[terranceeriley]

Here Goes.
Ever since i was a young boy i loved four wheel drives. i think it might have been the rugged look and the fact that they can drive through puddles. Puddles were awesome to me.
So i told dad when i'm old enought i want either a Landcruiser or a 4 Runner.
so when i turned 16 and was able to go for my learners, i started shopping around for a cheap car to start off my driving days.
Me and my dad were down the nearby river about 30 K's away and we were talking with a friend of Dad's mate down there and he said he wanted to sell his old cruiser to buy new tyres for his new Holden Rodeo he bought about a month previously.
About an Hour later we went to have a look at it. Next day i was driving home in a Blue Fj60 LandcruiserThat i just paid $1500 for.

$1500 was a pretty good deal considering all the goodies that come with it.

Being in Australia it hasn't got all the smog gear from stock so i dont have the huge mess of hoses and such like many overseas 60's have.

It came with a pair of new 31" Duelers on the front and fairly new Kumho's on the back, 2 spare tyres, a basket kinda style roof rack, a bullbar which was just a cheap style one that bolted onto the original front bumper, a spare tyre carrier type back bumper, side steps, extractors and a few spares such as a water pump, alternator, tailshaft and other stuff.

I took the roof rack off soon after i got it to save on wind drag and so i could fit it in our garage while i had the back top gate getting the rust done.
Will be going back on in the next day or so.

Heres what it looked like not long after i got it.


After 6 months i got my Provisionals and could finally drive by myself.
None of my friends had 4wd's at the time so i didnt really get to take it out wheeling properly so i havent really got any half decent pictures of me wheeling..
I also went through a racecar driver phase where i attempted to drive my car around wet roundabouts like my friends were in their Commodore's and Falcons..
But since then i have become a bit more wise. I drive it like it was made to be driven. Slow and steady.



Since i've had it i have done a few things to it like put a half decent bullbar on it and put a stereo in it.. I'll have to get pictures of that tomorrow in the light..
I tinted the windows on it a while back to keep the sun out when i'm sleeping in the back and Put curtains up in the sliding windows also.
They go well with the rattle canned wheels.
I've also thrown on a pair of Hella Rallye 1000 lights on the front bar to light up the highway a bit more when travelling around.
heres a few poser pics i took sometime last year down the lakes here in Mount Gambier..

Please excuse the bad quality pictures. They were taken on my phone.


If you look real closely you will see where i have taken the G Pack badges off the front guards and have put in indicators off a late model Prado.
Lately i have been working on getting the rust all under control and painting parts of the car.. I have got 2 rust free back doors that i plan on painting if and when the weather fines up.
The rear main seal is actually gone and has made the clutch start slipping like crazy so i haven't been driving it lately. I Don't know how i would go about replacing it as i dont really know how. Any help such as a walkthrough would be excellent.

Things i have done to it mechanically are limited but i have replaced the manifold gasket and done my own services on it. I haven't undertaken anything too big as i haven't got the tools or know how to do things.

Its my daily driver to get to and from school and hauling around me to local skateparks and trails to ride my BMX cycle.
It's been stolen once from out the front of our house and i've put about 10-15,000 km's on it over the 2 years i've had it and it has served me well.
Future plans are to get it on some 33's and maybe lift it a bit more as i think its been lifted before i got it.
I plan on fixing all oil leaks and such about the time i do the clutch..
I'm Planning on putting the bucket seats out of a mates old TS Mitsubishi Magna that was in a crash last year. should be alot more comfy.
Here is a few pictures i took yesterday and today.





Thanks for reading and any feedback or help with anything would be excellent.



Terrance.

[Randy88FJ62]

go out and buy a $100 socket set or borrow friend's tools. Most seals and repairs can be done on a weekend with help from a friend. There are plenty of resources on this website and plenty of people willing to guide you. Take a few pictures of the leak or other things you're worried about and post a question. People will guide you through all the work.

[Dirtgypsy]

good job on the cruiser. you will find that this truck is very easy to work on. like randy said grab a good socket set and a couple of buddies and go to town!

clint

[InsanityIsBorn]

QUick question:

What is a going ot be the OZ spec stock tranny on the FJs? does it have the 4 spd manual? or is it a 5 speed?

BTW very nice find! enjoy it! Thats about how I am currently, getting mine running well, then the lift (this summer) but its taken me a few years! I got mine at 18! wish I had gotten it sooner.

Originally Posted by Randy88FJ62

go out and buy a $100 socket set or borrow friend's tools. Most seals and repairs can be done on a weekend with help from a friend. There are plenty of resources on this website and plenty of people willing to guide you. Take a few pictures of the leak or other things you're worried about and post a question. People will guide you through all the work.

I agree whole-heartedly here... Purchase a $100 socket set, from a good quality company, not the best but good, and you will be very happy. Mine has gotten me through many repairs and seal replacements etc. You can do a tranny swap on a 40 on a dirt road with 2 socket wrenches, 6 (2 of 3 differnt ones and 1 of the other 3) different sockets, and a few screwdrivers.

[terranceeriley]

yeah i've got the 4 speed in mine... i got my cruiser when i was 16. i think i started a trend here in Mount Gambier. i'm now 18 and a few people my age have a 60 now..

[AKcruiserfreak]

Looking good! Cool to see you young 'uns carrying on the Cruiser name.

TK

[serenity]

hey nice work on the cruiser, its lookin pretty good. nice to see another aussie on the board.

definatly get yourself the FSM or at least the max ellory manual, working on these things is a breeze, i'm 19 and had mine for about 3 years now, already rebuilt the motor and alot of other junk, it turns out that its not that hard.

i didn't realize they made fj60's with 4 speeds in australia i thought they all had h55f's?

cheers,

glenn

[DBS311]

I love checking out all the non-US cruisers. Thanks for posting!

You said you are planning on lifting it more.....what springs are you looking at getting? You guys sure have a lot more options where you're at.

[paulwolf350]

Originally Posted by serenity

hey nice work on the cruiser, its lookin pretty good. nice to see another aussie on the board.

definatly get yourself the FSM or at least the max ellory manual, working on these things is a breeze, i'm 19 and had mine for about 3 years now, already rebuilt the motor and alot of other junk, it turns out that its not that hard.

i didn't realize they made fj60's with 4 speeds in australia i thought they all had h55f's?

cheers,

glenn

I second about the aussies, not enough of us posting on MUD. And the Manual, Must Have.

as for the 5 speed, they came out in about 1983. I got a four speed out of an 82 once

Paul

[serenity]

talk about lack of posts paul, hows your rig coming along?

anyway what mods have you got in mind terrance? chop top? custom bumpers? SOA? it cant stay stock forever.

go nuts i say.

[paulwolf350]

My lack of posts is on purpose, my ROTW (which was your slot, remember) is sunday

Paul