My '77 FJ45 project build thread...

[Mtbcoach]

I'm cross-posting from my NC chapter thread, hope Woody doesn't get grumpy for wasting bandwidth...

Here she is, arriving from her previous home via trailer. Thanks to Jason, it all worked out. He passed on the info on the rig after he done the deal for his current FJ45. Never saw it other than pics over the internet. Had several conversations with the owner, a fellow ih8mudder so I felt ok with buying it sight unseen. Some say brave, some say stupid...I say, it is what it is and I'll deal with them...

Jumped in, started right up with some choke and drove it home...

In the light of day, it will need some work...

One of the worst spots...

And, being that its a "northern" FJ45, it has a bit of crud on the underside...

Yet, all in all, it grows on you...

 

[Mtbcoach]

Drove it around town a few times and all seemed fine, on short trips. Once I drove it until it fully warmed up, I couldn't give it any gas. This led to a trouble-shooting affair that went from fuel delivery (pump) to carb re-build to the eventual problem, a blown intake/exhaust gasket...

Note the nut on the right, that is how I found it. I guess its a bit light on the torque spec for the part...

With the manifolds removed, you can see the blow-by, its no wonder why it didn't want to run well...

Manifolds before...

Manifolds after blasting...

Manifolds after high temp paint...

Here is excerpts from the thread on my carb re-build...

 

[Mtbcoach]

After all that, someone puts a bug in my ear about building up a 2F-E. Not more than a few days later, the donor 3FE makes an appearance and I'm allowed to rape the top end off of it. So, now I need to remove the engine so I can attempt to build up a 2F-E.

So, the tear down begins to remove the engine. No good reason to not take off the fenders, bib and radiator.

Lots easier to move around in the engine bay and get a good look at all those places you can't really see without them removed...

All this build up is making me more and more concerned...

 

[Mtbcoach]

Time to get the engine out. This became way more work than it needed to be. First disclosure, stick with your first instincts.

I spent hours underneath, around, over, under, back, forth, up, down, jacking the engine in every manner to get it out without having to take off the crossmember. Why? Good question. I loosened the bolts but could not get to the nuts which were inside the frame rail. There was/is so much build up/debris inside the frame that I couldn't get a socket on the nut. The next step in my mind was to cut the heads off and drop the crossmember now.

No, I can squiggle it through. Wrong...Failed. Three hours later, I cut the heads off the bolts, dropped the crossmember and had it out 5 min later.

But, here are the pics of my trails and tribulations of the n00b...

It should have been obvious from this view, it wasn't going to go over that crossmember without the transmission hitting the firewall on the way...

So, what I should have done hours before, cut the heads off the bolts and get that thing out of the way...

Its free (note my daughter's "victory" position even though she got home just in time for the extraction)...

It looks so empty...

But, what is it? I know its a '77 2F from the engine code, we have 3F embossed on the bellhousing, 4 speed tranny, split transfer case but is that a spacer I spy in there. I'm not literate enough to know for sure what I "should" have as compared to what I do have. Not that it matters, just good info to know, right...

Tomorrow I'll throw some clean up time on it before I free the tranny/transfer case from the 2F and put it up on the stand...

 

[45Kevin]

From what I know, the '77 did not come with the splitcase or the power steering, or the disk brakes. Does it all look stock? The tranny/t-case is held on by two ears off the bellhousing ontp mounts on the frame rails on my '78.

Keep the pics coming.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

That's not the "correct" transmission/Tcase for you're '77.

That's an H42 from a 60 series, along with the T-case from the same. Both good upgrades, and you know you could put an H55f in there, without changing anything else, except the number in your bank account.

The crossmember under that transmission isn't the 40 series crossmember, it's from a 60. (nothing wrong with that, in fact I prefer it)

I spy aluminum fenders there... Is the cab and bed also Aluminum? They look like they were painted at the same time is why I ask.

Very cool! More pics!

Dan

 

[Mtbcoach]

From what I know, the '77 did not come with the splitcase or the power steering, or the disk brakes. Does it all look stock? The tranny/t-case is held on by two ears off the bellhousing ontp mounts on the frame rails on my '78.

Keep the pics coming.

It's "stock", just not '77 FJ45 stock...

That's not the "correct" transmission/Tcase for you're '77.

That's an H42 from a 60 series, along with the T-case from the same. Both good upgrades, and you know you could put an H55f in there, without changing anything else, except the number in your bank account.

The crossmember under that transmission isn't the 40 series crossmember, it's from a 60. (nothing wrong with that, in fact I prefer it)

I spy aluminum fenders there... Is the cab and bed also Aluminum? They look like they were painted at the same time is why I ask.

Very cool! More pics!

Dan

Thanks for the confirmation, I've only seen 40 series stuff with my own eyes. The PO also used the power steering from a 60 as well as other tidbits.

No other aluminum, not sure of the why, when of the paint other than cosmetic...

 

[Chamba]

That's not the "correct" transmission/Tcase for you're '77.

That's an H42 from a 60 series, along with the T-case from the same. Both good upgrades, and you know you could put an H55f in there, without changing anything else, except the number in your bank account.

The crossmember under that transmission isn't the 40 series crossmember, it's from a 60. (nothing wrong with that, in fact I prefer it)

I spy aluminum fenders there... Is the cab and bed also Aluminum? They look like they were painted at the same time is why I ask.

Very cool! More pics!

Dan

Further to what Dan said, your transfer case will also bolt right on to the back of a 5 speed, which you could buy brand new from Cruiser Dan at American Toyota. All you'll need is the little oiler.

Josh

 

[Mtbcoach]

Thanks again for the confirmation. Yes, I'd love to find an H55 to bolt up to it...

 

[zebrabeefj40]

I can tell you that motor/trans/tcase/crossmember came from an '85 FJ60. I put it there for Junk along with the P/S conversion and the disc brake knuckle swap (from the same FJ60). The carb was a '77 non-USA job from a local NJ Cruiserhead. The fuel pump is '77 2F (new from CDan). The AL fenders came with the truck when Junk bought it. The bed is from a '65 FJ45 parts truck. Believe me, it is FAR nicer than the original '77 bed that came off in 6-7 pieces.

If you have any other questions about what the truck is put together from PM me. I'd be glad to pass along the info.

Nick

 

[Mtbcoach]

I can tell you that motor/trans/tcase/crossmember came from an '85 FJ60. I put it there for Junk along with the P/S conversion and the disc brake knuckle swap (from the same FJ60). The carb was a '77 non-USA job from a local NJ Cruiserhead. The fuel pump is '77 2F (new from CDan). The AL fenders came with the truck when Junk bought it. The bed is from a '65 FJ45 parts truck. Believe me, it is FAR nicer than the original '77 bed that came off in 6-7 pieces.

If you have any other questions about what the truck is put together from PM me. I'd be glad to pass along the info.

Nick

Nick, thanks for the history and details. Yes, I'll send a PM but you helped me a great deal...

 

[jfz80]

Dang Jerry..... you beat me to the intro and now you got a build thread.

With all the hints of the FJC on the market I can tell you really do wanna burn a tube chasis for this guy; I mean c'mon it aint stock

Good job on the progress and let me know if I can help (no crutches). Thats some great info from Nick, always nice to know whats been done before you got there. I have some miscilaneous 77 2f gaskets left from my build in the pig if you need as well as some random parts. We need to talk about the east coast 45 run, Ive now spied over a dozen quite owners in nc/sc alone.

 

[Mtbcoach]

Dang Jerry..... you beat me to the intro and now you got a build thread.

With all the hints of the FJC on the market I can tell you really do wanna burn a tube chasis for this guy; I mean c'mon it aint stock

Good job on the progress and let me know if I can help (no crutches). Thats some great info from Nick, always nice to know whats been done before you got there. I have some miscilaneous 77 2f gaskets left from my build in the pig if you need as well as some random parts. We need to talk about the east coast 45 run, Ive now spied over a dozen quite owners in nc/sc alone.

Thanks Jason, I may take you up on some help once I get it torn down more. I spent half a day trying to figure out how to get it on the Harbor Freight engine stand. But, its on and ready to take the head off for more in depth inspections.

Yeah, building a tube chassis is tempting. I'll take a bunch of measurements for sure just in case I feel the need to bend some tubing...

 

[Cirbo]

Count me in on the 45 run...... in about 2 years.

 

[Mtbcoach]

Finally got some time to get busy again on this. Tear down continues with the engine. I wanted to get a look at the cylinders before I invested too much time on other things.

I swear it took me hours to figure out how to get the beefy 2F on the cheap Harbor Freight engine stand. Thankfully for ih8mud, I found a thread that helped.

Now for the cylinder walls, consensus says...
#1, 160 lbs/sq in...

#2, 140 lbs/sq in...

#3, 140 lbs.sq in...

#4, 150 lbs/sq in...

#5, 150 lbs/sq in...

#6, 170 lbs/sq in...

Decisions, decisions...

 

[tucker74]

Not to steal your thunder, but I thought you needed the later ('81+) 2F block with the flat pistons for the 2F-E conversion? I went for the entire 3FE swap in my '76 for this reason ...

Tucker

 

[Mtbcoach]

Not to steal your thunder, but I thought you needed the later ('81+) 2F block with the flat pistons for the 2F-E conversion? I went for the entire 3FE swap in my '76 for this reason ...

Tucker

Thanks for looking out for me but, yes, it had already had an engine swap before I got it. It received a 2F/tranny/transfer case out of a, '85 FJ60 so it does have flat top pistons...

 

[tucker74]

Thanks for looking out for me but, yes, it had already had an engine swap before I got it. It received a 2F/tranny/transfer case out of a, '86 FJ60 so it does have flat top pistons...

Sweet - carry on then ...



Tucker

 

[Mtbcoach]

Sweet - carry on then ...



Tucker

I'll do my best...

 

[Mtbcoach]

I spent this morning getting the donor head ready for all the necessary work. Since I don't know the history of it, I'll be relying on the machine shop for their advise. I called the T.Hoff in Durham and I guess their "retail" has moved to the Raleigh store but they still do the machine work there.

I'll be dropping it off tomorrow for the once-over. Here are the pics before it goes...

Plugs, 1-6 from left to right. All look similar, heavy build up, not a clean running engine...

engine side, valves all look similar...

A few ports has some nice build-up...

Intake/exhaust ports, again, all look similar, nothing alarming...

Top end, found some pretty thick sludge between cylinders 4-5...