Project Piggy Bank - 83 FJ60 Landcruiser

frankenyoter

frankenyoter

No Rain, No Rainbow
Joined
Mar 17, 2009
Location
DARK CITY
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I bought a wrecked 1983 Toyota Landcruiser FJ60 in the spring of 2010 for $500 thinking I could have a cheap rig to wheel. Having already built a dd 79 Toyota 4x4 truck, I figured I would have a good foundation to begin with. Stronger axles with a 6 cylinder and a classic rig to boot. Should be cheap and easy right? WRONG...

This is what I had when I picked it up. Previous owner brought it from California, brought it to WNC, winter hit.... and went left of center on some ice and totaled an F150.
 
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When I got it the previous owner said that it wouldn't start and wouldn't roll.

The entire drivers side was smashed from the A pillar to the behind the B pillar. Two hours (a couple of cut off wheels and sawzall blades) later I was doing burn outs in front of the house and got it stuck on my wood pile.

Next day I pulled it out and took a few pics...
 
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To save some old iron and make some coin I started to take all the good stuff off and sell. Anything from grab handles and doors to bumpers and glass went. Even sold the wheels and tires... and picked up some old 33 tsl
 
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The whole time I had a tag and rolled around town in this thing. Even drove to an open invite at the Flats and wheeled a bit. Not many picks. But I did have this one... buried. Still had no lockers...
 
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I wheel and few trail at the Flats that an open diff no cage having heap should not have tried. And made them... But it scared the :poop: out of me when I looked back. So I had a cage made of 1 3/4" HREW. UNBREAKABLE (Justin) did the work. He did a great job, but I think he hates Cruisers now.
 
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Put a Lock Rite in the front and welded the rear and wheeled it hard. Ended up nearly being stuck in the woods on a local trail (PRIVATE PROPERTY) and put a custom brass puck clutch in that a local shop builds for a few of us in the know. Really grabby to the point of no slip. It took me all weekend to get the tranny out and install the new clutch. This ain't no mini truck....

Took it out to test the clutch around 11 pm. Eased up on a bank with some logs on it and... Super grabby clutch made her jump and over I went. Nearly hitting my shed and another vehicle each by about 2-3 feet.
 
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Still hadn't broken anything. Went to Harlan and broke a birfield finally. Fixed it.

Then went to 36" tsl with more trimming. I never changed any of the suspension at all. It still has stock shocks and all. I did thrash a shackle so the rear has longer ones. Wheeled local trails and the Flats with relative success.
 
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One more trip to Harlan in the spring of 2011....

Broke front axles (birfields). Replaced them with stocker and broke again. Currently growing mold and rust waiting on the next step.

The plan from here is to do a spring over and shackle reversal in the yard. Remember this is project piggy bank so no roof and no concrete.

I know that I have a bit of an ugly duck in the wheeling community, but I like different stuff and an determined to see it through. I plan on eventually placing a relatively stock SBC in and running propane, using a mini truck 5 spd and dual cases.

I plan on using cheapo Mopar perches and Ruffstuff hangers at this point. On the fence with cutting and turning the knuckles. Will probably hold off on high steer for the time being due to lack of pennies in the bank.

With some good weather and cooperation from a new born I plan on having it on the trails in Harlan with Longfields by April 2012....

Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated.
 
Give me a shout man I'll help you wrench on the rig. I'll even bring the beer.
 
progress

About to install Longs over the holidays. Plan on flipping springs around to stretch wheelbase a little. Probably add a spring to two to the front and remove a spring or two in the rear.
 

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Nice build man! The paneling on that thing wasnt too bad, sucks to see it go but it looks great now! I love the one pic with the 50cc wheeler in the back haha
 
Don't know how I missed this build thread. I remember meeting you at the Flats probably the first time you took it there. I love this rig!

That thing sits perfect now. I wouldn't do a spring over. I think it will sit too high.
 
Its low and stable but i was looking at soa bringing frame clearance. One day some narrow steelies with 38s and 5.29s. Too bad no easy tcase low gears or doubler options.

Hope to have a few test runs with Longs and spring tweaking in before the Flats ride in January.
 
Good luck on the budget I have a full.built one and still sink money into it
 
Yep ain't cheap for sure. Low t-case gears for instance....:confused:... $2,000 wtf! Slowly saving money for 5.29s instead.

I got drivers side Long and hub gear installed yesterday. Doing the passenger tomorrow. GOODBYE FACTORY BIRFIELDS!!!

Hope to play with springs some, but I may leave it alone for now. I don't want to open a can of worms that I can't get the lid on quickly. I plan on using the Cruiser and my '53 military trailer to get some firewood in the next few days.
 

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Thanks for the pic Shaggy! I would have said hello if I knew you were there. I work in Candler. Its nice to put a face to a name.

I beat that thing pretty hard, its nice to have Longs! A few times I slid off a rock and slammed the front so hard it made me cringe. A few times I got out and checked for damage and all I had was rock dust everywhere! And for a stock belly skid, it has held up beyond expectations.

Not having any suspension lift has my driveshafts up out of the way!

I was in and out of the front end for a few weeks prior to the Flats ride. Forgot to fully tighten the drivers front wheel. Lug nuts backed off and ruined my rim and spacer:mad:.

Looks like I will be going back to stock cruiser steel rims. At least I will be able to air down more than with those 10" wide ones.
 
Progress and fund are slow. Front axle has been torn down and I can not find and reason for popping. Going to reassemble tomorrow. Have been moving toward some type of bed. Making it up as I go with anything that is sitting around shop. Saving $ for a gooseneck hitch. Gears one day...

Took be totally apart so I have no choice but to make something. Planning on seperating bed from drivee compartment and mounting a full size spare tire (36). Also want to hide/protect fuel cell and lines.

Hope to have framework in tomorrow.

Was goinf to post a pic but its too damn hard to find in all the pics on the phone. Another day...
 
Been a while since updating this thread. Got some photos of building the bed. The lines of the vehicle and the existing cage made for a slow design process. Step one was hacking up the crap I didn't need and taking a good look. This is what I came up with.
 
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Been a while. Got some progress pics of the bed. Cut off all the unwanted crap and then did a fair amount of head scratching to come up with a plan. I have never seen any ideas of what I was trying to accomplish so...
 
Was kinda slow going. Most work was done from about 8:30-10pm after I got my 8mth old daughter to bed and the kitchen cleaned up. Everyone with a heated shop, concrete slab, power, and decent lights has it made!
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