Phantom II - Say Hello To Godzilla

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FouadHafeez

FouadHafeez

Joined
Feb 22, 2012
Threads
5
Messages
491
Location
Islamabad, Pakistan
As if building a high-rise four door FJ40 wasn't enough, I've found myself ruminating over building a slammed-to-the-ground, high speed FJ40, too.

The onus of blame for my even contemplating such a project must surely devolve on this very website; where people of all sorts, build all sorts of odd and beautiful machines...and then have the temerity to suggest that others do so, too. :)

On a more serious note, though...I've been able to lay my hands on the complete mechanicals of a Nissan Skyline GT-R R33, which is what actually precipitated such a thought in the first place. These mechanicals include pretty much everything other than the body parts, chassis, and interior. This stuff is currently abroad (in the UAE) and is on the way to Pakistan, where I've been given "right of first refusal" for it. Yeah, right...like ANYONE would refuse such an offer!

To use such a set up, naturally (or perhaps not so naturally), my first thought went to the trusty FJ40, which are plentiful in Pakistan, are easily built, and have a ton of cheap spare parts. Such an FJ40 (I think we'll call it Phantom II, for sh*ts and giggles) - with Godzilla internals - would be something very different from its potential stable mate. Whilst the Phantom is much more an out and out offroader...this truck would be built for one thing alone: speed.

Why use GT-R internals, then? First of all...they're available, despite being SO rare. Secondly...they're pretty much incomparable, as any fan of Jap engineering will tell you. Third...having an all wheel drive FJ40 with 300 odd horsepower on tap? Oh, come on, now. :)

Why an FJ40, then? First off...they're available. And cheap. And are so easily manipulated into works of art here, that it's almost ridiculous. Secondly...what better donor vehicle to build a rat rod, other than the iconic Land Cruiser...when in essence, you'd be salvaging parts and pieces from old FJ40s, that would otherwise be headed for the melting pot? Thirdly...owning two FJ40s; one a high-lifted monster and the other a ground-hugging lowrider? Can it seriously get any better? :)

This is still at the planning stage...so I'll be hoping for a lot of input from knowledgeable minds. As always, will be counting on some sane advice, too...to suitably counter-balance the madness which is sure to ensue!

:beer:
 
No offense, but I'm not a fan of the idea.

How about putting it into an early Datsun pickup instead?

datsun_pickup___75_by_hayw1r3-d3iir4r.jpg
 
The Proposed Powerplant

This is what Wikipedia has to tell us about the RB26DETT engine...

The RB26DETT engine is a 2.6L Inline-6 engine manufactured by Nissan, for use primarily in the 1989-2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R. The RB26DETT engine block is made from cast iron, and the cylinder head is made from aluminium. The cylinder head contains 24 valves (4 valves per cylinder), and uses a dual overhead camshaft setup. The intake of the RB26DETT varies from other RB-series motors in that it has six individual throttle bodies instead of a single throttle body. The engine also uses a parallel twin-turbo system. The turbo system is arranged so that the front turbo is powered by the front 3 cylinders, and the rear turbo is powered by the rear 3 cylinders. The RB26DETT uses a pair of T28-type ceramic turbochargers that are set by the wastegates to limit boost pressure to 10 psi, although the Skyline GT-R has a built in boost restrictor to keep boost under 14 psi

The first 2.6 L RB26DETT featured twin-turbochargers and produced around 280 hp (206 kW) @ 6800 rpm and 260 lb·ft (353 Nm) @ 4400 rpm. The last series of the RB26DETT produced 276 hp (206 kW) @ 6800 rpm and 289 lb·ft (392 Nm) @ 4400 rpm. The reason for this discrepancy is a gentlemen's agreement between Japanese automakers to limit the advertised horsepower of any vehicle to 280 PS (276 HP). It is widely known for its strength and extreme power potential. It is not uncommon for 600 hp to be achieved without modification of the engine internals.[citation needed] With regular maintenance, many of these engines have been driven well beyond the 100,000 mile mark with a few heading toward 200,000 miles. With extreme modification, the RB26 motor is capable of power in excess of 1 megawatt (1,340 hp).

Yummy. Oh, and this is me again. Not Wiki. :)
 
Fast Eddy said:
No offense, but I'm not a fan of the idea.

How about putting it into an early Datsun pickup instead?

datsun_pickup___75_by_hayw1r3-d3iir4r.jpg
Click to expand...

No offence taken at all, mate.

We make do with what we have readily available, to be honest. FJ40s are dirt cheap here, and as common as dirt, too. Body parts are easily available, modifications are easily doable, and we have a big reservoir of talent to do all of this.

In comparison, vintage Datsuns (in any sort of half-decent condition) are as rare as pink elephants.

Besides...I'm rather fond of 40s. :)
 
I like it, subscribed. I really think the idea of salvaging parts off of FJ40's headed to the crusher for your project is a great idea! Repurposing, upcycle...

Posted via IH8MUD app
 
JohnnyC said:
Link to others>>> https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/120363-chopped-fj40.html
Click to expand...

That 'rat rod' Cruiser has been somewhat of an inspiration for me, certainly. And I've followed its build in some detail, to be honest. However, the one in the picture (to the best of my knowledge) is a V8 powered, rear wheel drive machine, that's been built upon a custom chassis / spaceframe. And, I reckon it costs the sun and moon and stars to build. :)

Conceptually speaking, this build I'm proposing should be very cheap indeed. After the initial outlay on the parts from the GT-R, I'm simply going to buy an FJ40 chassis that's headed for the melting pot. We mount mechanical parts around the chassis. Once our rolling frame is ready, we start to add body parts individually. A grille, for example. The firewall. The tub. Now all of these body parts would be purchased individually, rather than as part of a single donor vehicle to minimise costs.

At the end of the day, you wouldn't pay for diffs (which you're not using anyway), nor drivetrain, nor brakes, or hubs, or wheels, or any body parts that you choose to dispense with (mudguards, bonnet, engine bay sidewalls, etc). Leave the vehicle unpainted; cover it with clear coat and enjoy the 'patina' look. And minimise costs further, in the process.

The other major difference between this build, and the one pictured is the choice of mechanicals. The internals of the Godzilla are AWD by default. Better traction, better grip, and better grunt. Best put to use in a vehicle with minimal body styling. And we all know what vehicle embodies minimalist styling better than any other out there...right? :)

Like I said earlier, this is still very much at the planning stage, since I haven't actually laid hands on the engine-tranny-drivetrain or the frame for that matter. But I think of this build as a true 'green' experiment. Using parts that have been discarded and are headed for the dump, to build something beautiful, iconic, and seriously quick.
 
A picture of what we SHOULD be getting...and what we should be working around. This is taken off the web, and shows the moving parts / underbelly of a GT-R (R33).

 
FouadHafeez said:
A picture of what we SHOULD be getting...and what we should be working around. This is taken off the web, and shows the moving parts / underbelly of a GT-R (R33).
Click to expand...
So are you planning on grafting those sub-frames to to 40 frame, or fabbing the upper/lower suspension mounting points on the frame? Just thinking the frame alone will probably be heavier than the Skyline unibody, so a frame chop and graft may be in order. You're going to have to beef up the suspension at a minimum ;-)

Should be a fun project!

Tucker
 
hmmmm... when i saw Phantom 2, i was like " theres no way it could get more ludacrous than the original Phantom" which i LOVE, btw ;)

but what you are proposing here, is INSANITY :D in total honesty, its not something that i would ever do, but im fully in support of you doing it... the nissan GTR is one of my favourites, the GTR r32 was my personal fav, but all of the skylines are great road cars, so using that basis for a 40 rat rod, awesome :)

consider me subscribed :D
 
tucker74 said:
So are you planning on grafting those sub-frames to to 40 frame, or fabbing the upper/lower suspension mounting points on the frame? Just thinking the frame alone will probably be heavier than the Skyline unibody, so a frame chop and graft may be in order. You're going to have to beef up the suspension at a minimum ;-)

Should be a fun project!

Tucker
Click to expand...

The latter. Custom fabbing these mounting points shouldn't be very difficult. Yeah, I know...my sheer naivete, when I say that...is so endearing. :)

When it comes to body parts being tacked onto the chassis, 'minimalism' is going to be the name of the game. Perhaps the front grille. The tub, with a chopped windscreen. And that's about it. So, when it comes to the weight department, I'll be keeping an eagle eye on keeping the build flab-free. And a big yes to 'beefing up the suspension'...with so much power, torque and traction on tap, that is going to be the focal point of the build.

:beer:
 
Vossie said:
hmmmm... when i saw Phantom 2, i was like " theres no way it could get more ludacrous than the original Phantom" which i LOVE, btw ;)

but what you are proposing here, is INSANITY :D in total honesty, its not something that i would ever do, but im fully in support of you doing it... the nissan GTR is one of my favourites, the GTR r32 was my personal fav, but all of the skylines are great road cars, so using that basis for a 40 rat rod, awesome :)

consider me subscribed :D
Click to expand...
To rephrase Al Pacino's character from the movie "The Devil's Advocate": "insanity is my favourite sin". :)

None of my cars are "stock". The Phantom has a 1HZ lump, 60 Series diffs. A '65 Impala I own has a V8 1UZ-FE VVTi with a five speed Tiptronic tranny. I've transplanted a souped-up, bored-out LS1 into a '74 Camaro I own. A '73 Mustang is waiting to receive a V12 1GZ-FE, with a six speed auto, within the next few days.

I suppose the Godzilla drivetrain COULD go into some other car. BUT...that would mean one more FJ40 would be headed to the melting pot. Nope. No can do. That would just be...negligent.

The R32 was a fabulous vehicle...not least for the fact that it was a reincarnation of the GTR marque after 16 years. However, mechanically speaking, the R33 is pretty much identical to the R32 (except for some improvements to the turbo synchros, the oil pump, the AWD system, and the limited slip differential). Unless I were bunging in another V12 1GZ into this rat-rod (and believe me, THOSE engines are absolutely unavailable out here), I can think of no other engine-tranny setup I'd much rather have.

Cheers, Ross! :)
 
Last edited:
At the end of the day, something similar-ish to this, perhaps....

 
tucker74 said:
That with the drivetrain you are discussing would be seriously awesome ;-)

Tucker
Click to expand...

For some reason, I'm ALREADY picturing myself performing the first "test" of such a rat-rod: laterally driving it under and across it's bigger brother.

Clearly, I need medical help. :)
 
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