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Picked up this mid last year. Was meant to become my daily driver for a while and the wife would drive our FJ Cruiser. This lasted a few months of which I really enjoyed driving it. Eventually it was time to take it off the road for a couple of weeks to do power steering and disc brakes. I started tidying things up while I had the front end off and this ended up snow balling into a full body off rebuild. Story from start to current will be posted below.
Details
1977 HJ45 Ute
2H 6cyl. Diesel (out of a 60 series)
5 speed (out of a 60 series)
Rear housing from a 60 series
Has all the front end gear to fit 60 series p/steer and disc brakes
Plans were to loose all the stickers, bullbar, and mirrors. Fit stock bumper and mirrors, and just get all of it looking as factory as possible. Then look at turbo'ing the 2H too.
Removed all the stickers and the bullbar and gave it a wash. Looking much better!
PIcked up a rusty styleside that has been tore down and sand blasted. Plan was to build a RHS frame for it and run a timber floor in it.
This is what it looked like before the rusty floor was removed
Decided to try on my FJ Cruisers 35s on 17x8 Trailready HD Series rims to see what it looked like.
Was pretty happy with the look, so I ended up ordering some Method Race wheels through a business I do a bit of work for, Monster Rides.
With the rims ordered, it was time to start sorting the styleside tub. I do drawings for a sheet metal company now and then, so I hit them up about if they could match the profile of the stock sides and bend them up out of new sheet metal.
They nailed it!
With the styleside half sorted, I sold the original dropside tray and fitted a temporary alloy one. The new Method Race Wheels had also arrived. Wheels are 17x8.5 "Standards" from Monster Rides.
Some 35" MTZs were fitted to the wheels and bolted on for a look.
Meanwhile I picked up a free turbo from a mate. Its a Holset HX25 off a 3.8l Cummins Diesel Generator. The turbo is in great condition, but just needed a good cleanup. It's a little on the small side, but I'm not chasing anything massive out of the 2h. Will just be making an adapter to fit it to the stock manifold.
Turbo cleaned up. Looking much better!
Was now time to start fitting the 60 series disc brakes and power steering. All factory steering and shock mounts were removed from the chassis and front diff housing stripped down. Gave the chassis, springs, and diff housing a sand and a couple coats of paint. Was also installing IFS hubs, F250 shock towers and 10" travel Bilstein 5125s at the same time.
Had my mate Ray rebuild the front disc calipers for me.
Before pics.
After a sandblast and all new parts.
IFS hub kit from Buds Customs with the IFS hub from my old 4runner and a 60 series rotor. Stock IFS rotor bolts are used to mount the rotor spacer to the hub, then new bolts supplied with the kit bolt the rotor to the spacer.
Old vs New
Installed.
Pics of the F250 Shock Tower and 10" travel bilstein 5125s installation. I cut and straightened them in the press, then welded up the gap and ground them smooth. This allows them to fit in the stock inner guard opening and more clearance to the tyre when flexing.
Added a bush to the stock 40 series column so its supported at the firewall. Commodore swaybar bush, Part No.???, Thanks to Ray (EFJ40) for finding a off the shelf bush that works.
80 series rag joint and uni are used to mate the stock 40 series column to a 70 series intermediate shaft. Shaft was shortened at each to suit at the factory slip joints (no welding). Still need to paint all this.
3mm plate to the inside of the chassis rails with crush tubes welded to it.
80 series pitman arm was fitted to the 60 series box so the tie rod had more clearance to the leaf springs.
With the front end turning out so nice, it made me wish the whole ute looked just as good. A few beers were had night and it was decided to do a frame off restoration.
Engine coming out.
Cab all stripped. I was stoked with the condition of the cab. No major rust at all, just some tiny bits of surface rust here and there. Only bodywork to do is get the sills straight as both have copped a hit offroad.
Over the xmas break I cut 340mm off the rear of the chassis, relocated the rear shock mount cross member to the front side of the diff so the 60 series diff hand brake cable can now be hooked up. Sanded most of the chassis back to bare metal and done a heap of coats of paint.
The styleside coudln't progress until I had rear flares to suit. I ordered 150mm wide rear FJ40 fibreglass flares from Eureka Offroad. I am happy with the style of them, but the quality isn't as good as my OZEast Fibreglass widened front gaurds.
I'll have to cut n shut one side of the flares to suit the styleside, but am happy with how its going to look.
Mock up pics with factory sides.
Motor and gearbox went back in with a new sump gasket, rear main seal, and clutch fitted.
Then the turbo was mounted to the flipped stock 2h manifold.
A mate, Luke, came over and we got the dump pipe down to the back of the transfer case done. Gotta love 3" stainless!
Have finished the brake lines on the front and rear diffs now too.
45
Truck looks great keep it up
