Builds Just another 79 build.....

[c2dfj45]

I wonder how strong that screen will be when you go off roading?

Thought about that. It's pretty rigid when it's fully locked down and since mine will be as tucked up as close to the dash as possible, there won't be a lot of moving around. So it will either work or will fall off and break.

 

[coldtaco]

I like the idea of that one, you can get a bigger screen but only need a single din radio space.

 

[c2dfj45]

Unfortunately the intern quit today. I think he wasn't so happy about working on the Land Cruisers. He was under the assumption he would be working on the high dollar stuff. Jokes on him....the Land Cruisers ARE the high dollar stuff. Ha. Adios intern.

Today's work....well some of it. We worked on a couple different things.

1HDT mostly assembled...easy enough to add the missing parts in the truck.

strange looking pic

I feel bad about the dirty old trans. I'm betting this trans will be out at some point for a total go-thru and a Wholesale Transmission Extreme valve body.

Annnnnnnnnnddddddddd............you're in.

Stoked to see a diesel in the engine bay. It's what it should have had all along. Time to think about a color for that valve cover....not going to go black I don't think. Will have to pick something a little different......

 

[c2dfj45]

I like the idea of that one, you can get a bigger screen but only need a single din radio space.

I'm strangely excited to have a cubby in the dash under the stereo for some reason. Haven't had a single DIN in a LONG time.

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

If I could afford to be an intern I'd be all over that opportunity. Darn real jobs get in the way of the fun stuff

 

[c2dfj45]

If I could afford to be an intern I'd be all over that opportunity. Darn real jobs get in the way of the fun stuff

Real jobs really get in the way of a lot of fun things

 

[DomSmith]

I like the valve cover the way it is but maybe a dark gray if you’re dead set on changing it?

 

[c2dfj45]

I like the valve cover the way it is but maybe a dark gray if you’re dead set on changing it?

Exactly where I'm headed I think. I kind of like the silver......but my go-to is always a variant of grey. Maybe color matched to the block....I like that battleship grey. Maybe a pewter. I have 3 different stainless steel grays that we use....may try one of those.

Nothing wrong with the black one though...

 

[c2dfj45]

Spent a little time with this contraption. A little more work on it tomorrow but it seems like it will work.

I had to rethink the fuel line size.....the gasser took 5/16" line. Not going to work for the 1HDT. We're running 8AN line which is 10mm ID which is what the 1HDT had. Hope I got that right....kind of going off the inlet port of my injection pump. I think in the 93/94 they changed back to 8mm line(ID). Going to do a braided soft line from the rear tank(just one tank on this truck) to the filter assembly. Going to use the 1/4" gasser return line since it's there and the same size as what the injection pump has.

4" PVC cap mounted to what's left of the fuel pump for the 1FZ. We'll drop a pickup tube down into it.

This will get the fuel from the bottom of our PVC cap up thru the fuel tank mount and on its way to that injection pump.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

First I first saw this photo, I was wondering why you would take the shop’s coffee maker apart.

 

[jomelo]

@c2dfj45 tell me a bit more about this shifter setup. What is the end product going to be? The late model shifter with the guts of the earlier model? I’m going through this same deal on my 80 series swap. The truck is a 97 so it has the shifter like you have - for the A343. But we are using the WAT A442 transmission and it has the earlier shift pattern.

 

[c2dfj45]

@c2dfj45 tell me a bit more about this shifter setup. What is the end product going to be? The late model shifter with the guts of the earlier model? I’m going through this same deal on my 80 series swap. The truck is a 97 so it has the shifter like you have - for the A343. But we are using the WAT A442 transmission and it has the earlier shift pattern.

It's a crazy shifter setup on my truck because of the 79 floor. I think....key word....this could easily be resolved with a complete shifter out of a 91-92 FJ80. I would suspect that would drop right into your truck and you get the shifter pattern(internal) correct and you get the correct shift indicator with the PRND32L. I couldn't do that because I only had the RHD shifter for the 81 which is completely different obviously.

I tried to grab one from my normal used parts guy and he says they go super quick because the LS swap guys want them...

 

[c2dfj45]

Semi productive day today.....lots of stuff being put together. Finished the fuel pickup assembly....can't really call it a fuel pump any longer.....need to get my head out of the gasser realm.

Fuel pickup tube is about 1/4" off the bottom of our cup

Got the line on and ran her forward.....

 

[c2dfj45]

Had a panic attack over the trans dipstick....it was way under the cab. Kind of figured the 79 body was way different than the 81 which is why it was in a bad spot....but something didn't seem right with that theory. We play around with the dipstick and where it would mount and realized that the portion(2 piece dipstick tube) welded to the trans pan had been bent about 20 degrees(probably in shipping)....sure enough...we tapped it back ever so slightly and the dipstick tube fit. HUGE relief to not have to figure out all that stuff. I never saw the dipstick in position since we bought the motor and trans separated....

Fit right in and bolted up like factory. A small victory.

 

[c2dfj45]

This dog sleeps in some weird places....

With the dog out from under the truck and the fuel pickup in.....it was time to put the canopy and bed back on.

All back together and on the mat....now we start all the final assembly stuff.

 

[DomSmith]

Coming together Chris. Thanks for taking the time to document all this. It takes a lot of time but I certainly appreciate the opportunity to see stuff I normally wouldn’t get to.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I like that dog. Truck is really coming together for you.

 

[badusmaximus]

Small aside here, but the type A chef in me is really appreciating the clean cuts on all that masking tape. I can't stand lazy cooks who write item/date labels in huge sloppy handwriting on 10" pieces of tape when 4" will do neatly.

I've gone so far as to buy masking tape dispensers to force good habits. That and a clean floor is a mark of professionalism- seems like you've got both there @c2dfj45

 

[c2dfj45]

Coming together Chris. Thanks for taking the time to document all this. It takes a lot of time but I certainly appreciate the opportunity to see stuff I normally wouldn’t get to.

To me, one of the best parts of Mud is getting to see all the stuff out there that I never would have seen. Some amazing stuff on this site

 

[c2dfj45]

Small aside here, but the type A chef in me is really appreciating the clean cuts on all that masking tape. I can't stand lazy cooks who write item/date labels in huge sloppy handwriting on 10" pieces of tape when 4" will do neatly.

I've gone so far as to buy masking tape dispensers to force good habits. That and a clean floor is a mark of professionalism- seems like you've got both there @c2dfj45

My current guys know how to label things and how to organize..........every so often we'll dig out an old box or bag of parts that a former employee scribbled some kind of unintelligible gibberish on which is usually good for a laugh.