bahndo
Supporting Sponsor: Bahn Camper Works
Hey guys-
Been lurking over here for a few months but spend most of my time on MUD. I started a build thread over there a while ago that has pretty much died out as things changed in my life/the goal of the project/etc. I have always planned on having this be a true camping/kayaking/surfing rig that still could handle trails to the put-in, trailhead, etc. I have always been a big diesel fan and have made a few batches of bio and installed/modified SVO systems so naturally the base for this project was a diesel engine. Originally I started with a cummins 6bt but after discovering way too much rust in my '84 fj60 I sold the motor and went back to the drawing board. I managed to buy another '84 that was/is relatively rust free (a rare find on the east coast) and bought a bread truck off of dovebid for $1200. School kicked up and everything sat for a long time. Last December I graduated with a BS in ME and thought I would have some time to finish my truck. I had decided to apply to dental school so it would turn out that the truck would have to wait a little longer. After various attempts to sell the project and its parts I found myself a few months older with a little bit of time here and there so I decided to get it rolling again.
So here are some spec's:
-1984 FJ60 (poo bear)
-1992 cummins 4bt
-Brand new h55 5 spd
-Full float toyota rear axle
-Hydroboost brake booster-->GM mater-->toyota lines
-Marlin Crawler hy-steer
-rebuilt split case
-Volvo intercooler
And what is planned:
-New HG on 4bt, clean and paint
-adjust driveshafts
-AC mounting bracket for Toyota AC compressor
-custom 3" SS exhaust
-tall (+35") skinny (<12") tires,
-desert tan paint
-homebrew poptop camper (similar to what is seen on the innovation campers.
The game plane is to do the motor work and clean up the engine bay, frame under carriage, and paint. Then run the engine on a stand to make sure it all honky dory. Install and get the rig to go, stop, and turn under its own power. At this point I should be finished with the poptop design and can focus on that. The build will continue to be slow because I am working 4 days a week and a lot of weekends this fall are taken up with wedding and such. The up side is come January I am unemployed and should (fingers crossed) be able to commit a lot more time towards the completion.
So, in my readings on this site and others and re-evaluating the purpose of this rig I am faced with another change in plans.... To go SOA or not. I already have cut and turned an axle and welded the perches on for a SOA conversion but I have another stock (disk to disk) axle hanging around. I know that the SOA is recommended for oil pan clearance (or at least 4" of lift is "required"), but *if* I modify the oil pan to give enough clearance should I stay sprung under and go with a mild lift (1-2")? I am not sure if this is possible b/c I haven't looked at is closely but if so what's y'alls opinions? Also if I go sprung under I would be trimming the fenders to fit the tires.
As for the poptop.... I have 3 ideas in mind:
1)make a lid to fit the roof of the 60 and cut an access hole in the rear of the roof.
2)Cut the back off the body behind the rear doors and build a rear camper section similar to those done by innovation
3)cut the back off the 60, move the rear axle back a little, build a flatbed and build a removable camper/poptop.
These are very much just preliminary ideas but worth throwing out there for advice/ridicule.
To top it all off the goal is to have something that the little lady and I (and a couple of dogs) can head west in this spring for some skiing/boating/surfing for a moth of two or three before I have to hit the books again.
These sites are a great resource and I wouldn't even know where to begin with out them!
Been lurking over here for a few months but spend most of my time on MUD. I started a build thread over there a while ago that has pretty much died out as things changed in my life/the goal of the project/etc. I have always planned on having this be a true camping/kayaking/surfing rig that still could handle trails to the put-in, trailhead, etc. I have always been a big diesel fan and have made a few batches of bio and installed/modified SVO systems so naturally the base for this project was a diesel engine. Originally I started with a cummins 6bt but after discovering way too much rust in my '84 fj60 I sold the motor and went back to the drawing board. I managed to buy another '84 that was/is relatively rust free (a rare find on the east coast) and bought a bread truck off of dovebid for $1200. School kicked up and everything sat for a long time. Last December I graduated with a BS in ME and thought I would have some time to finish my truck. I had decided to apply to dental school so it would turn out that the truck would have to wait a little longer. After various attempts to sell the project and its parts I found myself a few months older with a little bit of time here and there so I decided to get it rolling again.
So here are some spec's:
-1984 FJ60 (poo bear)
-1992 cummins 4bt
-Brand new h55 5 spd
-Full float toyota rear axle
-Hydroboost brake booster-->GM mater-->toyota lines
-Marlin Crawler hy-steer
-rebuilt split case
-Volvo intercooler
And what is planned:
-New HG on 4bt, clean and paint
-adjust driveshafts
-AC mounting bracket for Toyota AC compressor
-custom 3" SS exhaust
-tall (+35") skinny (<12") tires,
-desert tan paint
-homebrew poptop camper (similar to what is seen on the innovation campers.
The game plane is to do the motor work and clean up the engine bay, frame under carriage, and paint. Then run the engine on a stand to make sure it all honky dory. Install and get the rig to go, stop, and turn under its own power. At this point I should be finished with the poptop design and can focus on that. The build will continue to be slow because I am working 4 days a week and a lot of weekends this fall are taken up with wedding and such. The up side is come January I am unemployed and should (fingers crossed) be able to commit a lot more time towards the completion.
So, in my readings on this site and others and re-evaluating the purpose of this rig I am faced with another change in plans.... To go SOA or not. I already have cut and turned an axle and welded the perches on for a SOA conversion but I have another stock (disk to disk) axle hanging around. I know that the SOA is recommended for oil pan clearance (or at least 4" of lift is "required"), but *if* I modify the oil pan to give enough clearance should I stay sprung under and go with a mild lift (1-2")? I am not sure if this is possible b/c I haven't looked at is closely but if so what's y'alls opinions? Also if I go sprung under I would be trimming the fenders to fit the tires.
As for the poptop.... I have 3 ideas in mind:
1)make a lid to fit the roof of the 60 and cut an access hole in the rear of the roof.
2)Cut the back off the body behind the rear doors and build a rear camper section similar to those done by innovation
3)cut the back off the 60, move the rear axle back a little, build a flatbed and build a removable camper/poptop.
These are very much just preliminary ideas but worth throwing out there for advice/ridicule.
To top it all off the goal is to have something that the little lady and I (and a couple of dogs) can head west in this spring for some skiing/boating/surfing for a moth of two or three before I have to hit the books again.
These sites are a great resource and I wouldn't even know where to begin with out them!
