orangefj45
Supporting Vendor
about 6 months ago i got a 91 fj80 from a customer with a blown 3FE. figured i'd install another stock engine and then decide which vortec i wanted to swap into it in the future. i relly like twotonics inline atlas engine swap and had my mind made up that i would go with the 4.2 inline 6. good power, great fuel economy and easy to fit in there since it's about the same size as the original engine..........
we took it to pismo for SNT and had a good time although with the lift and 35s on stock gearing it was'nt the fastest rig out there. probably the slowest and some of the diunes it just would'nt even conquer half-way. definetly needs more power.
so about two weeks ago i'm scanning thru the cruisers on the local CL and i find an 80 with a vortec already in it for a good price. just so happens it's also a 91, same color and only about an hour from me.
talked tothe guy, set up a date and went up there to drive it. sure enough, 97 vortec 5.7 with the 4L60e trans and a split case from an fj60 ( which i prefer anyways ). rus and drives solid. t-case makes noise, knuckles are leaking badly, needs some other odds and ends as well as paint. stock height but with new tires. already passed the ref, smogged a few months ago and the reg is good. so i bought it for $3500 and drove it home!
last week, i rebuilt the t-case and front axle. upgraded the brakes to the 94 and newer rotors and calipers, checked all the other fluids, fixed the AC and let the wife drive it for a week.
yesterday it was onto the second stage of the "conversion"; take the suspension and tires off the orig 80 and swap them with the stock setup from the vortec 80.
got the suspension transplant done in a day on both rigs. only hick-up were 2 broken bolts for the rear sway-bar hangers. tried to remove them but ended up having to drill them out and re-tap them. no big deal.
here's "before pic", who says 80s can't be fun?!
we took it to pismo for SNT and had a good time although with the lift and 35s on stock gearing it was'nt the fastest rig out there. probably the slowest and some of the diunes it just would'nt even conquer half-way. definetly needs more power.
so about two weeks ago i'm scanning thru the cruisers on the local CL and i find an 80 with a vortec already in it for a good price. just so happens it's also a 91, same color and only about an hour from me.
talked tothe guy, set up a date and went up there to drive it. sure enough, 97 vortec 5.7 with the 4L60e trans and a split case from an fj60 ( which i prefer anyways ). rus and drives solid. t-case makes noise, knuckles are leaking badly, needs some other odds and ends as well as paint. stock height but with new tires. already passed the ref, smogged a few months ago and the reg is good. so i bought it for $3500 and drove it home!
last week, i rebuilt the t-case and front axle. upgraded the brakes to the 94 and newer rotors and calipers, checked all the other fluids, fixed the AC and let the wife drive it for a week.
yesterday it was onto the second stage of the "conversion"; take the suspension and tires off the orig 80 and swap them with the stock setup from the vortec 80.
got the suspension transplant done in a day on both rigs. only hick-up were 2 broken bolts for the rear sway-bar hangers. tried to remove them but ended up having to drill them out and re-tap them. no big deal.
here's "before pic", who says 80s can't be fun?!