Builds Hell and High Water - A Build (2 Viewers)

[gregkline55]

After making my first post on here last week I can now say that I've officially become an FJ60 owner!

So I've always wanted a 60 or 62 but never thought that the day would come that I would be able to find one without having it shipped in from out west, but lucky for me I stumbled across this 1982 FJ60! It started its life in Colorado, then went to Arizona where it ran into engine issues, and finally it made its way all the way back to upstate New York where it sat for the last three years! So right off the bat the downside is that it needs a new heart but the upside to this is that it hasnt had a chance to drive down our salty roads!

For a 216,000 mile LC its in pretty good shape with almost no corrosion on the frame and very minimal rust on the body, only really around the rear wheel arches. Floors and rockers are clean as well as the front valance. The biggest downside is that it was painted an AWFUL yellow at some point and boy was it a horrible job. Interior is missing for the most part as well but thats an easy fix.

In the end its definitely a diamond in the rough but I'm going to shine it up! This is going to be a slow build but it'll be a good one, something for me and my future wife to enjoy and travel in, and one that she can hop in and drive without issue!

So my thoughts on what to do will be:

• Rust repair, minimal but i want to nip it in the bud
• Clean up the exterior and replace seals
• Refinish exterior trims
• Rebuild interior to something decent
• Regular maintenance, seals, bushings, etc.
• Wheels and tires
• Pull the 2F and replace it!
  • LM7 5.3L Vortec
  • 4L60E transmission

 

[kirvesmies]

"we all live in a yellow submarine" nice, from the pics it seems you've got good bones to start with. welcome to mud by the way

 

[WSOPgold2012]

Love that color

 

[Hojack]

Let’s see a Mercedes diesel build

 

[ntdb]

I like the color but can see how it might be really bad in person, on a gray day. Looks like this one.

 

[gregkline55]

So plans change and they did for this! Had a 5.3 Vortec find its way to me so it looks like thats the route that ill be taking! So now with the motor in hand the plan will be to run a 4L60E behind it adapted (by AA) to the original transfer case. Plans are to run it on a stock PCM with a PSI harness for simplicity. I plan on getting it running and driving before tackling the body.

And with this whole COVID thing happening I have a lot more time to work on things, so this might move quicker than expected! I design waterparks, needless to say recreation like that doesnt fair well in a bad economy so this free time might be more than id like...

Heres the LM7 though!

And I also started pulling all of the garbage work out of the interior including the carpeting (which was literally house carpet) and the homemade headliner, but in doing this ive been able to search for more rust and I have been quite happy with how little ive seen. The only rust I can find is on the rear wheel arches and inside the wheel wells in the typical spots but thats an easy fix.

More updates to come! Going to try to pull the old 2F out here soon! Have plenty to keep me busy though, was getting this old girl ready for the summer today!

 

[cruisermatt]

Was hoping to see another Om606 swap on here, 5.3 is cool too though! I'm pulling the PSI harness off my truck and selling it soon if you're interested in saving a few bucks. Nice looking 911.

 

[gregkline55]

Was hoping to see another Om606 swap on here, 5.3 is cool too though! I'm pulling the PSI harness off my truck and selling it soon if you're interested in saving a few bucks. Nice looking 911.

Thank you! Sent you a message

 

[gregkline55]

Well seems like I'll be jumping onto this quicker than expected with COVID happening, got the old girl into the shop last night and started tear down! My first vintage vehicle from out west and it is amazing, the last of rust makes things move MUCH quicker! Will be back at it tonight and tomorrow, goal is to have the driveline removed my tomorrow night! Much bigger than most of the other cars in the shop!

 

[batthewmrown]

Holy shop. What kind of plane you keep in there?

 

[gregkline55]

Holy shop. What kind of plane you keep in there?

hahaha family used to own a bus company, from the '70s up until 2012, this shop actually burned down in 2007 (with a 1988 BMW M3 inside, if you know you know...) so it was rebuilt into what you see. Once we sold the company it became me and my fathers personal shop. We own a 180 acre farm so this place sees a lot of work of all types.

 

[gregkline55]

Okay so I had an EXTREMELY productive weekend! So this is my first time working on a 60, definitely not my first rodeo tearing down a vehicle but first of this type, and let me just say how beautifully simple these are and how much easier to work on it is than an old BMW/Porsche, I strive to be the engineer that toyota used. So lets get into this piece by piece, was able to get to the shop last night and get the engine 90% ready to get pulled out, looked like this as I left (little overview of the shop too).

Then I got the engine all ready to be pulled this morning (brought my DSLR along today)

Got the wiring harnesses all labeled out for the most part, the drivers side not as much cause the PO removed all of the smog equipment so theres a bunch of plugs that im not sure of but I'll get that figured out and see what can be removed.

Then a quick 20 miles on the bike on lunch

Next enter the trust forklift, put dad behind the controls and went to work

and a few minutes later...

vavavoom and the engine/trans/ts are out! This truck is so damn clean its incredible, its dirty (will be pressure washed next) and an ugly color but it is clean! every nut and bolt came right off no problem at all.

Started getting the engine all cleaned up and torn down, also picked up a 2WD 4L60E at the end of last week thats in great shape.

SO, plan from here. I placed and order on friday with AA for the adapter kit, motor mount kit, and a twin stick TC shifter kit. Will be placing an order in the morning for all the replacement parts for the motor so that I can get the new mounts all welded up and the drivetrain all set. Then Ill be placing orders for the engine harness and fuel system parts as well as some maintenance items including and front axle rebuild kit (who offers the best?) and steering items. I want to get this thing running and driving as well as possible before getting into the body work. More posts to come!

Cheers everyone, and hope you enjoy a good update! Love build threads, can see an old one of mine below from a younger me!

Just another E30 build.... (a.k.a. The Bronzit B*tch) - StanceWorks

Post your build threads here! Keep us updated on what you're doing in your garage.

stanceworks.com

 

[OG SUV]

Man awesome work! Great pics documenting your progress! Looking forward to following your progress.
Side note that color is growing on me.

 

[gregkline55]

Wanted to get others thoughts on this, after looking around I think I have come to the conclusion that my truck has a lift installed. Wanted to get others opinions on this, is there a way to check on this? Shock part numbers or something like that? Shackles look stock. Thoughts? You can see different views in the photos before this post but heres another view

 

[ntdb]

If those are 33" tires then it's definitely lifted. Take a look at this thread to see the labels and part numbers that are printed on top of OME springs. Your shackles do look stock but your shocks (yellow) look like OME.

 

[Nostradamus]

I have an e30 cabrio parked next to my FJ60 too. Hmmmm

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Yellow with FJCruiser wheels, very unique to say the least. Upgraded door cards look nice.

 

[gregkline55]

If those are 33" tires then it's definitely lifted. Take a look at this thread to see the labels and part numbers that are printed on top of OME springs. Your shackles do look stock but your shocks (yellow) look like OME.

Shocks also caught my eye, going to be pressure washing the front end off tonight so ill dig into it more and see what I can find!

I have an e30 cabrio parked next to my FJ60 too. Hmmmm

Wonderful taste sir, my truck is severely outnumbered by E30s (5-1), theyre my first love

Yellow with FJCruiser wheels, very unique to say the least. Upgraded door cards look nice.

unique is a word for it haha both the wheels and the color need to go once the mechanicals are finished up! Door cards are unique as well but I think ill be upgrading them to ABS once it comes time to start interior work

 

[gregkline55]

SO, we have results from the clean up on the leafs! I can only find visible writing on the passenger side, looks exactly like the writing on OME leafs, and what I can see says "08252", havent had luck finding that part number yet though. I also noticed that there are new bushing in the shackles as well.

Other than that got the engine bay sprayed out for the most part as well as removed any un-needed items from the firewall/frame. A little dirty but no rust! nothing some paint cant fix.

Also got to start cleaning the transfer case off so I could pull it, never have i ever seen something cake so thick, so still more cleaning to go. I did order a rebuild kit for that today though!

So thats progress! One question I have is what can be removed from the factory chassis harness that used to deal with the emissions/2F specific stuff? Ill be running a 4-wire hookup harness on the 5.3 and wont be running any emissions related stuff so it should be able to become even simpler than it already is.

 

[youpers]

You dont need anything on the factory harness going to the new motor except factory gauges, starter wire, a tach wire, and ignition source. I removed everything else. Also if you havent already got a rebuild kit for the front end and high steer kit I recommend Marlin Crawler.