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LJ70 Build Thread!
- Thread starter Ben
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bravobrak
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Hi Ben, man you have been a busy lad. Interesting reading for me over the last two weeks! Have got a couple of questions if you don't mind. Good luck with your new adventures
Nice rear disk conversion you've done and looking to do the same thing on mine ( KZJ78 1kz LWB - rear disk standard internal shoe handbrake ) mud gets in there and then the shoes gets ground out by the paste and mud
How do you find the actual conversion? Performance wise it would improve going from drum to disk........And also you changed out the master cylinder and wondering If this will be required for a disk rear model ( factory - any thoughts )?
You mentioned way back you think you need lower gearing......
have you ever looked into Marks 4wd adapters ?http://www.marks4wd.com/
They do some nice crawler gears and most likely will fit your LJ with different gearing available! What gear ratio are you running in your diffs?
With you Running 35" wheels where does you rev counter sit at 100 km/h?
Keep up the good work !
Cheers
Joe
Nice rear disk conversion you've done and looking to do the same thing on mine ( KZJ78 1kz LWB - rear disk standard internal shoe handbrake ) mud gets in there and then the shoes gets ground out by the paste and mudHow do you find the actual conversion? Performance wise it would improve going from drum to disk........And also you changed out the master cylinder and wondering If this will be required for a disk rear model ( factory - any thoughts )?
You mentioned way back you think you need lower gearing......have you ever looked into Marks 4wd adapters ?http://www.marks4wd.com/
They do some nice crawler gears and most likely will fit your LJ with different gearing available! What gear ratio are you running in your diffs?
With you Running 35" wheels where does you rev counter sit at 100 km/h?Keep up the good work !
Cheers
Joe
Hurts at 120 to Rich but i still got to about 130 before i got hit in the other eyeI guess i should have been wearing a helmet
I guess you weren't near any ditches at the time Shayne…!!
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Thanks mate, but looking for something a bit more modern.
I need to try and fix the 2LT thats currently fitted as if I dont its scrap. Then I want to sell that and fit either a 1KZ-T or a Lexus V8.
Hi Ben, man you have been a busy lad. Interesting reading for me over the last two weeks! Have got a couple of questions if you don't mind. Good luck with your new adventures
How do you find the actual conversion? Performance wise it would improve going from drum to disk........And also you changed out the master cylinder and wondering If this will be required for a disk rear model ( factory - any thoughts )?
have you ever looked into Marks 4wd adapters ?http://www.marks4wd.com/
They do some nice crawler gears and most likely will fit your LJ with different gearing available! What gear ratio are you running in your diffs?
Keep up the good work !
Cheers
Joe
Thanks Joe.
The brakes are great but I think they still need bleeding as they are slightly spongy. I'm really glad I did the conversion as it made a huge difference.
You may not need the bigger master cylinder as you will already have a bigger master cylinder than I had.
I've thought about lower ratio transfercase gears but their not cheap and now I'm not going to the High Country probably not as necessary. Also I've sort of retired LJ slightly from hardcore off road and instead want to use it for camping/touring trips until I'm able to replace it with a duel cab 79 series ute.
Once I get the ute and set that up for camping/big trips away I can re-body LJ and just use it for light off road and road use and hopefully preserve it for many years to come.
My diffs are 4.8's and at 100kmh on the 35's the rev counter sits on 2000rpm which is great for cruising and results in pretty good fuel economy.
Thanks Joe, but I think shipping it to OZ would cost a lot as their pretty big!
I'm also thinking of just keeping it topless and driving it in good weather.
Maybe that's happened cos too many bikers got blinded by bees…Good old days Rich i think that road has a 40mph speed limit now
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I'm not too worried about being hit in the eye when driving RJ with the windscreen down as I have to wear sunnies all the time anyway when out and about as my eyes are so light sensitive!
I doubt I will be cruising at motorway speeds either as a bee hitting anywhere on your face at those speeds could bloody hurt!
I'm more thinking I might drive down the local shops with the screen down, or if we take it to Fraser or Moreton Islands!
Will get an update up soon as off to buy more parts for project RJ today.
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Work.
I finally got some tools this week!
My boss took me on a $1500 spending spree!
I was delighted to see some of the tools were even made in England!
I remember as a kid growing up lots of things used to be made in England, especially tools. Sadly thats all gone now, not helped by unethical companies like Irwin who bought up a lot of Englsih tool companies then immediately closed the factories and moved production to China!
All Irwin wanted with great British tool making companies like Record, was the name and reputation! Now the quality is terrible, hence why I dont buy Irwin Record tools.
Anyway....................
Drill and impact driver.
Only little ones as thats all thats needed when installing shower screens.
Also got a spare battery.
Got them all charged.
When I go to fit a shower screen I just take these.
I'm not really enjoying the job and I'm not sure how much longer I will stick with it. But as permanent work is hard to come by on the GC I will stick with it for now until I secure something else.
I went for a job interview at a company that makes awesome overlanding trucks and off road caravans as I spotted they were advertising for both cabinet makers and welders, so I applied for both. This place:
http://www.slrcaravans.com.au/
Only round the corner from me and they have a nice big factory with lots of work on.
Sadly they were only offering casual, full time employment and the hourly rate was ridiculously low!
RJ.
RJ's engine bay looks pretty sad and empty at the moment.
(One thing I really dont like is the fact some one painted the engine bay matt black)
I need to get a new un-cracked head in order to fix the 2LT engine thats currently fitted. If I dont then that engine is basically scrap and I wont get very much for it. Where as if I fix it I should get a grand + for it.
I spotted an add on scumtree for a 2LT head.
Nice and cheap, almost too good to be true.
Obviously head's really need pressure testing to check for cracks, but thats not something I can do my self. Then I remembered from when I studied welding at tafe, about dye penetrant.
I picked up the 3 cans from my local BOC shop.
And decided to test on the cracked head I have, to see if my idea would work.
After giving the head a good clean with the can of cleaner I could apply the dye.
Then after 5 minutes clean it all off with the cleaner again.
Then I could spray on the developer.
Success! The cracks were now clearly visible!
I went to look at the head and I didnt even need the test kit, as while I was preparing the head and cleaning all the carbon off it with some fine wet n dry paper I spotted a huge crack that was not only visible but could even be felt when I ran my finger across it.
The shit head selling it made out he didnt know it was cracked and said he was selling it as they were moving (judging by the state of the place I suspect he was getting evicted)!
So that was the end of that attempt at sourcing a head. I've found a couple of Bundera owners who have heads they will sell but there in South Australia and New South Wales and I'm not prepared to risk buying them sight unseen as I want to test any head I'm about to pay good money for.
I still want to go down the Lexus V8 route and one thing I needed to source to make that happen was an R151f gearbox/transfercase as the 2 that came with RJ are both the much weaker G52 boxes which will definitely not be able to take the 200+bhp of the V8!
I managed to find one off a diesel Bundera that was being stripped and the chassis was about to go to the scrap yard, complete with box(s) if I didnt want them as the owner suspects the transfer case may be damaged after he accidentally drove it home without any oil in the box, after forgetting to refill it.
So this morning I went and removed it.
(pissed I forgot to take a pic of the wreck I removed it from)
An hour of my time and $50 later this is what I came away with.
Chassis cross member and a guard that I suspect was standard on Australian models or maybe just early 70's, but not something I've ever seen before.
And the box(s) which had leaked a bit of oil out of the gearbox.
Sadly the seller had sold the gear stick surround off the top so the box had been sat outside open to the elements for a few weeks. Thankfully we havent really had any rain for months, so hopefully moisture hasnt done too much damage.
The oil that had leaked certainly looked pretty clean.
It was a bloody struggle getting it out of the car on my own. I will get an engine crane purchased soon and that will make things like this a lot easier!
Thankfully the oil was all contained because diff oil stinks!
That all got drained away.
And I was pleased to see non had leaked in the car!
The oil had leaked out of the box where the bottom mount is as we removed it to remove the box from the chassis.
I re-fitted the missing bolts in the mount.
Borrowed the top cover off the other box.
Picked up 3 cans of this from SuperCheap for the extremely low price of $5 for the 3!
And gave the box, cross member and guard a good clean.
They came up OK and the degreeser worked well. Shame I'm not still at Piranha though as that heated pressure washer I used to use would have done a much better job!
The boxes have obviously been apart at some point as there was silicon hanging out of the joints.
The boxes have been modified where by fittings have been inserted through both fill plugs and a length of hose has been added to link the 2. This is done encase the internal seal fails between the boxes so that one of the boxes doesnt run dry as all the oil floods into the other box.
Looking underneath RJ its clear to see where the guard mounts.
Bolts go up into the chassis into captive nuts. (I must look on LJ to see if the same threaded holes are there)
The guard bolts to the chassis rails each side.
And has a support piece in the middle that sits under the cross member to prevent the middle from bending up when you hit stuff.
And has holes below the drain plugs.
So the box is now a lot cleaner and ready for stripping.
I need to strip it to inspect it for damage and I'm very tempted to get some crawler gears for it so it has a nice super low low range for when I eventually turn the chassis with V8 into a rock crawler.
We discussed recently the FRP tops for the Bundera LJ & RJ70's.
I spotted this really really clean one the other day which is the exact colour mine would have been before some one decided to spray it blue and add flames!
It has a white FRP top but its not factory and I cant quite make out who the maker is from what is written on it.
Lexi.
Lexi is still amazing and still extremely cute! Although she is growing up and getting more dog like by the day!
I finally got some tools this week!
My boss took me on a $1500 spending spree!
I was delighted to see some of the tools were even made in England!
I remember as a kid growing up lots of things used to be made in England, especially tools. Sadly thats all gone now, not helped by unethical companies like Irwin who bought up a lot of Englsih tool companies then immediately closed the factories and moved production to China!
All Irwin wanted with great British tool making companies like Record, was the name and reputation! Now the quality is terrible, hence why I dont buy Irwin Record tools.
Anyway....................
Drill and impact driver.
Only little ones as thats all thats needed when installing shower screens.
Also got a spare battery.
Got them all charged.
When I go to fit a shower screen I just take these.
I'm not really enjoying the job and I'm not sure how much longer I will stick with it. But as permanent work is hard to come by on the GC I will stick with it for now until I secure something else.
I went for a job interview at a company that makes awesome overlanding trucks and off road caravans as I spotted they were advertising for both cabinet makers and welders, so I applied for both. This place:
http://www.slrcaravans.com.au/
Only round the corner from me and they have a nice big factory with lots of work on.
Sadly they were only offering casual, full time employment and the hourly rate was ridiculously low!
RJ.
RJ's engine bay looks pretty sad and empty at the moment.
(One thing I really dont like is the fact some one painted the engine bay matt black
)I need to get a new un-cracked head in order to fix the 2LT engine thats currently fitted. If I dont then that engine is basically scrap and I wont get very much for it. Where as if I fix it I should get a grand + for it.
I spotted an add on scumtree for a 2LT head.
Nice and cheap, almost too good to be true.
Obviously head's really need pressure testing to check for cracks, but thats not something I can do my self. Then I remembered from when I studied welding at tafe, about dye penetrant.
I picked up the 3 cans from my local BOC shop.
And decided to test on the cracked head I have, to see if my idea would work.
After giving the head a good clean with the can of cleaner I could apply the dye.
Then after 5 minutes clean it all off with the cleaner again.
Then I could spray on the developer.
Success! The cracks were now clearly visible!
I went to look at the head and I didnt even need the test kit, as while I was preparing the head and cleaning all the carbon off it with some fine wet n dry paper I spotted a huge crack that was not only visible but could even be felt when I ran my finger across it.
The shit head selling it made out he didnt know it was cracked and said he was selling it as they were moving (judging by the state of the place I suspect he was getting evicted)!
So that was the end of that attempt at sourcing a head. I've found a couple of Bundera owners who have heads they will sell but there in South Australia and New South Wales and I'm not prepared to risk buying them sight unseen as I want to test any head I'm about to pay good money for.
I still want to go down the Lexus V8 route and one thing I needed to source to make that happen was an R151f gearbox/transfercase as the 2 that came with RJ are both the much weaker G52 boxes which will definitely not be able to take the 200+bhp of the V8!
I managed to find one off a diesel Bundera that was being stripped and the chassis was about to go to the scrap yard, complete with box(s) if I didnt want them as the owner suspects the transfer case may be damaged after he accidentally drove it home without any oil in the box, after forgetting to refill it.
So this morning I went and removed it.
(pissed I forgot to take a pic of the wreck I removed it from)
An hour of my time and $50 later this is what I came away with.
Chassis cross member and a guard that I suspect was standard on Australian models or maybe just early 70's, but not something I've ever seen before.
And the box(s) which had leaked a bit of oil out of the gearbox.
Sadly the seller had sold the gear stick surround off the top so the box had been sat outside open to the elements for a few weeks. Thankfully we havent really had any rain for months, so hopefully moisture hasnt done too much damage.
The oil that had leaked certainly looked pretty clean.
It was a bloody struggle getting it out of the car on my own. I will get an engine crane purchased soon and that will make things like this a lot easier!
Thankfully the oil was all contained because diff oil stinks!
That all got drained away.
And I was pleased to see non had leaked in the car!
The oil had leaked out of the box where the bottom mount is as we removed it to remove the box from the chassis.
I re-fitted the missing bolts in the mount.
Borrowed the top cover off the other box.
Picked up 3 cans of this from SuperCheap for the extremely low price of $5 for the 3!
And gave the box, cross member and guard a good clean.
They came up OK and the degreeser worked well. Shame I'm not still at Piranha though as that heated pressure washer I used to use would have done a much better job!
The boxes have obviously been apart at some point as there was silicon hanging out of the joints.
The boxes have been modified where by fittings have been inserted through both fill plugs and a length of hose has been added to link the 2. This is done encase the internal seal fails between the boxes so that one of the boxes doesnt run dry as all the oil floods into the other box.
Looking underneath RJ its clear to see where the guard mounts.
Bolts go up into the chassis into captive nuts. (I must look on LJ to see if the same threaded holes are there)
The guard bolts to the chassis rails each side.
And has a support piece in the middle that sits under the cross member to prevent the middle from bending up when you hit stuff.
And has holes below the drain plugs.
So the box is now a lot cleaner and ready for stripping.
I need to strip it to inspect it for damage and I'm very tempted to get some crawler gears for it so it has a nice super low low range for when I eventually turn the chassis with V8 into a rock crawler.
We discussed recently the FRP tops for the Bundera LJ & RJ70's.
I spotted this really really clean one the other day which is the exact colour mine would have been before some one decided to spray it blue and add flames!
It has a white FRP top but its not factory and I cant quite make out who the maker is from what is written on it.
Lexi.
Lexi is still amazing and still extremely cute! Although she is growing up and getting more dog like by the day!
Last edited:
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Regarding the Lexus V8 engine conversion, I've been doing lots of research and I've found this page from NZ incredibly informative.
http://www.lextreme.com/1uzfe_info.html
I'm un-decided at this point as to whether to make my own bell housing/adapter plate or not! Its certainly something I could do if I get some TIG gas and alluminium.
The easy option would be to buy one of these:
http://www.marks4wd.com/engine-conv...4runner-bundera-hilux-surf/ls-v8-engines.html
http://dellowconversions.com.au/pro...us-toyota-v8-1uz-to-toyota-hilux-r150f-r151f/
I'm thinking I will buy a complete car rather than just an engine as I should be able to recover some/most of the cost of it through selling the parts I dont need.
I will also obviously be able to see the engine run and drive it.
Another huge positive to going down this route is I should be able to use the ECU thats with it and I'm thinking it may be possible to slowly and methodically remove wires from the loom, checking constantly to ensure I havent removed anything needed to make it run, until I am left with a very basic loom that has just enough to make the engine work.
Theres lots of Lexus's with the V8 petrol over here but a cheaper option seems to be to get a Toyota that it was fitted to, something like a Soarer.
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/morningside/cars-vans-utes/1991-toyota-soarer-coupe/1112925859
http://www.lextreme.com/1uzfe_info.html
I'm un-decided at this point as to whether to make my own bell housing/adapter plate or not! Its certainly something I could do if I get some TIG gas and alluminium.
The easy option would be to buy one of these:
http://www.marks4wd.com/engine-conv...4runner-bundera-hilux-surf/ls-v8-engines.html
http://dellowconversions.com.au/pro...us-toyota-v8-1uz-to-toyota-hilux-r150f-r151f/
I'm thinking I will buy a complete car rather than just an engine as I should be able to recover some/most of the cost of it through selling the parts I dont need.
I will also obviously be able to see the engine run and drive it.
Another huge positive to going down this route is I should be able to use the ECU thats with it and I'm thinking it may be possible to slowly and methodically remove wires from the loom, checking constantly to ensure I havent removed anything needed to make it run, until I am left with a very basic loom that has just enough to make the engine work.
Theres lots of Lexus's with the V8 petrol over here but a cheaper option seems to be to get a Toyota that it was fitted to, something like a Soarer.
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/morningside/cars-vans-utes/1991-toyota-soarer-coupe/1112925859
Paddler Ed
Well-Known Member
These guys were who I thought of straight away for the roof, but it's not their logo: http://www.ozeastfibreglass4wd.com.au/bodykits.html
With the 1UZ conversion, have a look at something like MS or similar for a DIY ECU; the challenge with some of the later ones is they come with an immobiliser that needs to be bypassed in the ECU, so just watch out for that.
With the 1UZ conversion, have a look at something like MS or similar for a DIY ECU; the challenge with some of the later ones is they come with an immobiliser that needs to be bypassed in the ECU, so just watch out for that.
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I'm not ruling out using an aftermarket ECU but they are expensive and the car then really needs to go on a dyno and be tuned, which obviously adds even more expense. The other thing is that these are actually really strong tough motors in factory parameters with the standard ECU and settings and going aftermarket its easy to get a lot more out of them, but the engine probably wont last as long.
Seeing your new haul of tools there Ben, I have two of those Sortimo cases, both with top trays. They are the best parts cases I have ever had and the catch is (almost) numpty proof. I even had a machine fall on one of mine and bend it badly. It's been straightened out for at least 5 years. The only thing is the foam goes in the top.
I did wonder if you would enjoy that job. I don't think it is enough of a challenge for you. You don't get to use your (obvious) creative side and I expect it's all rush and tear on some of the sites with little chance to do the good quality work you will want to do.
I think you are right to bide your time and just use it as a cash cow until the right job comes along.
I did wonder if you would enjoy that job. I don't think it is enough of a challenge for you. You don't get to use your (obvious) creative side and I expect it's all rush and tear on some of the sites with little chance to do the good quality work you will want to do.
I think you are right to bide your time and just use it as a cash cow until the right job comes along.
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Thanks Rich.
If it wasnt for the climate and weather in Melbourne I'd move back in a heart beat and go back to my dream job at Piranha! Every time I speak to my old boss on the phone he tells me I'm welcome to come back anytime.
But I dont want to go back to the cold weather and not be able to wear shorts everyday! So I have to accept that decent, well paid work is hard to find up here and thats the price I have paid for a perfect climate.
I've actually got another interview next week for a job which again isnt very creative, but is paying very well so it should give me the much needed funds to be creative on my own projects!
It should be more enjoyable than the job I'm doing now with a lot less pressure, less hours and no driving. Fingers crosssed I get it!
If it wasnt for the climate and weather in Melbourne I'd move back in a heart beat and go back to my dream job at Piranha! Every time I speak to my old boss on the phone he tells me I'm welcome to come back anytime.
But I dont want to go back to the cold weather and not be able to wear shorts everyday! So I have to accept that decent, well paid work is hard to find up here and thats the price I have paid for a perfect climate.
I've actually got another interview next week for a job which again isnt very creative, but is paying very well so it should give me the much needed funds to be creative on my own projects!
It should be more enjoyable than the job I'm doing now with a lot less pressure, less hours and no driving. Fingers crosssed I get it!
AndyCook
Well-Known Member
Shame the work situation isn't working out too well, but just see it as a means to fill bank balance for the fun stuff for now
in UK oil industry , in places like Aberdeen we are all just glad to hang onto a job at the moment. There is little in press about it, but 65000 oil jobs have been lost in UK. Lots in press about steel jobs, but much smaller numbers affected, don't understand why the oil stuff brushed under the carpet.
like the mining in Australia, we don't hear anything in news about it.
in UK oil industry , in places like Aberdeen we are all just glad to hang onto a job at the moment. There is little in press about it, but 65000 oil jobs have been lost in UK. Lots in press about steel jobs, but much smaller numbers affected, don't understand why the oil stuff brushed under the carpet.
like the mining in Australia, we don't hear anything in news about it.
Paddler Ed
Well-Known Member
Just seen this Ben and thinking of your long term aims, might be some interesting reading for you:
http://www.domain.com.au/advice/sol...living-as-a-lifestyle-choice-20160521-gozo7b/
http://www.domain.com.au/advice/sol...living-as-a-lifestyle-choice-20160521-gozo7b/
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Thanks mate.
Not sure how much longer I will stick it though, I think I'd rather go back to the agency work than do what I'm doing now.
I'm just praying I get the job I have the interview for!
Shame the UK industry is again taking such a down turn.
Totally Ed, thats what I want to do!
