Builds Project X² (3 Viewers)

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Just got the body off today. 2.5 hours total with 2 extra sets of hands. The V8 will have to be lowered about 3" and pushed back about 4" to sit where I want it in the body. The chassis will have be shortened about 6" and the rear of the 80 frame will have to be cut off and new rear frame rails be grafted on to align with the 62 body. For some reason the rear of the 80 frame dips down and the 62 goes straight back. There is lots of frame work to make this conversion look like factory, but in the end, I think it will be pretty cool. The 62 chassis is nicer than I realized and I may have it sold to a friend to put under his pig. We unplugged and unbolted everything with 0 wires cut and 0 hoses cut.
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Waggoner5 said:
The 62 chassis is nicer than I realized and I may have it sold to a friend to put under his pig. We unplugged and unbolted everything with 0 wires cut and 0 hoses cut.
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That's amazing, most people can't eve take a 40 windshield off without cutting the wiper motor wires and window pisser hoses...

:beer:
 
Good to hear it's come apart cleanly and the chassis will live on. :)
 
Damn I wish I had a shop like that to work out of!!!
Id be in SOOOOO much trouble!:eek:
Nice work!
 
Gary I probably made a mistake with mine. I added 6" to the rear wheel well to make up for the difference in the frame instead of cutting the frame. I cut it out and moved it back and then put a new 6" of the same body piece. And I haven't done it yet, but I'm doing exactly what you are describing. I'm cutting the frame off right where it starts to turn down and going straight out. Mine will not look factory but will be plenty strong. I'm using 3x5 and then plating both the inside and out at the joint. You should not have problems with wheels. I'm running 4.75" backspaced 17x9s with 37x13.50 Toyos and they barely stick out. If you do the flares like you have on other wagons you won't be showing any tire. What has taken me so long is I got the whole thing wired for a 3FE and then changed my mind when I bought a wrecked FZJ. So I had to rip everything out and start over. I'm hoping to start work on it again in a few weeks. I've not touched it in almost 1.5 years due to injuries. I'm envious of your ability to tackle the 2UZ. I wish I would have had the wiring skill to pull that off. I could have bought one locally for $250 but it didn't have a harness. I'm insanely jealous as I know you'll be done before me and I know yours will be beautiful!
 
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OilHammer said:
Nice. I think TLC did a similar project years ago and put the whole 80 interior in as well. Classic 60 lines and 80 refinements.....but the v8 makes it even better.
That defender looks familiar. You ride thru wash park much in that?
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TLC just dropped a 1FZE in a 60 chassis. Much simpler project.
 
ginericLC said:
TLC just dropped a 1FZE in a 60 chassis. Much simpler project.
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I thought TLC put the 60 body on the 80 chassis, retaining the 80 drive-train/running gear, front dash and front seats...with the 60 rear bench upholstered to match. Long time ago...I must not be thinking straight.
 
Awesome work ! :clap:


Mace said:
That's amazing, most people can't eve take a 40 windshield off without cutting the wiper motor wires :beer:
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:eek: Oouch !
 
Garth said:
I thought TLC put the 60 body on the 80 chassis, retaining the 80 drive-train/running gear, front dash and front seats...with the 60 rear bench upholstered to match. Long time ago...I must not be thinking straight.
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I think you are right. I remember one of his trucks at SEMA with the dash, chassis, engine and all in a 60 body. Loved that truck. 40th Anniversary Sage as well.
 
Really looking forward to this build.
 
Garth,

You are right the greenish tan (40th anniversary Sage) one was on an 80 chassis. They even put a supercharger on it. And they did a later model 80 dash and front seats. And they did a barn door conversion. I was thinking of the white one. I think they did the white one first. It was a simple drop a 1FZE into a 62 chassis and body and I believe it had barn doors too. But I can't find any info on it. I've misplaced a lot of my information over the years. The Sage one was done in 2004. I think it was in response to Millen's 45/100 project that was done in 2000. By 04 80s were really starting to get some respect as off road vehicles. Although I'm not sure that TLC really had an off roader in mind. Not many folks are willing to spend 80-90k on a truck to possibly tear it up.

Gary,

Here's something interesting for you since you probably aren't to this point yet. The 80 dash is like 2" narrower than the 60/62 dash. I don't know if you are going that route or not. Originally I was going to keep the 60 dash but I am not smart enough to figure out all the wiring. Well I guess I should say i don't have the patience to figure out all the wiring. One advantage for me on this is that I want to put an internal cage in and by having the narrower dash I should have enough room on the edges to sneak the tubing between the dash and the A pillar without completely hacking up the dash.
 
I was there for the white one I think? HJ61 interior? I won't embed a pic in this thread, but try this link and look through the folder-

http://130.94.161.162/images/LC/tlc4x4/fj62-01.jpg

Index of /images/LC/tlc4x4

Another possible route is the integrated exocage you see from time to time. It is getting more popular to do and keeps the structure out of the way. Google image search "hybrid inner/exo cage" or similar. I think CreeperSleeper is going that route with his new 80 body.


Waggoner5 said:
I plan on keeping all of the 62 interior intact and making it work. I may be off a little, but I like the nostalgia of the 62.
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Same here. I kick myself for doing the extra work to go from an a440 truck to an H55, but there is something about the 62 I really like as a whole package. You've it doubly bad as you already did a pretty progressive build with the merc truck.
 
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Cut the frame today to correct for the wheelbase. It turns out that for a minimal amount of work the frame can be cut at the angled parts just behind the tcase and sleeved inside or out(mine will be inside just for looks) to allow for the correct 107.5" FJ62 wheelbase. The frame will also have to be pulled back together to close the 1" gap on each side from cutting it on the angles. This could have been avoided by cutting the frame right at the lower control arm mounts, but that would have created many more issues. It appears that there will be quite a bit more frame work to make the 62 channel over the 80 frame so you won't have to look at so much framework hanging down, but most of this would be for cosmetic reasons and probably not all that necessary. I want some frame hanging down to keep the body off the rocks if this truck is wheeled, but not so much that its an eyesore.The rear of the frame will be cut and made straight to tuck it up under the body and the 62 fuel tank will be moved from hanging off the body, to mounted into the 80 frame. The front inner fenders will have to be cut to fit the spring buckets and shock mounts on the 80, and the rear inner fenders will have to be cut to fit the higher 80 series frame rails. The end result will be a channelled body over the frame which will look pretty cool. I am going with stock bumpers with a hidden winch to keep the classic 62 lines as well.
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