Toyota Land Cruiser Pages

1975 FJ-40

In 1987, while living in Arizona, I acquired my first Toyota Land Cruiser - a 1975 FJ-40 with 2F gasoline engine.  The motor was tired, and the vehicle became my first real mechanical "project".  In 1988, I was 19 years old and took a donor 302 Ford and installed it in my Cruiser.  I still have the vehicle, and it runs nicely out here on the ranch.  Here are some *quite* historic pix (thumbnailed)...

The above photos show the 40 with her stock 2F gasoline engine.  I had a rebuilt 302 in my first car - a 1970 Mustang - and it needed a home after the Mustang got hit and was no longer worth repairing.  Here's the Mustang, and a shot of the 302, nestled in the Cruiser.  (Wow, what a mess!  Kids.)

1985 FJ-60

A 1985 FJ-60 Land Cruiser wagon came to the ranch in 1990.  It was our first WY-licensed vehicle, and it still runs today - 20 years later.  When I complete my HJ-75 restoration, I'm going to rebuild and turbo the HJ's 2H diesel engine, and install it in this FJ-60 to "dieselize" it with factory parts.

1993 FJ-80

A 1993 FJ-80 was purchased new by my mom in 1993.  It was a robust (tho' slow) vehicle with a 12-valve engine.  Mom rolled it in 1997, and was nearly killed.  She did live.  The FJ-80 didn't.  I don't know if we still have any photos of that mess.

1985 HJ-75

In 1993, I had the chance to buy an Aussie-market HJ-75 Troop Carrier, called a "Troopie".  It'd been in service in Wyoming as a railroad support vehicle for a company from Australia, and even sported hi-rail gear for driving on railroad tracks.  It's a right-hand-drive one-ton Land Cruiser with seating for at least ten people.    I bought it to turn it into a camper, but it was gray-market back in the 90's and after buying it, I had no money left.  I'd just gotten married, and was planning on building a home.

My Troopie turned 25 years old in 2009, and now she's DOT and EPA exempt, so I have no more fears of her being "deported" or destroyed - as is the law for non-compliant vehicles of foreign origin.  It's finally safe to play with, so I just ordered a used "supposedly" low-mile Toyota 12H-T engine and transmission from Japan.  I picked it up in California in Sept. of 2009, and here's what it looks like...

The above 12H-T engine has more power than the 2H.  It's a factory turbocharged direct-injection diesel, while the original 2H is a naturally aspirated indirect-injection unit.  The 12H-T is considered to be a very reliable and long-lived engine.  It'll be interesting to see how this runs in the vehicle.  I saw a video before I bought it.  If it's still on YouTube, you can see it here...

If you're interested in seeing how this restoration is coming along, please visit our TravelBlog on our other website.  The HJ-75 specific stuff is here...

http://travelblog.kalzbagon.com/category/hj-75-restoration/