Offroad-Express

Well the title is slightly misleading because the paint job is the thing im looking forward to doing, which will mean this project is near completed, however it has seemed to take a long time to get to that paint job so far!
It isnt a major project compared to alot on here, and i also wont be doing all the work myself but thought id stick up progress pics and info as it happens when i get a chance, as i enjoy looking at everyone elses projects, no matter what they are.
This was actually started a few months back after i managed to get hold of a couple of FJ's that i wanted, to do this project, its basically just combining the good bits from both vehicles together and giving it all a spruce up, on a budget, and it will be certed and legal, otherwise i wont use it enough.
So it will be a 'shiney' with some offroad capability, but nothing extreme, cant be bothered fixing this truck after every weekend in the mud.

Few more pics for you guys, hope everyone can see them because i know a few people have had trouble uploading them, and im a dummy when it comes to computer stuff!

pics working ...shes looking cool......

Cheers, the bad part about putting pics up on here is that CCS and Niblik know how long this build is taking me now.
In my defence its a very part time project these days

KROOZA wrote:Cheers, the bad part about putting pics up on here is that CCS and Niblik know how long this build is taking me now.
In my defence its a very part time project these days

Hasn't been that long has it? Good things take time and its coming along nicely.
Keep the pics coming we all love pics especially ones with 40s in them.
Keep up the good work.

More picys

Found a few more recent pics

Always good to see an old FJ getting some lovin, keep the pics coming.

Ooooh, V8, HEI Dizzy, me likely

KROOZA wrote:.. the bad part about putting pics up on here is that CCS and Niblik know how long this build is taking me now.

Think this quote is from the Bible: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" think you know what I mean (if you dont just check out the start and finish dates on their build threads - but definitely dont do this on mine...)

I DEMAND MORE 40 PIC's !!!!!

loving it fella... build dates dont matter. 40 builds are like a good cheese, can be costly, take a while, sometimes have holes in em, smell 'off' a lot, can leave an odd taste in ya mouth... wait, where was i goin with this?

oh yeah..

much woot guy!

Bit more done... in the photos i was setting up with the old original leaf springs but it will have O.M.E leaves in it when done.... decided rear axle needed to move back to fit large wheels in and give me a little more wheelbase, so reversed springs which then required the diff to be tipped back for driveshaft angle, so welded new perches on axle because old ones were sloooggged out bad anyway. Top shock mount tipped round to line up with bottom mounts now...

sweet fella.. have you had any thoughts about ubolt flippin her?

Tell me more, im just grabbing any good ideas that i come across.
What does that improve, clearance??

KROOZA wrote:Tell me more, im just grabbing any good ideas that i come across.
What does that improve, clearance??

It moves the u-bolt plate from under the spring to the top of the diff Giving more clearence under the springs, suprising how much of a difference it makes especially in the front.
Ill get a pic for you of my truck.

ClassicCruiserSpares wrote:

KROOZA wrote:Tell me more, im just grabbing any good ideas that i come across.
What does that improve, clearance??

It moves the u-bolt plate from under the spring to the top of the diff Giving more clearence under the springs, suprising how much of a difference it makes especially in the front.
Ill get a pic for you of my truck.

^^^exactly what he said... ya ever driven through some muddy rut area and been held up, then looked at whats done it? when in my stock styled fawdy, it was the big arsed ground anchor ubolt plates.. mint mod and easy to do while ya there...

sorta like this, but jase will chuck better pics up...

Sorry to thread jack but keen to know more about the u bolt flip, factory u bolts or custom? original plates or modded? and the shock mount???

I can see how it would drag less when dropped in a rut, the u-bolts look custom? and the base plate (on top) would need a groove in it for the axle to rest in? and shorter shocks im guessing.
Your spring reversal idea has worked well Jason, its moved the rear axle back nicely to give more body clearance at front of wheel arch for large wheels.

mayday wrote:Sorry to thread jack but keen to know more about the u bolt flip, factory u bolts or custom? original plates or modded? and the shock mount???

The u-bolts are custom and are square not round, factory plates even in the rear and shock mounts stay the same.

Heres some pics of mine:










I run custom spring packs which are quite flat so never had any problems with the u-bolts slipping, But if you run lifted springs the U-bolts will slip and the diff will move. So made these up to sit under the springs to locate the u-bolts to the spring and stops them moving.






Hope this helps.
P.S Good to the hear moving the axle back has helped things.

Just out of interest Jason, did you make your own wedges up that are sitting under the springs in that photo?

Yes, I got two bits of plate lazer cut to size that were the thickness i needed the had them milled down to a wedge.
But you can buy standard thickness wedges pretty cheap.

Cool, i think i need to maybe just tip my rear axle back a tiny bit more, the OME springs really have a sharp curve in them where they are set.

Have a measure what size wedges you think you may need because i have some spares ones lying around here.

Ok thanks, bit dark outside now ill have a look tomorow cheers.
May need to pm you on some more info regarding the rear handbrake set up to, its one thing i havent really looked at yet but will need done somehow.

Anybody got an opinion on how much driveshaft coupling movement is needed, i guess im meaning on the flat with no flex?
I have to get the shaft for the rear shortened up but i also think the front shaft may be to limited how it sits now, couple of photos anyway.

Ok another question for you 40 series experts, what type of seat is certifiable to fit in the back of them?
The original fold down ones or an after market bench type 2 seater with lap belt acceptable?
I await the knowledge

if you could cycle the suspension it would clarify the spline mesh questions, but i'd put the driveshaft spline at about a third showing bud...

as for the seat thing.. anythings able to be certified but the original side facing beasties should bolt back into the original position and as long as there was some in there to begin with, no need for a cert..

Thanks for the advice Niblik, i think i want to go with some seats that fit in between the wheel wells to fit on child seat if needed
I did find some old posts on here about this but not really any photos and whether it worked or not.
Also the certifier said something about them needing to be riveted through now instead of bolts? you heard about that?

KROOZA wrote:Also the certifier said something about them needing to be riveted through now instead of bolts? you heard about that?

this is an attractive option, albeit costly from ccot.. could emulate it for cheap?
http://coolfj40.stores.yahoo.net/seatrearbench.html

as for legalities, i dont need cert so have no idea sorry dude..

Yeah those seats look cool as Niblik, didnt get round to searching for a price.
Been to busy to do much over last week or two, wife gave birth to our first child, a little son( co-driver).
Thought id chuck up some more photos of slow progress anyway.
Happy New Year everyone.

Congrats mate! On both progress and the son