Builds Peter's Ultimate Expo Land Cruiser Build Thread

[cody c]

You are taking this truck across the world's deserts and you are foregoing A/C ?

Craig.

Was just thinking that...

Can I still give you a hand on saturday? Be over around 12:00ish.

Regarding the frame, everything I've seen says cut the frame on long angle and throw scab plates over. some knock out a couple holes to get more weld on wither side.

 

[Behemoth60]

Can I still give you a hand on saturday? Be over around 12:00ish.

Thanks for the help today Cody! And for the bar fridge for the Garage!

Today's accomplishments...
It was -30C at 7AM this morning, so I decided to do some hot work... so I sparked up the plasma cutter and took it to the frame... The list of what I left on the frame is shorter than what I cut off...

Firewall Body Mounts.

All other tabs, mounts, and gacketry was cut off the frame, including the front body mounts, and the B pillar mounts. Including the rear of the frame, just ahead of the rear shock cross member.

I cut off the front body mounts because the are outboard of the frame and the big tires rub on them. I will do custom mounts inboard of the frame rails. I also cut off the B pillar body mounts for 3 reasons, even though they are in the right place...
1. They were really rusty.
2. They had trapped a lot of muck against the frame rail and were causing a lot of frame rail rust.
3. I want to do something different with the body mounts to reduce the road harshness... either a fluid filled mount like the 2010+ Ram's have (they seem to work really well), or a full air ride mount like a big-rig cab.

Lumpy70 showed up with a donation for the project today... a RHD 70 series steering box that he removed from Fluffy during it's LHD conversion project. Yes, I will use the RHD steering box on my LHD truck, as the main shaft actually sits inboard of the frame, instead of outboard of the frame where the big tires rub on it. Sure, it will take some getting used to steering left to turn right and so on, but how hard can that be, really?

Tomorrow I finish the grinding on the frame to clean it up, and start to dismantle the 2004 HZJ79 Cab.

I should take delivery of the drivetrain over the holidays, and can start assembling the engine/cab/frame. I will need to get busy with acquiring axles/wheels/tires as I want to mock up the whole thing with all the main components to really figure out how it is all going to fit together to get final axle/engine placement in the frame. Perhaps I can find a D60 front axle in the short term to mock up the front axle.

 

[Behemoth60]

Big thanks to CruiserPilot who spent a few hours helping out on the project today.

Knocked all the mud out of the frame. Some hammering, some compressed air, some poking with sharp sticks, and some dangling the frame from the ceiling, turn over, repeat. It actually worked pretty good, and after a short while, clean air was blowing through the frame.

Also spent the afternoon cleaning off the mount remnants from the frame. Found one rust hole... it was hidden under the Left side B Pillar body mount. It is a about Loonie sized hole in the side of the frame. Glad I cut those mounts off to find that. But it seems easily repairable, and is the only really bad spot I've seen. 27 year old frame with 638,000kms on it, I am happy with it's condition. Pics tomorrow, I promise!

Should finish the frame clean up tomorrow, then on hold until the weekend as I have meetings in the evenings all week.

 

[Behemoth60]

Cummins Installs

Does anyone know anything about these trucks? Pics found over on the HardCore Corner forum.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=8950039&postcount=26
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=8950044&postcount=27
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=8950045&postcount=28

It's encouraging to see a 6BT fitting under a stockish looking hood between stockish looking frame rails on trucks with little tiny tires.

 

[The Dude]

Is there a different option for that oil pan?? holy smokes it sits low. it's going to be an issue with links....

 

[Behemoth60]

Is there a different option for that oil pan?? holy smokes it sits low. it's going to be an issue with links....

The 3B oil pan was an issue for the 4 link on the front of TippyR... my upper links on that set-up were angled around the oil pan.
But this is why the front suspension will be 5 link... so there are no diagonal links trying to navigate around the oil pan.

 

[Douglas S]

Dry sump? Never seen it on a diesel, but I'm sure it could be done.

 

[Deny]

Does anyone know anything about these trucks? Pics found over on the HardCore Corner forum.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=8950039&postcount=26
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=8950044&postcount=27
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=8950045&postcount=28

It's encouraging to see a 6BT fitting under a stockish looking hood between stockish looking frame rails on trucks with little tiny tires.

Hey Peter,

Both those rigs were built or have some kind of connection to Cory from Kodiak Cruisers. They usually show up to the Coastal Cruisers "Cruiser Days" Show and Shine. I doubt he would be helpful in explaining the install, but you can always show up to the show and they will most likely be there on display, show is in July though

Cheers,
Deny

 

[Behemoth60]

Frame Inspection

Frame is stripped, cut, and demounted. All superfluous tabs, and mounts ground off and Rust exposed. Some pictures.

Frame

 

[Behemoth60]

The Cut at the rear

 

[Behemoth60]

The Rust.
Hole is under the Left Side combo 'B' pillar body mount and rear spring hanger mounts. The factory design of the mount allowed wet mud to lay against the frame rail

 

[Behemoth60]

Rest of frame is pretty good. the Remaining A pillar body mounts are pretty crusty. We'll see how much of them are left after sand blasting.

 

[Behemoth60]

Frame Close ups...

 

[Behemoth60]

Still more frame pictures

 

[Behemoth60]

Are we there yet? Sheesh. Next he's going to show us slides from his vacation..

 

[Behemoth60]

LHD vs. RHD Steering Box

Here's the Stock LHD Steering box. Notice how the sector shaft is on the outside of the frame. Tires rub on that when turning right.

 

[Behemoth60]

And here's the RHD steering box. Sector shaft inside frame rail. Yes, this will interfere with the factory radiator placement, but not to worry, I won't have a factory radiator or bib.
You will also notice the factory body mounts are also gone. Tires rub on those too. They will likewise have to be inboard of the frame. Lots of custom work to make that all fit with the Rad, Intercooler, A/C cooler, and Tranny Cooler...

 

[cruiserpilot]

Looking fantastic, and the best day I've had in a long time! I can't believe all the work you got finished to have it that clean. This is going to be entertaining to see it grow back into a truck.

 

[The Dude]

Loooking great Peter, the LHD steering box worked out great on Marmaduke. I had to go with a 60 series box though because the 70 series pushed the axle too far back (or I guess it made the steering box too far forward)

 

[arnott1t]

A really nice blank canvas to work with. Very sweet.