Reverse Jerry-Rigging a 1973 FJ40 to operation

[40LandCruising]

 

[40LandCruising]

Well ya’ll it’s official! The 350 is out of the Buick and I’m my garage. Conveniently my buddies Dad is an engine builder with a forklift, so the removal was real easy. What we know about it so far:
-.460 lift cam(supposedly)
-Holley aluminum intake
-quadrajet carb
-has been rebuilt(based off tag on block)
-originally came out of a 70s chevelle
-4 bolt main
-heads aren’t the worst but not the best.
-chrome valve covers(adds 15HP)

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Whohoo!!

 

[40LandCruising]

I get the feeling the 40 is gonna be faster than he 80! @GLTHFJ60

 

[40LandCruising]

Got a @Downey chevy 350 to Toyota 4-speed adapter in the mail today from @Cleancut

We are one step closer to the V8 swap!

 

[40LandCruising]

Have continued acquiring parts for the swap. I’m down to just nuts and bolts now.
So far I have:
-Downey Bellhousing
-Downey motor mounts(front)
-Downey rear t-case crossmember
-4-speed Transmission
-4-speed tranny to 3-speed tcase stuff from Cruiser outfitters
-new headers, water pump, starter, and fuel pump


Pulled the valve covers and surprisingly super clean and all the valves were adjusted properly.

Dropped the oil pan and had good and bad news. On the bright side the bottom end was supper clean and had some good parts, king bearings, Keith black pistons, melling oil pump, and excellent honing in the cylinders. The bad is it has a stock cam.

Also found out it has 305 heads on it, more compression I guess?

 

[40LandCruising]

The goal is to have it ready to go for ONSC relic run April 26th!

 

[JohnVee]

So CRR didn't happen in the 40. What's the current status?

 

[40LandCruising]

So CRR didn't happen in the 40. What's the current status?

Update:

I am on the verge of having everything to complete my engine swap. I am having a friend machine the 4-speed PTO spacer for the transmission. After that all I need is the nut and washer that go on the end of the tailshaft and the 4-speed tranny to t-case bolts.

Once I get those parts, I will be able to marry the transmission to the transfer case and then mount the tranny to the bellhousing and the engine.

Then it’s a matter of welding in the front motor mounts, positioning the rear mount, and we’ll be rounding the home stretch!

I also have to get a few misc. shifting parts:
-shift lever
-shift fork
-throw out bearing hub

 

[David70FJ40]

If you need the shift levers for the TC, I might have those.

 

[40LandCruising]

Stole the 35s off the 40 for the 80 while the 40 is being fixed and the 33s on the 40 are tiny!

 

[40LandCruising]

If you need the shift levers for the TC, I might have those.

I will need some sort of T-Case shift levers, I’m not exactly sure what. I know people or use combinations of linkages and weird stuff. I was going to resort to crawling under it and shifting by hand if I had too. But having a shift lever is ideal.

 

[40LandCruising]

So I finally have all of the parts to complete my swap, or at least all of the parts I can think of. I go to Clemson June the 13th so this week I have set the lofty goal of getting the driveline assembled and sitting in the 40. While working every day till 4:00.

I am going to start tomorrow by picking up some bolts from fastenal, and then install the correct oil pan gasket(I got one of the fancy blue felpro ones!) and clean the engine and spray paint it.

 

[40LandCruising]

Last night I got the water pump installed, and I removed the carb and distributor so they wouldn’t be in the way of any chains to lift it. I also installed the flywheel.

 

[40LandCruising]

Got the clutch installed tonight, and figured out the bolts I need for the transmission to bellhousing. Turns out they are the same diameter and pitch as an 80 series caliper bolt.

On the downside, I may have messed up my throwout bearing. I have a brand new Toyota throwout bearing hub and bearing from @65swb45 and tonight I went to join them with a rubber mallet and when I thought I had succeeded, it seems that the bearing no longer spins well. I can spin it but not freely.

 

[65swb45]

Um...it’s on backwards.

And you’ve got a V8 there. Might be an issue.

 

[40LandCruising]

Um...it’s on backwards.

And you’ve got a V8 there. Might be an issue.

Wait I thought the flat side was supposed to press against the pressure plate? Is it the other way around?

 

[40LandCruising]

So I went to go get bolts from ACE to bolt the transmission to the bellhousimg and could not find anything close to the right length. So as a temporary solution just to get in bolted in before I go to college I bought studs and nuts.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I thought this was reverse jerry-rigging?

 

[40LandCruising]

I thought this was reverse jerry-rigging?

Well looks like I am now!

I got the correct bolts and I got a new throwout bearing.