FJ4Overland

[SuperBuickGuy]

totally by accident, I ended up with this
So some background. My 1st 4x4 was a 1971 FJ 40 with a Ford 302 in it. It almost killed me more times than I can count... but I loved it. Enough that over the years I owned 6 more. Recently, I was simply perusing Seattle Craigslist and I found this







to any Land Cruiser guy, they'd look at this thing and think "wow" they normally rust out at the rail under the rear doors... this one is solid.


with that said... it will require some assembly and I think the PO liked red.

Honestly, I don't really have a build plan for it. Part of me wants to screw together one of my countless 350 chevy motors, slap some vortec heads on it, efi and call it a day. On the other hand, I think a 12v cummins diesel would be pretty trick in this thing or a 4bt or a Isuzu diesel.... I have a 5 speed aisin transmission from a Colorado, so I might use that behind this - that would limit power and torque to 200/300 respectively.
For suspension. either I'll do a spring over, spring reversal and power steering addition, or I'll do a 3 bar front 3 bar rear with disconnectable sway bars and coil over springs....


So there that is, either stupid simple or stupid expensive simple.
Exterior... winch, 38" tires some protection like sliders... but nothing to detract from the simple lines of the FJ
Interior - suspended seats, some dynamat and indoor outdoor carpet and a full cage.

now to get the LR done so I can hop on this
​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I've done a bit of work on this
My wife got a brand-new Jeep Rubicon for SAR, so the Rover is abandoned. I will finish it, but it's not a priority on any level. As someday I'll need to upgrade my current SAR vehicle (the H3), I figured I'd make this it... so here's what's happened since October...
I fixed the floors


built a 350, roller cam, one-piece rear main and got efi for it


used the AX-15, and got a dana 300 transfer case

built an adapter to put between them



bought and narrowed a Dana 60, and narrowed and swapped sides of a High Pinion dana 44... lockers, 4.56 gears, 3/4ton... yada yada


built headers and installed a Scout 2 power steering box


bought some 36s

decided they were too small and got some 38s

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

designed and built a 4 link rear (double triangle)



designed and built a 3 link with panhard bar front


managed to piss off the entirety of Pirate (a really good thing)


and there's where it's at today.... I am hoping to have it in paint and driving by October.

questions?

 

[rtj]

totally by accident ....Recently, I was simply perusing Seattle Craigslist and I found this


​

Yes, you got to like craigslist.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I guess time for an update...
after mock up of the suspension and motor, it was time to weld the frame


this frame makes the C3 frame look robust. before I started, I measured how much I could lift a corner without the other three moving up.... 6" before the nearest corner would lift - and at least 2 feet to get one frame rail to lift front and rear.... now, maybe an inch...

welded a winch plate on then acid etched the frame


painted it today


started reassembly


and got the differentials now filled with gears and lockers





my goal is to have it rolling again by the end of this weekend.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I guess it's time for another update

the 90% completed frame.... I still have brake lines to do, and I need to get the correct coil-over springs so it sits flat


so the first step on the springs was to load, as much as possible, the frame




the best part of this was I got all the parts onto the rig and then organized them back on the shelf... which, went from 3 large shelves, a bunch of floor space and stuff scattered everywhere to 3 shelves (the top is still in pieces, but those don't count since they're outside for now)



with stuff


I'm getting there... I still, obviously, have to paint it but it really is getting closer. :banghead:

 

[rtj]

Nice, that should survive.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

so I stacked it together again for our Christmas party - a good breeze would blow it apart - but it's really narrowing into its final shape




lifted the body back off.... shows what's going on underneath



I'm to the annoying, time-consuming stuff like brake lines, running the air lines for the compressor, tire carrier mount, tying the batteries down... but hopefully I can shoot some paint on the tub this weekend... we'll see. Once that happens, it should go pretty quick because despite looking apart, it's really pretty close to running. Fluids are in it (except the motor), driveshafts are in, suspension is basically done....

 

[denpo]

very nice build!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Now in colour

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

It drives


now is just the everything step.... it runs, drives, turns, stops... now to wire it and make it into a complete rig.... funny, this took more time then my Corvette.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

in its soon-to-be natural habitat

 

[BangkokDean]

Air conditioning???

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

2/60 air conditioning

current state, there's ride height.... 4" of travel up, 10" of travel down.

 

[rtj]

Turned out nice!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

time for progress pictures








not for Pirate use










and this is where I started

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

finishing touches
It's funny, I have a really nice press brake, but since it's not easy to reset the bed - I use my cheapy, press brake for simple stuff
like this




let there be light

and it was good

2 down 2 to go



but first they need to arrive

 

[phantomjock]

Turned out really great.
Just 3 point harness? Or planning on an upgrade.

Cheers - Jim

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

4 point harnesses are illegal for seat belts (which has got to be one of the stupidest thing I've ever heard)*, so I went with 3 point DOT approved belts. I hate them, so I'm going to put in 4 point and if I have trouble I'll go argue it.

*DOT/cops claim that everyone knows how to use a button to get out; but not everyone knows how to get out of a harness.... as I said, stupid.