fj45 rat rod (ish)

[Heath]

Well its a rolling chassis now. V8 diff in, crossmember sitting in place so I can drop the engine and trans in place for a test fit (might get the body on for a picture too - probably not though).

Pics to come.

[Dirtydog]

(might get the body on for a picture too - probably not though).

I hope that you do get pics of this.....

[Heath]

I get the impression that I have underestimated the time and cost of this project .

What seemed simple isnt quite as simple.

And the cost of the little things (nuts bolts washers etc) is surprising.

The trans crossmember might need modifying to take the th350 or I could remove the original mounts on the chassis and move them forward to suit when I get the front tapered (or just lay some angle on there and weld it in).

Other than a lot of reading, buying bits and measuring not much going on.

[Dirtydog]

i have noticed how much it may cost to get mine done.

ive been told to replace all the bushes, bearings etc to make it easier on myself.

also looked at the cab, thats going to be fun, thinking i might just make a complete fiberglass copy of the cab, i know its not original, but it will still look badass.

finally got it on the chassis though. didnt relise just how big the cab is.....

[Sadam_Husain]

I get the impression that I have underestimated the time and cost of this project .

bloady oath when you look at the real costs, just to throw a chevy into something you'd be lucky to do it for $5k, engine $1.5k-$3k, bellhousing $200-500, decent clutch that'll clamp up without slipping $700-$1000 plus flywheel ground another $100, radiator and hoses $400-$700, exhausts $400 to make your own or $1000-$1500 to get them done in the shop, $500-$1000 in misc shit to make it all go and parts that need to be replaced while your doing it all, $500 to get it lvv certified and probably another $500 to throw at it to do some other stupid minor shit to get complience to pass the certification.... and thats just to do an engine

[Heath]

Its surprising when you start to talley things up how much shit costs.

I think I'll stop counting and throw the recipts away. If anyone asks how much I'll just say "lots".

To be honest I knew it was going to be a costly exercise but didnt factor on the little shit costing so much.

[Heath]

As promissed a rolling chassis (okay the body isnt propped on it yet) - ran out of puff this pm in the 30 degree heat. Had overalls on while cutting the tray off the old chassis got too hot so I got lots of little burns instead, but at least I was cooler.



One gets bigger and rolling as one gets smaller and chopped into pieces. Chassis seems to be in good nick considering the crap stuck in the rails (last chance if anyone wants one, $80 and its yours - minus running gear of course - offer open till next weekend when I buy some more cutting discs).

[Heath]

Rear brakes are proving to bloody expensive on their own so might just buy a whole rear WB statesman end and swap the bits over and then fiddle with the handbrake levers (maybe lowering blocks will enable them to clear the leaf springs).

Got a bit of a plan to modify the std WB/HQ transmission crossmember to take my th350, if it works I have a spare (incase it doesnt) I can convert too and sell. Might use some bits from the old chassis for the mods.

[Heath]

Looking at some gauges for my wagon and although they come with most senders they dont have one for the transmission/speedo.

I wondered if this dakota one might do the trick. Im looking to onvert a mechanical rotation (from a th350 trans) into a hall effect doohickey (basically magic happens and what was a spinny roundy thing gets turned into electrikery).

The gauge I like the look of can be recalibrated when ever I change tyre size so I dont have to muck around with changing speedo drives, etc.

http://www.dakotadigital.com/PDF/SEN-01-1.PDF

Anyone used dakota gear or suggest something similar?

Cheers.

[rokhound]

There was a thread on here not too long ago about speed sensors. That thread had a link to GPS speedo's, not sure how legal they are though.

[mercutio]

http://www.speedhut.com/gauges/GPS-Speedometers-Metric-Gauges-Only/1:3%7C38:2%7C39:1

you can get them with lots of size and idiot light options

[Heath]

Looking for hints on how to raise the front guards up a little (so I can drop the whole body/front down lower and still have some clearance.

Might widen them a touch, so it will match the wider rear end.

Anyone got pics of the front guard lift? I have seen it somewhere but cant find anything online.

Cheers,

Heath

[Heath]

Decided to get a bit busy and drop the engine onto the chassis (so I could do some measuring for body position and sort out the transmission mount adapter I have to make).



New chevy locking tab mounts fitted to block, adapters fitted to chassis, lowered the donk into place and got one side all sorted move to other side and I cant get them to line up.



The sump/crossmember clearance isnt helping (its going to be close and was something I was aware of), but the engine mount adapter isnt even close. Trying to get hold of the guy who made them to sort it out, but still waiting for his call.


So now I have an engine sitting half assed in the chassis which is blocking up my garage and no cold beers to calm me down.

[Heath]

Found cold ginger beer (yeah I know not quite what I needed, but it was cold), so calmed down a little now.

I'll lift the engine up and take the adapters off, fit them to the engine first (fitted them to the chssis first time round) and then lower it all down (maybe the weight will help things).

Might get the mounts made 35-40mm further back and higher so I can do without the adapters when I get the chassis modified. This will allow me to use the std transmission crossmember. Of course if the cost is too high I will make do with my own bodgy trans crossmember.

Heath

[Heath]

It's in!!!!!

[mercutio]

pics or it didn't happen

[Heath]

Too much juice, blew a hole.



In its new home



Tricky bit (a bit rusty and thin)



A good bit of welding here all tidied up.



A not so good bit (will redo)



So there you go - it did happen.

[Dirtydog]

looking good

so how long till the bodys on the chassis?

[Heath]

I have got to get some folding stuff sorted so I can mod the chassis (and add the new body mounts), then its body time.

Well it will be when I fix all the rust...

[Dirtydog]

at least you have started, i have merely knocked out whats loose on the cab, but im thinking of going full fiberglass around a rollcage, wont be stock but hey, it will be cool.

your lucky the engine you have fits on the chassis without any modification, im pretty set on going for a vh41 on mine which is a mitsi chassis, shall be fun....

[Heath]

Farking rust and bog!!!

Seems like this rear cab/window portion is held together with rusty bog and dodgy repairs (silicone????).

Anyone got one they want to part with as I might just start again.

Around the door pillars and around the base is so full of rust it looks like swiss cheese. Not sure if I should keep going with this one. The more I try to fix it the worse it's getting. Cant keep laying welds on welds to build it up and to make it seem worse my welding is terrible. One second its great with nice welds then its spitting and blowing holes (I need an inbetween setting - although I am trying to increase my standoffs to do that). I'm spending more time grinding than welding and seem to be going backwards.

To make it worse this bit seemed in better nick than the cab section.

Ever feel you have bitten off more than you can chew?

[kiwipete]

Chin up old boy, keep pushing on.

[Heath]

When I get some more enthusiasm I'll grind off the excess and see what I have got. Might just make it a soft top with cage and have this as a hard top (non structural).

[coxsy]

My son went through that problem , had him change to a low voltage machine, he got on better but warpage was still a issue , it's a slow job to weld the thing up.
Best grab some 2mm plate slowly rebuild sections

[Heath]

Its about 1.2mm (where it isnt rusty - LOL).

I'll keep going with it for now, but might get it stripped (media blasted) so I can see what I am dealing with. I am a little hesitant at this stage because it may be totally buggered. Might just reskin the back for the hell of it if it is too bad, but for now I need to find a "tame stripper"

Anyone have an idea on costs for media blasting? And anyone in Chch?

[Heath]

Got some bling ages ago for the trans (old cover had a dent/split) and some extra bling to make a loop in the cooling line so I could run this engine up soon.



All fitted up. Must admit working on a low chassis isnt something I've missed. Doing things like this definately need to be on a hoist.



So I started to fill the trans back up (using the dip stick/filler pipe) when I noticed a steady stream of fluid running onto the plastic container below. The bloody pipe has a split in it from the tab welded onto it. So now I have to get a new one of those - such is life.

[Heath]

Bloody Photobucket is a pain. posting pics seems to get worse every time (took me 4 goes to get it working). Does anyone else have issues with it (the links seem to have grown too).

Never mind, you get what you pay for I guess.

[jonossiksilvia]

looks good mate, slowly but sure

Re: photobucket i dont have issues when i upload photos to photobucket app direct from phone. i then go on computer and make a post use normal link code and its done. no resizing etc. sample below.

[reddog40]

I found the best way to fix the rusty truck cab on buggered was a couple of totara battens held with square drives. FJ 45 the power of a 4 with the economy of an 8 and the comfort of piles

[Heath]

I had a bit of a play today.

Turned the engine over for a good minute without plugs to get oil moving, then threw a new set of plugs into it (dribbled some fuel into the bowl via the vent tube) and cranked it over.

Or at least tried to.

Just not enough juice getting to the starter and leads getting hot. I grabbed a second set of leads and doubled things up but still not enough cranking speed (seemed to struggle with compression points - turned over sweet with plugs out).

Admited my earths may have been a bit shitty but two of them shouldve been fine. Next step is to get an earth onto the starter maybe. Can I use the threaded post on the fwd part of the starter (not the solinoid) for an earth (I think this is used for a brace point)?

Perhaps the draw is too great for my leads and I will have to invest in a reasonable battery (and jump to that maybe).

I will whip the plugs back out and check the gaps (eyeballed them as I put em in - too excited) and maybe check the spark too. I may not have put enough juice in the carb either, but we'll see.

One step closer.

Sorry no vids (did record it, but no cackling so no vid).