- Joined
- Jan 12, 2008
- Threads
- 291
- Messages
- 3,493
- Location
- West MI near GVSU
- Website
- www.mcdesignsoffroad.com
Are you planning on just running one set?
Extended cab 45 SWB from a 40 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter afraptor22
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #42
Two sets, the full ones in the winter and half doors in the summer. I thought about building a soft upper frame like ICON does, but i like the ability to roll down the window in the full hard door.
This turned out really nice. I like your soft top execution on the cage rather than bows.
- Thread starter
- #44
Thanks. I ended up taking the height down a couple inches, but it still has the classic Land cruiser profile. The guy who made the top did a great job of making it work on the transitions from the door frames to the cage curves.
- Thread starter
- #45
Got the SOA done this weekend and tried to swap the front springs to a set of 4" SUA springs. Well the higher lift springs are also longer than the OME springs and the shackle rests on the frame, so no spring action. For now I pulled a couple leafs out of the OME pack to soften it up and I will put longer shackles to get an 1" of lift. The rear spring rate seems to work great unloaded and with the roughly 400lbs of 37" tires on steel wheels.
I went to throw the new tires and wheels on and discovered the inner part of the wheel hits the front calipers. For now there is a 1.5" spacer but I will press in longer studs and run a .25" spacer...it's very wide up front!
Next on the list is finishing the rear seats while I wait for some shackles to show up. So far 50% of the time I drive it someone is taking a picture of it when I come back.
Next on the list is finishing the rear seats while I wait for some shackles to show up. So far 50% of the time I drive it someone is taking a picture of it when I come back.
Looks bad ass 
- Thread starter
- #47
Looks bad ass
Thanks! I really appreciate the positive feedback from the people on this forum.
Completely agree with GLTHFJ60!
Great work and awesome rig!!
Great work and awesome rig!!
- Thread starter
- #49
Took Frank to a Cars (Trucks) and Coffee over in Emeryville. Lots of cool trucks, and Frank was very popular.
- Thread starter
- #50
Also finished up the half doors. I got tired of bondo/sand/primer cycles...so they are just ok. I also got a set of TJ fenders and "detextured" them with some high build primer and then shot them green.
Hoping to get the bed rack welded up Friday so I can put the kayak on it for the overland show on the 18th.
Hoping to get the bed rack welded up Friday so I can put the kayak on it for the overland show on the 18th.
71FJnick
SILVER Star
Great build!
I had the same issue with my 17” wheels, they hit the 4-runner caliper.
I was able to grind a bit off of the cooling fin on the caliper to get it to clear. Wheels were 3.5” backspacing.
Here it is after grinding, the fins started at the same height, might save you the agrivation of new studs and spacers
I had the same issue with my 17” wheels, they hit the 4-runner caliper.
I was able to grind a bit off of the cooling fin on the caliper to get it to clear. Wheels were 3.5” backspacing.
Here it is after grinding, the fins started at the same height, might save you the agrivation of new studs and spacers
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #52
I ended up replacing all the wheel studs anyway. The ones that came with my Redline brake kit never fit well. I got some extended length studs and open lug nuts and a 1/4" spacer in there now. No rubbing.
- Thread starter
- #53
My parents were in town using my 80 so I needed a way to carry the kayak to the beach. It gave me the motivation to finish the bed rack. It's built out of 1.25" square tube and the rear hoop is removable so a RTT can be mounted backwards to flip out over the tailgate. The idea being when the tent is open the vestibule? area covers the tailgate making a nice shelf, or the tent covers the whole bed area and I can sleep there with the kids up above.
- Thread starter
- #54
All was well for a little while...then I started to do some digging into my motor. Pretty much every time it got over 200 degrees weird gunk would collect at the radiator cap. I decided to finally pull the data off the stock PCM and see if there was a different MAP table that I could use to fix the nagging MAP error that was bothering me and constantly turning on the CEL.
It confirmed my fears, I had (past tense) a 4.8L motor instead of the 5.3L I thought I bought, thanks Craigslist. So this happened.
Then this happened.
The new motor is a 2009 LY6 from a 2500 pickup. Its a Gen IV, iron block, VVT engine. I chose to keep the VVT intact as its not a dragster and Chevrolet tuned this motor for torque, 380 ft-lbs. I also took the time to go to Corvette style factory manifolds to cut down on noise and heat. The problem with these is they are wider than my Sanderson headers, so I had to move the steering column over.
I used a double joint to point it back at the 80 steering gearbox and then a giant rod end to support it and keep it in place.
I also decided to modify the stock LY6 wiring harness and move the PCM location to the engine bay and free up some space under the very cramped FJ40 dash. I laid out the harness on the garage floor and pulled out all the circuits I didn't need but it gave me the opportunity to keep some like the EVAP purge that aftermarket harnesses never do. Collect up all the pink wires and figure out where they go with a multimeter then I turned that into a connector for harness power.
I made a separate connector for the data part of the harness to ease trouble shooting in the future.
While I had the harness apart I added a wire to the main PCM connectors for tach output and I changed the wires around for the APP so I can use a Corvette style pedal. The truck pedals are HUGE and use a different arrangement than the corvette. I also re-did the MAF wiring so I could use an LS3 style card MAF. The stock LY6 MAF is in a 3.5" tube and my intake is mostly 4" tube. The card MAF lets me use a 4" tube section from Spectre with the MAF mount already welded on.
I also changed the water pump to an LS3 style which moved the outlet over to the driver side and pointed forward. To do this I had to use a combination of the stock truck alternator and power steering pump mount and then the LS3 tensioner but the arrangement looks cleaner to me and I kept the LY6 pump with double returns.
Since I had double returns I figured I'd try Hydroboost. The hydroboost booster opened up a ton of options for master cylinders to go up in diameter and push more fluid for the huge front calipers. I ended up using a Dodge master cylinder for its low profile and had to re-do some brake lines with adapters.
Here's how it came together.
It's back up and running now and I'm refining the tune for the new motor. It definitely has a different personality than the 4.8 tune and drives like a 2500 pickup....steady torque and you have to mash it to fly. It's not as fun, but a better match for a 5800lb FJ40/45. Since the computer controls how the engine responds to the APP position I can tweak it some down the road. For now just drive it and see how the engine and the hydroboost conversion works.
It confirmed my fears, I had (past tense) a 4.8L motor instead of the 5.3L I thought I bought, thanks Craigslist. So this happened.
Then this happened.
The new motor is a 2009 LY6 from a 2500 pickup. Its a Gen IV, iron block, VVT engine. I chose to keep the VVT intact as its not a dragster and Chevrolet tuned this motor for torque, 380 ft-lbs. I also took the time to go to Corvette style factory manifolds to cut down on noise and heat. The problem with these is they are wider than my Sanderson headers, so I had to move the steering column over.
I used a double joint to point it back at the 80 steering gearbox and then a giant rod end to support it and keep it in place.
I also decided to modify the stock LY6 wiring harness and move the PCM location to the engine bay and free up some space under the very cramped FJ40 dash. I laid out the harness on the garage floor and pulled out all the circuits I didn't need but it gave me the opportunity to keep some like the EVAP purge that aftermarket harnesses never do. Collect up all the pink wires and figure out where they go with a multimeter then I turned that into a connector for harness power.
I made a separate connector for the data part of the harness to ease trouble shooting in the future.
While I had the harness apart I added a wire to the main PCM connectors for tach output and I changed the wires around for the APP so I can use a Corvette style pedal. The truck pedals are HUGE and use a different arrangement than the corvette. I also re-did the MAF wiring so I could use an LS3 style card MAF. The stock LY6 MAF is in a 3.5" tube and my intake is mostly 4" tube. The card MAF lets me use a 4" tube section from Spectre with the MAF mount already welded on.
I also changed the water pump to an LS3 style which moved the outlet over to the driver side and pointed forward. To do this I had to use a combination of the stock truck alternator and power steering pump mount and then the LS3 tensioner but the arrangement looks cleaner to me and I kept the LY6 pump with double returns.
Since I had double returns I figured I'd try Hydroboost. The hydroboost booster opened up a ton of options for master cylinders to go up in diameter and push more fluid for the huge front calipers. I ended up using a Dodge master cylinder for its low profile and had to re-do some brake lines with adapters.
Here's how it came together.
It's back up and running now and I'm refining the tune for the new motor. It definitely has a different personality than the 4.8 tune and drives like a 2500 pickup....steady torque and you have to mash it to fly. It's not as fun, but a better match for a 5800lb FJ40/45. Since the computer controls how the engine responds to the APP position I can tweak it some down the road. For now just drive it and see how the engine and the hydroboost conversion works.
- Thread starter
- #56
Thanks man, how is yours coming along?
A10Driver
SILVER Star
Slow and steady. Doing body work on the tub right now
- Thread starter
- #58
Short video of the motor running. Even with the factory style exhaust manifolds and the "quiet" muffler it still sounds a bit too hot rod. Its fun to drive though, as the engine and transmission computers learn my driving style it will hold a lower gear and give wide open throttle sooner if I mash the gas, but still mellow for driving around town.
- Thread starter
- #59
Ya, if I did mine over again I would have spent more time and welded in new outer door frames. My tub was pretty beat up there and the front metal is not square. I had to get it drive-able though and was pretty burnt out on how long of a project it turned in to.
- Thread starter
- #60
The biggest problem I have with this truck, Frank, is that I bought an 80 series in the middle of the project.
Now the 80 has become a far more practical family off-roader and I can't justify keeping both of them. I had advertised the 80 for sale here on mud, but half heartedly. SO now that Frank has a good motor it's time to get serious about finding him a new home. I'll put up an ad in the 45 section sometime this week, when I can figure out what to ask for it....
