Project: No end in sight (1 Viewer)

[fyresq]

That's why I named mine "no end in sight". It still seems like the finish is so far away. Have to do:

Paint and body
finish the cage
seat cradle - mount seats - seat belts
shifters - tranny and t -case (have em)
drivelines
exhaust
brake lines
shocks
front and rear bumper
winch
tranny cooler
Fuel tank

and about a kajillion small things that'll end up taking more time to do than all the big stuff.

Next Goal: Get it driving under it's own power

 

[mattcamp]

Any updates, just read through this thread for the first time and need more! curious on the length of your rear driveshaft, doing a similar drivetrain(minus the 1 tons) any pics of driveshafts or just any new pics?

 

[fyresq]

Well.........it's been a while - have had a son who is now 7 months old, new job position, etc. but I am now motivated to get my 40 finished (or at least drivable). So this weeks updates.
Got the twinstick shifters installed for the t-case but because I clocked the t-case flat I ran into more clearance issues so more work on the tranny hump is needed.

Still have to weld it in but here's the preliminary metal work, took two attempts

 

[fyresq]

Also got a custom rear driveshaft made with .134 wall tubing to the tune of $350

And it's a little late but the length is 21"

 

[fyresq]

Been working on the exhaust - I used a walker crossover off of ramshorn manifolds to a single 2 1/4" single flowmaster 40 exhaust. I grabbed some j-bends and the rest of the tube/pipe from summit. Just tacked in place but it sure is a pain in the rear to hold things up and get the correct angles working by myself.

I put in a flex joint to keep the vibration under check and help reduce stress fractures

The exhaust is tight to the frame but IIRC it's about the same spot as the original exhaust - got the muffler at the same angle as the frame to keep the flat belly

Here's where I am not convinced that I did the right thing. I wanted to run the exhaust all the way out to keep the exhaust from accumulating under the rig while going slow or at idle and since my son will be riding the back seat. I also wanted to keep backpressure. I also didn't want to put it under the frame or rear bumper where it could get smashed so I ran it behind the rear bumstop and then outside the frame. I don't think that the tire will come close under full compression but we'll see. There is several inches plus I still have 1/2" spacers I can put on each side since my rear is 63" and the front is 64.5"

 

[fyresq]

I also didn't like putting a bend right after the exhaust but I didn't have much room to work with. I hope the "backrapping" on decelleration isn't too bad. Flowmaster reccomends at least 12" of pipe after the exhaust. I'm not sure if it matters if it's straight12" or not.

 

[fyresq]

Kinda wishful thinking but I found a deal on a trailer to tow behind the Cruiser that I couldn't pass up. It was well built but looked bad so I spruced it up a little.

After

 

[Cdaniel]

I'm planning on a similar exhaust. Do your manifolds have straight dumps on both sides?

Been working on the exhaust - I used a walker crossover off of ramshorn manifolds to a single 2 1/4" single flowmaster 40 exhaust. I grabbed some j-bends and the rest of the tube/pipe from summit. Just tacked in place but it sure is a pain in the rear to hold things up and get the correct angles working by myself.

 

[DSRTRDR]

Flowmaster

I really liked that it was nicely tucked in under the body

I really hated the sound it made

I cherish the day when and every day since it got ripped out and replaced by a quieter muffle

and to think I put up with it for some three years when it took only $160 to replace the entire exhaust system from the headers back

 

[cruiser enthuiser]

I like it. What shop built the driveshaft for you?



-Ed

Also got a custom rear driveshaft made with .134 wall tubing to the tune of $350

And it's a little late but the length is 21"

 

[fyresq]

Flowmaster

I really liked that it was nicely tucked in under the body

I really hated the sound it made

I cherish the day when and every day since it got ripped out and replaced by a quieter muffle

and to think I put up with it for some three years when it took only $160 to replace the entire exhaust system from the headers back

I've had flowmasters on 4 of my rigs so far. The sound is beautiful to my ears. I even had dual 3" super 44's on my Chevelle and you couldn't even talk when standing next to it. But it turned heads everywhere it went. I think without headers, a mild TBI, and 2 1/4" exhaust, the sound won't be bad at all

 

[fyresq]

I like it. What shop built the driveshaft for you?



-Ed

A local shop called driveline services in Carson City. I think I will go to a shop in Reno called Bayshore truck that has been getting awesome reviews for my front two piece shaft. The guy at driveline services isn't very customer friendly but the driveshafts he's built for me have been good.

 

[fyresq]

I'm planning on a similar exhaust. Do your manifolds have straight dumps on both sides?

Yes, the ramshorn manifolds and walker crossover that I used is for an early chevy 289. They are 2" and then I went 2 1/4" past the crossover. Texican on Pirate4x4 did a great writeup on the setup.

You can get 2 1/4's or 2 1/2's? ramshorn manifolds from corvettes but there is no crossover for them since the vettes had dual exhaust. Since my tcase is clocked flat and with the auto tranny, I don't really have the room for a dual exhaust.

 

[fyresq]

Got the sheetmetal on the front back on today, took the exhaust out to finish welding up and installed the Energy Suspension body mounts (stock, no body lift) . It will be going to Dr. Smash's fab shop in Carson City, NV this week for some surgery. With a 7 month old at home, I don't have the ability to do 2-3 day projects so he is going to help me finish the cage, build a seat cradle and possibly some other tube work.

 

[fyresq]

Got it loaded up and off to surgery. I was happy that it fit on the trailer so well. I had measured it when I bought it (the trailer and FJ) but you never know until you actually do it.

 

[chicago]

A local shop called driveline services in Carson City. I think I will go to a shop in Reno called Bayshore truck that has been getting awesome reviews for my front two piece shaft. The guy at driveline services isn't very customer friendly but the driveshafts he's built for me have been good.

LOL...Ive been using Dean @ driveline for years, since I got into the SICKENSS. Youre RIGHT...not much in the way of customer service, but you WILL FIND that his prices CAN NOT be beat.
I JUST WENT to Bayshore yesterday to price a shaft like the one you have pictured from DLSCC...they quoted 4-500 bucks.
They were SOOOOPER FRIENDLY though and willing to answer questions. They actually told me that the mini truck DC shaft I have would be fine, but just increase the tube wall thickness. They quoted 200 bucks to re tube it IF the flange could be turned. It sounded like the have a 160.00 shop minimum.

The rig is coming out great. Glad to see youre still working on it. I had considered running my exhaust myself, but...Im gonna take it to Mr.Z's down here in Reno. It seems that it would be cheaper than what I could do it for.

 

[chicago]

BTW...this is the shaft Dean built for my front.
Its BEEF! Long slip, DC 40 some odd inches long...450 bones.
Got quoted AT LEAST 100 bucks more elsewhere. Once you get past his rough personality, he's really not a bad guy...He'll piss you off with wait times, and closing the shop early and stuff, but...his work is GREAT and like I said...his prices are GREAT!

 

[fyresq]

That's funny that you mentioned he closes his shop early (randomly) - he burned me once on a YJ shaft I needed after taking the slip yoke off the t-case. I dropped it off on a wednesday, he said it'd be done Friday so I planned a wheeling trip. I called him Friday morning and he said it was done. I went in at 2:00 pm and the shop was closed. Had to cancel the wheeling trip and wait till the next monday to get it. I was so pissed I would've happily paid the extra $100 to be able to go wheeling that weekend.

 

[fyresq]

The front stock towers have been taken off in anticipation of the good ole Ford tower swap. The draglink was also cut to length and burned and the pitman was flattened to keep the draglink straight and flat.

 

[fyresq]