Builds Let's build a 79 Series from parts... (6 Viewers)

[c2dfj45]

Got this sorted yesterday....had to extend the pin that goes thru the wheel since this wheel/tire setup is a bit wider than stock. And of course it's a six lug so the holder needed to be built. Simple and effective. I had no part in it which is why it was done in an hour or so and not a day

 

[c2dfj45]

These guys came in....really nice.

 

[c2dfj45]

And these guys went in.....

 

[c2dfj45]

Ended up getting into the motor which is not something I wanted to do. Truck has about 400kms on it...not a drop of oil. I'm really OCD about dirt on the floor of the shop so I'm constantly looking down when I'm out and about in it....well this time I saw oil drops under the 79. How could this be? Not a drop in months of playing with this thing. Maybe it was the quick drain valve thing I'm using I figured. Nope. It's leaking down both sides of the oil pan....panic mode....rear main. Nope. Higher. Ah....maybe a valve cover. Nope. Half moon gasket under the valve cover.....hopefully? Nope. It's the head gasket. Rad.

So off it came, parts ordered, head dropped off to have a look over, valves set. Seems like this isn't uncommon for the 1HZ. I should have caught it when went thru the motor. I think the hot water pressure washer cleaned it so well, the oil stains disappeared off the block(I saw them when I went back thru my pics)...pretty sure it had been leaking a while. Really weird it just started....maybe I missed the drops when it was outside. Oh well.

My guys say the head gasket looked old. Everything else looked great. The simplicity of this motor is incredible. Enjoyable to work on.

Kind of a bummer to not have the truck to drive for a bit but this is on the road now for some shakedown.

 

[bottombracket]

Time for an FT...

Hope you're back on the road quickly.

 

[c2dfj45]

Time for an FT...

Hope you're back on the road quickly.

Lol....no FT for this truck....for the other builds...maybe. Just need to find one.

Looks like #1 truck is going to get a 1HDT swap so that will keep us busy for a while.

 

[c2dfj45]

While we're down and out, figured it was a good time to add this Dobinsons adjustable steering stabilizer.....really substantially built piece. I'll play around with the adjustment as soon as we get the truck back on the road.

Gas charge port is under the small cap

Adjustment is made here

Different looking for sure. Kind of strange not seeing a yellow stabilizer on the front of a Cruiser for me....I think one has been on every truck since the mid 90s

 

[c2dfj45]

Wow.....2 weeks and no updates on this. Truck is back together. No more leaks. There is a mystery ticking noise though....proving to be very very challenging to find. The tick developed about a week before the oil leak. We had drained the oil, not a speck of glitter in that oil. Originally I thought it was a rod knock but it's not.

Head was redone, valve clearances set, injectors sent out(one had a partial blockage) for rebuilding.....everything else is good. The tick comes and goes....starts around 1700-ish for a little bit...very faint....then at 2100-2500....it's loud. 2500...it tapers off. Metallic sounding. Louder under load. If I let of the pedal and just cruise....you can barely hear it in that 2100-2400 range. Ran it with 15/40 Rotella regular and 5/40 Rotella synthetic.....no change. Oil pressure is good. Deleted the ACSD.

I'm going to hook up our chassis ears to it.....I feel like it is in the left front area of the motor but sometimes it sounds like it's on top....down below...all over. It's strange. Kind of like a ball bearing in at tin can.

Probably will pull the injector pump and have it serviced since we know there was some debris in one of the injectors...maybe something got into that pump.

I've read where some of the 1HZs and 1HDTs have a very similar tick....1800-2400.....just not sure how loud of a tick people have. Seems to be something with the cranks.

Some assembly pics.....standard stuff. Rob at Odd Iron Off Road did my injectors....fast turnaround. He'll get the pump next...

 

[c2dfj45]

Used the SST to set the timing of the pump. Pretty neat procedure.

 

[c2dfj45]

So while that was happening up top.....these were going in underneath. @Delta VS got these radius arms in my hands....beautiful pieces. Based on my alignment numbers, we went with the 4" lift ones for an 8 degrees correction in caster....we were at -4 prior to these. Haven't had a chance to put it back up on the rack to see where we ended up.

We installed OEM bushings in them along with all new hardware.

Exceptionally heavy duty parts.....very well made. All the @Delta VS parts we have used have been above top notch.

 

[c2dfj45]

Using #2 as a template for the motor swap happening on #1.....

Before that #1 truck was allowed in, it needed some cleaning so it could be as nice as #2

 

[80seriesnut]

I might have missed it somewhere but any idea what a build like this costs. You can DM me.

 

[c2dfj45]

I might have missed it somewhere but any idea what a build like this costs. You can DM me.

I've got a pretty good idea what it costs since I paid for them.........stars with "A" and ends with "lot"

Pricey builds if you have to pay someone to do them and of course it highly depends on what you're putting in, under and on them.

 

[LeRoy Cordova]

I've got a pretty good idea what it costs since I paid for them.........stars with "A" and ends with "lot"

Pricey builds if you have to pay someone to do them and of course it highly depends on what you're putting in, under and on them.

Amen to this! Let's not forget caliber and attention to detail. I have been treated to a visit to this shop, WOW! Would I have them build one for me? Absolutely. I have built many homes, commercial buildings and vehicles, I have never learned more than during my (2) hr tour. I wired some simple 6x9 speakers into boxes for behind the seat of my 79 this morning and I literally work to attempt C2D expectations. Is it overkill? For sure but I have learned to remove all doubt from my completed work. I just love this shop, maybe one day I will apprentice there???? Great owner and worth every dollar!!!!

 

[Gun Runner 5]

..starts with "A" and ends with "lot"
———————————————————————-
Now that is funny.

 

[bottombracket]

I stopped counting on mine. This way I have plausible deniability if my wife ever asks me how much the damn thing cost.

But yes, it is not inexpensive.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

I stopped counting on mine. This way I have plausible deniability if my wife ever asks me how much the damn thing cost.

But yes, it is not inexpensive.

I initially kept up with every penny I spent but after a short period it became depressing. At this point I’d rather be clueless.

 

[c2dfj45]

I bought my first FJ40 in 92.....I kept every invoice for that truck(still have the truck AND the invoices). I had nothing else to really keep track of so it was fun to have a binder of LC stuff. I was trying to be an adult. About 3 years after buying it, I decided I'd add up what I spent on it. Well needless to say that was a HORRIBLE idea. I quit adding up somewhere around $20k....which in 1993 money was a TON. I immediately hid the invoices never to look at them again and NEVER spoke a word of it. My dad would give me a hard time and say something like, "with all the time and parts you've put in that thing, you could have bought a really nice truck"....if he only knew how right he was. Ha.

On the first truck I kept really good records....at one point I was writing down every expenditure to roughly keep track of the cost. I stopped when I got up to a new Tacoma. That was all I needed to know.

I didn't bother adding up on the second one but I always keep my invoices. I still keep them hidden away.

#1's folder on the left, #2 on the right. I would suspect there are probably quite a few invoices that never made it into these folders.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

When I kept receipts (I no longer do) I divided them into two separate groups. The first group represented the actual cost while the much smaller group was the ones I showed my wife. I’m fairly sure if something happens to me, my wife will sell my truck for something in the range of $800.00 to at least break even.

 

[c2dfj45]

When I kept receipts (I no longer do) I divided them into two separate groups. The first group represented the actual cost while the much smaller group was the ones I showed my wife. I’m fairly sure if something happens to me, my wife will sell my truck for something in the range of $800.00 to at least break even.

She could get a $1000 for it