downunder shorty

[croozy]

Is that a custom roof rack or did you buy it from a vendor?

The actual basket on the roof was an item I bought but the bar work was made by me & a mate. Did a lot of looking at other cars with racks to get a few ideas then made what I wanted. it all comes apart so it can be stored against a wall so it takes up as little space as possible in my shed if I ever need to take it off. Have a look at page 4 of my buildup.

But doesn't the light bar shed light on your bonnet?

(If it does, my experience is that the brightly lit bonnet becomes too distracting and you'll need to install a sheetmetal shield beneath the light-bar or move it further back on the roof.)



PS. Bonnet = hood (for those who speak a different language).

PPS. And if you fit a shield beneath the lights, the next time a wind gust throws your bonnet upwards you'll get a nice imprint of the sharp forward-edge on your bonnet. (Errrr. Yes. I've been though all that.)

The glare isn't that bad compared to say driving lights that I've tried but in saying that I haven't had it on for a long period of time while driving at night. The bracket it is bolted to is able to be moved back further if I find the glare a bit too much.
As for the bonnet flying up I don't have to worry about that problem as my whole front clip tilts forward. It's one piece made out of fibreglass.

 

[Baltoro Jeeper]

Wonderful build! I really dig the paint job on your rig, could you possibly share details?

 

[65fj40_steve]

Cool, nice articulation and illumination

 

[croozy]

Wonderful build! I really dig the paint job on your rig, could you possibly share details?

Thanks mate. The paint job is as simple as it gets. I had a buddy of mine media blast the tub for me & then it primed the tub & sprayed the underneath & inside all in the one day. The outside was done the following day. I was very lucky too as it had no rust (or dings) in the body anywhere, but it has some now. The paint is just straight white tinter so it was an easy match. No mixing colours just buy the paint & put it on.

Cool, nice articulation and illumination

Thanks. It has gone through 3 sets of springs to get it where it is now. I wanted as much travel as I could without going SOA. Have some pretty restrictive laws where I live so I'm happy with the results. As for the lights I'm thinking about buying a second smaller light bar to mount down on the front bumper.

 

[Littl42]

Light bar

It's a 32" bar with 60 x 3watt LED's. I got it from a company here in Australia called Bright Light Auto Parts. Here's the specs on the light .
http://www.brightlightautoparts.com/files/BL-LB606.pdf

Hi Croozy thanks for the specs on the light bar. Can it be ordered online? If so do you perhaps have a webaddress for a dealer?

 

[TOBASH]

Nice rig!

What tire (tyre) rim combo are you running mate?

Specifically, what size and width rims and what size tires?

Best,

T

 

[croozy]

Hi Croozy thanks for the specs on the light bar. Can it be ordered online? If so do you perhaps have a webaddress for a dealer?

Yeah mate no worries,
Bright Lights Auto Parts - Welcome to the home of Bright Lights Auto Parts
I ordered mine over the net.

Nice rig!

What tire (tyre) rim combo are you running mate?

Specifically, what size and width rims and what size tires?

Best,

T

Thanks TOBASH, I am running 15"x10" Eagle 058 rims & 35"x12.5" BFG muddies.

 

[Littl42]

Thanks mate I wiil have a look.

 

[TOBASH]

Thanks TOBASH, I am running 15"x10" Eagle 058 rims & 35"x12.5" BFG muddies.

How does your truck behave at highway speed with those tyres and rims?

Also, is there a maximum speed where you feel unsafe with those tyres and rims?

Finally, what about tyre/road noise?

Best,

T

 

[croozy]

Compared to my last set of Khumo tyres, noise isn't that bad with these. When traveling out on the highway I'm usually sitting on 90kph, mainly due to the quality of our roads where I live & fuel consumption is just that bit better when doing 90 instead of 100khp. I have had it traveling quicker but it just sucks the fuel bad.
It does follow some tracks in the road but as soon as I hit a good piece of highway it is just like a car. I found it was much better when I installed this last set of springs because they are a softer set of springs & the vehicle wasn't as rigid anymore, it just soaks up the bumps now that used to send it bouncing around.

 

[croozy]

Had to work at my old job today with a mate that owns a 45 series. We parked them next to each for a pic.
Now he has a set of 31's & is running an Ironman 2" lift kit.
There is a little bit of difference in size.

 

[uted]

Yeah just a bit

 

[croozy]

Hey, how's your projects coming along Steve??

 

[croozy]

Not much to report in here other then I have bought a set of full soft doors & I'm waiting for them to show up. Will post some pics when I get them.

 

[croozy]

These are the soft doors for the shorty.
They are Bestop doors so the don't fit the original door shape. So I'm on the lookout side panels off a shorty or the upper cab panel from a ute to cut up. I just need the top part of the door shut for each side so I can modify them to suit.
Here's a pic

 

[Falco80]

Awesome build thread Croozy! I dig the soft top and rack setup, looks great overall. Enjoying the pics.

 

[uted]

Nice doors man

Hey, how's your projects coming along Steve??

I haven't touched any of my cruisers for ages Although i have been yacking with an auto engineer about the hot rod cruiser, and buying bits. All my time for the last 13mths has been taken up doing a cruiser for a mate of mine, But that is now finished. https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj45-owners-club/535994-hj47-pics.html So once i catch up with all the jobs around the house should be back into it.


Steve

 

[croozy]

Awesome build thread Croozy! I dig the soft top and rack setup, looks great overall. Enjoying the pics.

Thanks mate. I try to make it as individual as I can.

Nice doors man

I haven't touched any of my cruisers for ages Although i have been yacking with an auto engineer about the hot rod cruiser, and buying bits. All my time for the last 13mths has been taken up doing a cruiser for a mate of mine, But that is now finished. https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj45-owners-club/535994-hj47-pics.html So once i catch up with all the jobs around the house should be back into it.


Steve

Good to here mate. Want to see at least one of them on the road..
You wouldn't happen to have the bits I'm looking for would you.? I mean seeing as you have all the spare landcruisers in Australia in your yard.

 

[croozy]

Chalked up another milestone yesterday.

 

[croozy]

new spare wheel carrier

After having the spare wheel carrier that I made for a while now, I decided to do another one.
This time I'm making my version of the Man-a-fre spare/jerry can carrier.
I had to remake the whole thing again because it need a longer main bar to allow the spare to clear the body when swung out.

This is the old spare wheel carrier I made a couple of years ago.


Turning down a wheel hub on the lathe.


Nearing the half way mark after a couple of hours.