Update on the transmission

I decided to make this landcruiser 4x4. I was going to wait to do that but I decided to get it all done before I start driving it everywhere. Advanced Adapters makes an adapter kit for the nv4500 to mate to the existing landcruiser(here is the link) transfer case. I know that there are better options for transfer cases but I am not going to take this thing out in rough country that much. Don't get me wrong I will go off-roading but not that seriously. This is supposed to be a family car that gets good gas mileage.

This kit requires the 4x4 HD dodge 29 spline output shaft. My transmission came from the gas model so I need to change this. I was going to update the 5th gear anyway so this isn't bad news. I also need to update the input shaft to make this gas transmission work with the cummins. I called High Impact and got what seemed to be a good quote. I also called standard transmission in Fort Worth. Standard was a bit more expensive but they would install everything. I would go with them but I need to cut the output shaft for the adapter package. I haven't made a final decision but I am leaning towards buying the stuff from High Impact and installing it myself.

On a side note I did get a bell housing, release fork, pivot and spring from High Impact. It should be here next weekend. Hopefully I (or I should say my brother) can start to make the mounts.

 The bellhousing

 The engine after the test fit.

2F Engine Removal

I took a day off from work and my brother and I ripped the old FJ engine out. It was nice knowing that it wasn't going back in. I wish I would have taken more pictures before but my brother's wife was due that same week I was up there so time was very important. We worked as fast as we could. I think it only took a total of 8 hours maybe to get everything off including exhaust. Good too because the night we finished my sister-in-law had here baby girl.

NV4500 here we go

The next step was to get the transmission. I had been searching the internet for a few weeks but I couldn't find anything for less than about $1600 dollars. I didn't want to pay that much so I kept searching.

I happened upon an eBay auction that had a 1995 Dodge 2500 with a 5-speed. I quickly went to their company website and emailed them about the transmission. They said the truck had about 140,000 miles on it and gave me a price, $850 for the tranny. Needless to say I bought it. If you are interested it was from Nordstrom Automotive out in South Dakota.

But I have to admit that in my excitement I did something stupid. I also got the clutch, flywheel, and starter. I wish I didn't do that because I failed to realize something completely obvious. The Cummins 6BT is a 5.9L engine. The dodge gas engine is a 5.9L engine. They both came in that kind of truck. But this truck had the gasser and I didn't ask because the listing said 5.9L 2500. I forgot to double check before I bought the starter, flywheel, and clutch. Now I am the idiot. It was an extra $270 that I didn't need to spend. Anybody need a good clutch, flywheel and starter for a gas 1995 Dodge 2500?

The truck came from somewhere in South Dakota so it was a little bit rusty. I cleaned it up and painted it with some Rust-Oleum. My wife wanted to paint it hot pink. I almost went with that.

I understand that I need to change a few things to make this work with the cummins but if the quotes I got are accurate I think I will come out well under the $1600 mark for buying a new one with no core.

Found my FJ60!

So I was looking on craigslist in Tucson and I found the car for the swap. Some guy had a beautiful 1986 FJ60 with a thrown rod. Perfect as I did not need the engine anyway. I arranged a time to get the car and tried to set something up with uhaul(not the brightest group of people).

U-Haul Story
I walked into the store to rent a car trailer or tow dolly. I told the guy that I was going to tow an 1986 FJ60 with a Diesel Ford F-350 (crew cab monster, my friend owns a construction company). He told me I couldn't tow the car with a tow dolly or car trailer because the towing vehicle was not heavy enough. I said seriously? 9,500 pounds isn't enough? Those trucks are rated to tow a heck of a lot more than a 4,500 pound car and a 2,000 pound trailer. I argued with him for a minute and he didn't get it. So I said fine what can I do and he said you can rent one of our small moving vans and use that. Wait a minute, your crappy 14ft van can tow the car trailer and the cruiser but the truck can't? Am I missing something here?

So I called them back after verifying the specs on my friend's truck. This time they said that it isn't the truck's problem but the trailer's. The trailer can't handle the 4500 pound landcruiser. What??? What is the trailer good for then, Honda Civics and why were you going to rent me the van and the trailer before? Like I said before not the brightest group of people. I ended up buying a crappy tow bar for way too much at their store. I won't be doing business with them for a long, long time. Idiots.

Back to the car now. My brother and I drove out to get the FJ60 with this crappy tow bar and by pure luck the thing fit and we were able the get it home and then to Phoenix the next day.

Car is absolutely perfect. No rust all the bolts come off easy and I think I got a super deal. Here are some pics. There are some obvious aesthetic problems but that is okay by me.

The guy broke the windshield after he threw the rod.