny bushing and cut and bent the crossmember then welded it back together. Added some plate on the driver side. Drilled out the frame to fit some Toyota 17mm nuts then welded them in. Always nice to have extra Toyota nuts and bolts laying around. You can also see where I rounded out the Chevy factory tranny mount to fit the adapter.

 

[88chevota]

Here is my checklist of what is left until I can take it for a spin.

Driveshafts
Fuel lines/fuel pump/filter
Electrical
Power steering
Exhaust
Replace rear coils
T-case Shift linkage

 

[Pacer]

Here is my checklist of what is left until I can take it for a spin.

Driveshafts
Fuel lines/fuel pump/filter
Electrical
Power steering
Exhaust
Replace rear coils
T-case Shift linkage

Got enough room in there to give us an overall shot of how its sitting currently?
You are flying man!

 

[88chevota]

Got enough room in there to give us an overall shot of how its sitting currently? You are flying man!

Maybe Friday or Saturday I'll be able to take a good shot. The angle in the garage won't do it justice. Right now the rear sits about 2" higher than the front. There is no radiator in or AC. Engine is dry. No winch on the front either. I plan on building a bumper with a tire carrier but I don't think it will weigh the rear down enough to level it. Front will have a winch and a pretty stout bumper too. I have some 1" spacers for the front soils but I'll just have to wait and see how it all sets up.

Forgot I need to weld in the brackets for the sway bars. I will reuse the 80 factory front brackets and just weld them on the frame. The sway bar lines up nice in the front. I'll need to make some for the rear since rear 60 frame is 2" narrower than the 80. Basically 1" brackets on each side.

 

[88chevota]

Got a little done today. Fuel lines and fuel pump are in. Started in on electrical and plumbed most of the steering lines. Going to pick up the pump tomorrow. Headers have not arrived yet so I may not get a good full length shot until after the weekend.

 

[88chevota]

Took a break today from this build and my son and I worked on his fully custom mini rock crawler project. We built the frame, designed the suspension, and the roll cage. We still have a few more tweeks but we think it's looking pretty good. Tested it out on our RTI ramp.

 

[88chevota]

Here are some pics. Last shot shows how we designed the suspension.

 

[Sebass]

I dont remeber my legos being that cool!

 

[88chevota]

Some pics from yesterday. Got the shifter stuff all figured out. It was a pain to get the t-case shifter to line up in the stock position. I cut and welded back together the shifter stick about 4 different times to get it right. The shifter ended up being a little short. I might extend it once I get it running. But it all works for now. Getting down to the wire. Headers aren't supposed to get here until Monday. We will see if I get get almost everything else done by then. Probably not though.

This thing is going to get a real good cleaning after I get it running. Been working on the wiring. Nothing to exciting to take pics of. I have been soldering and heat shrink wrapping everything though. I'll be using the factory Toyota gauges this time. Except the tac if course. I'll post pics up of that once it's done.

 

[88chevota]

Well it lives!!! Took it for a spin around the neighborhood. I did discover one of the studs is broken off on the steering knuckle. Must have happened in the accident. I'll need to fix that soon. I'll post up some video soon and better pics in the daylight. Still have some wiring to clean up too. All the little tweaks that take time.

 

[Fitzgerald]

Up and running around the neighborhood before the new year. Amazing man!