Baja FJ45 (Buildup thread)

[RustyNailJustin]

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.
Here are some pictures of the 45 and the Taco.

[RustyNailJustin]

Keeping it all Toyota!
Taco 5VZFE
Taco 5speed
Taco Tcase
Taco Rearend
FJ60 Hybrid Rearend/to make a driver side drop front end
FJ60 Steering box

[RustyNailJustin]

Front end I am building. I got a bunch of Cruiser axles so why not give it a try

[kling-on]

Originally Posted by RustyNailJustin

FJ60 Hybrid Rearend/to make a driver side drop front end

WOW that sounds cool but I cant se your pics waiting for more update cant wait to see her runnin

[RustyNailJustin]

I am going try and use the Taco gas tank and entire pump/sending unit.

[dog walker]

This should be good!

[J-Bone]

I'm thinking the Baja locals will dig it. Just don't open the hood.

[cruiseroutfit]

Very cool

Have you seen the 5VZFE powered seafoam green FJ45SWB that resides somewhere in western CO? Belongs to John Smetna (sp?). Saw it here in SLC a year or so ago... seemed to scoot around nicely. I wanna say it had the Taco 5spd mated to a 38mm TC to avoid the driver drop issue? Mabey using a Marlin adapter?

[RustyNailJustin]

Originally Posted by cruiseroutfit

Very cool

Have you seen the 5VZFE powered seafoam green FJ45SWB that resides somewhere in western CO? Belongs to John Smetna (sp?). Saw it here in SLC a year or so ago... seemed to scoot around nicely. I wanna say it had the Taco 5spd mated to a 38mm TC to avoid the driver drop issue? Mabey using a Marlin adapter?

Yep thats Johns. Cool ass rig, dumb ass dude! He lives out in Whitewater (South of Grand Junction) about 30 miles
I am not sure what Tranny it has and I am not going to ask him
That guy, Dam don't get me going...
I know you can use a 3.0 bellhousing and use Truck Tranny and Tcase, which I do have except the Bell housing. But what the hell be different and have a driver drop Toyota solid front. I really dont think its going to be that big of a deal. Lop a couple ends off a rear end weld up some knuckles. Granted I have not really done any serious measuring to see if this is actually going to work but in theory...

[RustyNailJustin]

Originally Posted by dog walker

This should be good!

You know it metal head

[Blue-Beard]

Originally Posted by RustyNailJustin

Yep thats Johns. Cool ass rig, dumb ass dude! He lives out in Whitewater (South of Grand Junction) about 30 miles
I am not sure what Tranny it has and I am not going to ask him
That guy, Dam don't get me going...
I know you can use a 3.0 bellhousing and use Truck Tranny and Tcase, which I do have except the Bell housing. But what the hell be different and have a driver drop Toyota solid front. I really dont think its going to be that big of a deal. Lop a couple ends off a rear end weld up some knuckles. Granted I have not really done any serious measuring to see if this is actually going to work but in theory...

If you end up wanting to go passenger drop you can use your tacoma tranny. All you need is a Marlin v6 tranny adapter and an older toyota pickup tcase(gear driven) or 2 if you wanna go dual case. They will bolt right up to the adapter off the stock taco tranny.
This is a sweet project!

[cruiseroutfit]

Originally Posted by RustyNailJustin

Yep thats Johns. Cool ass rig, dumb ass dude! He lives out in Whitewater (South of Grand Junction) about 30 miles
I am not sure what Tranny it has and I am not going to ask him
That guy, Dam don't get me going...

I hear ya, I think we've actually had this conversation before

Originally Posted by RustyNailJustin

I know you can use a 3.0 bellhousing and use Truck Tranny and Tcase, which I do have except the Bell housing. But what the hell be different and have a driver drop Toyota solid front. I really dont think its going to be that big of a deal. Lop a couple ends off a rear end weld up some knuckles. Granted I have not really done any serious measuring to see if this is actually going to work but in theory...

I like it! We did a cut/turn/flip for a local customer, and supplied the axle on another similar build (FJ60/flip under a Tacoma). Worked out just as planned I've never done the FJ60 rear axle option, but it would work just the same I suppose. In fact, you could likely make it a tad wider using 80 Series inner axles (or custom)

[RustyNailJustin]

Originally Posted by Blue-Beard

If you end up wanting to go passenger drop you can use your tacoma tranny. All you need is a Marlin v6 tranny adapter and an older toyota pickup tcase(gear driven) or 2 if you wanna go dual case. They will bolt right up to the adapter off the stock taco tranny.
This is a sweet project!

I was wondering if Marlin made somthing like that. I am going to go see how much $ Cause I already have a 85ish Tcase just hanging out in my shop. Thanks!

[RustyNailJustin]

[QUOTE=cruiseroutfit;7752391] I hear ya, I think we've actually had this conversation before


I remember He has to be the biggest lier, this side of the Mississippi. Plus that jack ass owes me money Rant over I promis

[dog walker]

Dude, you're not done with this thing yet??? Hurry up!

[jtaco1]

Originally Posted by RustyNailJustin

I was wondering if Marlin made somthing like that. I am going to go see how much $ Cause I already have a 85ish Tcase just hanging out in my shop. Thanks!

As long as your t-case is a topshift case, you would just need the front adapter plate, it runs $350 http://www.marlincrawler.com/htm/tra...e/taco_box.htm
at the bottom of the page. Piece of cake and you get passenger drop if you like.

Or pickup the MC09 and then use the Tacoma t-case behind the 85 case and run drivers drop and dual cases.

[RustyNailJustin]

Originally Posted by dog walker

Dude, you're not done with this thing yet??? Hurry up!

Done, shoot I am just getting started! It took a while to round up parts, and get a plan together. Don't worry it will be worth the wate.

[RustyNailJustin]

Originally Posted by RustyNailJustin

Done, shoot I am just getting started! It took a while to round up parts, and get a plan together. Don't worry it will be worth the wate.

Originally Posted by jtaco1

As long as your t-case is a topshift case, you would just need the front adapter plate, it runs $350 http://www.marlincrawler.com/htm/tra...e/taco_box.htm
at the bottom of the page. Piece of cake and you get passenger drop if you like.

Or pickup the MC09 and then use the Tacoma t-case behind the 85 case and run drivers drop and dual cases.

Yep top shift. Looks like a call to MC is in order.

[PJohnson]

Originally Posted by RustyNailJustin

<snip>
Lop a couple ends off a rear end weld up some knuckles. Granted I have not really done any serious measuring to see if this is actually going to work but in theory...

How do you keep the gears running on the drive side when you put it on the front?

Do you flip the housing over or ??

Or do you care?

Phil

[jtaco1]

Originally Posted by PJohnson

How do you keep the gears running on the drive side when you put it on the front?

Do you flip the housing over or ??

Or do you care?

Phil

Just flip the housing, not the diff, you have to tap new holes, but most of the studs line up.

[PJohnson]

Originally Posted by jtaco1

Just flip the housing, not the diff, you have to tap new holes, but most of the studs line up.

But doesn't the front driveshaft turn the diff backwards?

[still confused]

Phil

[LCOwner]

Just imagin steering knuckles on the ends of the FJ60 housing in post #3

[jtaco1]

Originally Posted by PJohnson

But doesn't the front driveshaft turn the diff backwards?

[still confused]

Phil

Nope, you are just moving the diff over to the drivers side, the gear still spin as they would before. Drivers or Passenger side drop will turn the driveshaft the same direction, no problems. Looked at doing this when I was going to SAS my Tacoma. Here is how you would do it with a front axle /forum/toyota-tacoma/641768-flipped-toy-front.html

[PJohnson]

Originally Posted by jtaco1

Nope, you are just moving the diff over to the drivers side, the gear still spin as they would before. Drivers or Passenger side drop will turn the driveshaft the same direction, no problems. Looked at doing this when I was going to SAS my Tacoma. Here is how you would do it with a front axle http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=641768

I got that part. However, when you are putting a rear in the front, the diff is spinning the opposite driection to make the wheels go forward, and that means the gears are running on the 'coast' side rather than the 'drive' side.

At least, that's how I understand it.

Phil

[cruiserbrett]

That thing is going to be awesome! Are you going to deal with the short cab, or extend it a bit? How far back is the shifter going to be? Seems like it will be far back, even though you can put the engine a bunch further forward?

As for phils question:
the front diff of any fj40/45/55/60/62 all run by driving what would be the coast side of a rear diff. that is how its been for years... since the driveshafts turn the same direction, the position of the diff in the front puts the ring gear on the opposite side of the pinion, giving the correct carrier rotation...