ROTW ROTW fussy_cruiser

[fussy_cruiser]

Already? I only signed up a year ago.

I bought this 1979 at the end of 2004, my wife thought I was totally nuts. I had just changed job and my new job was only 6 miles away. I had always wanted an FJ40, my buddy tried to talk me into a Jeep TJ, but I said, "No way, too reliable for me...!"

Anyway, looked at like 10, and finally bought this one, paid waaaayyyy too much for it, but I was happy so who cares.

The PO had done the V8 swap, 3" lift (2 1/2" springs and 1/2" shackles) and had replaced the tranfer case and the rear diff trying to chase down a horrible drivetrain vibration that had kept him from enjoying it for some years. I had no clue, this one was the best LC I had looked at, the others in various stages of disrepair or diassembly or both.

I soon found out that driveline vibrations and the wandering from increased caster caused by the shackle lift (and crappy rancho springs) made driving the rig intolerable @ anything above 35MPH, so my quest began and I discovered IH8MUD.com.

I took it to a guy I knew to put a Saginaw PS setup on it, and I put some shims in the front and back all of which made it drive strait as an arrow at any speed but I still had horrible driveline vibrations. Replaced all the motor/tranny mounts, new drive-shafts, and a new harmonic balancer, all of which helped but didn't eliminate it.

Oh, yea, install a new backseat!

 

[fussy_cruiser]

Some more from the first year, had some 30" tires on it, yea baby:

 

[fussy_cruiser]

I finally got brave and put some 33" tires on it, which did nothing for the driveline vibrations, but did drop the RPM's on the hiway, redneck overdrive. 33's did better off-road also... but the MT's don't do well in the snow/ice!

 

[fussy_cruiser]

Finally, I found the source of the driveline vibrations!!!

I bought some lifted shacks here on MUD, 1 1/2" lift with greaseable pins and some new poly spring bushings and to my surprise all of the driveline vibrations disappeared. It was on now! I could drive as fast as I dared.

Testing the new flex on the trail:

 

[fussy_cruiser]

I went super tech and put in some new Bestop seats.

I know, they are spice and the rest of my interior is grey, but they were cheap, $100 for the pair, and I didn't know if I would like them anyway.

I figured if I really liked them, I could go buy a new set of grey seats and sell these for probably close to what I bought them for. I don't like them, thinking about a set of Master craft seats.

 

[ranger]

Nice Cruiser! You look way to young to drive!

 

[fussy_cruiser]

I finally decided to bite off some real tech and swap the transmission. Really steep trail are kindof scary with the stock transmission. Even with the V8, or maybe because of the V8 (2F has more torque at lower RPMs), going slow enough to maintain control over rocky ascents is a problem.

So I bought a SM465, the classic cruiser adaptor and went to work. The results are AMAZING. The granny low is fantastic and around town this transsmission fits the V8 powerband to a tee. I never used 2nd gear on the H42 and there is no equivilant on the SM465. Plus the old H42 was so worn out it was a real hassle to shift.

 

[fussy_cruiser]

Put on a new front winch bumper from MAF and an 8274 I picked up cheap:

 

[fussy_cruiser]

Hear is how it sat at the end of last summer, almost perfect, but I still fought several issues:
1) I can never get the carb choke to work right, takes like 10 minutes in the morning to get it fired up.
2) It over heats @ hiway speeds in the summer, makes it a pain to drive to/from the trail. It is rock solid on the trail, no overheating at all.
3) Along with the overheating it vapor locks, 'specially at altitude, pain while wheeling.
4) Runs rich, get ok gas mileage 10-12MPG combined (I have buddys who drive lifted TJ's who get that in the 4.0) but the exhaust smell will knock you out with the top off. (Side note: I have since found that the intake manifold on the old engine was cracked! Most likely contributing to the rich condition?)

 

[fussy_cruiser]

All of the above made me feel I needed to swap the engine. I also got some Firestein motor mounts:

 

[fussy_cruiser]

Plans are still:
1) Mount the rear bumper w/tire carrier I bought in January.
2) Finish the swap.
3) Lockers.
4) Body lift so I can put my heater back in (the new motor mounts lowered the engine which kicked the transmission neck forward into the heater.)
5) Rerouted Exhaust
6) Skid plate.

It is always hard to pick out upgrades. I don't wheel that much, I have 3 kids who are in alot of activities and they really don't like to go 4wheeling that much, they like the quads.

I also daily drive the rig, so how much money do you sink into it.
I don't what to add things that bling it out and make it a target for theives, I really don't know if car thieves target these things much, but I would hate for mine to be stolen, it only has liability ins. on it.

I am embarrassed to say this is how it sits now after about 4 months of working on it:

 

[ProvoCruiser]

sweet 40

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

Ahhh, Good to see another work-in-progress! Looks like you have a very solid rig. That swap is going to net you some serious HP. Keep up the good work.

TK

 

[FJFOOL]

Nice cruiser, and good write-up. Bet you'll love the fuel injection unit !!

 

[Gus]

Nicely built Cruiser, post pics when you get it on the road again.

 

[fussy_cruiser]

Thanks all, just got it to start yesterday.

Hopefully I will get my TRE's so I can finish the steering and pull it out into the driveway.

Then it will be driveway art instead of garage art.

:woot

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi All:

"FussyCruiser," great ROTW!

You have done a lot to the rig over the last three years!

That MPI swap should make a huge difference in the "runability" of the rig!

Keep the pics coming!

Regards,

Alan

 

[Splash]

Thanks for sharing. Excellent write up and nice rig.

 

[Adventure Teq]

Nice truck. A lot of work. That last pic of the wiring harness scares the pants off of me, good luck with it.

Thanks for the writeup.

 

[CruisinMT]

Nice truck. A lot of work. That last pic of the wiring harness scares the pants off of me, good luck with it.

Thanks for the writeup.

x2 Good God afterwards you'll be seeing wires and schematics for months while you sleep.