Builds Not another "Fire Truck" build......HZJ75

[African]

so the new shop put the LC project on the back burner for sure.
But I’m pretty excited about it and doing the rest of it myself (still a work in progress) is a lot of work after work.

… some small progress on the rig
I pulled the front mirrors and replaced with 70 series door mirrors. I love the old school bonnet mirrors but, I don’t love getting out to fit them all the time with bush driving.

 

[African]

A start on the back trey

setting height and rails matching the chassis rails. So I can have a big slide out draw at the back.

Setting the outside to the size I wanted. A lot of the AU and SA treys you see are wider then the body of the truck, but i decided to keep the width the same as the body

I may have over built it a little

 

[African]

With part of this I wanted to bring the chassis out and braced across the back, which I did in the same way toyota boxes the chassis rails.
I need some extra length for rear mounts for the trey, I wanted the ability to add a Tow hitch and for overall strength need the chassis joint across.
I did not get may pics of this, but it turned out great.

once I was happy with the trey floor size and position, I welded on new mounts. Then started on the headboard and the back lip for lights etc.

I looked at different options for lights but decided I still liked the toyota original's best so I decided to keep them, but added some better reverse lights.

Fair amount (read A LOT!) of work just to get to this point, its a lot of measuring, tacking, double checking, fully welding, grinding, thinking, changing. It was kinda fun, pretty much just making it up as I go with the vision I have in my head. Im also not reinventing the wheel here. Nice to see it take some shape.

 

[African]

Im going to put a big slide out draw in the back. Need to lower the Fuel tank 2"
If you look carefully on the floor, I braced everything with 1" angle iron to support all edges of the floor ( Im going to use thick diamond plate aluminum)
I also welded in corner plates to support some bolt in tie downs in the corners

My 75 no longer looks like a forehead on wheels

 

[janyyc]

Amazing work. Thanks for posting your story! Really enjoying the read.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Some very impressive fabricating skills.

 

[African]

Next on the list....while i chip away at the back
Suspension....the front end was pancaked and the back end is tougher then woodpecker lips.

I looked at all kinds of options here, in the end I just went with a full OldManEmu kit from Cruiser Outfitters
I spent a weekend with the flu installing this myself so it was slow going but I got it on no probs and it made a world of difference.
The ride is 100% better.
The only part i did not do in this process was extended Brake lines and a full flush of that system. But I believe I have what I need for that now.

While I was at it was to pull the drive flanges and put in manual locking hubs, This is an easy swap and the only thing I had to fiddle with was reducing the axle C clip thickness. Everything in there was nice and clean, I resembled with a little anti seize on the cone washers.

Lastly was I traded the yoko's for some toyo's and put steel rims on it.

 

[African]

By this time I had a few random things Id ordered from Japan/UAE showing up.

Pulled the transfer case cooler and plated it back off.

 

[African]

Bull Bar
ARB: #3412130
Easy work, fits like a glove
I also had an older Warm 8000Lb winch I decided to stick in there. ( id like to replace the cable with the new synthetic rope)
Sure is nice to finally have a concrete floor to work on

My little hound dogs name is "Trout" he likes to keep a close eye on things

 

[Cruiser Cult]

Loving this build!

 

[African]

Next was something I was at first going to leave alone. But could not get comfortable with it - Timing Belt
The truck only has 14,000 klms on it BUT its 25 years old. The other part is, some timing belts you buy may have been sitting on the shelf for several years, So Im conflicted.
Ultimately I decided to just have the peace of mind and change it out
Its a strait forward job on the 1HZ
IDLER SUB-ASSY, TIMING BELT, NO.1
PN:1350517011
SPRING, TENSION(FOR IDLER)
PN: 9050727003
BELT, TIMING
PN: 1356819065
I did not touch the water pump.

cleaned everything off in here, put on the new belt, idler and spring

Here is everything fitted getting a double check

This tool will 100% save you some F bombs trying to put the spring back on over the post

With it all triple checked and buttoned back up you go to the drivers seat, throw in a quick hail marry and hope it does not go BANG when you turn the key.....
Just kidding......or am I?

 

[African]

Here is the timing belt I replaced, did not look to bad

 

[African]

For the back Trey
I wanted fold down, removable sides. So I could run it as a flat bed or trey
I looked frigging all over for hinges and latches and could not come up with any I liked state side.
So I ended up ordering what I liked from Australia and noticed a few companies are using the same ones
I had a metal yard bend up a profile for the sides

once I had these I just kind of made it up as I went. I did both sides first, then made the back piece to fit.

 

[African]

Really happy with how these sides turned out!

 

[prwillard2]

Really happy with how these sides turned out!
View attachment 3428282View attachment 3428283View attachment 3428284

Your welding and fabrication skills are on point!

Bull Bar
ARB: #3412130
Easy work, fits like a glove
I also had an older Warm 8000Lb winch I decided to stick in there. ( id like to replace the cable with the new synthetic rope)
Sure is nice to finally have a concrete floor to work on

My little hound dogs name is "Trout" he likes to keep a close eye on things
View attachment 3428216
View attachment 3428218

Bumper looks great, I have the same one. However, I was told that this hook is not load bearing. Maybe I am wrong, but be careful if you are using it for pulling/winching.

 

[African]

Your welding and fabrication skills are on point!

Bumper looks great, I have the same one. However, I was told that this hook is not load bearing. Maybe I am wrong, but be careful if you are using it for pulling/winching.

Thanks Iv not done a lot so this has been fun to learn on. It’s not to different from carpentry just a different way of cutting and glueing it together.

Good to know on the anchor hooks I put two on and they do bolt through the bullbar onto the chassis rails…. I figured they would be good enough to maybe pull a Subi out of a ditch

 

[coldtaco]

what steel rims are those? you using spacers? do you know the specs on the aluminum wheels?

 

[African]

what steel rims are those? you using spacers? do you know the specs on the aluminum wheels?

The alloy rims are 17" from a 4-Runner I believe. I don't know the specs but they are very close to these steel rims.

These rims are :
hubcapheaven STL69504 Toyota FJ Cruiser Wheel Steel Black #4261135330 17x7.5
require a 1” spacer front with that 34" tire
they are somewhere near 4.75" backspacing.

If I where to do it again I would go with a stock 16" steel rim that did not require a spacer

 

[sleepydad69]

The alloy rims are 17" from a 4-Runner I believe. I don't know the specs but they are very close to these steel rims.

These rims are :
hubcapheaven STL69504 Toyota FJ Cruiser Wheel Steel Black #4261135330 17x7.5
require a 1” spacer front with that 34" tire
they are somewhere near 4.75" backspacing.

If I where to do it again I would go with a stock 16" steel rim that did not require a spacer

I love this build, cool stuff and solid skills.

what did you sandwich between the hinge strap and drop down rear gate? Looks like you used some kind of foam or underlayment? I have been searching for something that serves the same purpose.

thank you for posting your build

 

[African]

I love this build, cool stuff and solid skills.

what did you sandwich between the hinge strap and drop down rear gate? Looks like you used some kind of foam or underlayment? I have been searching for something that serves the same purpose.

thank you for posting your build

There is nothing between. There is a sharpie line there that makes it look like something is sandwiched.
If I had to put something like that I would try find some of the thin woven conveyor belt material