Builds FJ40/80 Four Door-H55- LT4- Driver (1 Viewer)

[gwalt584]

I've been working on this project now since February 2015. The red FJ40, AKA TimeMachine Build, got purchased from me, which is a story in itself. So I decided to build a 4 door model and I was attracted to the FJ40 4 door body on an FJ80 frame. Aqualu builds the body. Justin, at Redline, was the supplier for my setup. So after doing a deal with Justin in March, I started the journey.
So, after some research I decided to pull the trigger and give it a GO!
I contacted Jason at CruiserYard and he happened to have a 1993 FJ80 frame and axles with e-locker diffs. I made a trip to see my brother in Texas and took my trailer and made the run down into the mesquite and cactus country to pick it up.

 

[gwalt584]

So you can see that the chassis needed some loving.
It cleaned up good. the front diffs got rebuilt with all new bearing from Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters. New Nitro Birfields, brakes, and new calipers.
I wanted to make the differential like an FJ40 with locking hubs, the birfeilds needed to be changed to a slightly longer version to accomadate the Aisan Locking hubs (gold color model).

 

[gwalt584]

so the end result was an 80 frame waiting on a body.
I was uncertain about the springs, shocks, and suspension, so I waited until the body was on to make my spring choice.

 

[gwalt584]

So the next decision was how to power the truck. My red 2 door had an L98 350 TPI engine. I can say that is a nice setup for an FJ40 of any kind.
I found an LT1 (1994 year) rebuilt block that the owner had purchased and not installed the Eldebrock top end kit to convert the LT1 to an LT4. Overall the HP is slightly over 400HP. I had purchased an H55 5 speed from a member several months before I started this project, so it became the tranny for the project. I found a mid 80's split transfer case, rebulit it and here you go, more power than a 40 could ask for.

 

[gwalt584]

October 29, 2015 my body arrived with lots of goodies.
I started putting it together. Mock up to get all the parts fitted. The hood is fiberglass.

 

[arcteryx]

Sub'd, this is gonna be awesome. Glad you finally did this Gary!

 

[gwalt584]

Mock up continued, then more mock up, and after that, even more mock up.
The body for the four door is 7" wider that a standard FJ40.
I used Dashman's lower dash pads. They are very nice.
It turned out that his standard screw that are placed on the back of the pads were not long enough due to the thickness of the aluminum used on the dash. He was kind enough to custom make the pads with longer screws.

 

[gwalt584]

I wanted the project to be as close to an FJ40 as possible. Justin and I had a miscommunication about the steering column that I planned to use and the front firewall was cut to use and FJ80 steering column, like he does for the Ute that he produces. When I put the FJ40 pedals in the dash you can see in the previous post how far the cut holes were off.

I really hate to say this but I used a Jeep glove box liner. it worked out nice with brackets. you can see the pic in the previous post.

 

[gwalt584]

The tires are BFG 35x12.50x17 . so I decided to put some fender flares on it.
Hey, and More mockup!!!

 

[gwalt584]

I did go for the full roll cage that Justin offered for the kit. Thankfully, he carefully labeled and numbered each piece. so it was a nice kit for "roll bar installation for dummies" kind of deal.
My Eastman mig welder got a workout tacking the roll cage together. I left the final welding to a professional. While he welded, I worked on stitching a leather cover over the FJ40 steering wheel.

 

[gwalt584]

so a soft top is the answer for a top. so that assembly and process was started. by this time it was summer 2016 and HOT!

 

[gwalt584]

I pondered on the upper door frames and decided to contact Jonathan Ward, ICON. I tried to purchase the uppers from him, but he said that they were made specific to each door and no two were the same. so I ask for pics of his door uppers and to my surprize he was kind enough to send me multiple pics.
So I am a shameless, copycat of his design for the upper door frame. The last two pictures were from Mr. Ward. Thanks so much!!

 

[gwalt584]

The powder coater in Jackson, MS has an oven and facility big enough to put the body in it and frankly the powder coating is much lower cost than painting.
so I picked a red from Cardinal powder coating charts had the body powder coated.

 

[gwalt584]

before the body and engine could come together I had to get the engine positioned. I had done some of that work before the body was powder coated.

 

[gwalt584]

The FJ80 frame is between 6 and 7 inches too long for the Aqualu body. so I did not want to loose the rear cross member. so I cut the welds, pulled the cross member off, shortened the frame and put the cross member back on.

 

[gwalt584]

you know you need a fuel tank also. I had an FJ80 tank, so I decided to see if I could make it work. it got a new high pressure in tank fuel pump.
a little fab work and I have a 24 gallon tank.

 

[gwalt584]

fuel pump, lines could go in then. The vent cap hard line was broken and I had to order a new one, still available from Toyota.

 

[gwalt584]

The next task was installing the sliders that I added to the list of stuff from Justin at Redline. The sliders came welded but the mounting was not. Thus, the difficult task of mounting the brackets to the frame. I decided to bolt on instead of weld, we will see how that works.

 

[gwalt584]

As I did on the 2 door red 40, I wanted to use Lizard Skin on the underside for sound and then Raptor liner on top of that. Raptor on the inside floor.

 

[gwalt584]

More pics,
The white color is the Lizard Skin Sound Control.