Builds Build #2 - 45 Extended Cab, 80 Frame, iForce 5.7 3UR (5 Viewers)

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What fuel pump were u using in your 40? We're u running a evap cannister? I would go for at least a 24" stretch on a 45 cab if I was building one. But I like to be able to lay my seat back and take naps at times and have the ability to throw stuff behind my seat. What about building it into a troopy and just using the back as a pickup? My favorite stretched 45 is a yellow one that was on here. Here is a pic of it and a pick of a troopy build.1966 Toyota FJ45 Land Cruiser Troopy - One Trick Troopy
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Appearance. I loved the look of the last one, but I'm after something different now. I want a stock look. Stock dash. Stock switches and knobs. No LED's. Nothing modern here.
I know you and the wife have a nice stock 40 as well, so you have perspective. In my opinion, and based on my experience with my 40, there a few things that are absolutely worth upgrading from stock. A stock dash looks great, but the stock gauges leave a bit to be desired. They give you a vague idea what the motor is doing, but I prefer more information and better resolution. Modern headlights and taillights are exponentially better than what came stock. Good lights are a safety item, they don't really cost that much to upgrade in the big picture of a build, and they are easy to upgrade. For anything other than a full historic restoration, I would almost say it is negligent not to upgrade the lights.

Space. I ran out of space in my 40. I want a bed on this thing, so the cab will be transformed into something more 45 ish. Still thinking about cab length, but it will be between 4" and 24" longer than a stock 45. I have yet to see an extended cab 45 that looks 'right' to me though. I think it's the windows in the extended part that I'm not in love with yet.
You have an eye for aesthetic. Adequate space behind the seats adds a ton of utility to the cab. Plus, you need a place for the dog.
 
Riley, your UZJ40 build was absolutely amazing, and I am going to under go a 4.7 swap into my '72 probably during summers with my Dad. This looks absolutely amazing so far, and I can't wait to see where this build goes. If you don't stick with stock paint, Toyotas Heritage blue is a phenomenal color. Never seen it on a 40.
 
I agree with you, most body swaps look out of place. The good thing about this one is I only have to center the front tires/wheels. The back will have a bed, which will be built around the rest of the truck. I'll do what I need to make the front look good, and the rest will fall into place.

Sorry, not putting an LS in anything I own. I appreciate them for what they are, I just have no desire to use one.


Out of place like this

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Not to late to find an LV and have all the room you need even for the future kiddos.
 
I was able to take some measurements off of a stock FJ40 yesterday to try and dial in bib placement. The whole body swap is really based on the location of the front axle under the fenders. On the stock FJ40, from the center of the axle to the front of the bib is only 13"! On my UZJ project, I moved the front axle forward about 1.5", so that number could be reduced even more.

I went home and started looking at the 80. I really didn't want to move the engine and transmission location. I'm trying to go on the path of least resistance this time. With the measurements I took, I'd have to move the drivetrain back 10.5". That makes room for AC condenser, radiator, mechanical fan, shroud, and spacing between everything. I'd have to build new engine mounts, new transmission mounts, new brake lines, and driveshafts, move my sway bar, and I'm sure a few other things I'd rather not do. So, I'm going to leave everything where it is and do a rear mounted radiator and AC condenser. I don't plan on using the bed for anything, other than sitting on the tailgate when we stop for a beer.

I put a red line 13" in front of the center line of the axle. This represents the front of the bib on a 40. You can see the steering gearbox and crank pulley are 2" behind that line. The bib is 1.5" thick, so that would leave about 1/2" of clearance if I put the bib in the factory location and leave everything else where it is.

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They are different sized tires on the 40 and 80, so that will change the perception a bit when looking at those lines.

Now that I know where the bib will be, I can mount the body on the frame according to the length of the hood. I can also figure out how much I can stretch the cab and come up with an appropriate bed length.
 
I have also been planning out the AC and heater system. On one of the 'car' shows I watch on TV is Fantom Works. The main guy says he refuses to put aftermarket AC's in cars because they never perform as well as factory units. After my experience with the Old Air unit, I've been trying to figure out how to integrate a factory AC evaporator in this cab. The problem is really the size of them. They aren't necessarily too tall, they're just really wide and they protrude out from the firewall a lot.

So, my plan is to move the fan, evaporator, and heater core to behind the seats on the floor. On UZJ, I built a shelf for our dog to sit on while we were driving. It was pretty basic and spanned from the top of each wheel well. After taking some measurements on the 40 yesterday, I can effectively give myself a 13" space between a flat floor and where the shelf was on the last build. The shelf will really only be for the dog to sit on again, but I'll have a huge space under it that will easily fit a factory Toyota HVAC system. I'll probably pull one out of a 90's 4Runner that is cable operated.

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How much wider is the 80-series frame than the 40? Doesn't that create a rather significant problem with the front bib and fender mounting? Every time I've thought about doing a 40 build on an 80 frame, I've always wondered how hard it'd be to section and narrow the frame to the correct width.
 
How much wider is the 80-series frame than the 40? Doesn't that create a rather significant problem with the front bib and fender mounting? Every time I've thought about doing a 40 build on an 80 frame, I've always wondered how hard it'd be to section and narrow the frame to the correct width.

The frame is quite a bit wider, but in my opinion, making new fender and bib mounts is easy compared to most other things having to do with a body swap. The front clip of a 40 is pretty easy to bolt together if you support the bib and the tub is in place. So, one it's bolted together, figure out the mounts and go to town with the welder.
 
How much wider is the 80-series frame than the 40? Doesn't that create a rather significant problem with the front bib and fender mounting? Every time I've thought about doing a 40 build on an 80 frame, I've always wondered how hard it'd be to section and narrow the frame to the correct width.
I am doing a 40 on 60 frame and decided to widen the body 5 inches. That coincides with the difference in frame width.
 

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