Builds FJZ -> HDJ -> 1HDT, 5 Speed, Locked, Lifted and Loved 80 Series Build - PTO ! (1 Viewer)

[BarnFab]

When it came time to select my next ride I decided an 80 series was a good option but if it was going to be an 80 it needed to be a Diesel . So I started the hunt and came up empty handed as the few that I found didn't tick the box's and I resided myself to the fact I would need to go with a FJZ and look at a conversion.

So the hunt began as I wanted a straight, rust free 94 model as I preferred the old style dash to the newer one but wanted the larger brakes. I didn't care to much about anything else as it is just bolts and a few mods to add pretty much any cruiser accessory to an 80 you want.

Build Specs Plan:

1. Icon Stage 3 Suspension with Superior Engineering Arms
2. 1 HDT and Manual Trans and straight 3" exhaust
3. Diff Locks
4. ARB Front Bar with Winch with IPF Spoties ( Old School )
5. Kaymar or 4x4 Labs Rear Bar
6. Rock Sliders
7. Some other Custom modes ...

As luck would have it I found one out near Las Vegas that seemed to fit the bill so a deal was done and we were off for an early morning drive

Once we hit the pick up location she was as described and loaded up and headed home. She behaved and stayed on the trailer the hole way lol

Safe and sound, haven't seen to many 80's where the owner down sized to 245's, looked stupid lol

 

[BarnFab]

I had not even unloaded it and I knew the 1st thing it needed was a set of tires that didn't make it look like a roller skate.

As luck would have it I just happened to have a set I bought for another project .

Yep that should work ....

The tire of choice was a 35" on a 17" ICON Rim. At this stage the Cruiser has stock suspension

 

[BarnFab]

At this stage she has stock shagged suspension and I wasn't 00% sure how the gearing and ride would be, but happy to say the 35's fitted fine with no issues. Which was a good thing as I put her to work picking up 20ft length of conduit from Home Depot so she got a temporary front rack lol

 

[BarnFab]

So at this stage I had a white 80 series with a Gas Engine and Auto Trans ... not what I wanted . As luck would have it she was is good condition and it was an easy sale.

So now I had a White Whale ... I big ass 80 that no longer ran .... hmm

 

[BarnFab]

So back to hunting I went and what do you know a HDJ80 pops up on IH8Mud classifieds and is a rusty POS but it is a Rusty POS with a factory 1HDT, 5 Speed and Factory lockers. Being a HDJ 80 she is also LHD meaning I get all the needed bits to do the manual conversion without having to chase or modify RHD stuff ...

So a deal was done, funds wired and a few days later a nice big truck rocked up with my new whip on on it

 

[BarnFab]

So this is what it is all about, a 1HDT that supposedly had some service history, I say supposedly as it was in French so I couldn't read it and lets be honest you would be an idiot to get a 1HDT off the internet and not do BEB, water Pump, timing belt and a full service and inspection.

The guy I got it off had a compression test done before I bought it and an oil analysis that gave it an all clear so I knew it wasn't completely toast but again that stuff it a nice guide but meh trust no one.

As the pictures show the engine bay was pretty clean .

 

[gilmorneau]

Glad to finally see a build thread on this! Very interested to see how it all turns out. Keep it up.

 

[BarnFab]

Glad to finally see a build thread on this! Very interested to see how it all turns out. Keep it up.

Yeah I figured since like a lot of people I use mud for a great reference source I would add a post as it may help someone out down the track.

 

[BarnFab]

Engine bay was clean but it really needed to be empty so I started pulling stuff off, I found the radiator had one of those cute little winter blinds on it, no need for that in SOCAL .

Since the engine was going into a different body I pulled off a lot of stuff that you don't need to pull to get to the engine but you do need if your doing a conversion.

 

[chelo]

Nice! Will you selling interior bits from the hdj80?

 

[BarnFab]

Nice! Will you selling interior bits from the hdj80?

Nope all the bits I am guessing you are interested in will be going into the FJZ80 to support the factory style Manual conversion. Anything I don't use will be because the FJZ80 has the same part but in better condition.

 

[chelo]

Nope all the bits I am guessing you are interested in will be going into the FJZ80 to support the factory style Manual conversion. Anything I don't use will be because the FJZ80 has the same part but in better condition.

I have a factory manual 80. What it's never had is rear seat belts! Your going to enjoy it with a manual.

 

[BarnFab]

I have a factory manual 80. What it's never had is rear seat belts! Your going to enjoy it with a manual.

You want rear seat belts ? I probably has spares of them as the FJZ80 ones and fine , now you have me wondering if the HDJ80 has rear belts hmmm

 

[chelo]

I need them to be gray. I My last couple of 80s have had the tan interior.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Cool to see someone doing this engine upgrade. Will be fun to watch.

 

[Road Apple]

I’ve wondered how an auto to manual conversion with OEM parts would be to complete. Particularly interested in the clutch pedal install and how difficult it is. Popcorn ready

 

[BarnFab]

I’ve wondered how an auto to manual conversion with OEM parts would be to complete. Particularly interested in the clutch pedal install and how difficult it is. Popcorn ready

It is just a case of cutting the hole and bolting it in so not hard if you have the dash and everything out. Most of the pressings are there. The gear shifter are is different and you need to hack more of that out .

 

[Road Apple]

It is just a case of cutting the hole and bolting it in so not hard if you have the dash and everything out. Most of the pressings are there. The gear shifter are is different and you need to hack more of that out .

You make it sound easy. Like most projects, after you dig and figure it out, it’s not that bad. When do you start hacking?

 

[BarnFab]

You make it sound easy. Like most projects, after you dig and figure it out, it’s not that bad. When do you start hacking?

It is easy, you just take your time and follow the bouncing ball. When you have a LHD Manual and a LHD Auto both 1994 Models then it really is just a matter of copying one onto the other and you have the benefit of being able to see what Toyota Did and didn't do on each model.

Also when you are killing the LHD Manual Body you can simply cut stuff of it and work out how everything works without care and then when it comes time to put it on the other you have learnt what you need to know.

 

[BarnFab]

With the engine out of the way it was time to have a look at what modifications I needed to make to the FJZ80 in order to allow a factory style fitment of the Manual Transmission. I had heard there were differences between the cross member locations as well as the cross members. This sort of proved to be true but wasn't as bad as I thought.

The auto cross member and the manual cross member are exactly the same, the only difference is that on the manual it sits further forward so due to the taper in the chassis rails this means the bolts are further in relative to the factory slots. There is a small bolt location plate that sits on the slots which is spot welded so you pop that off and Auto becomes manual. I wanted to use the Auto Cross member as the manual one was crusty from years of love.

The top crusty one is the factory manual, the bottom clean one is the Auto.

The trans mount mounting holes are exactly the same .

You can see the crusty one sits in closer but still within same slots

I didn't take a picture of the chassis but the Auto Chassis has the Manual Trans mount holes in it from factory it just does not have the captive nuts. This leaves you two options, you can just use nuts and bolts or you can weld in nuts / make nut plates. I made a nut plate using the chassis as a template and drilled a third hole in the center to spot weld it in place giving me the easy of fitting without screwing around with nuts. End result is that to look you can't tell it isn't factory and if you knew the only sign is that the Auto Holes have nuts in them which factory manual chassis does not.