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Nick,
Im on the verge of trying to do the Vortec harness myself (stock, uncut harness). I have a friend who is an electrical engineer whom I may recruit to help. Here, you can get the whole harness including all the emissions crap for 150 bucks out at the auto wreckers. As for the stock 40 harness...Its gone. Im gonna do the EZ wire/ some variation as recommended earlier on here.
Where are you at with yours?

Keith

I'll probably do the EZ then. I'm doing TBI and bought a stock harness and ECM out of a 88 Chevy Suburban for 140 off Ebay.

Currently I've got the body back on the frame after cleaning and PORing it and the underside of the tub. I'm trying to decide which route I'm going to go now, suspension lift or SOA to fit 35's.
Here's a link to mine:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/304976-project-not-going-do-frame-off-frame-off.html

Nick
 
i'll probably do the ez then. I'm doing tbi and bought a stock harness and ecm out of a 88 chevy suburban for 140 off ebay.

Currently i've got the body back on the frame after cleaning and poring it and the underside of the tub. I'm trying to decide which route i'm going to go now, suspension lift or soa to fit 35's.
Here's a link to mine:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/304976-project-not-going-do-frame-off-frame-off.html

nick

great thread!!!!!
 
So, I did the 45 run this weekend and had a BLAST!
Got home yesterday and the wife was gonna go shopping with some friends...It dawned on me that it was 50% off at Pick n pull this weekend.!:bounce::bounce2:
I roll my happy ass over there, LUG my big FAT, HEAVY tool bag up to the counter and plunk that bitch into a wheel barrow. I find an 88 chevy silverado with some 63 in springs. "Sweet!" Snatch those up cuz Im hoping I can use em for the WB stretch....The look a little long. Then I find a Sag box gleaming out in the open, nice and easy for me to pull from another Chevy PU. Snag that.
VERY HAPPY about the score!
Call up RustyTLC to see what he is doing and I wander over to his place with my newly acquired possessions...He takes ONE LOOK at the box..."UMMMM, the mounting bolts are on the wrong side."
FAAAAAWWWWWWK!!!! Totally the WRONG ONE!:mad::bang:
Then we got some prelim. measurements on the 63 springs...Not sure if those are gonna work either....Ah well.

Started as a GREAT day...Cool, sunny and hungover with a 50% off sale at Pick and pull!:D
 
Do this NOW your a crazy man for doing sheet metal in FC


Looking forward to more pics!

ken

Yeah, well....
Im a 60 series guy and dont wanna spend the coin on the gas!:D
Not doing TOO BAD. Its a PITA fo so. This round wasnt too bad though.

K
 
Oh yeah...here are a few pics of how the door finished out after grinding.
Some low spots that'll need a bit of putty, but over all I was happy.

K
DSC02958.webp
DSC02959.webp
DSC02960.webp
 
So, I did the 45 run this weekend and had a BLAST!
Got home yesterday and the wife was gonna go shopping with some friends...It dawned on me that it was 50% off at Pick n pull this weekend.!:bounce::bounce2:
I roll my happy ass over there, LUG my big FAT, HEAVY tool bag up to the counter and plunk that bitch into a wheel barrow. I find an 88 chevy silverado with some 63 in springs. "Sweet!" Snatch those up cuz Im hoping I can use em for the WB stretch....The look a little long. Then I find a Sag box gleaming out in the open, nice and easy for me to pull from another Chevy PU. Snag that.
VERY HAPPY about the score!
Call up RustyTLC to see what he is doing and I wander over to his place with my newly acquired possessions...He takes ONE LOOK at the box..."UMMMM, the mounting bolts are on the wrong side."
FAAAAAWWWWWWK!!!! Totally the WRONG ONE!:mad::bang:
Then we got some prelim. measurements on the 63 springs...Not sure if those are gonna work either....Ah well.

Started as a GREAT day...Cool, sunny and hungover with a 50% off sale at Pick and pull!:D
You left out the part where you pi$$ed on my party by pointing out my tweaked up wrap bar shackle.
 
You left out the part where you pi$$ed on my party by pointing out my tweaked up wrap bar shackle.

:lol:
Didnt wanna ruin YOUR part of the story.
 
Mace (or anyone else)
We had discussed using an IFS mini truck toy axle...
What would be a good t case to throw behind the 203 for a centered rear diff?
Just had an idea...

Okay, since Im a CHEAP ASS...anything BUT the high dollar gear boxes. That crap will come later on.

Thanks,

Keith
 
dual mini tcases..
 
I had seen a write up in Petersons 4wheel n off road that I had saved...They had run the 4L60E to NP203/NP205. Doubled up it yielded a 4.2 to 1 crawl ratio just the boxes. A bit taller gearing than would be the split case, but it might save a few inches, be a bit stronger and possibly be cheaper?
Id need to center the rear diff though, which wouldnt be a BAD thing necessarily. However, Ive gotten used to the PS off set diff by now. Just kinda thinking out loud more than anything.

You mentioned that Woody was running stock mini truck IFS rear on his...seemed that it was a pretty good endorsement for that rear.
14 bolt...:hhmm:

Any thoughts?
Thanks for the help.

K
 
203 and 205's are cheap. THe adapter between them is not.

Woody has a hybrid, LC center section/mini outers.


14 bolt would be 8 lug
 
203 and 205's are cheap. THe adapter between them is not.

Woody has a hybrid, LC center section/mini outers.


14 bolt would be 8 lug

ah they aren't that bad anymore and you can pick up a 203/205 doubler on Pirate for a decent price.

New ORD Doubler Kit - $600 - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

a dana 300 would be another decent choice.... more options for gearing with those too. JB conversions has some nice stuff for both the 205 and the 300..

Dana 300 Upgrades, Gears and Products
 
14 bolt and a np 205... dont forget to twin stick it. :)
Brian, one of the old school BBCNN guys has an FJ40 with a 14 bolt. We always knew which line he took my the metal marks on the rocks. 14 bolts have BIG pumpkins.
 
The adapter for Mating the 203 to the split case is around 600.00 bucks with shipping from colorado off road. Not too light on the wallet IMO.
I think I know the answer to this, but Ill ask to be certain...the LC/ 60 series diffs are interchangeable with the mini housing, correct?
Or do I have that waaaay off.
One of the things that I like about the cruisers is the ability to swap front and rear thirds if necessary. This came in REAL HANDY on the Rubicon a couple years ago with Rusty TLC's rig. It was a PITA to do it, but we did it and got him off the trail under his own power.
That is one BIG reason Im hesitant to go with a different axle set up...that and cost of course. The other side of that is, I wheel almost exclusively with toyota folks. Not that Im snobbish, its just the way that it is. WHEN something happens and breaks, its better to be running gear that will be common in the group your with.
Im kinda weird like that I suppose, but...that's me.
I see the IFS rears being sold all the time here locally. If the 205 is a decent unit, I might consider that set up further. I have really never heard much about them either way, especially with cruisers.

K
 
ah they aren't that bad anymore and you can pick up a 203/205 doubler on Pirate for a decent price.

New ORD Doubler Kit - $600 - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

a dana 300 would be another decent choice.... more options for gearing with those too. JB conversions has some nice stuff for both the 205 and the 300..

Dana 300 Upgrades, Gears and Products

Brokenparts...YOU ARE THE MAN with the links!
I was looking through the AA catalog and had seen the D300 t case...that is something to think about as well. I like the deeper gear set for 600 bucks.

Thanks for the hook up!

Keith
 
hahahaha, you should see my "bookmarks" tab. :)

205 are stupid strong and HEAVY... gears and case (I give my self a hernia whenever I have to move mine across the garage). I've never heard of anyone breaking one. 205s do have reputation for being a bit tough to shift at times though.

D300 are also pretty strong although I have heard of people breaking the cases in pretty extreme conditions. You can usually pick up a D300 for around $300 bucks and slowly build them into a ghetto mini atlas... although you do give up a bit in the strength of the case.
 
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LC center section will not fit into a mini rearend. However, the mini rear axle tubes are the same OD as the cruiser axle ID. So you can slip fit them into a cruiser housing that has had it's tubes cut off.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/hardcore-corner/30253-700r-d300-install.html

Woody's buildup that is basicaly what you are contemplating doing

A d300 witha 4:1 kit in it may be the best option

You can see the centered LC rear axle in the pic..

You also might want to consider how long the drivetrain is going to be with a 203/205. They are easy in a 60, but get real close in a 40...
 

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