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Baja FJ45 (Buildup thread)

240K views 593 replies 126 participants last post by  troy scott 
#1 ·
Finally starting the Baja 45 project! Little background. After years of looking for the right one I bought a 63 FJ45 SWB from a guy in Sacramento. I had big ideas from the get go but I was not sure what way to take this little truck. I knew what I was going to be using the rig for and that it had to be very dependable, store a fair amount of gear and be fun to drive. My original thought was 5.3 Chevy, 4L60E, Atlas. To be honest I have done a fair amount of fuel injected conversions and wanted a new challenge. Why not keep it Toyota? Not a week after this revelation a buddy of mine wrecked his 98 Taco with a 3.4 and a stick. I took this as a sign and bought the truck from the insurance a couple days later.
This truck will be taking my Girlfriend (Kelly) and I on many camping trips, and the trip it is really being built for, spending at least a month at a time on the Baja. Plus She loves Toyotas and would love to have something fun to drive in the summer.:D
Here are some pictures of the 45 and the Taco.
 

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#52 ·
This build is still in progress. I have been wheeling a bunch latley and working on the 40, it has been steeling all my time and money.
I set the motor in yesterday to see if my measurments were correct. There is a lot of room to play with. Here is where I am planing on putting it. Room for the exhust cross over in back and still can run the fan.
 

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#53 ·
Holes for the shifters line up pretty dam good I would say and there is 2.5 inches of clearence for the hood and the intake. Motor sits really low in the frame. Comes close to the front diff maby 2 inces. A SOA was planed anyways that should solve that issue.
 

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#59 ·
It has been real slow due to my winter wheeling season and pumping all my extra$ in to KOH that its just been sitting. I have also been remodeling my house so time and money have been a bitch.
Standby for updates soon because both of those projects are done for now.

Justin
 
#60 ·
Ok. Finally I am able to devote my free time and $$$ into this project. Have been putting this thing on the back burner for KOH, House remod, and buying and planing the STX Buggy. I sold the STX buggy because 3 projects cars and building a house is to much for a guy who works as much as I do, wheels, ect, ect...
So Chassis is off at the sand blaster, but I have the motormounts all built, tranny mount done, rearend done. When it comes back from the blaster I will finish up the FJ60 box and the front axle. Best of all post up some updated pics! Finally moving forward! So far so good on my Toyota parts only too :D
 
#63 ·
For motor mounts I am using the stock Tacoma from the motor to the bushing then I made these brackets to bolt it to the frame, clean, simple.
 

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#64 ·
After much debate and all that I am sticking with the Taco tranny and Tcase. This is not a rock crawler it's exactly what the title says it is.
I started with a FJ60 front axle, cut all the junk off and the front diff cover. My plan is to flip it, notch the housing so the ring gear fits, turn the knuckles 180*, build a diff cover. Seems pretty straight forward. The biggest bitch was getting that stupid cover off :)
 

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#65 · (Edited)
This week I should have the springs back under it and get to building the diffs and spending some time making the front axle work. I also need to get some steering arms and get the FJ60 box mounted.

On a seperate note. You can only find a windshield gasket for post 64 but 58-63 is discontinued? Can you just modify a 64?
 
#86 ·
On a seperate note. You can only find a windshield gasket for post 64 but 58-63 is discontinued? Can you just modify a 64?
The short answer is yes. the 58-64 gasket is the same, as well as 65s that have the vent that opens in the bottom of the w/s frame.

I cut down the 66 and newer w/s and used it on my 65swb with the vent, so I know for a fact it works.

Cheers

Mark A.
 
#66 · (Edited)
Thats right two updates in two days. Tonight after work I started back in to the front axle. I put a 3rd member up against the housing so I could clearance the housing. Used the plasma for the rough cut then a flap wheel to smooth it all out. All the studs line back up I just have to move the longer ones to different holes. Now that is done all that is left is flipping the knuckles and building a diff cover.
 

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#72 ·
i forgot about this thing but this build has one of my favorite planned endings. id love to be able to build something like this.

do you have any of the bodywork done? or are you just concentrating on the chassis stuff for now?

wes
 
#73 ·
Body is going to the sandblaster as soon as the weather is a little more stable. Thunderstorms every afternoon. The bed is pretty much ready to go, the cab needs some holes filled and the firewall has a rip in it. Pretty straight and no rust.
 
#83 ·
I do whatever it takes to get you back posting on here:grinpimp:

On a serious note, it just seems overdone now. How many cut 40s are calling them selves 45's and how many stretched 45's are mistaken as modified 40's?
Just one mans take on the 45 scene:blender:
 
#93 ·
Fire Season finally kicked in last week! We have been hopping fire to fire for about a week now.
Last night I was able to come off shift early enough to catch the fireworks with Kelly from the roof of the shop. We live on a pretty steep hill with lots of brush, trees and grass. Of course everyone around us is setting off their fire works and the knuckle head on top of the hill has some big mortar things. Sure enough he starts a big fire right in someones backyard. From the top of the shop flames licking up 50' into the air. The FD got there before it spread to much but it dam near got into their neighbors house:homer: what a dumbass!

Any hoot I got today off and spend a little time on the 45. Got a diff cover all fabed up, cut and spun the knuckles 180*
 

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#94 · (Edited)
I set the housing on stands, set the pinion angle where I think I want it? Bout 9* and then tacked a piece of plate to the axle and the bench. Fired up the torch and we spun them 174.5* giving me 5.5* of caster.
 

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