My 75 FJ40 build up thread

[kcustom73]

Just some pics of the last of the bedliner. The inside floor is done, The rear bench seat / battery box and all the parts, transmission cover, fenders & the side steps.

Lizard skin on the firewall inside and out and the transmission cover, next weekend and I'll be able to put the engine back in. Can't wait to start plug in things together and get this looking like a complete truck.

 

[ElHefe]

Looking great! Keep it up.

This is the cruiser I plan to build some day

 

[Ambrew]

Nice. Can't wait to see a rolling chassis!

 

[boozewz]

Excellent! You'll be ready in time for the summer season

 

[kcustom73]

Elhefe, I hope not exactly the same

Andy, you and me both. I was hoping to get the engine up and running by the end of the month, but my motor guy will be on holidays, so looks like it will have to wait the last week of April. It's not like I've got nothing else to do.

boosewz, that's the plan if my body can hold up and the keeps giving me the time I need (she's been very patient we me on this project and I love her greatly for it). Can't wait to be driving around this summer with my 2 girls.

 

[kcustom73]

Didn't get much done this weekend. Lots of family stuff so didn't get as much time in the shop as usual. Did get everything masked for the Lizard Skin and try to spray it with an undercoating gun but it didn't work. Guess I'll have to get the real spray gun that goes with the Lizard Skin.

Changed gears and finished wet sanding the tailgate and the body from the doors back. Got the tailgate installed.

That's it for this weekend...

 

[GLTHFJ60]

This is a beautiful rig Kevin, good work

 

[Ambrew]

Lookin' good. I got a schutz gun that I used for the raptor liner if you want to try that.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Lookin' good. I got a schutz gun that I used for the raptor liner if you want to try that.

I used a shutz gun as well for doing my truck. Came out really nice.

 

[kcustom73]

Thank you for offering me the shutz gun but I ended up just ordering the gun from Lizard skin. I compare the openings of a shutz gun at a local part source to the Lizard skin gun and there was quite the difference. This is is what it looks like done.

Once I got the coating done I was time to get the engine back in. I decided to finish building the NP203 range box and installing it to the engine before dropping the engine back in (the NP203 fully assembled is a heavy bugger).

A buddy came over yesterday and help me get the engine back in. Here are couple of shots of it back in. Going to have to do something with the air intake hose that came with the engine.

Also put the transmission cover back just to see what it would like. With Monstaliner on the inside and Lizard Skin on the underside the weight of the cover has really increased.

Now its time for some supper and back to the shop tonight.

 

[kcustom73]

Seems like I've got a lot of people following my build (MUD member and non-MUD members) so I got to try to keep the updates coming.

Downpipe is all welded up and is back from ceramic coating.

I've also started wrapping some of some of the exhaust pipe with heat wrap to try minimize some of the heat on the inside of the cab.

Steering column is back in and connected to the 60 series gearbox. Needed a few couplers to get it to work but got everything to fit (and yes things are really close the PS pump pulley)

Fuel tank is finally mounted.

I've also started building the skid plate for the fuel cell. Some 1/4" plate and a couple of hours of work and this is what I got. Going to close off the side to protect the fuel lines (more pics to follow once it's done).

Suspension is all bolted in.

More shopping to do as I still need an engine and tranny cooler, radiator, A/C heating system etc....

 

[Cdaniel]

Good stuff! Where did you get the exhaust wrap?

 

[kcustom73]

Cliff, the exhaust wrap is the titanium stuff from DEI. Got it from Summit. Goes on very easy.

 

[kcustom73]

About a week and half ago I burnt out working on the 40. So I took a little break and realized that I need to slow down a bit. Slowing down meant not having a tow vehicle for this summers camping season. So I decided to get myself another tow rig (maybe a 3rd gen 4Runner) and take the rest of the summer to finish the 40 while still enjoying the summer.

I did get the fuel tank skid plate done and got the fuel filter (Racor R460) installed.





All my gauges are in. Gauges are VDO Cockpit black. From left to right:

Speedo (only goes up to 130KPH / 80MPH, but who wants to go faster then that in a 40 ) tach, oil pressure, boost, water & trans temp, fuel & volt. The gauge on the far right is an Auber instrument EGT gauge. On top of the gauge is the controller for the 4L80e (made by US shift).



Re-installed the fenders and the bib so I can start mocking up the radiator and the condenser. I was able to fit the condenser into the bib with a little cutting of the bib. This give a whole 5 1/2" to get the radiator to fit. Using a universal Griffin radiator (24" x 19" crossflow with 2 rows of 1" tubes). Still got to decide what to do for the fans.





That's it for now. Hopefully I can get the energy back up so I can finish this thing this summer.

 

[Shad0wTr0n]

Good call on relaxing and taking more time. It sucks to have the pressure on even though it will be sweet to get it done. Where did you order the fuel water filter from? Thanks, and keep up the good work!

 

[kcustom73]

Shad0Tr0n, Got the fuel filter from a local marine supply store (The Chandlery) here in Ottawa. I had also found it online for cheaper but by the time I added shipping, duties & brokerage fees I almost broke even.

 

[Ambrew]

Glad to see the burnout is over. Lookin slick!

 

[kcustom73]

So its been a long time since my last update. I finally got some holidays at the end of August and I'm feeling pretty rested right now. The motivation to work on the cruiser is finally back. Haven't done much, but here's what I got.

Got the radiator mounted with a beefy rubber mount on the bottom and two supporting rods to the firewall keep the top in place. The rods do have rubber isolators on them also. Also went with a fan from a Volvo (same style as a Taurus fan) and it all fits. The way I've got the radiator and the condenser setup, I'll have room to put the transmission and power steering coolers between them.







Because of how I installed the condenser I can't reuse the mesh. I still needed something to protect the condenser so I got some mesh and cut it to fit the opening and tacked it flush with the front of the bib. Also did the same thing for the bottom two opening. I'll use the same mesh for the opening in the hood.



I hope to at least get the engine running this year and maybe take it for a spin around the block. Having slowed down at the 40, is making me enjoy the project again.

 

[kcustom73]

So work is still progressing. Not as quick as I was hoping but still moving ahead. I still plan to get the motor to run within the next few weeks and one of the major part that still needed to be done was the exhaust. So with a little 3" mandrel bent SS tubing, a Shuttleworth muffler and lots of time spent under the 40 this is what I have...







It's only tacked together for now (need to bring to a shop to have it welded), I also have to cut the tip just a little behind the slider. I also have to make a heat shield to protect the transmission. I had some pipe left over so I also started to work on the air intake.



Also in pic the above pic you can see the main 150 amp fuse from the alternator to the batteries (just above the fuel filter). I've also made all the cabling from the batteries to the starter and from the batteries to the alternator (all 1/0 cable). To get all of these done I got the rear seat frames / battery boxes done and installed.





Now that winter is approaching the has hinted that it would be nice to get her car in the garage. To be able to do that I need to get the roof painted, so one last coat of bondo and I should be good to paint (maybe next weekend).



Now while walking in the scrap yard the other day I might have found the perfect rear seats for a 40. They are from from the middle row of a Chevy Venture van. The middle row actually has 3 seats but I only took the 2 exterior ones. Side by side they only measure 36" , they fold and tumble, are removable and have adjustable headrests.. I'll get them recovered to math the Corbeau seats.

 

[boozewz]

Sweet!