FJ40 I call Shipwreck

[SuperBuickGuy]

one silly thought I've had is where that step is in the floor, underneath the frame rises up to the floor level.... which would be an interesting place to put a tank - though that would mean raising the floor... dunno

and at 1100 plus shipping, I'd build it myself out of 1/8" stainless steel.

[silver_bullet]

now we're talking! place tank above frame, check...between axles, fore and aft, check... out of passenger compartment(albeit raised passenger compartment floor), check...room for electronics compartment /secure storage, success!!

[CTX-SLPR]

Did some rough calculations (not knowing real dimensions or your desired tank size) and designed the following:
The bridge section on that expensive tank looks like it's 6in wide, the tank I estimated at 9in tall, and the width of the seating area at 5ft (60in) that's 14gal in that section and you still have the front of the underseat area. The step I estimated at 2in shorter than the top of the other tank, the width is still 5 ft, and the depth is 12in that's another 6gal. That's 20gal approximately and you still have around 12-16in of depth under both seats.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Did some rough calculations (not knowing real dimensions or your desired tank size) and designed the following:
The bridge section on that expensive tank looks like it's 6in wide, the tank I estimated at 9in tall, and the width of the seating area at 5ft (60in) that's 14gal in that section and you still have the front of the underseat area. The step I estimated at 2in shorter than the top of the other tank, the width is still 5 ft, and the depth is 12in that's another 6gal. That's 20gal approximately and you still have around 12-16in of depth under both seats.

you do good guestimates... I think the actual is 58" wide and 19 front to back. It's 7 1/2 from the floor but there is a drop down on the passenger side that is probably 16x16x2 for the tank's sump

I'm leaning towards something like this for spare fluids


but instead of metal cans, a couple of these


I'm planning on building a bumper that can hold a full-size spare and then a couple of these cans along with at least one water container.

The number that sounds right - I think the current tank is 22 gallons, add to 4 gallon tanks and that gives me 30 gallons capacity.

[Stewzer55]

That jerry can looks like a Lego.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I finally got my roll cage from Metal Tech, I must of misunderstood - when he said Friday, he meant "a" Friday... ah well, alls well when I get the parts - and honestly they were worth waiting for.



bonus post - if you run a LS motor and the 'book' calls for a PF48 filter, this is the interchange that GM recommends now (on the left).


first I thought "okay, I'll cut it out... then I thought "dumbass" why not simply slice the pillar and weld it to the plate? one missing bit was there are not backing plates for this, so I need to solve that before this actually hits the road




so one thing I don't like but I don't think I can change is I wish the bars bent out at the door post.. still, I don't think there's enough material there to actually get my dies on it to push it so I'll leave it...


I will add door bars and a lower-dash bar. I may even run braces to the coil-over mounts from the roll bar... anyway, this weekend will be a fun-filled time sitting in classes to learn how to save people who get in over their heads in the outdoors - so this has to be put back on the back burner for a couple days.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Starting to order coatings.... I got Durabak for the under body and KBS paint for the frame, links, etc.... still not 100% sure what I'm going to do on the inside (whether just paint it body color before I put sound deadener on, or I go with something more durable (I'm thinking I'm going to carpet the interior with removeable sections)....

[STINEY]

Lizard Skin the interior? Home-brew version?

[SuperBuickGuy]

Lizard Skin the interior? Home-brew version?

I don't know, there's a couple guys who have applied Lizard skin to the inside and underside of their 4x4s. It sounds like a really good idea, but then one of them commented that the material is super hard. As I can attest from super hard material on a body that flexes (Corvette), there are issues that could arise. Neither of the rigs are on the road, so the durability test is going to come later - and I'm not going to wait for them to validate it. However, if it works out, putting Lizard skin on the underside would have numerous advantages in a car build so I hope it works for them.

[SuperBuickGuy]

roll cage day
floor plates

fortunately, these are right over the top of the body mount so I really don't have to do anything underneath

trial fit


brother did I agonize over where to put this


with the door on, there's an issue.... and I don't think it's actually solveable in a way that I like. I like wing-windows, but it doesn't open with the cage

I could open the door, then the wing window then close the door... I suppose, but even that isn't optimal...


at least there's plenty of clearance for the window crank (which doesn't work so I'll replace it with electric, full width windows


then I thought seriously about this


had I bought a straight cage, I might have done it.... but not here, the bulge doesn't work


so notch

too much gap

and grind


and tack


and center bars


I may dink more later, but for now... hasta

[SuperBuickGuy]

Some decisions have been made

I went with grey suspension seats. Awhile ago, I asked Omix Aida and Smittybilt to donate to Search and Rescue, they did - quite generously - so whenever I get the chance to return the favor, I do... Thus, the seats are Smittybilt - but they only come in grey or black. I'm not doing another black interior on a convertible, so grey it is - but that leaves an issue as it doesn't really match the exterior colors... so I don't know, I may get seat covers or simply have the covers remade in tan or brown. Or I might simply paint the outside some form of grey and call it a day.

I also finally got the Novak 32 spline output for the dana 300. I hesitated on that because, while it shortens the output 2", it also requires an electronic speedometer. Whether I buy it now or when I need it (like next fall), I've got the solution for that as the Dakota Digital dash (it's not LCD, it's analog gauges). I figured that by the time I got the right gauges for the EFI, that I'd be at the DD gauge pod - and they look petty neat too - so why not.

[JOES66FURY]

A friend of mine took his brand new truck and guttent the interior and had Rhino Lining installed then put evverything back....this was back in 97, as far as I know it is still holding up. Lots of off road guys out here do the same thing to their dedicated trail rigs....Just a thought....

[SuperBuickGuy]

I don't know yet.... there's much to be said for rhino lining, but the weight, trapping moisture, inability to easily change or weld something new to are things that I have to consider. I'm considering simply doing the footwells and cargo floor in Rhino then painting or durabak coat the rest. My grand plan is removeable carpets. there'd be a cargo area carpet, foot well carpets, and transmission tunnel carpets that would simply be removed when I go play in the dirt but when I'm using it for distance travel or whatever, I'd have nice comfy carpet.

[SuperBuickGuy]

onward
body off




a small hole

a few marks


a slightly bigger hole


time to fill in the hole

[silver_bullet]

your steering shaft housing turned out great!