Builds Nemesis - a deviant undertaking

[sschruff]

Looks like you have a good guard dog there, OK, maybe not so much

About the only thing Scooby and Tara (his sister) guard is their food bowls Flashback last summer - Austin road trip, staying in a VRBO. . .gf out with Tara for a walk, big tomcat jumps out and does a Mike Tyson on Tara. 85lbs of Doberman, TKO'd. But, truth be told, I'm happy they're scared of their own shadows - their reputation proceeds them more often than not and we have a neighborhood full a kids - and they all love 'rooby-doo and tara-dactal', lol.

That's quite the list! It took me about 3 years to do all that after I bought moonshine

Man. . .I initially thought 6 months but after the driveline venture, I'll take each project as it comes (vs assuming the $$$). I wish I could turn my own wrenches to do some/most of this work but I don't have the skill, knowledge, space or time at the moment. Besides, I know if I show up at the garage, it'll simply extend the completion date by a factor of 2. . .a factor of 10 if I grab a wrench.

After the driveline, I really want to do the interior but the more threads I read on engine swaps, the more I might want to start procuring a 5.3 engine & accessories.
I don't know. . .maybe I need to sell a few of my armory items =)

Shane

 

[Callahan Offroad]

Great looking rig! A momentary word of advice. I like to step back from the project and make a list of my wishes/wants/goals. That way you aren't just dumping cash left and right at whatever and then you're in 20k and you're like "woah i have nothing that I want in this." I know that I had originally wanted to do a v8-swap but after driving my rig for a year I realized I really wanted a diesel swap Best of luck I look forward to watching your thread!
Ps your rig looks outstanding! Wish I had the cash to drop one one like that!

 

[sschruff]

Great looking rig! A momentary word of advice. I like to step back from the project and make a list of my wishes/wants/goals. That way you aren't just dumping cash left and right at whatever and then you're in 20k and you're like "woah i have nothing that I want in this." I know that I had originally wanted to do a v8-swap but after driving my rig for a year I realized I really wanted a diesel swap Best of luck I look forward to watching your thread!
Ps your rig looks outstanding! Wish I had the cash to drop one one like that!

Hi and thanks for the advise, words of wisdom and encouragement. After my first purchase (which still sits in my driveway), I was willing to pay a premium for a solid, rust-free version of a FJ60. And i've stated it previously, the previous owner was simply a pleasure to work with throughout the process.


Shane

 

[Griffin777]

Good luck on your build. very similer goals as to what i want to do.

 

[dbleon]

Hi Shane, welcome and beautiful truck!

Can I butt into you business for a second??

As you may learn, Landcruisers are a labor of love ( and time, and $$)... and are well worth the effort.

That being said, I (personally) dont think its a great idea to put $30k into a rig that has a realistic resale of $5k (low) to $15k (high) regardless of whether or not you think you'll sell it. But hey, I come from humble pastures...thats almost half the price of my mortgage!!

I say drive the truck AS IS for a year and then decide what direction (if any) you want to go.
____
Also,

You would be well advised to learn to do the work and modifications yourself. Youll find that these vehicles are NOT cheap to maintain or modify if a shop is doing the work.

I was quoted ~$30k just for a vortec swap from a reputable landcruiser outfit in CA. Thats when i decided to buy a bunch of tools, a welder and go to town.

It was a learning curve, and took over a year, but in the end I ended up with a smog legal, beautifully running 5.3 swap that I know absolutely everything about. The knowledge gained is invaluable IMO. I am by no means an expert (im an idiot actually ) and I was able to get it done in standard two car garage with no help (other than lifting the front clip). All the while i work a professional 40 + job and had a new baby born in the same year!!

Point is, if you set your mind and believe in yourself, you can do these things. Its not rocket science. Swallow pride, get an econobox DD, and work slowly on whatever mods you decide on. Use MUD as a reference ( a GREAT reference it is!)

Good luck!

D.

 

[Callahan Offroad]

Hi and thanks for the advise, words of wisdom and encouragement. After my first purchase (which still sits in my driveway), I was willing to pay a premium for a solid, rust-free version of a FJ60. And i've stated it previously, the previous owner was simply a pleasure to work with throughout the process.

Insofar as stepping back and realizing 20K has been surpassed - I think I did that yesterday: Parts & labor for the driveline work, plus the original purchase price. To be quite honest, I'm not hesitant to put $$$ into the FJ - it's the vehicle I've wanted since I was in college. What concerns me is the parts availability for future repairs. That - plus my OCD - makes it hard not to start 'collecting' as many OEM parts as I can. . .without getting a diverse and taking a 2nd mortgage on the house, lol.

Ironically, I was reading up on engine upgrades just before reading your reply. I like the idea of keeping in all Toyota - a hydride 2FE, a somewhat tweaked 3FE or a full-blown Toyota Diesel conversion. I found a shop that imports Toyota diesel engines,http://www.jdmenginescorp.com/contact, and sent them an email with the usual novice questions: What will I need, any of the engines direct bolt-in to the H55F tranny, accessories, etc., and will wait on their reply. Heck, I'd be willing to trailer her to a reputable LC shop to do the conversion if one was a bit closer (say within 3 hours) just so I could physically stop by and check on the work. New Orleans, so it seems, is short on LC shops :-/

Question for you: Since you've been down this road and (assuming from your reply) you've done the diesel conversion, what's a realistic number I should prepare myself for regarding the conversion? I don't turn my own wrenches (aside from oil changes and other easier tasks), so I know labor will be as much (if not more) than the parts themselves. I'm all ears and any suggestions/advice you have will be greatly appreciated. . .

Shane

Shane,
First, get the appropriate insurance coverage. If you're at that point of 20K you may want to consider collectors car insurance, you can declare a value for your car and then its covered based on your perceived value not NADA or KBB value like normal insurance. Long story made short I had a really good friend who had a Mazda RX-7 (FD) who had it COMPLETELY built (close to $60k in it), someone ended up wrecking it, and he luckily had a declared value of insurance on it and it was completely covered. So that totally saved his... uh butt..
The diesel conversion, like everything, really depends. Since you're OCD (like my wife and a good friend of mine [who builds subaru's and replaces EVERY bolt and nut everytime he takes them off]) Its like asking how much is a good bottle or whisky or a nice house. It depends on your personal standards. That is the singular best answer. If you want a brand new completely rebuilt everything you could easily put yourself into the 20k range. If you're okay with a red-neck do-it-yourself build, you're talking whatever the price of the donor rig is (really at that point you should really just oops switch VIN numbers) Honestly 10k wouldnt be a bad estimate, maybe 12-15 if you want to keep it all toyota. I think the "2fe" conversion runs 1k-3k depending on parts.
So that all being said, here's my 2 cents for whatever its worth. I thought about the conversions and swaps every which way for a year until i was blue in the face. I am by no means a "purist" (trust me I wanted to put a gigantic v8 in my original rx-7 for years). I think there is a lot to be said for the original motor configuration. Do I think the emissions system should go as fast as possible? Yes. My LC went from 12 mpg to 16mpg just by rebuilding the carb, a good tuning and a desmog (god bless Missouri's emission rules). That being said, is it great for modern highways? no. Is it comparable to a new off road anything? No, of course not, its 30 year old technology that was designed for reliability not on road comfort! So to answer your parts availability, I will agree, parts can be hard to come by. But only if you don't know where to look. Sure 60's dont have as big a following as jeeps or 4runners, international scouts... well hell anything really. But the community is good and they are all passionate about their 'cruisers. That's actually the thing that made me want to open my business, I realized that no one really specializes in 60's, there's tons of support for 40's 80's and what so have you but 60's get the stick. In my opinion (for whatever its worth) its the perfect compromise between the no-frills 40 and the oh-gee-is-that-another-camry?-fj80. So I guess what I'm saying is what is your passion about the 60? Is it the body and the looks (cuz trust me it isn't the seat comfort ) or is it the off-road capabilities? If its the looks, and you want it to run like a modern truck you should just do a vortec swap and be done with it. If its the off-road awesomeness you should get the 2f all straight and get your rig beefed up. For me, what I love about my 60 is pretty much summed up in its name "the blue donkey." Sure it isn't fast, that's because it isn't a race horse. It isn't efficient, because it's shaped like a brick and weighs as much as 100 suns! But, it does two super important things, it makes me smile, and gets me where I need to go. When I first started driving it I had no idea that the entire 4wd was basically shot, but it still worked. What other vehicle works when it is missing 75% of its seals? The answer is NONE. My old Honda was sidelined for weeks because of a crankshaft position sensor. The 2f, its like "what the f is a crankshaft?" lol.
Anyways to end my ramble, there are a million ways to spend money on a cruiser, but there is only one way to enjoy it; and that is completely up to you.

-Ryan

Ps: feel free to pm me or call me if you have any questions, no time talking about 60's is wasted time.
PPS: hope this helped.
PPPS: I just realized all the prices I threw at you are what it was going to cost me to do it myself. So I apologize. It would all be 1 million dollars (sarcasm)

 

[sschruff]

Hi Shane, welcome and beautiful truck!

Can I butt into you business for a second??

As you may learn, Landcruisers are a labor of love ( and time, and $$)... and are well worth the effort.

That being said, I (personally) dont think its a great idea to put $30k into a rig that has a realistic resale of $5k (low) to $15k (high) regardless of whether or not you think you'll sell it. But hey, I come from humble pastures...thats almost half the price of my mortgage!!

I say drive the truck AS IS for a year and then decide what direction (if any) you want to go.
____
Also,

You would be well advised to learn to do the work and modifications yourself. Youll find that these vehicles are NOT cheap to maintain or modify if a shop is doing the work.

I was quoted ~$30k just for a vortec swap from a reputable landcruiser outfit in CA. Thats when i decided to buy a bunch of tools, a welder and go to town.

It was a learning curve, and took over a year, but in the end I ended up with a smog legal, beautifully running 5.3 swap that I know absolutely everything about. The knowledge gained is invaluable IMO. I am by no means an expert (im an idiot actually ) and I was able to get it done in standard two car garage with no help (other than lifting the front clip). All the while i work a professional 40 + job and had a new baby born in the same year!!

Point is, if you set your mind and believe in yourself, you can do these things. Its not rocket science. Swallow pride, get an econobox DD, and work slowly on whatever mods you decide on. Use MUD as a reference ( a GREAT reference it is!)

Good luck!

D.

D-

Thank you for the compliment and moreover, for the seasoned advice. I fully understand about putting more $$ into a vehicle than what it's worth - I dumped 3K into my first cruiser (Nelly) just getting the engine/steering/interior sorted. That first cruiser still sits in my driveway although I've bought & sold 6-7 other vehicles while she's been 'taking up space'. It's that very attachment I have to Nelly that led me to the decision to purchase another one. . .albeit running, no rust, records, 1-owner, etc., etc.

So, when I found NellyII and decided to purchase her, I made a all-or-nothing commitment: Sold my 2012 GMC Sierra All Terrain and advised by better half (Mel) to be patient, understanding and at times, give me a sedative if I go more than 48 hours without sleep. Yes. . .I agree that putting 30K+ into a truck that at best is worth half of that is. . .simply put, insane.

My rationale at present revolves around keeping her for life. I'll solidify this thought within the next 3-4 weeks when she goes up on the rack for the driveline update. If I can maintain my current sense of longterm value, I'll go lease some 30+ mpg dd and start learning how to turn wrenches myself. Your advice on learning to work on it myself is something I hear from just about every member that chimes in - you joked about not being an expert (~idiot) but man, there's no way you're started out as green as myself - and I know this from experience, lol (that story to surface later).

I'd love to drive it for a year before doing an engine swap - and I think with the H55F and gearing swap I'll be able to do that without being overly uncomfortable. I'm not an off-roader, she'll probably never see true mud (aside from a rocky trail once or twice a year. . .but I hope to make her my dd at some point in the near future.

Out of curiosity. . .how long did it take you to get comfortable maintaining the FJ by yourself?

Thanks, again, for the input. . .

shane

 

[sschruff]

Shane,
First, get the appropriate insurance coverage. If you're at that point of 20K you may want to consider collectors car insurance, you can declare a value for your car and then its covered based on your perceived value not NADA or KBB value like normal insurance. Long story made short I had a really good friend who had a Mazda RX-7 (FD) who had it COMPLETELY built (close to $60k in it), someone ended up wrecking it, and he luckily had a declared value of insurance on it and it was completely covered. So that totally saved his... uh butt..
The diesel conversion, like everything, really depends. Since you're OCD (like my wife and a good friend of mine [who builds subaru's and replaces EVERY bolt and nut everytime he takes them off]) Its like asking how much is a good bottle or whisky or a nice house. It depends on your personal standards. That is the singular best answer. If you want a brand new completely rebuilt everything you could easily put yourself into the 20k range. If you're okay with a red-neck do-it-yourself build, you're talking whatever the price of the donor rig is (really at that point you should really just oops switch VIN numbers) Honestly 10k wouldnt be a bad estimate, maybe 12-15 if you want to keep it all toyota. I think the "2fe" conversion runs 1k-3k depending on parts.
So that all being said, here's my 2 cents for whatever its worth. I thought about the conversions and swaps every which way for a year until i was blue in the face. I am by no means a "purist" (trust me I wanted to put a gigantic v8 in my original rx-7 for years). I think there is a lot to be said for the original motor configuration. Do I think the emissions system should go as fast as possible? Yes. My LC went from 12 mpg to 16mpg just by rebuilding the carb, a good tuning and a desmog (god bless Missouri's emission rules). That being said, is it great for modern highways? no. Is it comparable to a new off road anything? No, of course not, its 30 year old technology that was designed for reliability not on road comfort! So to answer your parts availability, I will agree, parts can be hard to come by. But only if you don't know where to look. Sure 60's dont have as big a following as jeeps or 4runners, international scouts... well hell anything really. But the community is good and they are all passionate about their 'cruisers. That's actually the thing that made me want to open my business, I realized that no one really specializes in 60's, there's tons of support for 40's 80's and what so have you but 60's get the stick. In my opinion (for whatever its worth) its the perfect compromise between the no-frills 40 and the oh-gee-is-that-another-camry?-fj80. So I guess what I'm saying is what is your passion about the 60? Is it the body and the looks (cuz trust me it isn't the seat comfort ) or is it the off-road capabilities? If its the looks, and you want it to run like a modern truck you should just do a vortec swap and be done with it. If its the off-road awesomeness you should get the 2f all straight and get your rig beefed up. For me, what I love about my 60 is pretty much summed up in its name "the blue donkey." Sure it isn't fast, that's because it isn't a race horse. It isn't efficient, because it's shaped like a brick and weighs as much as 100 suns! But, it does two super important things, it makes me smile, and gets me where I need to go. When I first started driving it I had no idea that the entire 4wd was basically shot, but it still worked. What other vehicle works when it is missing 75% of its seals? The answer is NONE. My old Honda was sidelined for weeks because of a crankshaft position sensor. The 2f, its like "what the f is a crankshaft?" lol.
Anyways to end my ramble, there are a million ways to spend money on a cruiser, but there is only one way to enjoy it; and that is completely up to you.

-Ryan

Ps: feel free to pm me or call me if you have any questions, no time talking about 60's is wasted time.
PPS: hope this helped.
PPPS: I just realized all the prices I threw at you are what it was going to cost me to do it myself. So I apologize. It would all be 1 million dollars (sarcasm)

Ryan-

Hey. . .to keep the length of this reply somewhat manageable, I'll use shorthand and then PM you.

The insurance recommendation is a GREAT suggestion. Do standard companies - like USAA - offer such policies? If not, can you recommend one that does?

A complete tune and desmog (if I can find a local shop that has done a desmog previously) is a priority - I'd love to drive the 2F for a year or so - to give myself time to decide which way I want to go, then start collecting parts and learning how to turn wrenches. Plus - I think with the driveline update/change, the 2F (properly tuned) will be a good combo to get me chugging around town.

What appeals to me about the FJ - I'm a longtime Toyota owner (3 taco's, 2 LC 100's, 2 RX350's (wife), GX, Echo) and simply have a ton of respect for their products. The FJ specifically appeals to me because of it's looks, simplistic design, and near cult-like following. I remember seeing my first FJ40 and my first FJ60 many, many years ago. The FJ60 has stuck in my head since that fateful day. . .and hopefully I have found the one I will keep and be buried in, lol.

So. . .road manners, dependability and customization based upon my own taste/needs will drive my projects/builds. I hope to have a finished product that can motor at about 75 down the interstate, take me from NOLA to Colorado without concern, and has enough creature comforts that Mel and the dogs won't turn their noses when I say, "Let's take the FJ today/tonight".

I'll either send you a PM or give you a call tomorrow - would love to hear of your FJ adventures, and trials and tribulations. And I'm with you - time spent talking about the FJ isn't wasted. . .it's development, it's bonding, it's valuable in keeping our community and the FJ's alive and healthy.

Look forward to our exchanges. . .

Shane

 

[dbleon]

Out of curiosity. . .how long did it take you to get comfortable maintaining the FJ by yourself?

Thanks, again, for the input. . .

shane

Hey Shane,

I started doing my own work straight away. The previous owner did a hack job on a number of things so I jumped right in.

I should clarify, I was not a newb to mechanics... had been working on various stuff over the years (mostly motorcycles). So put my comments into some kind of perspective.

My point was, its worth the learning curve, and its not impossible to do as a newb. If you are truly a NEWB I would suggest taking an auto and/or welding course at your local city college if you are serious about doing all this.

You can always just make friends and supply burgers and beer. Hit you local club for fellow cruiserheads.

Good luck!!

 

[sschruff]

Update:

So, truck was delivered 6 Feb 2013. She's as beautiful as depicted in the pictures. Straight body, no rust, interior is better than average shape.

However, she has an exhaust leak (manifold), valves need a full tune-up and valves adjusted, tires have a ton of tread left but are dry rotted (disclosed before purchase) and the steering feels loose (she doesn't wander/drift, but there is a lot of slack in the steering wheel - including lateral and vertical excessive play/movement).

Over the past two weeks, I started planning and buying parts for 'projects'. I had the windows tinted already, spent several hours with my interior shop planning her 'spa day', and she's going in the shop next week for the following:

Tranny/driveline: Described in previous post.

Tune-up: plugs, wires, dist. cap & rotor, numerous gaskets R&R'd, fluids flushed & changed, suspension components inspected and replaced as needed.

Steering: Shaft/column pulled and inspected, replaced as needed.

Updates/changes to mods:

Wheels - decided to go with Stealth Custom SR8's (grey/black) and Cooper AT3 tires (32x10.50).

http://www.stealthcustomseries.com/news/

Adding sliding 1/4 windows (you know, for the doggies):

http://www.sor.com/cat321.sor?tabpage=TAB2

As the work is being done/completed, I'll update pics for you guys.

Shane

 

[dbleon]

looks like a keeper!!

 

[Big Cruiser Guy]

I gotta say, I've had a huge amount of work done on my Cruiser. My favorite mod so far is the sliding rear windows.
Your look great. Keep us updated and keep the pics coming.

 

[sschruff]

looks like a keeper!!

Thanks and I'm hoping she is. . .or at least that's my justification to my gf related to the expenses, lol.

I gotta say, I've had a huge amount of work done on my Cruiser. My favorite mod so far is the sliding rear windows.
Your look great. Keep us updated and keep the pics coming.

Yeah - I can't believe I hadn't seen those previously. Just did a sizable order with SOR and happened to ask about sliding windows. . .was totally excited. And the costs - wow, one of the cheapest and most functional. . .gotta love it. Thanks for the compliment and will do. . .

Shane

 

[sschruff]

Didn't even look at the date of my last update (ADHD) - but here's the most recent:

1. Tires are officially shot (from dry rot) and Stealth Customs' wheels aren't available yet (the SR8's). So, pulled the trigger on a set of Fuel Revolver's (polished, 17x9 with -12).

2. Decided to 'go big or go home': Changing tires (thankfully they hadn't been mounted yet) to 285/70/17 (Cooper AT3's).

3. Ordered more stuff from Onur (my fault, not his, lol).

4. Dash cover arrives tomorrow.

5. Ordered exterior led's all-around.

6. Started planning stage for rear bumper/carrier. This guy is a frigging MASTER BUILDER - wish he lived in New Orleans, lol.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/384009-i-mod-my-rear-bumper-tad-bit.html

7. Contacted TLC4x4 and inquired about them doing a total build on a new (complete) harness. Hmm...thinking I may try to do the subs myself/with the help of friends to lower the costs.

8. Kind of made the decision to put a 5.3 in her. But my shop is saying, "yeah, you can drop a 5.3 in her. . .but you can also rebuild your 2F (make it a EFI), tweak it a little and not only stay Toyota but also probably be happy). I have no experience, no prior comparison, so it's a hard decision. My goals (r/t engine) is something that will maintain 75ish on the interstate and is dependable/easy to fix/easy to get parts for now/in the future. Parts for 2F - a concern for availability in the future? I wish I had an engine genie. . .

9. She's headed to the interior shop after she gets out of my mechanics shop. So, sorry for the delay in getting panel pictures to you guys.

Headed to Austin for Mardi Gras weekend (Fri-Wed), wish she was ready to take on a road trip. Will update accordingly. ..

Shane

 

[Callahan Offroad]

Didn't even look at the date of my last update (ADHD) - but here's the most recent:

1. Tires are officially shot (from dry rot) and Stealth Customs' wheels aren't available yet (the SR8's). So, pulled the trigger on a set of Fuel Revolver's (polished, 17x9 with -12).

2. Decided to 'go big or go home': Changing tires (thankfully they hadn't been mounted yet) to 285/70/17 (Cooper AT3's).

3. Ordered more stuff from Onur (my fault, not his, lol).

4. Dash cover arrives tomorrow.

5. Ordered exterior led's all-around.

6. Started planning stage for rear bumper/carrier. This guy is a frigging MASTER BUILDER - wish he lived in New Orleans, lol.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/384009-i-mod-my-rear-bumper-tad-bit.html

7. Contacted TLC4x4 and inquired about them doing a total build on a new (complete) harness. Hmm...thinking I may try to do the subs myself/with the help of friends to lower the costs.

8. Kind of made the decision to put a 5.3 in her. But my shop is saying, "yeah, you can drop a 5.3 in her. . .but you can also rebuild your 2F (make it a EFI), tweak it a little and not only stay Toyota but also probably be happy). I have no experience, no prior comparison, so it's a hard decision. My goals (r/t engine) is something that will maintain 75ish on the interstate and is dependable/easy to fix/easy to get parts for now/in the future. Parts for 2F - a concern for availability in the future? I wish I had an engine genie. . .

9. She's headed to the interior shop after she gets out of my mechanics shop. So, sorry for the delay in getting panel pictures to you guys.

Headed to Austin for Mardi Gras weekend (Fri-Wed), wish she was ready to take on a road trip. Will update accordingly. ..

Shane

looks good man!

you should wait on #7 I'm waiting on a harness to come in right now and then shipping it off for development.
You should give my cousin a ring he lives in NOLA. Or maybe I should just come hang out with you instead!

 

[sschruff]

looks good man!

you should wait on #7 I'm waiting on a harness to come in right now and then shipping it off for development.
You should give my cousin a ring he lives in NOLA. Or maybe I should just come hang out with you instead!

Hey man. . .good to hear from you.

If by waiting on #7 means you're going to venture down that road. . consider it done. I have a 6-8 month timeline before deciding to yank the 2F and rebuild/replace. I figure I can start messing around with the subs during this time (what better to do with the white FJ60 sitting in my driveway, hehe).

Insofar as u coming to NOLA - door's open. . .but u have to like really big dogs =) Scooby & Tara will greet you with the typical Doberman handshake (wear a cup), so be prepared, lol. We're heading to Austin, Texas for a long Mardi Gras weekend but usually we're in town (work Tue-Fri, 9a-4p, most weeks). What part of the city does your cousin live in and if you don't mind, PM his name. . .I may already know him if we have any of the same interests (cars, guns, bikes, Anti-Obama (hehe)).

Oh. . .also visited your store a bit ago. I had pretty much decided on the ARB rack but will purchase from you instead. And. . .WTF with the Stoptech BBK for the FJ60? I was like. . .'that's what I'm talking about'. Ran that setup on my STi and M3, and was very happy with the performance of both kits. Not sure if I want to drop 4K on brakes for the FJ60 (dream world) but have been toying around with the 4Runner upgrade kit since speaking to Onur about it last week.

She should be out of the shop late this week/early next week - first major project to be checked-off. Rims/tires early next week, then to the next project - interior. I'm scheduled for a 1/2 day this Wed & Friday - let's chat if you have time.

Shane

 

[xXMulahXx]

Awesome thread dude, I am looking forward to seeing more! And what is this about sliding windows? For the rear?!?!?

Keep us posted man and best wishes to you. Cant wait to see more.

 

[sschruff]

Awesome thread dude, I am looking forward to seeing more! And what is this about sliding windows? For the rear?!?!?

Keep us posted man and best wishes to you. Cant wait to see more.

"Semper Fi" - any chance 'Recon' appears in your job description?

Here's a link to the sliding windows (rear 1/4's) for the 40's and 60's (top left tab alternates between the two models):

http://www.sor.com/cat321.sor

Appreciate the compliments - and truth be told, I started diverting funds from other projects toward the FJ60 before she even arrived, lol. It's a disease and unlike AA, prostate Ca, etc., there are no support groups. And man. . .quick lesson I've learned - there are no inexpensive ventures when it comes to the FJ60. But. . .it is what it is and like I tell my gf - it's better than drinking, hitting bars or venturing to the strip clubs (which usually gives me a little more wiggle room)

How long were you in (or are you still in)? I PCS'd back in late 05' after 5.5 in Asia, Africa and South America - still getting adjusted (or becoming less maladjusted). However, I have unfortunately made a shortlist of a few good friends locally. . .and every single one of those cock fag's (hope you get the reference) are Marines (1st Recon Bn). In actuality - couldn't be surrounded by a better group of guys. Nothing but respect for all military (even my skirt-wearing USAF brother) and hat's off to you for your service. On a side note - I give military/LE preference, so if you're ever in the area and have a broken (insert body part here), I promise to use more than MSO4, superglue, quikclot, and duct tape, lol.

Back to the FJ60 (squirrel) - have some decent projects in the making. After getting the mechanical/interior sorted, I'll start on the 'other' stuff - and as stated in some of my other posts, I'm always more than happy to share.

Anyhoo. . .feel free to PM if u would like to chat further.

Shane

 

[Cruzerman]

If you plan on doing a V8 swap in the not-too-distant future, why are you doing the H55F transmission now? While a great transmission (I have one myself), it may not be the best choice when you throw a V8 into the equation. I would personally hold off on the tranny swap and make that part of the engine swap project. JMHO.

 

[sschruff]

If you plan on doing a V8 swap in the not-too-distant future, why are you doing the H55F transmission now? While a great transmission (I have one myself), it may not be the best choice when you throw a V8 into the equation. I would personally hold off on the tranny swap and make that part of the engine swap project. JMHO.

Thanks and I always appreciate experienced based opinions. In my manic stage after purchasing the FJ60 - but still waiting for her to arrive - I went sort of. . .well, what ppl do when they're manic but inexperienced - I bought, and bought, and bought. My original plan was to tweak the 2F during a rebuild. . .then toyed with dropping a 3FE, then read, "...the 3FE's not really an improvement over the 2F except for the addition of EFI. . .", then started. . .squirrel. . .where was I? Oh, yeah. . .then started toying with dropping a V8 or 12HT. So, while between keeping the 2F or swapping for a 3FE, I bought the tranny.

I'm ok with it and as the jury is still out regarding what i'm going to do engine wise, I'm hoping the H55F will serve it's purpose. If it doesn't, I'll give one of our forum members an excellent deal =)

Shane