FJ43 Build from Far Far Away.

[addicted56]

eescooby thank you for the info. I will check that out.

As to the bushings I'll call around but the ID of the bushing that came with it were .750 and the OD of the pin is .600 so I am assuming we need .625 ID bushing? I haven't been able to find a .600 bushing but every company (except OME that I could find) makes a .625in ID bushing.

Thoughts and anyone else run into this problem?

Also we are going to move the brake distribution blocks around and run the brake lines and fuel lines on the drivers side of the vehicle. Didn't make sense that they ran the brake lines all the way to the other side. Trying to stay on the side of the injection pump and the brake booster and away from the exhaust. Any thoughts of why we should not do this? Discs all the way around.

 

[addicted56]

I will get some photos of the can but it is Rustoleum silver/chrome oil based paint mixed with black. 2:1 You could probably put more black in it and it would turn more pewter. In the sun it gets a bit silver/chrome looking. Mixed it with some hardener and sprayed. Turned out pretty darn good in my mind. Next couple of weeks should be the Raptor Liner on the bottom. Dad is a stickler for attention to detail. Ground down and body filler/sanded every one of his welds for a smooth look.

 

[tucker74]

Finally swapped the 4:11s in mine, hands down the way you want to go. Night and day difference in first and second gear, am still able to cruise at 65 MPH with the 4-speed @ 850 EGT/7.5 PSI of boost. Gonna be perfect when I get the H55 in, highly recommend over the 3:73s

Tucker

 

[addicted56]

Finally swapped the 4:11s in mine, hands down the way you want to go. Night and day difference in first and second gear, am still able to cruise at 65 MPH with the 4-speed @ 850 EGT/7.5 PSI of boost. Gonna be perfect when I get the H55 in, highly recommend over the 3:73s

Tucker

You are running 33" tires correct? I had the H41 with the lower first gear and it was a big hop to 2nd.

If you are running much better now with 4:11's with the stock 4 speed than I'm guessing 4.88's would give you the same RPM in Overdrive. Well a 4.73 would be an exact. Would 4.88's be to much gear for you? Thinking about dropping them in when the ARB's go in.

 

[tucker74]

You are running 33" tires correct?

Yes - 33x10.50 BFG ATs on stock steelies.

Would 4.88's be to much gear for you? Thinking about dropping them in when the ARB's go in.

Might be too low, I'll let you know about first gear when I get the H55 in the next month or so. Might consider 4:56s instead of all the way to 4:88s?

Tucker

 

[addicted56]

That is what second gear is for . I'll look forward to your feedback.

 

[Chamba]

Yes - 33x10.50 BFG ATs on stock steelies.

Might be too low, I'll let you know about first gear when I get the H55 in the next month or so. Might consider 4:56s instead of all the way to 4:88s?

Tucker

You're going to hate 4:11 with the h55 and 33x10.5x15, sorry to say. Too low for first and slightly tall for second. You'll wind up using 1st if you're on any kind of a hill and shift to second in 10-15 feet. You'll use second on flat and just feather the clutch a bit. 3:70 make 1st very useful.

Just my experience. I vastly prefer 3:70s with the h55. With the h42, I agree, stick with 4:11 due to the taller first gear.

 

[tucker74]

You're going to hate 4:11 with the h55 and 33x10.5x15, sorry to say.

Agree with a 2F/3F torque monster, not so sure with the high revving OM617. This engine has no power until you get into the turbo, lower gears increase RPMs and make this setup happy. My H55 is still sitting in the garage in a crate, I can tell you 3:73s and the H42 sucked all around in 1st/2nd gear on road and off. Swapping to 4:11s has made it much more fun to drive, will report back after the transmission swap (still have my 3:73 chunks) -

Tucker

 

[Chamba]

That makes sense, hadn't thought of your power band. Yes, for a high rev engine you probably will like the combo. For the 2f, it renders first nearly useless.

 

[addicted56]

A few of it up on the home made rotisserie. The big casters work great for rolling it out on the gravel. Will have to take it apart and save it for future projects. Not exactly universal but will be easy to change around for other projects. The bright spots in the bed are where they are mounting the rear seat so we can bolt the kids in safely.

 

[addicted56]

Primer is on and undercoat will be sprayed this weekend. Brake lines all done up on the axles. Finally got the right bushings for the shocks.

No real progress on the engine other than they need/want more parts. Still waiting on pistons and can't find some parts.

 

[addicted56]

Look to be in great shape. thankful for no rust. Not thankful for the outrageous price of rubber parts. I have paid less for entire cars than a few pieces of rubber.

 

[addicted56]

We have progress. Looks a bit dull in photos but good. Hopefully we will get some paint on the body and parts in a few weeks. We will see. This is the Raptor liner tinted with our Freeborn Red. It appears I ordered enough and 4 cans was enough. Then again it already had a really tough liner on the bottom from the previous restoration in Colombia.

 

[addicted56]

YIKES,

Thankfully we decided to take out the windshield. We have a friend who owns a glass and radiator shop. He is going to restore the radiator and help install the glass....will get it polished up to remove build up and small scratches then install new rubber.

This is by FAR the worst rust we have found on the car yet and I would have been angry at myself if we had not gone all the way down and cleaned this up. Will get it fixed up and should be good for another 30 years.

 

[Chamba]

My cousin has a '76 windscreen frame he wants to sell for $500. I've seen it and it's perfect, but no glass in it. I think it has wiper stuff too but I'd have to ask him. He bought it a while ago when he thought he wanted to move the wipers to the bottom of his frame but he decided to leave them at the top-he's got a '72.

 

[addicted56]

My cousin has a '76 windscreen frame he wants to sell for $500. I've seen it and it's perfect, but no glass in it. I think it has wiper stuff too but I'd have to ask him. He bought it a while ago when he thought he wanted to move the wipers to the bottom of his frame but he decided to leave them at the top-he's got a '72.

Thanks for the heads up. Looks like we will be able to fix this up though. Also just found out the AwlTeq snorkles will will be coming soon. Decided in stead of powder coating it we are going to paint it to match the truck. I have seen it on a red jeep in the past and it looks pretty sharp. Plus I don't really want it to stick out, but I do not want to accidentally drown this rebuilt engine EVER! I figure $400 bucks is a good insurance policy on an off-road rig. Do I ever PLAN to take it in water above hubs...nope...will it probably happen and do I want to have the option...YEP.

 

[Chamba]

Thanks for the heads up. Looks like we will be able to fix this up though. Also just found out the AwlTeq snorkles will will be coming soon. Decided in stead of powder coating it we are going to paint it to match the truck. I have seen it on a red jeep in the past and it looks pretty sharp. Plus I don't really want it to stick out, but I do not want to accidentally drown this rebuilt engine EVER! I figure $400 bucks is a good insurance policy on an off-road rig. Do I ever PLAN to take it in water above hubs...nope...will it probably happen and do I want to have the option...YEP.

Kevin makes fantastic stuff and he's a stand-up guy.

The best thing about snorkles, and their primary purpose in my mind, is to get cleaner, cooler air from 6' off the ground rather than 3' off the ground from inside a hot engine compartment. In a country like Australia where bull dust is king and temps over 100° are just part of everyday life, this is crucial.

The first two times we took Lexie into the Australian Bush without a snorkle I cleaned the air filter almost daily and the engine hit 210° pretty regularly. In our numerous visits after putting the snorkle on, I could go a week without cleaning the filter and the engine seemed to stay about 195-200° the whole time. I only ever used it to cross water in the Bush once: after a downpour in the Flinders Ranges getting out of our camp in Brachina Gorge.

A funny thing once I had Lexie here: I have a pre-cleaner sock in the top of the snorkle which I pull about once every year to clean (it really only stops bugs, small boulders, houses and similar-sized stuff from going down the snorkel). I was heading out to my aunt and uncle's joint last winter in the snow when the engine started running like s***e. It felt like a fuel filter but then I noticed my vacuum seemed higher than normal. Turns out the sock froze: not something one worries about EVER in Australia.

 

[addicted56]

Smart idea from my old man here. I often see the step smashed in or bent. This should help stable it up a bit. Just small piece of round bar he had lying in the shop.

 

[addicted56]

Kevin makes fantastic stuff and he's a stand-up guy.

The best thing about snorkles, and their primary purpose in my mind, is to get cleaner, cooler air from 6' off the ground rather than 3' off the ground from inside a hot engine compartment. In a country like Australia where bull dust is king and temps over 100° are just part of everyday life, this is crucial.

The first two times we took Lexie into the Australian Bush without a snorkle I cleaned the air filter almost daily and the engine hit 210° pretty regularly. In our numerous visits after putting the snorkle on, I could go a week without cleaning the filter and the engine seemed to stay about 195-200° the whole time. I only ever used it to cross water in the Bush once: after a downpour in the Flinders Ranges getting out of our camp in Brachina Gorge.

A funny thing once I had Lexie here: I have a pre-cleaner sock in the top of the snorkle which I pull about once every year to clean (it really only stops bugs, small boulders, houses and similar-sized stuff from going down the snorkel). I was heading out to my aunt and uncle's joint last winter in the snow when the engine started running like s***e. It felt like a fuel filter but then I noticed my vacuum seemed higher than normal. Turns out the sock froze: not something one worries about EVER in Australia.

Great points. That is great ammunition to take to the wife when she yells at me for throwing it on there "Honey, this is ensuring we don't overheat or clog the air filter". You don't want to be stuck out in the middle of the desert do you?..I'm pretty sure she will have to cave in at that point

 

[Chamba]

Great points. That is great ammunition to take to the wife when she yells at me for throwing it on there "Honey, this is ensuring we don't overheat or clog the air filter". You don't want to be stuck out in the middle of the desert do you?..I'm pretty sure she will have to cave in at that point

Definitely. She can't argue that high calibre of logic: especially in Georgia.

I like your old man and I've never even met him. Be sure to seam seal that bar though so it doesn't trap road grime and rust the running board.