- Joined
- Apr 9, 2006
- Threads
- 38
- Messages
- 217
- Location
- Matane, Québec.
- Website
- www.magnetikmultimedia.com
Hi there ! Here is a little story to further explain my thread title and where i’m heading. feel free to skip to the build directly.
Build should get underway soon.
I’ve been hooked on Landcruisers for over 25 years, got hooked when i crashed my brother’s BJ40 (thats just an epic story), moving on, .. Over the years i've redone my 42 twice, i parted about 8 rotten 40s, accumulated lots of parts and quite a few specimens for future builds. I stored a 40 project for about 15 years, waiting for the right moment (still waiting i guess), telling my wife i would make her one just for her, a nice pale blue… but that didn’t fly. Still a no go. More recently i came across a cheap 80 series and then found a better one that i fixed for camping and family fun.
Two years ago, i had the chance to find a tired 1977 fj45, i couldn’t let it pass! So without thinking and/or only with my Landcruiser brain, i bought it and brought it home. I parked it in the driveway, there was no space in the barn left.. My unicorn (thats how she called it) visually bothered my wife sitting there, so i moved it a bit away where it would get immersed in snow for the winter but still be accessible by the road if i made space for it, and there it sat, out of my mind and my wife’s view for that winter. Come spring it became obvious that it couldn’t sit there for ever, plus i started to receive offers for it, and guys stopping to have a look, and worst.. pressure to myself i wouldn’t let it rot there like to many of those old folks like i sometimes investigate them on their truck.
So, got it close to the barn again, in the driveway.. i convinced my wife it would move pretty quickly… But it didn’t, my 80 series needed attention, plus i had trip projects for it. Soon after that, i got excited on fixing a second 80 series for developing my welding skills and going on trips with a friend. At that time, i had 2x40s and an 80 in the barn, no space to work really and the 45 still outside. So there went my efforts, i parted a glazed 40 (that one is another story by itself) and then came a second winter. Out of pure luck, i managed to get a spot for the 45 at my neighbours, so there again it left my mind for a while. During winter, i daydream of other Landcruisers, my all time favorite is the 60 series, but never got a chance to grab one. Many years back i drove my brother’s 60 (yes after the 40 he got a 60 but i didn’t crash that one) and really got the thing for it. So there i was daydreaming and shopping, my wife wasn’t too excited about that. During that winter my wife tried to make me sell the 45, it needs lots of work, it’s too small for me to fit in (i’m 6 feet and pretty heavy) and we ..dont have the budget for a rebuilt. It all made sense of course, she’s right! I can’t drive this thing without opening the door to shift! But there was still something pulling me.
This spring i brought it back and there i needed to make a decision (it took a while). My boy started to build interest for it, started thinking about the possibilities and what it could become. My boy made a road trip across canada with me in my BJ42 when he was 6 years old, so he’s kinda on my side and thinking with a landcruiser brain too. My first rebuilt costed me 5 times what my second did. It’s a unicorn! come on ! Plus, i can stretch it ! I can make this happen ! So there it was, we had a project… All we had to do now was to sell the idea to my wife.
She was ok with it… it got me worried. Like she said, it made more sense fixing it than fixing another 80, i had lots of parts for some of it, way to many for others… (ohh i know where this is heading..). She accepted but with only one condition… i had to do it with a 100$ budget ! Meaning i needed to finance the endeavour with the over stock parts i’ve been collecting.
So there it is.. i'm starting a new build and i’d love to have your ideas, comments and experience to guide.
So..
Its a 1977 (dec. 76) FJ45 lwb.
I’m hoping to stretch the cab by about 6 inches without cutting the frame, although i’m still debating on the subject.
It needs to pass inspection afterwards and frame is ugly. So i plan on cutting the front of the box by the amount of the added cab.
I would like to do it with the 45 cab and top, without transforming a 40 top but i have extra ones.
I’ve read a lot of different threads but i don’t seem to find a stretch using a 45 and keeping the original box, i find lots of 40’s becoming 40.5 or 45’s but not 45’s going to 45.5. I still have to go through pages (Mud is huge now) and i’d be happy if anyone has good ones i could read up.
I quickly photoshopped a 3, 6 and 12 inch stretch to see what it looked like, i don’t think a 12 inch is necessary and and would like to keep the stock design as much as possible. But adding inches to push the seats further makes dead angles, so i think i would have to add side windows.
To start with, here are the photoshoped images:
Next post..
Build should get underway soon.
I’ve been hooked on Landcruisers for over 25 years, got hooked when i crashed my brother’s BJ40 (thats just an epic story), moving on, .. Over the years i've redone my 42 twice, i parted about 8 rotten 40s, accumulated lots of parts and quite a few specimens for future builds. I stored a 40 project for about 15 years, waiting for the right moment (still waiting i guess), telling my wife i would make her one just for her, a nice pale blue… but that didn’t fly. Still a no go. More recently i came across a cheap 80 series and then found a better one that i fixed for camping and family fun.
Two years ago, i had the chance to find a tired 1977 fj45, i couldn’t let it pass! So without thinking and/or only with my Landcruiser brain, i bought it and brought it home. I parked it in the driveway, there was no space in the barn left.. My unicorn (thats how she called it) visually bothered my wife sitting there, so i moved it a bit away where it would get immersed in snow for the winter but still be accessible by the road if i made space for it, and there it sat, out of my mind and my wife’s view for that winter. Come spring it became obvious that it couldn’t sit there for ever, plus i started to receive offers for it, and guys stopping to have a look, and worst.. pressure to myself i wouldn’t let it rot there like to many of those old folks like i sometimes investigate them on their truck.
So, got it close to the barn again, in the driveway.. i convinced my wife it would move pretty quickly… But it didn’t, my 80 series needed attention, plus i had trip projects for it. Soon after that, i got excited on fixing a second 80 series for developing my welding skills and going on trips with a friend. At that time, i had 2x40s and an 80 in the barn, no space to work really and the 45 still outside. So there went my efforts, i parted a glazed 40 (that one is another story by itself) and then came a second winter. Out of pure luck, i managed to get a spot for the 45 at my neighbours, so there again it left my mind for a while. During winter, i daydream of other Landcruisers, my all time favorite is the 60 series, but never got a chance to grab one. Many years back i drove my brother’s 60 (yes after the 40 he got a 60 but i didn’t crash that one) and really got the thing for it. So there i was daydreaming and shopping, my wife wasn’t too excited about that. During that winter my wife tried to make me sell the 45, it needs lots of work, it’s too small for me to fit in (i’m 6 feet and pretty heavy) and we ..dont have the budget for a rebuilt. It all made sense of course, she’s right! I can’t drive this thing without opening the door to shift! But there was still something pulling me.
This spring i brought it back and there i needed to make a decision (it took a while). My boy started to build interest for it, started thinking about the possibilities and what it could become. My boy made a road trip across canada with me in my BJ42 when he was 6 years old, so he’s kinda on my side and thinking with a landcruiser brain too. My first rebuilt costed me 5 times what my second did. It’s a unicorn! come on ! Plus, i can stretch it ! I can make this happen ! So there it was, we had a project… All we had to do now was to sell the idea to my wife.
She was ok with it… it got me worried. Like she said, it made more sense fixing it than fixing another 80, i had lots of parts for some of it, way to many for others… (ohh i know where this is heading..). She accepted but with only one condition… i had to do it with a 100$ budget ! Meaning i needed to finance the endeavour with the over stock parts i’ve been collecting.
So there it is.. i'm starting a new build and i’d love to have your ideas, comments and experience to guide.
So..
Its a 1977 (dec. 76) FJ45 lwb.
I’m hoping to stretch the cab by about 6 inches without cutting the frame, although i’m still debating on the subject.
It needs to pass inspection afterwards and frame is ugly. So i plan on cutting the front of the box by the amount of the added cab.
I would like to do it with the 45 cab and top, without transforming a 40 top but i have extra ones.
I’ve read a lot of different threads but i don’t seem to find a stretch using a 45 and keeping the original box, i find lots of 40’s becoming 40.5 or 45’s but not 45’s going to 45.5. I still have to go through pages (Mud is huge now) and i’d be happy if anyone has good ones i could read up.
I quickly photoshopped a 3, 6 and 12 inch stretch to see what it looked like, i don’t think a 12 inch is necessary and and would like to keep the stock design as much as possible. But adding inches to push the seats further makes dead angles, so i think i would have to add side windows.
To start with, here are the photoshoped images:
| 
| 
| 
|
| original | 3 inches | 6 inches | 12 inches |
| Needs a window | Really needs a window | ||
Next post..
