Insanity inside - you have been warned.

[jim65wagon]

The Rhino lining will be worth every penny. After the amount of stuff thats been loaded and dumped into my trucks bed my Rhino lining has help up great other than it's getting a little faded. Deer blood darkens it right back up though. Have you thought about having the rockers lined also. I had that done to my truck (color matched) and I've been real happy with it. You don't even hear the rocks flinging off the rockers.

Oh, you got to keep those mags, the cool factor would drop significially if you put newer style rims on.

X2 on the lining. Any kind of blood works wonders for the color, deer, turkey, woodchuck, etc... I've cut mine in a few places with a shovel but the wounds heal right up with some silicone...

Also another plug for the mags, (Mickey Thompson ETs?) they gotta stay on....the style fits the truck perfectly. :rockon:

 

[BKCowGod]

thanks guys -

Mayne - two sets is enough for me, methinks. Remind me what you had, though.

re: rhino lining - the paint is completely original lacquer. I refuse to cover it up, and I dread the day I have to do a repaint. So for now I will just take care of it as well as possible. It is amazing how well it polishes up - I will photo the hood to compare. The bed is pretty much destroyed, so it will get rolled with rust inhibiting primer and then rhino'd...

re: wheels - can't find a brand name, but got 'em for $100. They ain't going nowhere!

 

[ChuckB]

remember, it's a '72. There are NO inspections or requirements for this vehicle ever again. I can run it off dead baby seals and the hopes and dreams of ralph nader, and they can do nothing.

I'm glad to see we are the same page here.

I'm moving back to Kali later this year and have some ideas for my piggy!!
Good luck, I'm interested to see which engine you choose.

 

[Mayne]

thanks guys -

Mayne - two sets is enough for me, methinks. Remind me what you had, though.

re: rhino lining - the paint is completely original lacquer. I refuse to cover it up, and I dread the day I have to do a repaint. So for now I will just take care of it as well as possible. It is amazing how well it polishes up - I will photo the hood to compare. The bed is pretty much destroyed, so it will get rolled with rust inhibiting primer and then rhino'd...

re: wheels - can't find a brand name, but got 'em for $100. They ain't going nowhere!

I have some old enkie solids that where an import in 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern...

 

[1leg]

I suggest an complete 80s-90s Turbo 12 valve Dodge 3/4 ton 4x4 drive train. I would also suggest the Manual trans over the auto. You could even do a body switch. I know a guy that did it on a 72 chevy truck. Runs great. 20+ MPG, Part everywhere.

 

[ntsqd]

In the CTD's it is my understanding that the '96 model year is the best of the 12V's. The good pump and a reasonable, though not the best (wastegated?) turbo.

 

[BKCowGod]

I was considering the body swap thing, but as far as I understand the J-trucks are narrower than the other full size ones. I need to take some measurements at some point...

 

[ntsqd]

Ackerson's "Standard Catalog of 4X4's, 1945-1993" lists the '72 J20(00)'s with a track width of 63.5"F/63.8"R; 7' bed is 120" WB, 8' bed is 132" WB

'93 Dodge (latest covered, leaf sprung front, 70's-80's cab style) is 65.7"F/63.4"R with either a 115" WB or a 131" WB

I've found errors or discrepancies in the book in the past, so use these numbers only as a general guide.
Title is a bit pretentious as it only covers U.S. spec U.S mfg'd vehicles, but even that task must have been a HUGE undertaking.

 

[BKCowGod]

thanks for that... maybe it is more doable than I thought.....

Wonder how hard it is to find a shortbed diesel ram 250 with a stick and a great engine but a crap body...

time to browse ebay and craigs, methinks!

 

[MoGas]

How is this coming?

 

[BKCowGod]

Absolutely nothing I do to it seems to be capable of killing the damn 360. I haven't changed or filled the oil in months, I knocked a wheel off, I floor it and redline it regularly. IT JUST WON'T DIE!

The gas engine gets about 15mpg now, so replacing a working engine that gets acceptable mileage seems like such a waste just to pay more and pollute more.

The project is still in the works, but I am focusing on the non-engine swap portion.

* Recaro seats from a Porsche sitting in my garage waiting to go in, along with some Schroth Rallye harnesses...
* 80 yards of sound/heat deadening about to go under the new carpet, door panels, and headliner.
* Asus eeeeeeePeeeeCeeee or something gonna go in the center console

and a bunch more.

 

[BigTaco]

15 mpg isn't bad at all. That's only 1.5 mpg less than my 06 tacoma gets with everyday city driving.:smiley_drive:

 

[BKCowGod]

And mine has the added benefit of sounding like it is being powered by the ground up remains of Cerebus... Seriously, it is guaranteed to set off at least one car alarm per day, and you can actually feel each individual cylinder firing. I love it!

To expand, the current plan:

INTERIOR:
* bucket seats (porsche) with center console. CB, PC (Topo/GPS/MP3's/Wireless) mounted in console.
* New carpet with a layer of sound deadening.
* New door panels with elemental designs speakers & tweeters, more sound deadening.
* Gun rack for M91 and 10/22.
* Sony CD stereo running to Denon amplifier.
* Oil press, temp, battery, switchable fuel gauges (VDO).
* New headliner, also sound deadened...

EXTERIOR:
* Existing bumper with Hella 4000 driving lights, H4 upgraded headlights, Smittybilt winch, Firestik CB antenna.
* Custom made aluminum camper shell, fully insulated with one windoor, no tint, second set of backup lights built into the rear...

UNDER HOOD:
* slightly quieter exhaust.
* second gas tank for a total of 30gal (+2 jerry cans).
* functioning defrost, heater, air conditioning.

A lot of this is stuff I have sitting around, so I don't expect it to cost more than about $2000. When I am done with everything on this list, I will still be under the $5k mark for this truck

 

[fisher205]

You will want to look at insulating the back wall of the cab also. Especially after the bucket seats are in. My '74 J10 would have frost on the back wall. I realize you don't have the extreme cold there, but should help with the AC. Second thought w/ all the glass in that cab it's just sjort of a Pacer for being a green house. My J10 is the one vehicle I wish I had never sold.

 

[BKCowGod]

forgot to mention the back wall, but it is getting it too. Also, all the windows are getting a UV-only tint...

there is a beautiful green J10 on craigs for $5k right now. Kinda tempting, but I prefer orange unk03: