Builds Build #2 - 45 Extended Cab, 80 Frame, iForce 5.7 3UR (1 Viewer)

[UZJ40]

Let's build a rear bumper...

Started out by using 3.5x3.5" 3/16" square tubing and a small strip of angle on the bottom -

Cutting the edges to get the angle I'm wanting to achieve -

Pretty much like playing arts and crafts with 3/16" metal -

All welded up -

And cleaned -

Test fitting -

Adding side protection -

Welded in and cleaned up -

 

[UZJ40]

Adding recovery points... Cut the squares with handheld plasma -

Welded in -

All done -

Receiver in -

 

[UZJ40]

Let's build a front bumper...

Much more difficult due to it being more 3 dimensional and not necessarily following any body lines.

I used some design elements from all of my favorite 40 bumpers. I like the length of the HFS and 4+, but wanted a bit more dimension. I like the ARB, but it's too bulky, and I don't like the bars on the top.

Airflow is also a huge consideration for this bumper and winch combo. I love 8274's, but they are like bricks sitting in front of the radiators. Being that this build has an extra litre and 150hp than the last one, I want as much air flow as possible. I tried to line the solenoid pack on the top of the winch up with a body line in the bib.

I picked up A Warn XD winch a few weeks ago and rebuilt it, so that's the center of this bumper.

First things first, making a winch plate -

Next, making the front face. This took about 4 hours longer than I thought it would because I decided to recess in the winch fairlead.

Adding some internal bracing -

Adding recovery points -

Internal gussets for the points -

What a mess -

 

[UZJ40]

Plating in the top -

End caps -

I wanted to make a filler plate that goes around the winch, but is removable so it's easier to remove the winch -

All done -

 

[Broski]

Knocked it out of the park again !!

 

[Travis 76]

That’s some nice fabrication on your bumpers.
Where did you source the recovery points?

 

[UZJ40]

Let's build some sliders...

Typically, sliders are round tubing, but I had three goals with these.

1 - Protect the body
2 - Mimic the look/function of an OEM step
3 - Hide the frame. Since it's a 45 body on an 80 frame with a huge engine, it sits higher and exposes the frame, which I don't like visually.

Start with 2x6 3/16 rectangular tubing -

Test fitting, measuring, and trimming -

Trimming and shaping -

Test fitting again -

Good enough for me... Time to weld in place -

 

[UZJ40]

And a before and after. You can see how much the frame is hidden visually now -

 

[UZJ40]

That’s some nice fabrication on your bumpers.
Where did you source the recovery points?

Thank you... I think I just got them on Amazon

 

[UZJ40]

Next up... Soft top bows and frame. This wasn't quite as easy as a typical 40 because of the rear bench area in this 45.

First off, I had to modify the B pillar door frames due to the inward angle at the top of the doors.

All welded in and cleaned up -

For the rear bows, the feet landed in the corner of the cab where there is no support. I was trying to leave the corners open for air circulation since the AC units will be under the bench.

After some measurements, I figured out I was able to use the two captive nuts in each corner instead of mounting from the feet -

Rear bow welded on -

Next I needed to shorten both horizontal supports by about 20" -

Soft top frame complete -

 

[mrboatman]

It's looking really good

 

[UZJ40]

My last build used a Metal Tech cage. I knew I wanted one on this one too, but unlike the last one, I'd be welding this from scratch due to all of the one-off measurements.

@mrboatman was kind enough to let me interrupt his motor swap to take some measurements of a stock 40 tub so I knew how much I'd need to extend my B pillars.

Since I was going all the way to the floor and not a rear fender well, I needed to add 13.5" to each leg -

I sleeved each extension with 1.75" DOM and used a rosette weld for strength -

The welding isn't a big deal with the Metal Tech kits, but notching tubes is definitely challenging.

Starting to take shape -

One of biggest bonuses of welding your own Metal Tech cage is the placement of the A pillars. If you have an early dash, a pre-welded kit will block the windshield fold down latches.

I was able to move mine out far enough to give myself 1/4" to operate the handles and still have my doors close no problem -

Everything done and welded in. All that's left is making the plates and frame tie-ins.

 

[2fpower]

top notch... pun intended.

 

[UZJ40]

With keeping the theme on this build of old/OEM appearance and trying to conceal all of the modern stuff going in, I wanted to relocate drive by wire pedal.

The pedal had to remain mostly in tact since there are no screws or bolts holding it together. I really don't think Toyota wants anyone messing with them!

And of course the pedal I'm trying to use -

I had to cut out a bracket to make it more of a cable actuated throttle, and not linkage -

Bracket attached and cable mounted in firewall -

Modifying the Tundra pedal and trying different positions for the travel -

Tundra accelerator mounted high and out of sight -

The cable routed through into and back out of the engine bay. I may shorten it, depending on some other factors -

And a short video of it working -

 

[Vossie]

With keeping the theme on this build of old/OEM appearance and trying to conceal all of the modern stuff going in, I wanted to relocate drive by wire pedal.

The pedal had to remain mostly in tact since there are no screws or bolts holding it together. I really don't think Toyota wants anyone messing with them!

View attachment 2969547

And of course the pedal I'm trying to use -

View attachment 2969549

I had to cut out a bracket to make it more of a cable actuated throttle, and not linkage -

View attachment 2969552

View attachment 2969554

Bracket attached and cable mounted in firewall -

View attachment 2969556

Modifying the Tundra pedal and trying different positions for the travel -

View attachment 2969560

Tundra accelerator mounted high and out of sight -

View attachment 2969561

The cable routed through into and back out of the engine bay. I may shorten it, depending on some other factors -

View attachment 2969562

And a short video of it working -

That's super trick!

 

[PIP]

Nice work. FYI TPS's are fairly standardized as far as electrical characteristics go for a given era. If you can electrically decipher what your old TPS is doing it's easy to match it up with a modular, industrial equivalent that is straightforward to mount anywhere.

 

[Ol Yeller]

I’m sure your not missing that magnet, but if you are....

 

[UZJ40]

I’m sure your not missing that magnet, but if you are....

It's like Where's Waldo...! I should start hiding that in various pictures and see who finds it first

 

[UZJ40]

Seats are now mounted... Just like everything else attached to the floor, they had to be custom due to the flat floor and custom transmission tunnel.

One thing I did want to fix on the seats was to tuck the legs in since there is no longer a fuel tank under them.

I leveled the seats on the bench. I welded on a 4.5" leg on the rear, since that's how tall the step is behind the seats in a 40.

New front leg welded in. Notice it's straight down and doesn't protrude forward now -

Test fitting -

New transmission tunnel supports -

I would have loved to build and have an under seat storage like factory, but with as close the rear bench seat is, the seat can't tilt backwards/up. So it will be on legs like the passenger seat.

Trying to line up the driver seat with passenger -

Legs on -

Legs gusseted -

Both seats mounted. What a great feeling!

 

[EWheeler]

Seats are now mounted... Just like everything else attached to the floor, they had to be custom due to the flat floor and custom transmission tunnel.

One thing I did want to fix on the seats was to tuck the legs in since there is no longer a fuel tank under them.

I leveled the seats on the bench. I welded on a 4.5" leg on the rear, since that's how tall the step is behind the seats in a 40.

View attachment 2973930

New front leg welded in. Notice it's straight down and doesn't protrude forward now -

View attachment 2974054

Test fitting -

View attachment 2974055

New transmission tunnel supports -

View attachment 2974056

I would have loved to build and have an under seat storage like factory, but with as close the rear bench seat is, the seat can't tilt backwards/up. So it will be on legs like the passenger seat.

Trying to line up the driver seat with passenger -

View attachment 2974067

Legs on -






View attachment 2974068

Legs gusseted -

View attachment 2974069

Both seats mounted. What a great feeling!

View attachment 2974070

I'm assuming you will DIY the seats when it comes time. I just did the seats on my '69, and was not happy with how soft & springy the seats felt. The foam I had was good, 1.5" thick, probably a medium density upholstery foam. I just added 4 bags of poly fill in the passenger bench seat base and 2 bags to the drivers seat base, and it really firmed up the seat bases, but it still has enough give to not be uncomfortable. Great progress as always!