Tell me if this is a crazy idea...

[talltodd]

Hey all,
Have a '67 FJ40 that runs and drives great with the stock drivetrain. But here is my thought...install a Howell TBI kit on the motor and swap axles to a Dana 60 front and 14bolt rear (both with arb's and 5.13 gears) with using the rest of the stock drivetrain . Bad idea? Crazy idea? Just seems everywhere you see, people have swapped to V-8's and Atlas transfer cases. I'm mainly into slow and steady 'crawlin and exploring.
Thanks for your input!

 

[JAFO2014]

I'm a all stock person, so of course I say leave it alone. I like seeing something preserved as it was designed. Of course just one person's opinion.
But yet as I state this I have to admit that I did change my differential to a 3:70 for a tad bit better highway cruising. So, I'm full of it.

 

[Spike Strip]

If you're into slow and steady, and want to keep the value of a stock 40-series, then it's a crazy idea. Particularly if it runs and drives great. Just look at the sales of stock vs V8 modified trucks (no flames, please, this is empirical only). If you don't care about such things, have at it, it's yours to do with as you please.

 

[steffan]

Why the axle swap? I've had the Howell kit on CJ's and it worked great

 

[Solace in Solitude]

You call yourself a "slow and steady 'crawlin and exploring" kinda guy... Haven't you already got your answer

 

[talltodd]

Why the axle swap? I've had the Howell kit on CJ's and it worked great

Thinking the axle swap due to having them already, and also the strength for 37's.

 

[Stumpalama]

The 1F probably isn't the best candidate for a TBI. Also, I have yet to see anyone "throw on " a TBI setup and have it run perfectly, certainly not as well as a well tuned carbed engine. TBIs seem to have idle and mixture issues when installed on a 40. I also have yet to see a perfectly mapped ECU chip for one.
A pic of the truck will help posters make a more informed decision.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

Thinking the axle swap due to having them already, and also the strength for 37's.

Many people run the stock axles, upgraded with Longfields, with 37" tires, but I am not sure if your '67 front has the ball and claw axles or birfield axles, so that might not be an option.

The difficulty you will run into with the dana 60's is that most of the time they are centered rear output whereas a 'Cruiser is offset to the passengers side. So, either you run a funky driveshaft angle or you run a centered rear output t-case.

Is your truck a nice condition 'survivor' type rig or is it a beaten, battered, and bruised rig?
If it's a nice condition survivor, I'd suggest trying to find a beaten, battered, and bruised truck to swap the TBI and dana 60's in to. But at the same time, i'd also put in an SM420/465
But thats my opinion.

 

[talltodd]

It's a little rough around the edges, but no rust. As you can tell by the cage, I'm not going to leave it too stock.

 

[JackA]

37's and 1 tons is a bad combo. You'll be plowing trenches with those diffs.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

Nice looking rig, and a great starting point.

Since you're going to wheel it, I'd honestly swap in the Dana 60s' and strongly consider a GM drivetrain w/ Atlas II t-case
2UZ/A340 if your pockets are deeper than mine.
The F, J30 transmission, and stock T-case likely won't be very good for low and slow crawling.

 

[Fast Eddy]

Keep the '40 stock since it's already nice and buy a jeep or something that needs some help to put all the big iron on.

 

[Stumpalama]

I'm sure someone will buy those rims off you when you bump up to the 37's.

 

[Captn Conch]

If I remember right the stock Cruiser axles and diffs are comparable to what you find on a 1 ton truck. When I used to sell the new FJ's back in '71 and up we used to occasionally demo the potential buyer over to the Jeep dealer and show the customer the difference in the undercarriage...Poor Jeeps were anemic. Actually that was the case thoughout the comparison. Cruisers were heavy duty, hence the Legend. Why change up.

 

[albee]

You got ball and claw in the front and 10 spline in the rear, you will need to replace the front and change the axel shafts in the rear, so you may as well run the ones you have set up with arb's. Considering the time and money I have spent getting disk brakes on all four corners, with chromo
shafts and arb's it's a no brainer to use the stuff you already have.

 

[Mace]

Three speed tranny?

 

[Usernametaken]

Silly idea. The standard diffs can handle gobs of torque, why go to all that drama for minimal gain?

 

[talltodd]

Three speed tranny?

Yep

 

[Mace]

:boom:

 

[Downey]

The 1F probably isn't the best candidate for a TBI. Also, I have yet to see anyone "throw on " a TBI setup and have it run perfectly, certainly not as well as a well tuned carbed engine. TBIs seem to have idle and mixture issues when installed on a 40. I also have yet to see a perfectly mapped ECU chip for one.
A pic of the truck will help posters make a more informed decision.

Sounds to me like you've been listening to too many guys who thought they didn't need a Vehicle Speed Sensor?? The VSS, among other things, works with the 02 sensor to specifically control IDLE AND MIXTURE issues. TBI guys normally get much better mpg, no float bowl issues (pressurized system), less cold start issues with fuel enrichment on starting (automatic choke control), automatically self-adjusts for altitude, and here's the biggie- - -very inexpensive and readily available TBI components available everywhere. As far as perfectly mapped ECU chip, look no further, Chevy made it - - - Chevy S-10, 4.3 V6, almost identical cubic inches to Landcruiser engine.