My 1970 FJ40 Land Cruiser
- Thread starter Johnnynibert
- Start date
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What's the plan for it?
Family rig or bought recently?
- Thread starter
- #4
I bought it from my uncle. Been sitting in a barn for almost 20 years. Plan as of now is a full restoration. Possibility of a fuel injected chevrolet V8 mated to a Muncie SM465 trans keeping the stock transfer case but I really want to keep it all original. Right now just worried about getting it fully restored before I worry about the drive train.
Cool, good luck. Are you going to do all the work yourself?
- Thread starter
- #6
I plan on doing all of the work myself. I don't know how to weld so I will need help with that but everything else I plan on doing with the help of a few friends. If everything goes like I hope I would like to purchase the 130" wheelbase 4 door body from Aqualu and make a 4 door FJ with a hard top that looks original. ICON uses the Aqualu 120" wheel base body to make their FJ44 but I have only seen 1 picture of a rig someone built with the 130" wheelbase. My goal is to make the Land Cruiser version of a Land a Rover Defender.
And now www.RedLineLandCruisers.com is offering a 112" wheelbase body that fits on an FJ80 frame that they are calling the FJ-UTE
And now www.RedLineLandCruisers.com is offering a 112" wheelbase body that fits on an FJ80 frame that they are calling the FJ-UTE
- Thread starter
- #7
I also plan on using the stock transfer case and axles but will be doing the Spring Over Axle conversion and the Shackle Reversal along with the HFS 4" lift.
Johnny,
Glad to see your introduction thread here. Nice 40 and awesome plans!
Try to make it to Jackson for a club meeting soon.
Glad to see your introduction thread here. Nice 40 and awesome plans!
Try to make it to Jackson for a club meeting soon.
That's a bunch of lift! Bout 9" or so.
Great point Bossman!
SOA = around 5" lift. Add 4" lift springs and you will be at ludicrous height.
No reason to restore that one if you want a 45 body.
Stock springs ride best sprung over.
Come up to a club meeting. We got lots of info for you.
Stock springs ride best sprung over.
Come up to a club meeting. We got lots of info for you.
- Thread starter
- #12
The reason for the large amount of lift is because the wheelbase will be so much longer. May not go quite that high because I do not want the tires sticking out past the body. I do not want fender flares. I want to keep the illusion that it came from the factory this way. What is the info on the club meetings? I work on a drilling rig in the gulf so Im Gone 2 weeks and home 2 weeks at a time.
orangefj45
Supporting Vendor
I'm not sure I get this. you want to do a "full resto" yet you're thinking about doing a lift and stretching it. I hope you realize that an SOA setup gains you about 6.5-7 inches. add a 4" suspension lift and you're at more than 10" of lift. and if you don't want the tires to stick out, that's going to make for a scary ride going around corners and on side hills.
I'd highly recommend you figure out how the cruiser will be used and what you want/need it to do. then build it accordingly.
we are building a 4-door troopie. a few of the guys on here have seen pics of it.
we are also building an aqualu stretched 40 for a customer right now. he purchased the extended frame and tub from them. to me, the frame is a piece of crap and we could have done a better job stretching a stock frame ourselves.
we are also building a stretched 45 truck. lengthened the oem frame 30 inches.
again. figure out what you want the end result to be and then tear into it.
georg
I'd highly recommend you figure out how the cruiser will be used and what you want/need it to do. then build it accordingly.
we are building a 4-door troopie. a few of the guys on here have seen pics of it.
we are also building an aqualu stretched 40 for a customer right now. he purchased the extended frame and tub from them. to me, the frame is a piece of crap and we could have done a better job stretching a stock frame ourselves.
we are also building a stretched 45 truck. lengthened the oem frame 30 inches.
again. figure out what you want the end result to be and then tear into it.
georg
- Thread starter
- #14
To clarify, as of now I am restoring the FJ40 as it sits right now. If I end up having the money to spend on it I will do a 4 Door stretched FJ with an Aqualu body instead. As for the lift, I said I want to do an SOA setup and shackle reversal and if I feel it needs more lift then I will add a lift kit. 6 inches of lift would most likely be plenty as I do not really want anything bigger than a 35" tire, 37" maximum. This restoration is going to take some time because I am gone half of the year for work and I am also married, with two children that are both very active in school activities/sports.
orangefj45
Supporting Vendor
SOA using stock springs is perfect for 35s and makes for a comfy ride.
Why shackle reversal?
Why shackle reversal?
- Thread starter
- #16
Well I've read, yes read, I have no experience with this, that shackle reversal also helps with the smoothness Of the ride.
- Thread starter
- #17
FINALLY got the FJ on jack stands and got the interior cleaned out. Ready to drop the axles and suspension!
Get after it. Take lots of pictures.
i've always started dis-assembly from the top down... i'll be interested to see how it goes the other way around!
