Project build-up "Guvment Cheese"

[bandy rooster]

bought a 71 fj40 in august of 05', it was extremly unreliable, shaky, rattling and the PO just did about everything wrong, including that color, that he could. took two months to get it road worthy and then just went down hill, starter went, carb went bad, burnt valves... and so on. So i started to research and research on mud...

bought a 1985 Chevy suburban for the 350 transplant, picked up a sm465 from phili,PA. Got the AA style adapter off ebay for 250.00. and the 3 spd trans from a buds garage that i work at. I plan on using the "treeroot style" mount on my transfer case and i've bought the AA mounts as well. we'll see if the shaft protrudes out the t-case when i get it together.. i've already made the plate on the drill press that mount to the t-case.

i work on my project about 3 times a week because i have to drive to a friend that lets me use his garage for my build up so this takes a bit of time to get some good progress..

the frame is from a 72 fj40 we picked up in new york for "free." i got the frame to do my project. i will get the drivetrain in and then drop my body onto its rolling chassis. and whamo its done.

I'll post up pics of progess, its not as quick as your other guys builds because i live about 1/2 hour away from my cruiser..lol. i'm 17 working on this by myself so things take time. I plan on gutting the suburban so i can do mock up and get the 350 in the cruiser frame but its not my garage so i wait my turn, the dude abides.....

heres some pics so far... got my paint from Trekker... should be going on the body in a few weeks...:fingerscrossed:

 

[bandy rooster]

started with this...

then went to this...

now gonna get this..

 

[bandy rooster]

p.s. - no longer have dreads... i'm a square now..


front springs will be reversed, rear spring will be from a yj heep, there centered and longer.. i've made hangers for them which mimic the stock ones but they'll get the job done. they'll be mounted and boxed in for more strength. i've made the rear shackle hanger out of 2 in square tubing and the picture shown is just the pilot hole i drilled (gotta get the right hole saw for it) i've kep just a little material on the end so i get a straight clean cut when i'm drilling them for the tube inserts....

 

[bandy rooster]

just learning to weld.. its a lincoln 175 mig. if i slow the wire speed and turn the heat up i can usually weld alright.

i boxed in most of the frame to limit frame flex, then where the stock c-channel runs through the frame i welded the inner C channel to the outer C channel. then boxed the rest of the frame in. I made new rear cross member for my shock mounts out of 2x2 and will replace the c channel 45' gussets with tubing and replace the rear bumper as well.

 

[bandy rooster]

heres the engine with roughly 60k, its getting summit hugger headers, new fuel pump, water pump, thermo, new main bearings, i got a whole engine seal kit and some black paint.

tranny with adapter, didn't come with bolts and nuts, so i went out and got some grade 8 hardware.....


and heres what a real girlfriend should look like...

 

[IDave]

Looks like you're getting a great start on things! Congratulations!

(But I can't see her hands to tell whether they're greasy or not???)

 

[usmcruiser]

Nice work man I wish I had this much progress on my 40.

In that second picture you look kinda like the dude from Dazed and Confused.

Oh and your is hot and it is cool that she is wearing a TLC hoodie but I dont see any grease maskera or rust rouge? WTF?

 

[Ullr]

p.s. - no longer have dreads... i'm a square now..

LOL I was just about to post "nice dreads" when I saw that. Nice too!

I wish I had boxed my frame in as well. I have actually considered going back and doing so and repainting. Keep up the good work!

 

[lowtideride]

Hey Wessy Woo...

Its good to see you are playing with more than your weenis You gonna have that thing built for the summer? You gonna mount the drivetrain up first and drop yee old body on? Should be sweet.

Florida Report:Jer is still addicted to Zip-Zaps I think he now has 3 rock box's in it, but the good new is buing his ticket to go pick up his truck this week. We are planning to hit tellico again after GSMTR late in the summer when you will be down. Hope its built enough to keep up with Velveeta Wag. Can't wait to hit the rocks and the waves with ya butthead...




P.s. Don't Truss everything


I heard Spazziod trussed Dom axles....

 

[zucruisers]

P.s. Don't Truss everything


I heard Spazziod trussed Dom axles....

hey come on i was bored, and plus they look cool , didnt take long to do it either

 

[lowtideride]

hey come on i was bored, and plus they look cool , didnt take long to do it either

Bwahaha... Trusses are

 

[ranger]

Nice cruiser, but lets see some more pics of the hottie!

 

[Wayneraintree]

good on ya Wes... let me know if you need any help this weekend. Hope to see that thing on the trails soon....;p

 

[zucruisers]

trusses are flamingos?

 

[bandy rooster]

just bolted together the sm465- 3spd in my backyard. the AA shaft does protrude out the t-case about a 1/4" so i'm just going to make another plate and cut the center section of it out, bolt it to the t-case then bolt the flate plate to it... should be fairly simple .

 

[2badfjs]

just bolted together the sm465- 3spd in my backyard. the AA shaft does protrude out the t-case about a 1/4" so i'm just going to make another plate and cut the center section of it out, bolt it to the t-case then bolt the flate plate to it... should be fairly simple .

make sure you get us a pic of this

 

[lowtideride]

make sure you get us a pic of this

I double that

 

[bandy rooster]

hey don't doubt me, cowboys i'll get ya pics..

 

[CruisinGA]

you could just use some tube or pipe and a holesaw to allow for the protrusion... that would use a lot less steel and time.

 

[oldIron]

Looks good so far. Just getting ready to tear into mine with my son. He is only 13 but he needs to learn how to use a wrench sometime. Hope I can move as quick as you are... Keep it up!