ARCHIVE FZJ40

[kling-on]

When it's done its for sale

 

[BoxYourEars]

Flammable
Object.
Run away or
Die!

(true story, I used to own a bronco...)

My buddy's older brother called his the Ford Exploder

I know this is thread is several years old, but I must give you sincere compliments on the FZJ40! Excellent work

 

[yOHda]

IPOR,

You moved the engine drivetrain back to fit the tire in the wheel well. If I was planning on replacing the front axle/suspension anyway, couldn't I just move the axle forward the necessary 2-3" to fit the axle properly? Or are there other issues that are resolved by moving the drivetrain back?

Thanks.

 

[IPOR]

IPOR,

You moved the engine drivetrain back to fit the tire in the wheel well. If I was planning on replacing the front axle/suspension anyway, couldn't I just move the axle forward the necessary 2-3" to fit the axle properly? Or are there other issues that are resolved by moving the drivetrain back?

Thanks.

I suppose you could, but you'd probably need to move the steering gear.

The stock motor only fits between the cowl and front bib of an FJ40 one way - either the motor needs to move or the axle needs to move. One really cool 45/80 project left the axle in the same place and I think used a body lift to make sure there would be enough room in the fender for the tire to clear.

 

[yOHda]

Thanks for answering my questions.

I figured all related components would have to move with the front axle, and if im replacing the front suspension anyway, i can just sit the 40 body on the 80 chassis and move the wheelbase to suit the wheel well openings.

I just replaced my 80 with a better DD(IS300), the wife kindly asked me to downsize at least one or two vehicles. So a FZJ40 is the only logical answer.

 

[IPOR]

GSMTR anyone?...

Looks like another gas & go for the FZJ40.... the corvette motor in the buggy needs *another* optispark... guess they only last a couple days?... that's all the GM part has on it!

Of course, the FZJ40 is always on stand by... even when parked for 10 months. I drove it into the shop after Fall Gathering in NH, it has been sitting awaiting paint work ever since.

Hey, it's an 80... it will run... See you all in a few hours...

 

[rain76king]

The needed paint work a result of the Fall Gathering?

Headed up to NH this weekend for some wheeling... Rumor is no rain but I don't believe it one bit!

Have a blast at GSMTR.

 

[IPOR]

No. I was going to be spraying color on the hard top so I decided to clean up the rest of the truck too.

Initially the FZJ40 was painted by another paint shop (before we had our own paint booth) and I wasn't happy with the job he did. I've wanted to repaint it since I first got it out of the paint shop!

I'm really looking forward to NH this year, but plan to bring the buggy this time.

More Pics from GSMTR...

 

[Tapage]

horrendous 40 envy ... any video .?

 

[King Kong]

Ipor,

can you share some info on the front fenders as well as the rear flares? Source? Your 40 is incredible! Love the color and the stance!

Thanks.

 

[IPOR]

No video I know of - you may check the GSMTR 2013 thread, someone could have posted some. There were a bunch of people there, 150+ trucks - someone may have been running video that I am unaware of. I normally try to get stills + video but it rained so much I had to keep video equipment in the console.

The construction of the fenders is shown earlier in the thread. We've built several over the years, not sure if I still have bend specs or not. The rear flares are .120 wall, they can take a beating. We used to stock them but have not done a production run in a year or so. If there was enough demand I'd bring them back.

I wrecked up the dodge so the 40 has been returned to daily driver status. Didn't realize how much I missed the odd look you get driving with no top/doors in the rain...

 

[rchalmers3]

Lance, allow me to congratulate you on the project, you definitely raised the bar on this one!

I am hoping you can reply to a few basic questions about mating a 40 series body to the 80 chassis:

Did you experiment and confirm the rims and tires you chose were optimal for backspacing? Was there other choices you could have made to reduce the protrusion of the wheels?

I do not recall you mentioning modifications to the axles, other than replacing the E-lockers with air units, is that correct?

Did you retain the 4:10 gears or re-gear for the bigger tires? Was gearing at all an issue on your final satisfaction or was it just not enough horsepower?

In hindsight, would you still go the route of wider fenders and flares vs. widening the tub?

Thanks,

Rick

 

[IPOR]

I'm running 17x9 Champion beadlocks. IIRC they're a 4.75 backspace. I already scrub the inner wheel well under severe compression, as most 40's do. Not much room as it is between the frame and tire just standing still, don't think I could go any narrower.

Axles are all chromoly. Yes, replaced factory e-lockers with air lockers. Re-geared to 4:88. Speedo reads dead accurate with the 37's. Power band is correct, and it has every bit of power the 1FZFE is willing to throw at it. Anyone familiar with the truck will tell you that I've relied on it to "gas and go" more than any other rig I've owned. I've really never had a problem with it... it just works - the way Toyota would have made it if they had made a modern FJ40. Durable, reliable.

However, having the corvette motor in the buggy has ruined me.
I love being able to spin 42" tires at will. I want the same in the FZJ40. Don't get me wrong, the 1FZFE does just fine, but when I romp on the pedal and the primal call is sounded I want it to respond in kind. Not just noise... I want to MOVE FAST or be shrouded in a cloud of smoking tires.

A toyota 4.7 just doesn't have enough to satisfy that requirement, and a toyota 5.7 is just too expensive. I'll probably go with an LS, there's a good way to mate the GM/Toyota parts via some Marlincrawler magic. (did it in the corvetteFJ55 buggy)

I have seen widened FJ40's - none looked right to me. Can it be done? Certainly, Paul Pilgrim (if he's still around) did the best "wide-body FJ40" I've ever seen. I think adding a mere 1.5" to the fender width is the least notable, which is why I did so.

Lance, allow me to congratulate you on the project, you definitely raised the bar on this one!

I am hoping you can reply to a few basic questions about mating a 40 series body to the 80 chassis:

Did you experiment and confirm the rims and tires you chose were optimal for backspacing? Was there other choices you could have made to reduce the protrusion of the wheels?

I do not recall you mentioning modifications to the axles, other than replacing the E-lockers with air units, is that correct?

Did you retain the 4:10 gears or re-gear for the bigger tires? Was gearing at all an issue on your final satisfaction or was it just not enough horsepower?

In hindsight, would you still go the route of wider fenders and flares vs. widening the tub?

Thanks,

Rick

 

[crushers]

"I've really never had a problem with it... it just works - the way Toyota would have made it if they had made a modern FJ40. Durable, reliable."

that is just so quotable ... well worded. i would love to take that unit for a boot.
congrats.

 

[stumpy]

Spinning 42" tires..... good lord.

Lance, if you get the gusto to make those rear flares, I need a set for my 40+80 project and I am not all that enthusiastic about current Jeep offerings. I called, perhaps, a year ago to find they were long gone.

What's your hard top plan? I took two tops and stitched them together with a pop-out window and a full size combo.

 

[IPOR]

What's your hard top plan? I took two tops and stitched them together with a pop-out window and a full size combo.

That's what I did. I think there are some pics earlier in the thread. Mine are just waiting on color... Fiberglass cap is done and in color, just need headliner. It's not a priority so we rarely work on it.

 

[Sam Stewart]

Just wanted to chime in and say that we were all drooling over this thing at GSMTR. SUPER clean truck.

 

[yOHda]

Did you ever weigh the FZJ40?

 

[IPOR]

Did you ever weigh the FZJ40?

Yep. I think earlier in the thread I have it posted. IIRC it was about 5,500 lbs loaded with trail gear and driver - yes, very heavy. Much heavier than it needs to be. My mantra during the build process was "All my friends drive big trucks, I need a big truck to pull them out..." To some extent I was spot on with that - I can pull anything out, from full size (built 6,500lb) FZJ80's to the little mini trucks. Have tow strap, no problem...

The FZJ40 is so comfortable to drive and ride in, in no small part to it's mass, that I don't regret it - and I'm not sure how much weight I could really have saved anyway. OK, 1/4" plate for the tailgate doors was unnecessary... and 1/4" fender flares, well... Still, that's less than 100lbs of extra weight.

I love the reliability of the toyota powerplant. It has become my gas and go option for events whenever the corvette powered FJ55 isn't running... which these days is more often than not...

Still, there is a monster V8 in the future for this truck... (no silly little 4.7 either, I mean a real motor...)

 

[Wrench]

Are you and Rich coming to CMCC?