Todays wrenching

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Gary Rapanotti runs an Orion in his 40, works nice.
Option 1 might not be to difficult to do, motor mounts and all
are basically the same right?
Sell me the V8.
 
Larry here are my thoughts on the subject.

My FJ45 is getting a rebuilt desmogged 2F with an H55. With 4:11 gears it will give me 45.31:1 crawl ratio. With my H41 and 4speed case I was at 39.65:1 and running 33"s and it wasn't quite low enough. With the 6% increase in tire (going to 35s) and 15% reduction in gearing I think I should be pretty good. Keep in mind there are some different gears in the split cases. Good info on that here Cruiser Outfitters. In the end its going to be a driver and lightly wheeled. My main concern on the H55 in a 40 is length. Yes I know its been done time and again. If you were considering it and wanted to take measurements I haven an H55 sitting in my garage.

I would like to build a cheap 40 for wheeling. My thought it 35-37 either a 2f or chebby 350 mated to an sm465 and a 3speed cruiser tcase. There is a guy who is making a batch of adapter plates for under $225 right now, I'll find the link. I would probably go with a 4" Hell Creek lift as its cheap and had decent reviewsand do some cutting if needed to make the tires fit. Reverse the rear springs to gain a little wheel base. FJ60 steering, pick up some aussie lockers and longfields and you are good to go.

As a note my buddy runs a Chevy 350 SM465 Dana 300 combo in his Jeep. The gearing in the stock dana 300 is 2.63 and he has 4:10s in Dana 60 axles. Giving him a crawl ratio of about 70.52:1. Now if you where using a 3speed case you would get 62.17:1 with stock 4:11 in the cruiser axles. My buddy is running 39.5" IROCs and could use a little lower gearing but he does alright. So I would say with 62.17:1 a set of 37" would be fine. Also if you decided you wanted even lower its an easy swap to an Orion afterwards.

Just my random thought on the subject.
 
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Went out to plow this morning around 11. Turned the key on the 80 something Chevy P/U (and I do mean PeeYew) and nothing. Not even a tick or click and just a few flashes from the radio. Wiggled the shifter on the column and still nothing (it was acting up that way last time). Eventually, I turned the key and it didn't even feel like there was anything inside the cylinder. I pulled the steering wheel and the guts and pulled the cylinder. Tried a screwdriver in there and not even a light anywhere on the dash. Uh Oh!

Stripped some wires and got her hot wired and started right up. Dash lights back, headlights, good to go right? NADA, NYET! I can't shift from park to neutral, drive or reverse. Stuck in park.

After 5 hours wrenching, shoveling, reading the Haynes and browsing the internet, I approached my neighbor. He has a 2000 something Chevy with one of those toy (not Toyota) homeowners plows on it. He let me use it and I plowed myself out. Remote control plow switch, plenty of power, HEAT, wipers, etc, but the toy (not Toyota) plow is a bit lacking over my 8 footer, height weight and pushing. His scrapes right down to the pavement and I owe him many :beer: s Plus I also plowed out another sectigenarians mailbox next door when he and his wife went out to do it with shovels. I must be getting old, I really enjoyed that mostly push button late model truck.

One more winter here may kill me and the wife probably will if I leave her behind when I go south next year. I can't win for losing! Snowmobiling isn't even as much fun as I thought it would be in a good winter. I've been stranded there as well and the wife was really pissed that she had to drive out to pick me up after I walked out. I think I'd be doing her favor moving south and give her a good excuse to take some long weekends south over holidays.

They made a bunch of this series Chevy P/U over the years, so no tears shed over parting it out like I would with a LandCruiser. It's the top of the line Silverado that had factory air. Short bed StyleSide with a relatively rust free bed. The original 305 TBI was replaced with a "rebuilt" 350 4 barrel, the 700R4 tranny replaced with a TH350 and the chain drive NP208 t-case was replaced by an NP205. Good parts overall. It will be leaving the yards in pieces sooner than later if I can't get it out of park and plow my driveway.

:mad: :doh: :censor: :bang: :crybaby:
 
Hmmmmm, 350 and an auto,,,
 
took oil pans off of my 80 today and found 2 rod bearings bad. so all rod bearings replaced and crank bearings. next weekend we will put back together. thank you rick, and to you jon for the healing bay at your work. next weekend we will see if it will go. i might be in need of a new motor to rebuild if this one does not work. fingers crossed.
 
green40 said:
Gary Rapanotti runs an Orion in his 40, works nice.
Option 1 might not be to difficult to do, motor mounts and all
are basically the same right?
Sell me the V8.
Click to expand...

There's a potential interference issue witht he brake booster. One post I read used a 40 mount on one side and an fj62 mount on the other. moves the motor away from the booster.

You don't want need the tranny with the motor? I might sell once I make up my mind what I want to build.
 
Go the oil pans back on the 80 today. Rod bearings sound good. Drove home 15 miles with no problem. Only time will tell if they hold up. Thank you again to Rick, Jon, and Kenny.
 
Changed the oil and filter twice and found no metal. Going to put some miles on it this week and change again.
 
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Supposed to go camping today but didn't feel like spending the day and night freezing alone.
So spent the day alone in the shop. Stripping the 40 of stuff to try and get the tub straightend
out the best I can so doors will close.
Had some new shackles for the front and have them on about halfway. Of course the springs are sitting
about an inch off to the side so I can't get them back on.
 
I'm getting ready to start SOA and SR, thinking about 4 linking the rear, I want to get the wheelbase to 102" or 103". Need to do a cut & turn and box the front frame rails. Starting this weekend.
 
Whats stock wb for a 40??? I like the looks of them with springs flipped.
 
julstirn said:
Whats stock wb for a 40??? I like the looks of them with springs flipped.[/QUOTE

92", I've flipped my fronts and I'm at 96" now.
Click to expand...
 
With the stupid lift the PO installed my wheelbase is 89"
 
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