71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

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Mudbull
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Location: Lakeland, FL

71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by Mudbull »

It will be a bit of a slow start, but our new project fell into our lap (I'm also pretty sure we swept in right before Rocklaurance got to the seller!). To make a long story short we bought this truck to use as a clean VIN to claim that it's sheetmetal was used on our salvage titled 68 cummins Kaiser. All paperwork has been straightened out so it is clear to begin restoring this truck. It's my dad's project, but I think it will keep the original Buick engine and 4spd.

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68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

twisted frame
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Location: Massachusetts

Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by twisted frame »

Nice start. If that truck was in Fla. its whole life I'd be interested in seeing how the rust is. In the northeast, we get plenty of rust but I guess I'm surprised sometimes at how southern and western vehicles can still have serious rust issues even if it's not as bad as something that drove on salted roads every winter.
73 J4000. 360, MC 2100, T18A, D20, stock closed knuckle Dana 44 front, 60-2 rear. Warn Lock-O-Matics, Warn/Belleview electric winch, true duals with glasspacks, old-school front diff skid plate, used 265 Toyos on 16" AR wheels.
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Mudbull
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Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by Mudbull »

I know I'm a bit slow to respond, but the cab and bed are off the frame now, I think everything looks great, but my dad wants to go with a more modern drivetrain under the truck, and one that he knows is running (vs the Buick 350 that hasn't turned over in years). We found a single cab long bed Silverado 4x4 with a 4.8L and a 5spd manual for cheap, so this will be the new donor:
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The cab roof had a lot of holes from roof mounted lights over the years and a lot of rust on the eyebrow, when my dad bought the truck he also bought a clean roof skin off of the seller, so he is in the process of replacing the roof now
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I picked the Chevy up for my dad this week. The guy parked the Chevy because 'the clutch went bad'...looking over it for 5mins I'm almost positive that the only issue with it is that the clutch master popped out of the firewall (he wasn't very mechanically inclined). the engine starts immediately and idles smooth, the bad news is that it's a northern truck and the frame has seen some winters so we took a step back in that regard but I still feel it was a good deal (I think we also found a new Silverado frame for $200).
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

rocklaurence
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Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by rocklaurence »

Wow! You guys are at it again? Where did you find it and are you going to use the independent front suspension?
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Mudbull
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Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by Mudbull »

At it again with no end in sight (I think I have a wagoneer lined up for my next project too)!

We got the J4000 up in Ocala area, the seller was telling us that there was another guy trying to get it and his 'parts collection' but didn't react quick enough, you came to mind first for who it might've been rocky, must not have been though. I'll have to get with you sometime with a parts list; my dad likes the rhino grille more than this one (razor?) so I think he's going back with that front end. the Chevy was over in Sanford.

The plan is pretty much like the last one: to drop the cab and bed onto the frame and use everything from the donor that can be used; were intending to retain the IFS and all the rest of the Chevy drivetrain.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

rocklaurence
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Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by rocklaurence »

Hey Tim, do you have any 8 lug 16x7 steel wheels that you want to sell?
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Mudbull
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Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:07 pm
Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by Mudbull »

Hey rocky, I do not personally, but I have a friend in Tampa who has a 2nd gen cummins and some dodge parts who might. I'll give you a text of a call this weekend when I find out
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

rocklaurence
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Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by rocklaurence »

Nope, I wasn't aware of that one in Ocala. However, Im interested in the Drive Train and we can work out some trade for parts etc. Any word on the steel wheels?
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Mudbull
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Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by Mudbull »

Hey rocky, sorry, my friend is still using the steel wheels as roll arounds for his project. Let me know when your want to talk about the drivetrain, its not in our way where it is now and is covered up though so no rush.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Topic author
Mudbull
Posts: 131
Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:07 pm
Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by Mudbull »

My dad has the bodywork done on the cab of the truck, I think he's ready to start looking at the Chevys now.

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If you looked closely at the red truck you can see the frame had broken in the middle from rust, the drivetrain is in great running shape though. My dad got another donor truck that is just a rolling chassis to use the frame only. I think the plan is to start pulling Chevy cabs off over Christmas and see how far we get
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68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

rocklaurence
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Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by rocklaurence »

Wow, surprised to see that a new vehicle can still rust in half. By any chance do you have a good NP229 laying around? I broke my rear Tcase output last week.
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Topic author
Mudbull
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Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:07 pm
Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by Mudbull »

I as surprised too, the axles and front IRS seems to be relatively corrosion free, the engine and engine compartment look great to me. The cab and frame definitely have a lot of rust though (I guess where the wheels would wip the salt up onto them.

The only tcase we have around is on the drivetrain from the 71, don't think that that can help you out of this but let me know. I'll be down there for christmas and can try to figure out how to bring stuff up here if you want.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

rocklaurence
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Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 6:53 am

Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by rocklaurence »

Keep me in mind if you wqant to sell the old drive train
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Topic author
Mudbull
Posts: 131
Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:07 pm
Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by Mudbull »

Hey Rocklaurance, havnt forgotten about you, been meaning to get a hold of you for some things too...

I went home for Easter and helped my dad move some things around, test the bed figment on the Chevy frame (he has a lot of cutting to do to make it fit).

Drivetrain out of one donor, before it went into another's frame
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Trial fits
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Turning around to test fit bed (...68 cummins in the background)
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68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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TurboJ4000
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Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by TurboJ4000 »

Any update on this truck? It looks like it will be awesome when its done.
1970 J4000 / Chevy Frankenstein in progress
Soon to be Lq4 6.0 and 4l80e on 35s

rocklaurence
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Re: 71 J4000 4x4 rebuild

Post by rocklaurence »

Did you already repair the GM frame? Im finally in a working shop... Yay
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