Builds Lumpy the LandCruiser (1 Viewer)

[Borrego]

Had to take a break working on the cruiser while I got the house and toys ready for summer. Then we went to Denver for a few weeks to social distance with sonme family out there. Got back and the wifes LX470 fan pulley bearing went out. Dealer wanted $800 to replace it. I ended up doing it myself. I was a little hesitant as it's the first time I've torn into a 2UZ. Plus it's her daily driver. I was upset because I just had the timing belt and water pump replaced, and the dealer didn't mention anything about replacing this while in there as a preventative measure. Guess I live and learn, now I know it should be done when I do the timing belt next because you basically go all the way down to the timing belt to get to this bracket. It was pretty simple though. A lot easier than when I've replaced the timing belt on a 22re... I wish I had a 2UZ with a manual in my FJ60!!!

 

[Borrego]

And somehow after the test drive of the LX470, I was able to weasel my 40 into the garage for a little bit!

 

[MoaByte]

3 of anything is a collection. A nice collection I might add.

 

[Borrego]

Been awhile since my last post... Since the last update, I've just been continuing to clean up small parts here and there for reassembly.

I also got all the OEM boltsand gaskets for the manifolds. I put a block off plate with two OEM gaskets for the heat riser because my heat riser was shot. Got it all bolted together, along with the block off plates for the desmog and had a local machine shop level the mounting surface on the head side. Will clean up a few more things on that side of the block and slap this thing back on. So far so good! Just slow progress...

BTW, that's a rug in the garage... wife would never let any parts in the house!

 

[haryv]

Hey fellow MUD members. This is a LONG read, so for those of you who endure it, thanks! I’ve posted here and there before, but not a ton. So this is a first attempt at documenting what I’ll call my FJ60 Revitalization. Mainly just freshening up 32 years of use, some neglect, and detailing the process for my own purposes and to share my story with like-minded Toyota addicts!

First and foremost, I love 4WD Toyotas. It’s all I’ve ever driven. My parents bought an 86 4Runner new off the lot, and at the early age of 7, I knew I wanted it… Luckily I got it when I turned 16. I drove it through high school, college and a few years after as my main vehicle until I bought a brand new 2003 Tundra, then the 4Runner became my camping/fun rig. Fast forward a few years, I got married and now have two little garage helpers. After our first kid, we got my wife an LX470, and a few years later, I came across an FJ40 that a friend was selling. My wife said I have too many toys with the 4Runner, camper and boat, and something had to go. Unfortunately, it was the 4Runner. With 390k miles on it, I sold it to my brother in law who is refreshing it and as a fabricator, has plans to turn it into a rock crawler. This story/revitalization now brings us to a year ago…

As much as I love the FJ40, I had been missing the 4Runner quite a bit. To be able to jump on the freeway with the family head into the mountains, wheel all day, and jump on the freeway to get home, was something we just couldn’t do with the FJ40. It’s a stock 71, and as you may know, doesn’t quite keep up with freeway speeds. Plus it’s loud and does not have much room. My family loves taking the top off and cruising around by the lake to get an ice cream and stuff, but as far as going any sort of distance or doing a camping trip, it’s just doesn’t suit the needs of a family of 4 with a 90lb dog… After owning the FJ40 and the LX470, I was determined to add an FJ60 to the fleet. They are roomy enough for the family, look incredible, and I think they define the ruggedness and mechanical simplicity LandCruisers are known for. To me they are the best of all worlds. In March 2018 I was searching around locally and found one about 3 hours away. My Dad and I took the drive up to check it out, and on a dark snowy 20-degree night, I drove it the 3 hours back home to North Idaho.
The previous owner said he had it for about 10 years, and prior to that, the original owner brought it from Alaska. I climbed in, around and under it for about 2 hours before I made the purchase. It didn’t have too much rust for a truck from Alaska. The paint was original, and it was a solid rig for the price. It did, however, have 300k miles on it, but like I said, the price was great, and it was completely intact, with an excellent interior.
Here are some pics… The 4Runner, the FJ40, and the FJ60:
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Also, doesn't seem like there are a ton of MUD members in the Coeur D Alene / Spokane area that I hear about, we don't have a TLCA chapter anywhere close by, so if you're out there, and want to get together and talk cruisers, or come turn a wrench and have a beer (I have a kegerator in the garage), give me a shout!

What does land/shop plus a house cost? 760k for a average priced house in Seattle.

 

[haryv]

This summer was the worst summer imaginable. After a 13 year battle with colon cancer, we lost my Dad. It's been really tough on the entire family. He was the patriarch and my best friend. The guy I look up to the most. When I would do anything related to working on my rigs, he's the one I would call up to ask questions to, or share in my accomplishments. In work, fun, wrenching, sports, anything. Life is never going to be the same. I really haven't touched my 60 until last weekend. I've had no motivation before then.

So not to make this a sad thread, I'll get back to talking about my cruiser.

When I left off, I was in search of a new head, because mine was cracked pretty bad (unrepairable). I had a line on one from Torfab that I was getting ready to go over and buy, but then I was contacted by @Perovich, who is local to me, who said he had a good one. I asked him how much he wanted, and the stand up guy he is, he said he had no use for it, and gave it to me! I'm still in shock! I took it down to Spokane Cylinder Head service and had them check it all out and rebuild it. They said it was in excellent condition.

Here it is back from the shop.
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In the 1980s, a company dimpled the chamber area "small drill bit" on a vw rabit. It caused the incomming fuel/air mix to create more turbulance and thus, it burned the air/fuel mix more creating more power and better fuel economy. Wonder if this could be done on the six? it was a interesting project, that 1.7 litter engine with turbo put out 450 hp and caused the rabit to do 8.9 second quarter mile runs.

 

[Borrego]

What does land/shop plus a house cost? 760k for a average priced house in Seattle.

Probably... way out of my price range!

 

[MoaByte]

In the 1980s, a company dimpled the chamber area "small drill bit" on a vw rabit. It caused the incomming fuel/air mix to create more turbulance and thus, it burned the air/fuel mix more creating more power and better fuel economy. Wonder if this could be done on the six? it was a interesting project, that 1.7 litter engine with turbo put out 450 hp and caused the rabit to do 8.9 second quarter mile runs.

I doubt it would do anything but compromise it. Maybe attach a leaf blower to the snorkel for a redneck turbo?

 

[haryv]

I doubt it would do anything but compromise it. Maybe attach a leaf blower to the snorkel for a redneck turbo?

It was really a incredible company called tektronix tuning. That engine with a 5 L turbo V8 was just an absolute Beast. They used Audi connecting rods how to connect the Piston to the crankshaft and that little 1.7 motor put out 450 horsepower. The tires on the rabbit would not lock up onto the concrete until it reached 60 miles an hour. When a Dyno tested at once it twisted the input shaft of the transmission in half.

 

[haryv]

Probably... way out of my price range!

Yasiel used to be affordable it really pisses me off we've literally turn into California. 1988 the first wave of Californians that started to move into the Seattle Market. Literally within the first year Californians head bit up real estate nearly 100% of its original value. I didn't say by the house I said bit up the house as and hitting up the house during lunch hour. Ever since then the house prices have climbed. It's not the same city that I remember in the 70s 80s or 90s. For the first time in over a decade Seattle residents are leaving the city versus new people that are moving into the city. A lot of landlords are catering to Tech workers wages. They're earning 5 and 6 figure incomes. If you bought into Amazon stock and held onto it would have made you a millionaire. I actually own $5,000 worth of Amazon stock a year after it went public. Had I held onto that stock it would be worth six million dollars today.

 

[Borrego]

I don't know where Yasiel is, but I hear you. In Coeur D Alene (North Idaho) it becoming extremely expensive as well... Californians are leaving that s***ty state and going everywhere. Home prices have doubled here. It's pricing out all of the younger people. People that grew up here can't afford to buy a house in their home town. I guess that's what happens in desirable places.

 

[Borrego]

Last night I started cleaning up the driver side of the engine bay. I took off the downpipe (had to cut the bolts off, which was a pain!). I took all of the heat shields off and disconnected the steering linkage. Time to start scrubbing 33 years of grime off...

 

[haryv]

I don't know where Yasiel is, but I hear you. In Coeur D Alene (North Idaho) it becoming extremely expensive as well... Californians are leaving that s***ty state and going everywhere. Home prices have doubled here. It's pricing out all of the younger people. People that grew up here can't afford to buy a house in their home town. I guess that's what happens in desirable places.

You may already know it, sell a house for 500k with net equity of 400k "just a random number" buy a house 2/3 that cost in idaha "dont know values". That same house goes on sale again two years latter, California buy for a higher price...again. Same crap happened in Washington and now locals with local wages are having a hell of a time affording these much higher rates. I know in some countries, offshore buyers were banned from the Philipines. In Vancouver, the dam government acted 16 years to late and charged 20% offshore tax and 15% empty home tax. It really one of the most gorgeous cities in the world where its real estate was exploited. The sheer volume of real estate built in the early to mid-2000s was just mind-blowing! Before the 2008 crash, 50 cranes were erected in downtown Vancouver to build condos and commercial space. Now regular locals cannot afford a house that is 1-2 thousand dollars a square foot and mostly moved out. Lots of native Vancouver residents went to city hall to protest the Chinese buying their neighborhoods then not renting the houses. The businesses at the end of these neighbors were going out of business because all the foot traffic from these neighbors disappears "again, empty homes". The houses were some times occupied by a Chinese student and the house was over one million dollars! CRACK SHACK OR MANSION: How Well Do You Know The World's Hottest Housing Bubble? finally the home prices are coming down but still WAY to expensive.

 

[Borrego]

When I pulled the exhaust down pipe off, the hanger was pretty rusty. I couldn't get the u-bolt off and had to cut it, only to find it NLA. Anyone have any suggestions on what to use? I was thinking of just going down to the hardware store to find a universal u-bolt in the right diameter.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

When I pulled the exhaust down pipe off, the hanger was pretty rusty. I couldn't get the u-bolt off and had to cut it, only to find it NLA. Anyone have any suggestions on what to use? I was thinking of just going down to the hardware store to find a universal u-bolt in the right diameter.

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Prob your best bet. They have the U bolt things and if your creative you can make it work w/ the stock bracket.

 

[mattressking]

Like @NeverGiveUpYota its just an exhaust clamp, local shops should have something very similar for 2-1/4" exhaust.

 

[Borrego]

Found a u-bolt that will work. Currently cleaning and refreshing the hanger and heat shields.

We got hit with an early snow storm last weekend. Had some Dad/Daughter time wheeling around the local mountains. Even though it's not a cruiser, she loves taking the crawler out!

 

[Borrego]

Been awhile since I've done much. Over the last few weeks I was able to clean a lot more up, and start bolting things onto the driver side of the motor. Got the manifolds installed with all new Toyota hardware, got the new OEM steering pump on and the Jim C. desmog pulley in place of the smog pump. Every bracket has been wire wheeled down to bare metal and painted with POR15 or a High Heat Rustoleum if it's in a "hot" area.
I ordered a new carb insulator shield and have a Trollhole carb to bolt up once the insulator arrives next week.

Now for the pics:

Some small details not noticeable, in the back, I cleaned and painted the heat sheilds on the firewall, as well as the shields around the exhaust on the frame. I refurbished the steering arm, the carb throttle linkage, and the heater control.

 

[Borrego]

Used the Toyota OEM manifold gasket. I've read some folks using the felpro. I block sanded my manifold flat, and checked it with a steal straight edge and feeler gauge. Everything is within tolerance, so hopefully the OEM gasket does it's job.

I've replaced all the hoses with OEM hoses, however, I'm having a hard time finding a few NLA hoses. Anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking of just taking them down to Aatozone or Napa and trying to match something up with the old hoses. 87245-90A35 and 87245-90A04.

A few of the Toyota hoses... (Just FYI, I'm posting a lot of pictures mainly for my future reference.)

 

[mattressking]

Engine bay looks great! Nice work