AMBITIONS, OPINIONS & OPTIONS
Preface this to say I'm looking to build up an FJ40 into something. I have the Tan one that I wheel and another that is restorable. I don't want to spend huge $ on drivetrain mods which is the focus of this post.
Option 1. Has anyone in the club done a fuel injected 3fe into either a 40 or 60? I have read some posts and most of the people that have done it are very pleased about the performance improvement over the stock carbureted engine, especially if teamed up with a 5 speed. There's also some tricks to get a bit more performance out of the engine, including desmogging it. My FJ62 has a great motor and is just sitting around getting older and could contribute the engine and split transfer case that would be required if I put in a 5 speed. Cruiser Parts gets $2500 for their conversion kit which doesn't include a t-case or tranny.
1958-1987 EFI Toyota Landcruiser Conversion Kit Considering the work involved in the conversion, it seems smarter to do the 5 speed at the same time, although they are pretty pricey new. Crawl ratio drops from 29:1 to 38:1 and I gain overdrive. Plus it is all Toyota. There's plenty of info on MUD, but I would rather have some local sounding board in the club if there is one.
Option 2. I have an H41 Australian 4 speed couple with the older 3 speed case all set to put in my tan 40. I was planning on doing that during Mar/Apr if it ever stops snowing. This set up will change my crawl ratio from roughly 30:1 to 45:1. Much better for crawling, but no overdrive. Even with 34's, there's times I wish I had a 5th gear on the highway. However, it is still all Toyota.
Option 3. Is anyone running an Orion? Seems like the quickest and easiest way to get a lower crawl ratio. I can choose roughly 44:1 or 58:1 depending whether I go with the 3:1 or 4:1 ratio using my smooth shifting H42. Those ratios drop to 60:1 or 80:1 if I use my Aussie H41.
Option 4. I have a 1990 or so Chevy 3/4T P/U with a TBI 350 V-8 and an SM465. The crawl ratio would be about 52:1 with the stock t-case or an NP205, nearly 80:1 with a Lo-Max case. I would need a centered rear diff to go with a 205 or LoMax, the Chevy has a 12 bolt in it, but it may be way too wide. More power for the highway. Low crawl ratio and more torque for offroad, a lot less Toyota.
Option 5. That FZJ80 in the yard has FZJ45 written all over it.
Gary Coberly-Waggoner's FZJ-45 Pickup Going Up White Knuckle photo from the Car Photo Gallery Unfortunately it exceeds my total budget, if not my drivetrain budget.
I'm lucky to have the luxury of having two '78 FJ40's, the Tan one and my blue Swiss Miss. I am probably going to go ahead with putting the H41 and 3spd case into the 40 because I have everything to do it without any extra expense except for a new clutch, seals and some minor parts. That keeps me on the road for the upcoming wheeling season. The Miss needs some body and rear frame work, but I want to extend the frame and wheelbase length anyway. I'm either going to either make it more like an FJ-43 or have a longer cab than a 45 along with a custom 4-6 foot bed that doesn't have much overhang at the rear.
I want something a little more comfortable for the road than a stock 40. Lower RPM's on the highway, more power and a much lower crawl ratio than stock. I don't want to spend more than $3k on the drivetrain. I can offset quite a bit of that by selling the Miss's various unneeded drivetrain parts, full top and rear doors as well as her fully smogged engine that runs well and has good compression. (The Miss may be worth more in parts than as a whole, but it kills me that people completely part out vehicles that are restorable and remove one more FJ40 off the planet.)
I'm thinking #1 is the best option for a daily driver that I can take to away events and #4 is probably the beast for off-road with the kick of a V-8. #2 keeps me wheeling locally while I work on the Miss.
My budget is $3K for drivetrain parts, (excluding suspension) and I'd like to have this done by my 65th birthday in 2 years so I can enjoy it for awhile.
Anyone have their own opinions and what other options have I overlooked given my goals?
PS: One more thing, I also have the adapter and crawlbox to go between the SM465 and an NP205. However, I am willing to admit I am an addict and that I need outside help and support
while I wanted to do this swap in the garage. I just could not figure out the ligistics of taking my daily driver off the road for 2 weeks. I am excited I sure there will be some hicups but I will be excited about the added power. at 6500lb the 87 2f I had in there just wasn't enough on the highway or on hills. 