Lets see the Expo Cruisers!
- Thread starter Winky
- Start date
I'll share....
This cruiser has been a long time in the making. Started out with a pretty haggard 40 series, then upgraded to a too nice 40 series, followed by a 55 with a vortec/nv4500. Spent a month getting beat up in that thing down in Baja. Decided on the 19 hour drive home (straight through, just wanted to get outta the truck!) to get an 80 series. Bought a 93 (ended up with a green one. I hate green!) that I pretty much beat up, Baja, Rubicon, etc. Loved that truck, but the fuel mileage killed me. My wife and I, 2 dogs, gear for a month, surfboards stacked up on the roof, and I was getting 10-12mpg. I actually considered moving to another country for the cruisers.
I decided to go toyota diesel in my next truck, regardless of cost. I had previously put nearly $20K into my FJ55 vortec, and if I could build a truck that I would KEEP for more than 2 years, I'd be stoked.
Did a bunch of research and wound up going with a Proffitt's 4BTA conversion. Bought my current truck (white, yay!) off of ebay for $5K. Sold my other 80.
I live in Oakland, CA and on the drive out to his shop in western Colorado (with a buddy who was also dropping his 80 off for the same transplant) I averaged 13 mpg. That's at 75mph for loooooong stretches (we took US50). A year later, also at 75mph (and this time with the AC blowin) my mileage was 23mpg on the way home!
I currently run B100, although with this last cold spell (+/- 33*F in the SF bay area!) I switched to 50/50.
I just recently turned up the injection pump, and WOW what a difference! You'd have to bolt a supercharger onto a gasser to achieve this kinda performance boost. I also advanced the timing, which increased my mileage and dropped my EGTs. Best of all, it was free! Just a couple of twists of a few different screws, and now I might actually keep this thing for a long time....
I've only just begun to customize this thing, and I intend to keep this truck built for everything. By everything, I mean overlanding, Rubicon, Baja, daily driving, etc.
Specs-
-1994 80 series with a "recon" 4BTA from cummins (basically rebuilt at factory) 700r4 tranny, 60 series split case.
-Slee 4" lift
-35" cooper discoverer STT on stock rims.
-Slee shortbus front bumper
-Hanna sliders
-safari snorkel (which I needed on that last Rubicon trip!)
-custom dents and scratches
I've been lurking on a number of websites and am currently planning a drawer system, redo of my dual battery setup, purchasing an engel/arb fridge, purchasing a maggiolina RTT, mounting auxiliary lighting inside and out, adding a subtank, and just getting out there and exploring!
A couple of pics;
This cruiser has been a long time in the making. Started out with a pretty haggard 40 series, then upgraded to a too nice 40 series, followed by a 55 with a vortec/nv4500. Spent a month getting beat up in that thing down in Baja. Decided on the 19 hour drive home (straight through, just wanted to get outta the truck!) to get an 80 series. Bought a 93 (ended up with a green one. I hate green!) that I pretty much beat up, Baja, Rubicon, etc. Loved that truck, but the fuel mileage killed me. My wife and I, 2 dogs, gear for a month, surfboards stacked up on the roof, and I was getting 10-12mpg. I actually considered moving to another country for the cruisers.
I decided to go toyota diesel in my next truck, regardless of cost. I had previously put nearly $20K into my FJ55 vortec, and if I could build a truck that I would KEEP for more than 2 years, I'd be stoked.
Did a bunch of research and wound up going with a Proffitt's 4BTA conversion. Bought my current truck (white, yay!) off of ebay for $5K. Sold my other 80.
I live in Oakland, CA and on the drive out to his shop in western Colorado (with a buddy who was also dropping his 80 off for the same transplant) I averaged 13 mpg. That's at 75mph for loooooong stretches (we took US50). A year later, also at 75mph (and this time with the AC blowin) my mileage was 23mpg on the way home!
I currently run B100, although with this last cold spell (+/- 33*F in the SF bay area!) I switched to 50/50.
I just recently turned up the injection pump, and WOW what a difference! You'd have to bolt a supercharger onto a gasser to achieve this kinda performance boost. I also advanced the timing, which increased my mileage and dropped my EGTs. Best of all, it was free! Just a couple of twists of a few different screws, and now I might actually keep this thing for a long time....
I've only just begun to customize this thing, and I intend to keep this truck built for everything. By everything, I mean overlanding, Rubicon, Baja, daily driving, etc.
Specs-
-1994 80 series with a "recon" 4BTA from cummins (basically rebuilt at factory) 700r4 tranny, 60 series split case.
-Slee 4" lift
-35" cooper discoverer STT on stock rims.
-Slee shortbus front bumper
-Hanna sliders
-safari snorkel (which I needed on that last Rubicon trip!)
-custom dents and scratches
I've been lurking on a number of websites and am currently planning a drawer system, redo of my dual battery setup, purchasing an engel/arb fridge, purchasing a maggiolina RTT, mounting auxiliary lighting inside and out, adding a subtank, and just getting out there and exploring!
A couple of pics;
Attachments
Last edited:
Moody
Needs to get out more
Jacket said:
Well, we have 4 of us in the Moody Clan, The wife and I as well as a 4.5 y.o. and a 1.5 y.o. and we can fit in there comfortably. It is a large. If it were 4 adults, no way...but as long as they are still relatively little, we should be fine. I like to sleep under the stars, so as they do get older they will probably just be the 2 of them up there with momma.
4Rescue
Expedition Leader
Was this truck recently in the For Sale section??? Can't be THAT many Profitts 4BT Converted 80ser running around out there. As a diesel freak this is a really AWESOME truck (except for the GM tranny IMO) and I would love to see more info and pics of it.sethro said:
Cheers
Dave
Nope, different truck. When I first saw that other truck for sale, I thought someone was trying to sell mine right out from under me!
Here's a video from Rubicon in Nov.
http://picasaweb.google.com/b.sulli/Rubicon_11_2008?authkey=w6Ba-TR84Og#5267086602248609250
(BTW, that's not the water crossing that I needed the snorkel on)
Honestly, I'd say my only complaint is that it's LOUD. As in
LOUD! WHAT I CAN'T HEAR YOU, MY TRUCK IS RUNNING!
It's only bad at idle, ya know, like when you're warming your truck up at 7 in the morning? My neighbors just love me...
Here's a video from Rubicon in Nov.
http://picasaweb.google.com/b.sulli/Rubicon_11_2008?authkey=w6Ba-TR84Og#5267086602248609250
(BTW, that's not the water crossing that I needed the snorkel on)
Honestly, I'd say my only complaint is that it's LOUD. As in
LOUD! WHAT I CAN'T HEAR YOU, MY TRUCK IS RUNNING!
It's only bad at idle, ya know, like when you're warming your truck up at 7 in the morning? My neighbors just love me...
esh
Explorer
my junk
89 FJ62- 250k, OME HD, 33x10.5 BFG ATs, custom bullbar, 4x4Labs sliders and rear bumper/carrier, Warn 9.5XP, WagonGear tailgate storage, inside storage/cold weather sleeping platform, Hannibal rack/tent/awning, OEM rear sliding windows, 4runner calipers, FJ80 master, 80/100W H4, 100W Xenon H1s (all Hella), Wayne Tangen headlight harness, Itronix duo-touch tablet PC (XP Tablet edition, Natl Geo TOPO!, quads of all Western US states), Uniden Pro520XL CB, Yaesu VX-7R tri-band, Firestick antenna with FM/CB combiner thingamajobber, LED domes, Garmin GPS60csx, RAM mounts, various decent stereo stuff. prepping for 1HZ install.
1964 FJ40, mostly stock (awaiting drivetrain swaps from an '82 BJ42)
1966 FJ45lpb- 454 ('70 Chevelle SS 4-bolt, balanced, oval ports/big valves, 850cfm Q-jet, HEI, etc), SM465/NP205, spring-over, 37" MTRs, bobbed/flat bed(re-extending frame, installing stock bed, lowering to 35s), rear Dana 60 center/Toyota FF ends, front stock LC axle, 4w discs, Saginaw PS, Warn 8274, various custom bumper/protection, F/R ARB lockers, various Butch Built upgrades and Mudrak Improvements, AutoMeter gauges
1979 FJ40- 2F/SM420, 35" MTRs, 4+ front bumper, Saginaw PS, 4w discs, F/R ARBs, 4.56, Warn 8274, low spring-over (similar to hilux), con-fer aux tank, awaiting the FJ62's 3FE head
1981 BJ42- OME, rear ARB, 33" BFG MTs, Aqualu tub, soft top
1985 SR5 Xcab- OME, SFA, 22RE, mostly stock, 33x9.5 BFG ATs
89 FJ62- 250k, OME HD, 33x10.5 BFG ATs, custom bullbar, 4x4Labs sliders and rear bumper/carrier, Warn 9.5XP, WagonGear tailgate storage, inside storage/cold weather sleeping platform, Hannibal rack/tent/awning, OEM rear sliding windows, 4runner calipers, FJ80 master, 80/100W H4, 100W Xenon H1s (all Hella), Wayne Tangen headlight harness, Itronix duo-touch tablet PC (XP Tablet edition, Natl Geo TOPO!, quads of all Western US states), Uniden Pro520XL CB, Yaesu VX-7R tri-band, Firestick antenna with FM/CB combiner thingamajobber, LED domes, Garmin GPS60csx, RAM mounts, various decent stereo stuff. prepping for 1HZ install.
1964 FJ40, mostly stock (awaiting drivetrain swaps from an '82 BJ42)
1966 FJ45lpb- 454 ('70 Chevelle SS 4-bolt, balanced, oval ports/big valves, 850cfm Q-jet, HEI, etc), SM465/NP205, spring-over, 37" MTRs, bobbed/flat bed(re-extending frame, installing stock bed, lowering to 35s), rear Dana 60 center/Toyota FF ends, front stock LC axle, 4w discs, Saginaw PS, Warn 8274, various custom bumper/protection, F/R ARB lockers, various Butch Built upgrades and Mudrak Improvements, AutoMeter gauges
1979 FJ40- 2F/SM420, 35" MTRs, 4+ front bumper, Saginaw PS, 4w discs, F/R ARBs, 4.56, Warn 8274, low spring-over (similar to hilux), con-fer aux tank, awaiting the FJ62's 3FE head
1981 BJ42- OME, rear ARB, 33" BFG MTs, Aqualu tub, soft top
1985 SR5 Xcab- OME, SFA, 22RE, mostly stock, 33x9.5 BFG ATs
Last edited:
esh
Explorer
Sure, what do you want to see?
I actually built a page to help the builder sell it. I'd met him in college and while he had a few interesting takes on design, did a pretty good job. The guy that bought it and I are also friends, and when he decided to dump his trucks and parts I bought it with a few others.
The truck, unfortunately, was wheeled pretty heavily and has some dents. The original paint from '97/98 is fading into surface rust so I have to take it all down again and have a better paint job done. The bed is about a 95/100 as is the tailgate. Deciding whether to redo the truck in that same green or go with Toyota Nebula Green.
Original page, with some inaccurate bits due to updates (pic links are broken)-
http://130.94.161.162/fj45lwb.html
Pics are the ones that start with "66lwb...jpg" in my FJ45 repository-
http://130.94.161.162/images/LC/45series/
And a few others here-
http://130.94.161.162/images/LC/ken/
I actually built a page to help the builder sell it. I'd met him in college and while he had a few interesting takes on design, did a pretty good job. The guy that bought it and I are also friends, and when he decided to dump his trucks and parts I bought it with a few others.
The truck, unfortunately, was wheeled pretty heavily and has some dents. The original paint from '97/98 is fading into surface rust so I have to take it all down again and have a better paint job done. The bed is about a 95/100 as is the tailgate. Deciding whether to redo the truck in that same green or go with Toyota Nebula Green.
Original page, with some inaccurate bits due to updates (pic links are broken)-
http://130.94.161.162/fj45lwb.html
Pics are the ones that start with "66lwb...jpg" in my FJ45 repository-
http://130.94.161.162/images/LC/45series/
And a few others here-
http://130.94.161.162/images/LC/ken/
Box Rocket
Well-known member
My '93 near Dead Horse Point.
Forest Lake, Utah
And since Christo started the whole "should've kept this one" with the pic of the Vladvrak, this is my "should've kept this one" FJ40.
Forest Lake, Utah
And since Christo started the whole "should've kept this one" with the pic of the Vladvrak, this is my "should've kept this one" FJ40.
esh
Explorer
Ahh nothing like a little bokeh for a shot that belongs on the cover of Trails instead of in an EP thread. :sunflower
Is Wasatch doing any exped stuff around Moab this year? I was going to run around with Mudrak (they were going to do more camping runs) during CM this year, but my uncle is dragging me on a long run around the more remote stretches of the Grand Canyon area in late May. Hope you and the fam are well!
Is Wasatch doing any exped stuff around Moab this year? I was going to run around with Mudrak (they were going to do more camping runs) during CM this year, but my uncle is dragging me on a long run around the more remote stretches of the Grand Canyon area in late May. Hope you and the fam are well!
Box Rocket
Well-known member
esh said:
Honestly I'm not sure what Wasatch has planned for this year. I haven't been very active lately. However there are a few of us that still get together when we can for a "renegade" run or two. There is definitely more expedition style wheeling happening than there is rockcrawling. The dynamic of the group has shifted quite a bit and there are more young families that enjoy the camping etc associated with the longer/mellow runs than the hardcore rockcrawling. If I can swing it (and if your plans somehow change) I'd love to hook up with you and Gary in May. I haven't wheeled with Mudrak since the Rubithon several years ago. Don't find people better than him too often. He's good people. Good to hear from you Ken. I'm still jealous of your collection of cruisers and I want first dibs on the 45.