Owners post here......

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Yeah, the 80 seating 8 is pretty good but the troopie at 11 is sweet. I'm definitely going to wheel it, just not sure how serious a want to get with the wheeling, SOA, toybox, sliders etc, or maybe just some r&p gears, lockers and parabolics.
 
I'd run with your choice of locker/lockers, parabolics, and an h41/early tcase combo, add parabolics from tpi, and call it good. There are plenty of other trucks to make "extreme wheelers" out of, and you have a great moderate/expedition type rig there!
 
Came from the factory with the h41. I'll probably go the moderate route like you mentioned and keep my 40 for the harder stuff.
 
cruiser ken said:
My '82 FJ45, currently stock, I've got a fiberglass top for it as well as the factory soft top bows and a new softop. Has the large drum brakes all the way around, the 16" wheels barely clear the drums. I haven't decided what my plans are for it yet.
Hey, I recognize that driver's seat! :D
 
DSC00207_sm.JPG
 
In progress

Heres how I found my 63 swb HT It had been sitting behind a fence for over 20 years. I just got done stripping it and the body has 2 bolts holding it until it goes for blasting and metal replacement in 3 weeks, Until then I am pulling the running gear out of a 78 that will replace the origonal It also will have a mini ps, I think I will go with red but seafoam green looks very good , My goal is by the first of the year to be driving it.
 
Last edited:
1965 fj45 lv. How do I build it?

All you guys have had such good info I havn't ever needed to post, just sit back and search, But now I have a question. I just picked up the wagon mentioned in the title and its MUCH less rusty than my '76 55 So I want to take what I need from my 55 or the parts "76 40 I bought for parts to finish the 55.
To make a short question long, let me tell you my story. I bought a rusty 55 out of a snowbank, when the bank melted the little pig looked much worse than in january, plus no powertrain. Fortunatly before the snow melted I bought a wrecked low miles 40 for the powertrain. So the snow melts and I figured I'd make the best of it cause the pig still looked cool. Then I found the 45 lv in wyoming. Its not to bad, front floor is holy, some rust on the rockers and quarters but I've seen alot worse.
So the question I have is what parts of the 40 and 55 are best left behind and what works well? I assume all the drivetrain is a the way to go but didn't know if there were any sacred and untouchable things you never replaced on these.
Thanks for any help you can give me. I just tried to attach pis but they wont go so I will just leave my other info.
brass tag t-66, fj45-23030 originally tan and white
 
Project finished 67 FJ45LWB

OK, 6 weeks later and I'm done. Here's what was accomplished.
New clutch, rebuilt SM420, mated to a 4 to 1 Orion case via Extreme bends adapter plate, with a disc parking brake. Completely rebuilt 79 FJ40 front axle complete from hub to hub with 4.11 gears and Longfield's. Completely rebuilt 78 1 ton full floater FJ45 rear end with disc brakes, 4.11 gears, and an Aussie locker. Went spring over, shackle reverse using OEM perches. OEM FJ45 springs. I had the front re-arched +2 inches, to level out the truck. The rear is a 7 leaf FJ45 truck pack. Did a Saginaw PS, and boxed and capped the front of the frame (very clean, looks OEM). Using Luke's Hi-crossover steering (4x4 Labs). I kept the OEM column in it. Fabbed up a custom cable shifter for the front diff engagement, to keep everything off of the floor, without using the vaccum shifter. Bilstein 5100's all the way around. I mated a Toyota minitruck brake booster, to a 97 Landcruiser master cylinder to push all 4 calipers.
Just took it up to the Sierra's to test it out in the snow, and flexed it out, in some terrain to make sure everything works as desired.
I couldn't be happier with the outcome and perfomance of this newly renovated rig.
:cheers:
Next on the list is custom front / reaf bumpers, and rock sliders (all bolt on).
I'm still keeping an eye out for some OEM wheels that are widened to 15x8.
This is the only picture that I have, I'll get some really good ones up soon.
39.webp
43.webp
 
OK yeah, for the technical people, I turned the pinion angle up 8 degrees, cut and rotated the axle housing +5 / +5.5 degrees to account for the new pinion angle along with running 35" BFG Krawlers.
 
Bruiser Cruiser said:
All you guys have had such good info I havn't ever needed to post, just sit back and search, But now I have a question. I just picked up the wagon mentioned in the title and its MUCH less rusty than my '76 55 So I want to take what I need from my 55 or the parts "76 40 I bought for parts to finish the 55.
To make a short question long, let me tell you my story. I bought a rusty 55 out of a snowbank, when the bank melted the little pig looked much worse than in january, plus no powertrain. Fortunatly before the snow melted I bought a wrecked low miles 40 for the powertrain. So the snow melts and I figured I'd make the best of it cause the pig still looked cool. Then I found the 45 lv in wyoming. Its not to bad, front floor is holy, some rust on the rockers and quarters but I've seen alot worse.
So the question I have is what parts of the 40 and 55 are best left behind and what works well? I assume all the drivetrain is a the way to go but didn't know if there were any sacred and untouchable things you never replaced on these.
Thanks for any help you can give me. I just tried to attach pis but they wont go so I will just leave my other info.
brass tag t-66, fj45-23030 originally tan and white

The FJ45LV and the FJ55 have very little in common other than the drivetrain. The FJ40 is very similar from the firewall forward and again the drive train is similar. Where are you located? I'd like a look at the FJ55 before you trash it. I'll be through the western states this summer so don't let my location scare you.
 
55 southeast corner of idaho

cruiser_guy said:
The FJ45LV and the FJ55 have very little in common other than the drivetrain. The FJ40 is very similar from the firewall forward and again the drive train is similar. Where are you located? I'd like a look at the FJ55 before you trash it. I'll be through the western states this summer so don't let my location scare you.

I am in the Bear lake area of southeast Idaho.
I figured most all that would swap over was the drivetrain, but figured if there were any little gems to be swapped you guys would know. As i got thinking about it It made sense to take all the drivetrain from my wrecked 40 and put under the 45. So I started that last night mostly done now.
the 55 has straight doors and fenders. No cancer on the doors, Probably 1 1/2" rust on bottoms of fenders I can post some pics if I can figure out why my computer won't upload
 
Bruiser Cruiser said:
I am in the Bear lake area of southeast Idaho.
I figured most all that would swap over was the drivetrain, but figured if there were any little gems to be swapped you guys would know. As i got thinking about it It made sense to take all the drivetrain from my wrecked 40 and put under the 45. So I started that last night mostly done now.
the 55 has straight doors and fenders. No cancer on the doors, Probably 1 1/2" rust on bottoms of fenders I can post some pics if I can figure out why my computer won't upload

The '55 stuff that I'd be interested in is mainly weatherstrip and other small trim type things. I went through the doors on the '55 last year and fixed all the cancer. The '55 is running it just needs the finishing touches.
I'd be by some time in the week following June 19.
 
what small trim pieces do you need?

cruiser_guy said:
The '55 stuff that I'd be interested in is mainly weatherstrip and other small trim type things. I went through the doors on the '55 last year and fixed all the cancer. The '55 is running it just needs the finishing touches.
I'd be by some time in the week following June 19.

Let me know what you need and I'll check for it. I'm hurting for space and need to get it gone pretty soon. I'll try to get some pics of anything you need if that would help.
 
Bruiser Cruiser said:
Let me know what you need and I'll check for it. I'm hurting for space and need to get it gone pretty soon. I'll try to get some pics of anything you need if that would help.

I'll PM you!
 
My 1966 FJ 45

Howdy, I'm still figuring out this photo posting stuff, hope it turns out right.
Here's my little project the day after I got her:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=19497&stc=1
FJ45-272478x5.jpg

Here is my progress to present. I wish I had a nice 3 or 4 car garage to keep it in, but this is currently outside and a fair weather project. https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=19498&stc=1
TLC bare8x6.jpg

Here the other half, in pieces in the warm comfort of the garage. This spring and summer goal, to get the GM disks in the rear and the mini knuckles & discs in the front.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=19499&stc=1
The othr half8x6.jpg

I was a gear head in high school and a few years after, but have had a 30 year recess (garageless d*** condos!). Now I have a garage and a driveway to call my own, and am finding out why I've been so cranky for the last 30 years - I'm happiest with a wrench in my hand.
FJ45-272478x5.webp
TLC bare8x6.webp
The othr half8x6.webp
 
Hey All,
new to the forum, just picked up over at Pirate- name is Edwin, and I bought OrangeFJ45's well orange 1966 fj45 lv. 350,soa,4sp,35"boggers,rr. discbrk.
Post a pic when I have a good one thats mine.
Edwin
 
I'm joining the party. This is my 45lv, left to me after my cousin passed almost 20 years ago. It's been sitting in a garage for the past 18 yrs. I sent it to TLC 4x4 to get some needed upgrades. I'll be picking it up over the 4th of July weekend. I learned about you guys when I found a picture of my truck posted on treeroot's site while it was being transported to California.
top.webp
engine.webp
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom