[SkimtheYotaHead]

Anyone swap a 40-45-55 body onto a 80 drivetrain/frame/suspension?

I have seen the Fj-55 Lance Williams built w/ 80 suspension, but how about swapping just the body?

Any pics?

What about pics of streched 40 body ?

 

[waggoner5]

Working on it. 45 pickup on an 80 chassis. I will post pics on a new thread when I get going on it enough to devote space. There will be allot of work making a 40,45,55 work on an 80 chassis. I will document everything I do, so if someone else is as nuts as I am, at least they will be able to circumvent my mistakes.

 

[SkimtheYotaHead]

Wagoneer5,

How far along are you? I have only gotten the idea and working through in my head right now.

What issues have you come up with? How are you going to address the additional frame width and axle width of the 80?

I am trying to guess what the additional axle width under the 40 body will look like?

I think alot of guys that go full width Chevy axles are as wide as an 80 axle.

 

[SkimtheYotaHead]

O and apparently, as I have been told, I am as nuts as you are to attempt this.

 

[waggoner5]

I have my 45 pick up dissasembled and the 80 was on its way but I have sold it. I have decided to find a little newer 95-97 80 with locks, for the cool factor. I have made quite a few measurements, and I can tell you that it will be a big job. I think I am going to cut all the body tabs off of the frame and start over. This way I can set the 45 tub down as low as possible. The widths are going to be an issue, but my plan will deal with that. I'll post more when I get farther.
G

 

[Box Rocket]

I put a lot of thought into this very project last year and even started drawing up plans and began the search for the parts I wanted. The width is an issue but widening the body of a 40/45 to fit didn't seem like it would be that tough, just a lot of work.

For me the biggest issue came in with stuff other than the body. Yeah the suspension/axles etc from the 80 would be killer under a 40/45 but what about the dash and climate controls? I wanted to keep the climate controls and the easiest way to me seemed to be to keep the 80 series dash intact and build the 40/45 around it. That seemed like a bigger deal to me.

I haven't been able to solidify a design that I'm totally comfortable with so it continues to reside in the far recesses of my mind and in scribbles on the backs of napkins etc until I can get it worked out in my mind and on paper.

If someone gets there before I do and makes it happen, thats bitchin! Document the hell out of it and please share with the rest of us.

 

[SkimtheYotaHead]

Hmm. using the 80 interior could be tough, I have seen that with a 45LV/ FZJ100 and man is that alot of work. Awesome combo- the coolest.

I am thinking of using all 40 interior, even 40 heat controls, no A/C for now.

The things I see that would have to be changed would be:
1. the body mounts on the 80 frame, lengthen the 40 body.
2. figure out the steering linkage to the 80 box, from the 40 column.
3. Brake booster could be mounted in the same configuration on the 40 firewall, using the 80 booster and M/C.
4. Wiring should not be that hard just mountingthe harness, well also removing all the un-needed power windows and stuff.

 

[SkimtheYotaHead]

I think my biggest concern/obstacle is the width of the frame and axles when a stock width 40 body is sitting on it. I dont want to widen the 40 body, keeping it skinny. But I can't figure out if the axles and frame will be to wide for the body and not work.

40s with 60 axles look great, and seem to work great also.

Anyone got pics of a 40 with 80 axles? or a 55 with 80 axles?

 

[theferg]

I can't think if I've ever seen a 40 with 80 series axles...except that sweet buggy. But anyway, here's a pic of a 60 with an 80 series rear axle assembly underneath it. Can't hardly tell if you ask me. I'm pretty sure an 80 series axle assembly is going to be about 5 or so inches total wider than 40 series axle assembly. Something near that anyway. But, if that's too wide for ya, you can make up some of that by running deeper backspaced wheels. The 80 series wheels would be sweet if you ask me...I've seen 'em on a 40 once and it was bad ass! So, in summing up, I wouldn't worry about 80 series axles being too wide for a 40 series... You could always have some one measure it and see for sure...

-Ferg-