ROTW JR'S Cruiser (1 Viewer)

[JRFJ4-]

Ok, it's my turn.

I've had this cruiser for about 17 years. I wanted a Toyota 4wd when I turned 16, but my dad knows how boys are. He talked me into getting a cheaper car, 1986 Toyota MR2, and buying a FJ40. He had always wanted one. He knew I would get out and tear up my truck and not have anything to drive.

So we bought this one for $1600.00. Pretty straight, not much rust in 1989. My friends and I were out raising hell before I turned 16 and got my drivers license.

My cruiser has always been popular. We drove it to football games in high school so we could pull through ditches and park wherever we wanted. Had many nights of yard rolling with about 15 people (literally) in the cruiser. We would burn at least a tank of gas riding around after football games.

It's been bad stuck, plenty of times where we should not have been.

It was our main deer hunting vehicle for years.

College Days.

Pulled my fraternity float every year I was in college. Many nights of drinking and riding and mudding.

Here's a few older pics.

 

[JRFJ4-]

Chapter 2

Ok, as you can see by the pics. My cruiser was originally blue, then green, then silver, and it is O.D. green now.

After I got out of college in 1996, the old six cylinder had gotten tired. I started riding 4 wheelers and got some good friends that are super mechanics. I had done research on Chevy V8 swaps, so around 2002, I made the switch to the dark side. 350 Chevy, Vortec Heads, Comp 262 Extreme Energy cam, Edelbrock Air-Gap intake. So now I had a hot rod cruiser. Fun, Fun, Fun. The motor turned out to be pretty stout, because my cruiser would fly. It would run much faster than you needed to go in something with buckshot mudders. But I have run it over 100 mph, just because.

My rear end had years of abuse and was really starting to show. Lots of slop and roaring. So I was undecided on what to do.

This is where the Landcruiser Purist needs to stop reading.

Bottom pics is at my fraternity house. Jacksonville State University Spring 1995 We were decorating for our annual hurricane party.

 

[JRFJ4-]

One ton

A new neighbor of mine used to have a rockcrawler, and had always wanted another. Well, he comes home with a CJ7 with 42's Dana 60/70, LT1 and hydro assist steering. I could tell my spending money was history for awhile.

With my rear end needing attention and that Heep looking like a monster truck compared to my cruiser, I just couldn't stand it.

The link to my buildup thread is in my signature and there's plenty more pics there.

I sold my dirtbike and bought a DANA 60/14 Bolt combo. 4.10 gears. I rebuilt both axles, seals, bearings, rear discs on back etc.

Found a used set of 39.5" TSL/Boggers and clamped them on a new set of 15x10 beadlocks.

Old Toyota 4 speed/transfer case was replaced with a SM465/NP205 twin sticked combo.

I decided to put buggy springs on mine to give it a little more flex.

But instead of just welding on some new hangers, my mechanic buddy talked me into taking the body off, so we could work better.

Well since the body was off, we might as well sandblast the frame, it will make welding much easier. We hell, since the body is off, let's just sandblast the silver/green/blue combo off and start fresh.

Holy rust Batman. Sandblasting finds everything. So take a torch/sawzall and cut out entire floor. It just went on and on and on.

 

[JRFJ4-]

Wiring

I forgot to mention that I had a wiring nightmare after swapping the V8 in. So I took a pair of side cutters and literally cut every wire out of my rig. I bought a universal painless fuse block and went from there. All new switch/dimmer/brake light switch, led's front and rear.




With money running out I welded up the front spider gears and left the gov loc in the rear.

After I got it rolling my rear wheel seals were leaking so I pulled the axles out and replaced them. While in there, I pulled the carrier and cut out all the clutch/friction plates and welding up the rear spider gears.

So now, we got traction. It doesn't turn, but it goes. The front will be replaced with a detroit, and the rear will get a full spool. When it gears new gearing.

Finally got it going, it's not finished, nor will it ever be, but here's a few more action shots.


Let me know what you think, or if you have any questions.

 

[JRFJ4-]

I had the opportunity to go and ride with some other local rednecks the other day. The cruiser did some things everyone was amazed at, but still managed to bury itself to the top of the tires twice. They had a backhoe out a few weeks ago to dig some holes/make some obstacles. Needless to say, small mud holes can be deceiving. Nobody had made it through that one, and I do not believe anyone will be after I tried rocking back and forth at about 5000 rpms.

Roll cage was made out of 1.75" dom and has 1.25" dom for gussets.

 

[JRFJ4-]

More pics

I have some work to do this week. I need an additional pusher fan for the radiator and I need a power steering cooler. The power steering pump starts roaring when the motor starts getting hot.

Other than that, this truck can be driven on the road. It runs down the road well, but with the old chunked out tires, speed it limited to about 60 mph. Anything faster than than and my vision gets blurry.

 

[JRFJ4-]

Cruiser memories

I have had the hood blow up going down the road.

I had three of the four bolts that holds the driveshaft to the rear flange come out. We had been riding around scouting for deer. We got on the road and we knew something was wrong. We put two small 1/4" bolts back in it and drove 50miles home.

Had to have a buddy act as a counterweight to keep from rolling one day. We had went off the side of a mountain down an old logging road. It got steep and washed out at the bottom. We were miles from anywhere, and this was before everyone had cell phones.

It has quite numerous times for no apparent reason. My uncle is no fan of my cruiser, he's a heep guy. He said it would take a certified toyota mechanic or me to drive my cruiser. It used to have it's own unique quirks. He was with me the day the hood blew up.

Same uncle, same friend and I were hunting and ran through a deep mudhole. The cruiser quit with no warning. It was about 25 degrees, so my uncle cussed me and the cruiser until I figured out what was wrong. The battery used to slide and hit the small wire on the side of the distributor. That was the culprit that day.

All these stores are circa 1992, when I was about 19.

 

[badass]

I don't like, just my opinion. I like the originals.

 

[JRFJ4-]

Non Purist

I love the originals too. I didn't even discover this website until I was far into my project. My cruiser was never really nice. It didn't have much rust, but was full of bondo. I was guilty of neglect/no maintenance. I am still no great mechanic, but I have gotten much better over the years.

Hopefully, I will be able to get another 40 one day that is relatively stock. Maybe a 60, I don't know. I stopped and looked at to 55's in Cartersville Georgia yesterday.

JR

 

[JRFJ4-]

I don't like, just my opinion. I like the originals.

I hope you like it more than a heep or chevy truck.



JR

 

[PUPTLAM]

Its a kick ass looking truck and by the pics it is quite capable. I love the stock cruisers but I really admire the "customized" ones. Nice job!

 

[albee]

I like it. Great work. Thanks for sharing. Wonder what it will look like in the next ten years. Cheers

 

[JRFJ4-]

10 years

Ten years from now.

Regardless of what it looks like, I will still have it. Unless some terrible crash/fire/theft happens.

I am on my 5th GM truck, about 4 cars, but I still got my cruiser. I love my cruiser, to the bone.


WISH LIST:

Fuel Injected Motor. At least a 383, if not a big block.

4 link rear with 1/4 elliptical suspension. Like one of the awesome wild ones from Proffitts Cruisers.

44" tires with 5.13 gears and Detroit lockers.

Winch at both ends. Hydraulic up front with electric in the rear.

Finish up my tube work.

 

[camcruiser13]

looks pretty mean,
i like it nice work

 

[HawkDriver]

Damn dude, you've brought that thing a long way.

Excellent floor pan work.

You actually get to have fun in yours, looks like a blast.

 

[JRFJ4-]

Damn dude, you've brought that thing a long way.






You actually get to have fun in yours, looks like a blast.

Many many many hours of sweat working on this thing.

Yep, that's what it for. That's what we bought it for years ago. It's never had a easy life. Lots of mud and corn fields as a kid. When it got the V8, it turned into more of a hot rod. Violent burnouts and 5500 rpm upshifts.


Now that it's more of a trail rig. It sees the same 5500 rpm flogging, but it's throwing gobs of mud in the air. I need to get my ass to work and finish up some small details. I need an additional pusher fan, traction bar, and I need a power steering cooler. Pump starts screaming after a while. Hopefully will have all that this week.

JR

 

[JRFJ4-]

Fans/Cooler

I finally ordered my 2nd electric pusher fan today. I also ordered a power steering cooler.

They will probably be here Thursday/Friday.

We've got a muddin/drinkin event Sunday afternoon, so more pics.

 

[HawkDriver]

Killa

Let's see some more of that mud gob slingin action.

 

[JRFJ4-]

More pics. You got it

Hey Hawk

pretty "White Trash" ain't it



I may have a set of 44" tsl's bought. If the guy will call me back, I will go get them tomorrow.

 

[JRFJ4-]

More

A few more.