petefj40's build/mods

[petefj40]

pete i,m very jealous

It'll be interesting to see how it all goes together. I'm really looking forward to having the longer legs in it. I've really missed having a 5th gear. Also the purpose built tank will mean more grunt off the line. No more flat spots. I'm SO looking forward to THAT!! When ever I've leaped from a stand still I've always had that flat spot and have had to feather the pedal to get the maximum grunt. Now I hope to just lay the pedal flat and get all it has to offer (like my holden). YEAH!!!!

[petefj40]

I purchased x6 IPF spot lights today. (cost $1300) Four are going to be mounted on the top of the roll bar above the head. The two outer ones will be hand adjustable, the two centre ones solid. All four will be mounted on a bracket that will swing from vertical to horizontal, for off roading or when the soft top is on. (hopefully they won't get in the way of the passengers in the back) The last two will be mounted on the front bullbar. I'll be running an extra dry cell deep cycle battery for the setup.



Once my 40 is finished, it will be a hunting machine! LOOK OUT BUNNIES!! I'll just have to make sure the thing isn't to loud otherwise I'll scare everything away. I'm changing the extractors from one pipe out the back, to one pipe out each side just forward of the rear wheels. That way I'll get a bigger fuel tank.

Sound mean? I hope so.

[petefj40]

Here are some pix from today.


The vacant hole waiting for the 5 speed.

Now to me this is a sexy site.

The Marks adapter bowl housing.

The new and the old.

THE LIST.
Please disregard the title at the top. (It's just I hate those, "PT Cruiser" things) My initials are P.T and I own a Cruiser.


Corey talked me into get a 40mm body lift. I'm not keen on a spring over. But this is the next best thing. That'll give it more clearance for the 35's.

[petefj40]

Update.
The gearbox was booked to go in on Wednesday. But after pulling the old one off they found the clutch plate and pressure plate needed replacing as well as the flywheel was out of shape. So that's gone away for a scim. The parts and flywheel should be ready to go on next week. The drive shafts will be ready at the same time.The front is being lengthened 90mm and the rear shortened 90mm.

Other things planned for next week are.
The new alloy tank. I'll be interested to know what the new capacity is.
40mm body lift.
Shorter extractors exiting forward of the rear wheels. It'll be interesting to hear what that sounds like,
The rear diff brace will be getting made.

Roll on next week!

I thought I'd mention.
After this project is finished (next 4-6 weeks) I'll be selling my other original 1978 FJ40. It has minimal rust. It really is a sweet cruiser in great condition. Just got a new WOF. It flew through. It runs on LPG. That's just been certified for another year. It's had new springs fitted all round. it's on worn 31's. It owes me around 5k all up.

I'm in no rush to sell. I don't need the money. But someone may really want a sweet Cruiser.
If anyone's interested drop me a pm.
Please. No tire kickers. It'll go on Trade Me and go to the highest bidder.

[petefj40]

Looks like the body lift is no go, due to the way the front end is mounted to the chassis. It'll be to involved. So it looks like I'll settle for new springs all round instead. Maybe a spring flip as I'm told you can have what ever ride height you like (to a degree). I'll be looking at that later anyway.

Ric has almost finished plumbing up the on board air pump. The air outlet fitting are mounted front and back.



The marks adapter kit is fitted to the bowl housing. Just waiting on a thrust bearing to arrive then the box will go in.



It's slowly coming together.

[Mattman]

Looks wicked Pete.

Matt.

[petefj40]

Cheers Matt.
After a friend heard about the on board air compressor he said, "great, now I'll be hanging around you when i need my tires re inflated." I said to him, "if you can catch me!" Buggered if I wanna fill everyone elses tires. I got it built for MY truck, not everyone elses.
Once the gearbox n tank is in, it's off to Corey's workshop......running just headers . Can't wait. I'll have my foot right up it. (hehe) Think I'll be youtubing that!

[petefj40]

Finally, it's in!

[muddy]

If you're considering a spring flip, then hold off on the driveshaft lengthening/shortening. A rear spring flip will roughly match the extra gearbox length so the rear D/S shouldn't need shoertening. And if you flip the front springs, you'll need the front D/S longer still....

[petefj40]

If you're considering a spring flip, then hold off on the driveshaft lengthening/shortening. A rear spring flip will roughly match the extra gearbox length so the rear D/S shouldn't need shoertening. And if you flip the front springs, you'll need the front D/S longer still....

Right you are. Well the drive shafts have already been altered (as you can see). Coz i thought the body lift was a go-a there was no need to hang fire in the drive shaft lengths. I don't really want a heavier angle on the UJ's or the chassis higher off the ground. So I'll flag the spring flip. I want it to handle the road as good as it can. (as I think I mentioned earlier) All I'm thinking of doing is refreshing the leaf springs to give it more room for the 35's.

Hopefully the new tank will go in next week.

[petefj40]

There's slow progress. It looks like it won't be ready for the easter meet on the west coast. Oh well. You can't rush these things.

I've desided that 4 spot lights mounted on the top of the roll cage isn't enough. I'm getting 6 fitted. And 2 on the bull bar. making 8 in total. I'm looking forward to how they look when i'm out shooting at nights. And how long I can have them running for.

[Smurf]

There's slow progress. It looks like it won't be ready for the easter meet on the west coast. Oh well. You can't rush these things.

I've desided that 4 spot lights mounted on the top of the roll cage isn't enough. I'm getting 6 fitted. And 2 on the bull bar. making 8 in total. I'm looking forward to how they look when i'm out shooting at nights. And how long I can have them running for.

And when are you fitting the new alternator?

[petefj40]

There's slow progress. It looks like it won't be ready for the easter meet on the west coast. Oh well. You can't rush these things.

I've desided that 4 spot lights mounted on the top of the roll cage isn't enough. I'm getting 6 fitted. And 2 on the bull bar. making 8 in total. I'm looking forward to how they look when i'm out shooting at nights. And how long I can have them running for.

And when are you fitting the new alternator?

I hear ya. I'm getting a sparky to sort out the big power drain. As well as installing two fark off dry cell/deep cycle Optima batteries. At over $400 a battery they are the best money can buy. There's no point in having all that grunt without having the power to run it.
The varmints won't know what's hit them.

Oh and I've been told the 2002 LS1's alternator has more than enough grunt for what I need. So it's all good.

I'll be looking forward to posting pictures of what the new spot light setup looks like in the day light. But personally, I'm excited to see what it will look like when i throw the switch on in the dark.
It'll be a bonus to fold them down flat when the soft top goes on. It'll be a trick setup.

[petefj40]

Some more pictures.

[swampa]

how long before that gas tank gets a nice big gash in it??

[petefj40]

how long before that gas tank gets a nice big gash in it??

After the 3mm steel bash plate is installed, quite a while I would imagine.

[swampa]

good

[petefj40]

good

I'm surprised you didn't mention/notice it has no drain bung installed. The tank's not permanently installed yet. The intake pipe isn't even welded on. It's been slow going. I can say that much.

Once the buyer of my other FJ40 picks up his truck this week I'll have no 4X4 to use.
So no towing the boat or trailer with quad bikes or even a shooting vehicle to use . I'll be getting withdraws big time .

Does anyone have a spare 4X4 for me to use while my truck is getting fixed???

[doddzee]

Have you had the marks gearbox adaptor checked out pete?

Myself and a few other guys have had problems with their adaptors. We found that the adaptor faces were not parallel causing clutch problems.

[petefj40]

Have you had the marks gearbox adaptor checked out pete?

Myself and a few other guys have had problems with their adaptors. We found that the adaptor faces were not parallel causing clutch problems.

Ah huh! That doesn't surprise me!! I did have problems with smoothness of the clutch pedal. It was quite rough. Rick told me there was no lube on the plate. It was dry. Since it's been back in, I haven't driven it. But working the clutch it feels way smoother.
But what you say does make sense. Now it's been installed it might make it hard to check if the faces are parallel. But if that clutch action gets rough again I'll get the faces checked.

What did the agent for the kit say? Did you take it up with them?? It doesn't sound good mate.
The agent for the kit here in Chch i will never deal with again (for obvious reasons). So if I have any trouble I'll be going straight to the maker.

[Smurf]

Rick told me there was no lube on the plate. It was dry

Lube? on a clutch plate? he told you that? wet clutch = no clutch man

[doddzee]

When my dads truck had the problems (really rough clutch, pedal either in or out pretty much) he delt direct with Marks who didnt really want to know about it as we had already rectified the problem. Another guy i know took it up with them but they wanted it sent back at his cost. Its cheaper and easier to get the faces machined so they went with that option.

Knowing this problem i still went with the marks kit as it is more complete than the other kits out there, i got the faces squared up and havent had a problem.

[doddzee]

Rick told me there was no lube on the plate. It was dry

Lube? on a clutch plate? he told you that? wet clutch = no clutch man

He may have meant the thrust bearing extension or spigot shaft??

[petefj40]

Rick told me there was no lube on the plate. It was dry

Lube? on a clutch plate? he told you that? wet clutch = no clutch man

You'd be right!
No, lube between the adapter kit shaft housing and the thrust bearing. doddzee knows where I'm talking about.

[petefj40]

Rick told me there was no lube on the plate. It was dry

Lube? on a clutch plate? he told you that? wet clutch = no clutch man

He may have meant the thrust bearing extension or spigot shaft??

Right on.

[petefj40]

When my dads truck had the problems (really rough clutch, pedal either in or out pretty much) he delt direct with Marks who didnt really want to know about it as we had already rectified the problem. Another guy i know took it up with them but they wanted it sent back at his cost. Its cheaper and easier to get the faces machined so they went with that option.

Knowing this problem i still went with the marks kit as it is more complete than the other kits out there, i got the faces squared up and havent had a problem.

I'm sorry to hear you had that much trouble.
Knowing the kit is more complete than other kits out there might be a plus. But knowing how poor their craftsmanship is, isn't. Hearing your story and knowing my problems with the kit is a bit off putting.

[petefj40]

[Smurf]

He may have meant the thrust bearing extension or spigot shaft??

OK that makes more sense, just the way I read it.
carry on.

[doddzee]

Photos cut off but i assume there is supose to be a NOT in that sentence?

We put grease nipples in ours, just tapped a hole in the side and ran a tube to the centre. I also tapped a drain bung and a breather. I didt like the way they reccomend to leave that gap at the bottom.

[petefj40]

Photos cut off but i assume there is supose to be a NOT in that sentence?

We put grease nipples in ours, just tapped a hole in the side and ran a tube to the centre. I also tapped a drain bung and a breather. I didt like the way they reccomend to leave that gap at the bottom.

yes if you grab the picture you'll see you're only veiwing 2/3's of it. Pitty mike's software doesn't scale pictures as they're added to the thread...

Someone suggested tapping a grease nipple in there so it could be lubed. I think I might still get that done. Just another reason for me to think, the makers of this adapter didn't think it all the way through. Pitty really.
Knowing who the agents are for these adapters here in Chch. It's kind of fitting really.