Building A Four Door FJ40

[FouadHafeez]

Tub Thumping (Done to Chumbawumba's Iconic Song!)

Next in line, was the pickup tub. Like I mentioned earlier, there were a handful of options for this, viz, nicked from a 45, fabbed from scratch, using the donor 40's rear body, and even NOT building a tub at all and simply bolting on the spare wheel, and cans, and jacks and tools in place atop the frame!

Again, for reasons I'd mentioned earlier, we decided to go with the rear body from the donor 40. These pictures show the "hemming and hawwing" I've spoken of. Our low-tech solution - in the absence of precision tools to provide exact data about balance, position, alignment etcetera - if it LOOKS right, it probably IS right.

 

[FouadHafeez]

The Phantom's Predecessor-in-Interest

This next batch of pictures shows what I started off with. For the longest time, I was sorely tempted to go the stock route. The vehicle was in such good nick with the 2F engine, stock suspension, and body parts, that I really felt like it was a mortal sin to tamper with it. In retrospect, though...I'm glad I did. Otherwise the Phantom might never have risen from this vehicle at all.

The NEXT 40 (or 55 for that matter) that I build...is going to be bone-stock.

 

[FouadHafeez]

Photoshoot Pakistan

So...this sort of rebuild is "crazy, badass, insane", huh?

Gents (and ladies, if any are reading)...let me introduce you to another (pretty much unique-to-Pakistan) facet of automobilia: Truck Art.

It's pretty much uncertain where this evolved from...but somewhere along the line, the decorative and aesthetic (or UNAESTHETIC, in some cases!) transformation of trucks and buses...evolved into something approaching an art form. Enormous amounts of money are spent on this...sometimes in the region of thousands of pounds...for something that serves little other than an ornamental purpose. The artisans who carry out such transformation work, into moving hulks that are so garish, so dazzlingly coloured, and so noticeable that you can't miss them...are all practitioners of the "hand-made" art. Beating metal and gauze, plastic and reflective paints and tapes into shape...each truck is pretty much unique unto itself.

These trucks are often an extension of the rig owner's/driver's personality and peculiarities, and carry traditional motifs that can range from esoteric to animist...from refined to raunchy...and from tasteful to downright tacky! Birds, animals, mythological creatures, war heroes, scantily-clad nubile wenches, movie scenes, portraits of the driver's children/family, urban/rural landmarks, geometric patterns, and abstract pieces alike...form some ideas, which our rig owners transform into an integral part of their trucks/buses.

Declarations of love, random salutes to Traffic cops (who're pretty much the bane of the trucker's existence the world over!), political messages, poetry, philosophy...are etched onto these beasts, in beautiful calligraphy.

Garish? Yes.

A waste of money? Probably.

Blindingly loud? For certain.

Absolutely 100% Pakistani? F**k, yeah!

 

[FouadHafeez]

More on the rebuild, later!

 

[Fj nation]

Man, I absolutely love this thread!

 

[lostmarbles]

Five pages now (and in such a short time) Fouad and you continue to ASTOUND us.

The visual feast that you and Pakistan have to offer us ... seems to have no limits.

I'd love to be able to have a chin-wag with some of the owners of those elaborately decorated trucks. (I adore interesting and eccentric people!)

 

[TCSTARK]

Fouad,

I would like to sincerely thank you for sharing your incredible build, culture and beautiful countryside with us. The skills that you and your team of maestros have is very impressive and is a source of much motivation.

This community never ceases to amaze me wether I am along for a virtual ride with Sea Night or jetted half way across the world to witness the creation of a wickedly cool build. Thank for for being a part of this cruiser addicted family.

I will continue watching this build with anticipation of 'Phantom's' completion and the hope of learning more about your talented team.

Carry on.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[duncanrm]

Photoshoot PakistanGents (and ladies, if any are reading)...let me introduce you to another (pretty much unique-to-Pakistan) facet of automobilia: Truck Art.

Ha! I never expected to see J Series Bedfords in the 40 series forum! Here's my own J3 Bedford that I restored a few years ago.. 383/T400..

File:Finalsilver1200.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[FouadHafeez]

Man, I absolutely love this thread!

Thanks for the appreciative words.

Five pages now (and in such a short time) Fouad and you continue to ASTOUND us.

The visual feast that you and Pakistan have to offer us ... seems to have no limits.

I'd love to be able to have a chin-wag with some of the owners of those elaborately decorated trucks. (I adore interesting and eccentric people!)

Cheers, Tom. I'm thoroughly appreciative of the fact that the pictures of "everyday" Pakistan and its quirks are engendering such interest and enthusiasm. Some mates from a while back said it all, I think: "that's a side we don't see in the news"...and I'm as pleased as punch that they get to see a different, more-encompassing perspective.

As for the last part of your post...you might be talking to one. I've long had this hankering for embellishing (not plastering, of course) one of my own rides with Truck Art. If the Phantom weren't such a utilitarian, no-nonsense rig...I very well MIGHT have used it, to satisfy those cravings!

Fouad,

I would like to sincerely thank you for sharing your incredible build, culture and beautiful countryside with us. The skills that you and your team of maestros have is very impressive and is a source of much motivation.

This community never ceases to amaze me wether I am along for a virtual ride with Sea Night or jetted half way across the world to witness the creation of a wickedly cool build. Thank for for being a part of this cruiser addicted family.

I will continue watching this build with anticipation of 'Phantom's' completion and the hope of learning more about your talented team.

Carry on.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

Thanks for the kind words. The beauty of this site (or so I think) is that we're bound by a common tether of deep-seated love for the machines we drive...the "Build, Break, Rebuild, Repeat" mantra seems to be a common one across the world! In that way, this "coming together" across countries and continents is based on a commonality, rather than a cause of division. Which I think is uber cool.

As for the rebuild...we're plodding along in the Monsoon season...torrential rain, sweltering heat, enough humidity to make sheet metal sweat bullets . Understandably, the progress is slow, and will pick up after the wet season is over. While I'll be updating periodically with new facets of the build even as I bring everyone upto speed on the current status, I hope to have a ton of new stuff in a few weeks.

 

[FouadHafeez]

Ha! I never expected to see J Series Bedfords in the 40 series forum! Here's my own J3 Bedford that I restored a few years ago.. 383/T400..

File:Finalsilver1200.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What a beauty! And to be honest, I was partially gobsmacked after seeing your rig...since we NEVER get to see one that is so unadorned, and simple, and breathtaking.

The Bedfords are STILL very much a staple of the transport industry here. As a matter of fact, they're pretty much the mainstay of the cargo transport fleet, although in recent times they've ceded some ground to the Hinos / Isuzus / Nissans / Volvos / Mercs of the world.

Kudos...that is one way cool rig!

And as for posting Bedfords in a 40s Forum...I realise...I've been a very naughty boy. 40s purists out there...please don't hurt me.

 

[FouadHafeez]

Fender Flares

Readers might recall that I'd mentioned somewhere before, that custom fender flares were very much a necessity for the rebuild design from the very outset. The main reason for this, was the enormous width of the axles and tyres, which would protrude from the sides of the body. Now, this wasn't so much a technical / legal requirement, since in Pakistan there are no highway / traffic rules that actually prohibit tyres from extending out from the wheel arches (unlike some countries, I've heard). It was more, from a functional standpoint...and of course, an aesthetic one.

With the tyres jutting out some 9-10 inches, the requirement was for a custom trim that would cover a major portion of the tyres. These pictures will give some idea of how we went about this. The last picture is especially telling; it shows how we decided on the shape of the trim first, disregarding the outline of the wheel arches, and then later, modified the wheel arches, accordingly.

 

[FouadHafeez]

A Heart Transplant

Naturally, after a while, the primary focus settled on the selection of an engine and transmission. Now, the original 2F of the Phantom was in fairly decent nick...but because of the plethora of available engines and transmissions here, considerations for upgrades were definitely afoot.

This had been brought about by the cryptic words of a friend of mine, who casually remarked: "The 2F is like an estranged girlfriend; never truly happy with you". I was warned about issues pertaining to carb reliability and adjustment. I'd been scared off by dire warnings of rampant thirst and poor mileage. Little wonder then, that the engines on my mind were (in order of priority) the 1UZ-FE, the 2UZ-FE, and the 1FZ-FE. Also-rans, were the IHD-T and 1HD. It was only when I was scouring the chop shops for a purchase, when I stumbled across a beautiful, almost-brand-new 1HZ mated to a H150F, that I changed my mind.

The logic for this was fairly simple...
1) The petrol engines were all more suited to high-speeds, whilst my requirement was high-reliability.
2) I ended up becoming wary of the Fuel Injection engines, since they required extensive work with electricals and wiring looms / harnesses / ECUs. This is a weak link in automotive repair in Pakistan.
3) I was told by the rebuild "syndicate" (I always called them the Dream Team!) that the weight of the 1HD and 1HD-T was far higher than the 1HZ. Additional weight, would probably nullify the power advantage of the former two engines over the 1HZ to a great extent (to date, I still haven't actually researched to see if this is true or not ). Besides, they were far more expensive, too.
4) The 1HZ's repute as a fantastically reliable, go-anywhere engine, and the legendary performance of the H150F five speed.
5) The outstanding condition of the engine and tranny.

Sooo...out with the old, in with the new. Some pictures to show how we went about bunging the engine into the Phantom. Here, I should also let everyone know...when we do a frame-off rebuild, we build off the frame TWICE. When the Phantom is going to eventually get it's "final" paint job...we're going to disassemble everything to the frame once again, paint/buff/polish/powder-coat, and then build it back together again!

 

[FouadHafeez]

This is just another picture of random interest, to show the stance of the newly-fabbed front mudguards when in position on the vehicle.

Also notable, are the green Pinzgauer to the left of the screen and the yellow Jeep in the background. Talk about an eclectic collection of off-roaders at one place!

 

[Coolerman]

Unbelievable! Just read the whole thread and am most impressed. Not only with your vehicle and the craftsmen, but your photos and prose. I have learned something today about another country.

Someone mentioned about only knowing your country from the news. Just goes to show how the media can shape a countries thoughts.

Keep the photos and comments about daily life there coming, I find those to be as interesting as the truck and the craftsmanship on it.

To repeat an excellent comment: World peace through Land Cruisers!

 

[effjay76]

AWESOME build. I like the 1uz impala! A lot of guys put chevy motors in toyotas, you flipped it on it's ear. B

 

[effjay76]

Diggin the smoke stack

 

[effjay76]

AWESOME build. I like the 1uz impala! A lot of guys put chevy motors in toyotas, you flipped it on it's ear. Brilliant. The pictures of pakistan are great. I'd like to see some similar pictures with this truck in them

 

[REZARF]

Awesome build... I spent the whole time reading the thead thinking... I could drink a beer with those dudes and talk cruisers all day!

 

[FouadHafeez]

Unbelievable! Just read the whole thread and am most impressed. Not only with your vehicle and the craftsmen, but your photos and prose. I have learned something today about another country.

Someone mentioned about only knowing your country from the news. Just goes to show how the media can shape a countries thoughts.

Keep the photos and comments about daily life there coming, I find those to be as interesting as the truck and the craftsmanship on it.

To repeat an excellent comment: World peace through Land Cruisers!

Thanks for the kind comments, mate. I'll continue to chronicle the rebuild faithfully, and try and give you guys as many insights into "everyday" life in Pakistan at the same time.

AWESOME build. I like the 1uz impala! A lot of guys put chevy motors in toyotas, you flipped it on it's ear. Brilliant. The pictures of pakistan are great. I'd like to see some similar pictures with this truck in them

Thanks for the interest, and encouragement. In our neck of the woods, you'd be surprised how FEW classic American cars are visible on the roads. The handful of 65 Impalas here, for example, are pretty much museum pieces that are parked in garages, rather than actual road-shredders. This is what prompted me to build the 65 Impala as a daily-ish driver...with transplanted mechanicals from Toyota (which are VERY common here). The car is nice and frightening, sounds great, stops better, is easily maintainable, and drives decently. AND I drive it every day

And...as soon as I'm done rebuilding the Phantom...rest assured...you should expect a ****load of photos of it, in various locations from Pakistan!

 

[FouadHafeez]

Awesome build... I spent the whole time reading the thead thinking... I could drink a beer with those dudes and talk cruisers all day!

LOL...here's to beer and Cruisers!