Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Photos of Franken-san heading into the workshop last Saturday





FrankenJeep [44/46 MB/CJ2a hybrid] towing Franken-san , a 62 Mitsubishi/Willys M38 mix

The plan now is a turbo diesel and 5 speed out of a Diahatsu Rocky, Dana 18 TCase , a SOA lift and NO MUFFLERS - got a love the sound of that turbo !

Went into the workshop on Saturday and should be finished in August .

I am running 5.38 Dana diffs.

I think the Rocky ratios are good enough - I was getting by with a standard Willys T90 3 speed with a 2.9 first gear !

Power and torque for a Rocky turbo is 75kW 245 Nm before playing with the boost - I don't know what the factory setting is yet but I have heard some blokes are running 13psi - the lack of mufflers should also add a bit as the turbo quietens things down a fair bit

That thing is going to hum along now

I hope so, getting sick of being in the truck lane at 70 kmh. 5.38 gears and a 4,000rpm rev limit are not a good mix for highway work.

Well after being out of the country for a few weeks I dropped into the workshop this morning to see how Frankensan was going.

1. New chassis getting prepped [old one is too far gone]

2. Reconditioned CJ7 power steering unit standing by

3. Spring over axle conversion has just started.

The turbo diesel option was way too expensive ... around US$3,000 for a used Diahatsu turbo engine and gearbox , then , things got interesting ... I was given a 350 Chev block.

To you guys swimming in V8s [Oz and the US] this may not sound like much but they are SUPER RARE here in Indonesia.

I haven't had a good look at it yet so I don't even know if its a 2 bolt or a 4 bolt unit.

It doesn't matter much, this engine will be built for a 5,500 to 6,000 rpm redline.

It needs everything else, crank, rods, pistons etc. - I can bring these in on the plane with me when I return from my next Sydney trip.

I coincidentally priced a 383 stroker forged steel crank, pistons and forged rods - A$1,700.

I can go 383 stroker nodular crank and hi perf GM rods and pistons for half that which suits my budget better.

The expensive parts seem to be the heads and the intake system




New chassis being prepped for painting. The chassis will get an extra cross brace above the gearbox and transfer case



Old chassis - some rust in critical stressed areas and lots of drill holes



Front view of the tub



Rear view of the tub