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Once again, back to the exhaust. Building these trucks is a circular affair, with attention going where it makes sense at any given time. So if it seems like these project jump around, they do. Ask our friend Brennan Metcalf about his LX45 project and he'll tell you the same thing. Mock it...

Yep, the oil pan hit, but I figured I'd modify it and see how it works. Instead of making one large patch and having to weld in the tight nooks of the pan interior, I decided that three individual patches would be the best way to plug this hole. I am by no means a master of TIG welding, but...

The original build plan included a steel oil pan from Pacific Fab, but the last one I used interfered with the flange on the front diff, so even though we purchased one for this job as well, I wanted to try a mock-up with the OEM GM LS3 pan. First, a mock-up with the axle was done to verify...

Cuts made, pipes redirected, they are staring to look like they are going to fit.

Back to the exhaust. Here's the OEM head pipe straight out of the box. Let's try to keep it as original as possible. The first thing to do was cut off the flanges and clean them up for use again.

More bellhousing pics. Idn't it a beauty?

Engine mock up resumed, time to start on the exhaust. For those of you who don't know, the GM E-ROD engine is an emissions compliant engine for any vehicle pre-OBDII. That's huge. But there is one area that scared the crap out of me: the fitment of the catalytic converters. I knew it was...

Other new parts are incredibly expensive. A new OEM brake booster (if even available) costs over $1500. A new power steering box is over $1800. Solution? Rebuild them instead. The brake booster is one commonly overlooked are of the brakes, and a larger booster helps the brake power, and not...

Some of our hardware was pretty beat, with rust and corrosion. Buying OEM Toyota parts is not always a cheap endeavor, especially when it comes to items like nuts and bolts. With some web searching, I came across a few different companies that sell OEM type hardware, but the company that offered...

I mentioned brake upgrades earlier. While the original type brakes are adequate, there aren't many ways in which they can be made better. You can install better rotors and pads, but the one major flaw in the design is that the rotors are held captive by the wheel hub. To replace the rotor means...

Our new drive was on order, so this was a good time to work on something else. Let's build an axle. 3.70 gears are as high as you can go in the LC 9.5 diffs, and I've used them in the past (Olive Oil build). Randy's is the only supplier for these gears. Axle housing all cleaned up and...

A LC9 truck accessory drive was purchased and installed for mock up. Then measurements were taken, the truck centerline was mapped out on the floor of the shop and adjustments were made to get it lined up. With the new accessory drive installed, we ran into our first problem. And it...

Time for mock-up in the truck. I've done a few of these swaps already, but everyone is slightly different. Auto trans vs manual, Gen III vs Gen IV engine. Car intake vs truck intake, headers, oil pan, etc. All these details make having one location for all the different engines almost...

It took some marriage counseling, but with renewed vows, and the body finally on the frame, engine mock-up ensued. The original 4 speed manual was ditched in favor of a 3000 mile old H55 5 speed trans. Using the original type manual trans requires an adapter. Marks 4wd in Australia makes...

If it were a flimsy platform, I would be nervous, but the FJ60 is so overly built to begin with that I really don't have any concerns. Swerving or hard braking in emergency conditions might pose a problem, but I think you guys are smart enough to know that it is a problem no matter what you're...

Thanks. The detailed documentation is multi-purpose. It allows everyone to see how a project like this is actually done, but it also acts as a calling card that I can refer to in the future, for my own needs and for potential clients to see. Have you ever seen Cannonball Run? I think that fast...

Lookin good!

Time to reunite the body and frame. First, the body mounts were cleaned and inspected, then a thin layer of white grease was applied before assembly. Getting the body lined up with the frame is helped by using a couple of plumb bobs.

We didn't want to risk a mis-match on the body color, so we employed an old race car trick. Grey under the hood is a classic color for many racing cars, as it allows for sponsorship and body color changes without having to repaint the engine bay (or in most cases the interior of a bare metal...

Careful disassembly and lots of pics, along with plenty of ziploc baggies marked with sharpie is time well spent. Do any of you remember what life was like before digital cameras? I take about 100 pics of the disassembly process. Pics of certain areas that may cause confusion later are part...