Builds The "Red Rocket" Troopy (5 Viewers)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Ok, but this is a 70 series which is narrower then a 60... Maybe it will work :meh:
We are using the Almarras 1" thick adapter with A440f and it is right up on the firewall. Still the OE setup with integrated turbo is less then ideal for a 60.
We are doing a Hitachi Excavator manifold (<$150) which puts the turbo in a regular spot and is now conventional T25. So it is easier to work on, swap turbos, experiment etc.

8-94119292-6 Manifold

Any chance you 3d scanned or CAD copied that adapter? Even just part of it would be a huge help to get the one half, then figure the rest out for h55f. I’m not one for stealing , but sounds like this almaras adapter is extremely hard to get and a lot of people got burned. Not even sure they are making it anymore.
 
Any chance you 3d scanned or CAD copied that adapter? Even just part of it would be a huge help to get the one half, then figure the rest out for h55f. I’m not one for stealing , but sounds like this almaras adapter is extremely hard to get and a lot of people got burned. Not even sure they are making it anymore.

No. It was already installed in the vehicle when it got dropped off.
 
Alright, I'm back and progress has been made. School is good, just the usual. Now for the swap stuff that happened while I was home for Labor Day weekend. I got mono the day I was heading down, but was still dead set on pulling this engine out now, luckily with the help of my dad (@Shyrock) and @LuckyDevil we were able to pull it off even though I'm so much weaker than usual.

IMG_1010.JPG


Unbolted everything, the first day but there was one bolt we couldn't unbolt... the clutch had very low miles on it and whatever nice Kentucky mechanic decided to break off a bell housing bolt and just leave it for the next poor sucker. It was recessed into the bell housing, tried an EZ out... bad idea. EZ out snapped and then we had super hard metal we couldn't drill out or anything, tried welding not working, finally just went and got an angle grinder and sliced the bolt in half where the bell housing meets together. What a pain and I wasn't even doing the work on it...
IMG_1059.JPG

IMG_1064.JPG


After that whole ordeal we were ready to pull it, and we did. Relatively drama free, took a bit of persuasion but it came out.

IMG_1071.JPG

IMG_1091.JPG
 
Atleast watch the first 20 seconds of the prado pulling the box truck haha



I've been driving around a 1987 Isuzu Pup we picked up for CHEAPPP right before I headed off to college, good little truck powered by 1.9L of Japanese fury. It was putting in the work while hauling the engine, hoist, and all the tools but did just fine! So uh yea... just pulled the engine and had to head back to college, that's the only update about the swap haha.

IMG_0953.JPG

IMG_1108.JPG


@Roastchestnuts came down for a wedding so I finally got to meet him and his awesome prado! Yet another awesome person to meet just cause of some cool old cars, love it.
IMG_0944.jpg
IMG_1044.JPG


Do you attend App State? Can you kick a football?
I do attend App State, I can probably kick a football if I gave it a shot. Not really big into the sports scene to be entirely honest, prefer mechanical stuff


Also just noticed the Isuzu injection pump looks almost identical to the 3B/13BT one... cool. Maybe just from the outside and not the inside but the outsides are VERY similar
IMG_1143.JPG
 
Atleast watch the first 20 seconds of the prado pulling the box truck haha



I've been driving around a 1987 Isuzu Pup we picked up for CHEAPPP right before I headed off to college, good little truck powered by 1.9L of Japanese fury. It was putting in the work while hauling the engine, hoist, and all the tools but did just fine! So uh yea... just pulled the engine and had to head back to college, that's the only update about the swap haha.

View attachment 3107588
View attachment 3107587

@Roastchestnuts came down for a wedding so I finally got to meet him and his awesome prado! Yet another awesome person to meet just cause of some cool old cars, love it.
View attachment 3107591View attachment 3107592


I do attend App State, I can probably kick a football if I gave it a shot. Not really big into the sports scene to be entirely honest, prefer mechanical stuff


Also just noticed the Isuzu injection pump looks almost identical to the 3B/13BT one... cool. Maybe just from the outside and not the inside but the outsides are VERY similarView attachment 3107598

In a recent App State football game, the kicker had a bad game. The team may be looking for a replacement.
 
Atleast watch the first 20 seconds of the prado pulling the box truck haha



I've been driving around a 1987 Isuzu Pup we picked up for CHEAPPP right before I headed off to college, good little truck powered by 1.9L of Japanese fury. It was putting in the work while hauling the engine, hoist, and all the tools but did just fine! So uh yea... just pulled the engine and had to head back to college, that's the only update about the swap haha.

View attachment 3107588
View attachment 3107587

@Roastchestnuts came down for a wedding so I finally got to meet him and his awesome prado! Yet another awesome person to meet just cause of some cool old cars, love it.
View attachment 3107591View attachment 3107592


I do attend App State, I can probably kick a football if I gave it a shot. Not really big into the sports scene to be entirely honest, prefer mechanical stuff


Also just noticed the Isuzu injection pump looks almost identical to the 3B/13BT one... cool. Maybe just from the outside and not the inside but the outsides are VERY similarView attachment 3107598

Is your isuzu pickup a diesel? If yes that is the Holy Grail of fuel efficient pickups.
 
Atleast watch the first 20 seconds of the prado pulling the box truck haha



I've been driving around a 1987 Isuzu Pup we picked up for CHEAPPP right before I headed off to college, good little truck powered by 1.9L of Japanese fury. It was putting in the work while hauling the engine, hoist, and all the tools but did just fine! So uh yea... just pulled the engine and had to head back to college, that's the only update about the swap haha.

View attachment 3107588
View attachment 3107587

@Roastchestnuts came down for a wedding so I finally got to meet him and his awesome prado! Yet another awesome person to meet just cause of some cool old cars, love it.
View attachment 3107591View attachment 3107592


I do attend App State, I can probably kick a football if I gave it a shot. Not really big into the sports scene to be entirely honest, prefer mechanical stuff


Also just noticed the Isuzu injection pump looks almost identical to the 3B/13BT one... cool. Maybe just from the outside and not the inside but the outsides are VERY similarView attachment 3107598

was nice meeting you finally! was awesome to see all the things in person! And thanks again to you and your father for letting me drive that Fj40. I know I said it a million times when I was in Wilmington , but now I am scheming/ thinking about trading my kzj78 for a 40. Like I said you are welcome to come down to Ocracoke any time. Hopefully we can make a land cruiser meet up happen somewhere on the outer banks.
 
Is your isuzu pickup a diesel? If yes that is the Holy Grail of fuel efficient pickups.

I’ve had 2 Isuzu pup 4x4 diesel trucks. Grew up driving one. Beat the living crap out of it. Sold it to a kid who rolled it.

Second one I bought for $500 about 10 years ago. Rough. Was used for a city parks department by summer kids. Low miles but straight beat up. Not a straight panel. Sold it for $3k 4 years later.

Super under powered but fun little trucks. Always started and worked.
 
was nice meeting you finally! was awesome to see all the things in person! And thanks again to you and your father for letting me drive that Fj40. I know I said it a million times when I was in Wilmington , but now I am scheming/ thinking about trading my kzj78 for a 40. Like I said you are welcome to come down to Ocracoke any time. Hopefully we can make a land cruiser meet up happen somewhere on the outer banks.

I’ve always said it, the 40 series is THE land cruiser. It’s what most people think of is a land cruiser. I can tell you if I didn’t have a mwb with removable top/soft top I’d be longing for a 40 a heck of a lot more than I already do. :rofl:

A 40 takes a lot more work to get semi close to the 70 series drivability, especially when talking about a coil spring kzj. You know when you’ve driven a 40 a couple hours.

Eventually I’ll get another 40, of course I could always be tempted by the right 40 ;)
 
I’ve always said it, the 40 series is THE land cruiser. It’s what most people think of is a land cruiser. I can tell you if I didn’t have a mwb with removable top/soft top I’d be longing for a 40 a heck of a lot more than I already do. :rofl:

A 40 takes a lot more work to get semi close to the 70 series drivability, especially when talking about a coil spring kzj. You know when you’ve driven a 40 a couple hours.

Eventually I’ll get another 40, of course I could always be tempted by the right 40 ;)
Yeah I think my dream Cruiser would be the fj55 or maybe the older early 45 pickup with the older f155 engine. but I have always wanted a fj40. I also agree with you that they are THE Cruiser. getting to drive this one for all of 30 minutes really brought the itch back.I should have bought one 10 years ago when they were cheeper.

Yeah luckily where I live 99% of the roads are 25mph speed limit and takes no longer than 5 minutes to get anywhere. (check it out on google its called Ocracoke Island) Also my fiancé has a more "off island car". So I don't think it would be the end of The world if I did not have somthing that really left the island often. Anyways just contemplating it. Might not happen and I am going to keep working on the old prado to get it right.
 
Is your isuzu pickup a diesel? If yes that is the Holy Grail of fuel efficient pickups.
I wish!! 1.9L gasser, 2wd, 4spd, no power steering, A/C etc etc. Ultimate base model.
I’ve had 2 Isuzu pup 4x4 diesel trucks. Grew up driving one. Beat the living crap out of it. Sold it to a kid who rolled it.

Second one I bought for $500 about 10 years ago. Rough. Was used for a city parks department by summer kids. Low miles but straight beat up. Not a straight panel. Sold it for $3k 4 years later.

Super under powered but fun little trucks. Always started and worked.
Almost making me jealous, if my pup was 4x4 and diesel I would really not be in a rush to get the troopy swap completed. This is a good little truck but that's all it is. Can't complain at all, I was about to take my sisters Rav4 with a blown head gasket up to college and then saw the pup on FB marketplace, the Rav4 wouldn't have made it 50 miles as the radiator is now pissing antifreeze everywhere and it's making pretty nasty noise that I believe is a worn timing belt etc etc. The pup has been a lifesaver.

My friend is currently driving back from somewhere with a bike in the bed. Left early this morning. It'll be fun to help him get it running.
IMG_1241.jpg
 
Last edited:
Quick Update: Came home this weekend and pulled the 2nd 3B out of the Red Rocket, I'm getting pretty good at pulling 3B's out of Troopcarriers haha. Now time to get a bunch of measurements I don't quite understand yet and pull off a bunch of fabrication I don't know how to do. Going to try and get all the parts ready by the beginning of December to then knock everything out over winter break... that's all on paper. I know in actuality I'll make a bunch of progress and will run into 1 little tiny pin or bearing that I forgot to order that will take 3 weeks to arrive, thus totally halting my progress. Wish I was confident at welding body panels or I'd tackle all the rust in that wasted time. Anyways, till next time :cheers:

IMG_5719.jpg
IMG_0904.JPG
IMG_0930.JPG
IMG_0940.JPG
IMG_0954.JPG
 
I’m looking forward to your build! I dig the troopy. I’m also going with a 4bd2t into my FJ55. I have a couple of these engines laying around from our landscape fleet. I have 2 manual shift Isuzu npr that we run. The 2001 we run isn’t the 4bd2t but 4he1 I believe but it has been converted to 4x4 by RC trucks down in Miami. They have always been helpful with any questions I’ve had. I’m pretty sure they have converted the manual 4bd2t to 4x4 in the past. I’ve thought about using their setup into the 55, but I think I’m going the nv 4500 route to Toyota tc. Anyway looking forward to your build!
 
I’m looking forward to your build! I dig the troopy. I’m also going with a 4bd2t into my FJ55. I have a couple of these engines laying around from our landscape fleet. I have 2 manual shift Isuzu npr that we run. The 2001 we run isn’t the 4bd2t but 4he1 I believe but it has been converted to 4x4 by RC trucks down in Miami. They have always been helpful with any questions I’ve had. I’m pretty sure they have converted the manual 4bd2t to 4x4 in the past. I’ve thought about using their setup into the 55, but I think I’m going the nv 4500 route to Toyota tc. Anyway looking forward to your build!
Awesome, can't wait to see how your 55 comes out as well. I've thought about using the Isuzu transmission with some sort of TC attached to it, but the 5th gear ratio on mine is at least 1:1, then I'd have to regear the rear and front end just to not be maxxed out at 55 mph in 5th gear. At least the h55 is 0.845:1 if I could get my hand on a NV4500 for relatively cheap then I'd go for that due to the higher OD, and there are adapter kits for the Isuzu engines to those transmissions, but as I'm on an extreme budget for all of this I don't think I can add that to the mix as well.

If you could get any lead/info on adapting an h55 to the 4BD's that would be greatly appreciated. Or if there is a pretty cheap option to adding a transfer case to the Isuzu transmission then I could have money left to regear it with. Thanks!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom