Differences in 1977 non US FJ40? (1 Viewer)

[Levi Ely]

First off I am new. Not only to this forum and Land Cruisers, but to working on vehicles in general. I'm working on it, so please don't judge my ignorance.

I bought my fj40 a month ago. I got it for a good price, given the work needed done to it because of poor mods done by a previous owner. I find a new issue or rush job every time I look at it. The seller wasn't 100% up front about the vehicle and the things that needed addressed (assuming he knew the issues), but I am over it. i was told that he shipped it from Japan a year ago. So it is a non US fj40. I was told that it is a 1977, but that it is titled as a 1974 for smog check reasons. Here is what I what I know about it...

'77 fj40
350 v8 swap
turbo 400 trans
dana 60 rear
front and rear drum brakes
power steering
secondary fuel tank installed (but was capped off)



Saying that, I have a few questions...

What are some of the differences you know about between non US and US FJ40s?
Are all non US 40s the same?
When people refer to their cruiser as an Aussie, is that generally any non US cruiser?

 

[Levi Ely]

I did a search before posting this, and only found 1 thing. The drum brakes on the front for being a '77. Which is one of the first things I need to replace/convert.

 

[77wagon]

Aussie is for Australian cruisers. Which are right hand drive RHD, have larger brake drums, and probably a few other things I'm not thinking of at the moment. Yeh, a full floating rear axle. I'm not sure how this compares to other non US models. And no smog, at least for my 77.

 

[Fast Eddy]

Japan or Aus would have been RHD. Yours is LHD. Check that the frame VIN on the front right outer frame rail just behind the bumper matches your VIN plate and your title. Your dash pads are all missing. The exhaust routing is the suck. Just a guess, but your bezel is upside down. Welcome. :flipoff:

I'm not convinced that is a D60. It would be kinda strange to have a six lug D60 and for it to be that narrow it would have to be very custom.

 

[edwjmcgrath]

I have a non-us 78. Some of the differences that I know of are no dash pads, drum brakes, 3 spd, and bench front seats.

 

[RyanCostaRica]

First off great looking 40, mine is SA so no dash pads, no heater no vents at all actually to speak of. What size of tires you running 35 or 33?


Proud owner of Beast. 77 BJ40

 

[Living in the Past]

Your clearly had a dash pad at one time it also has the holes to mount the lower pads. The bracket to mount the upper pad is there. Non pad models the knobs to hold in place are boxed and open. The padded dash covered it so no need to box the ones with them. Bucket seats were standard in the US starting with the 73 model. Most other markets got 40/60 beats seats..

 

[Levi Ely]

Japan or Aus would have been RHD. Yours is LHD. Check that the frame VIN on the front right outer frame rail just behind the bumper matches your VIN plate and your title. Your dash pads are all missing.

Ok. So it's most likely not a Japan export. Where would my vin plate be? The frame matches the title. I was looking for the plate when I bought it.

I'm not convinced that is a D60. It would be kinda strange to have a six lug D60 and for it to be that narrow it would have to be very custom.

I had it appraised and that Is what I was told by him. I grabbed a few photos from the pdf from the appraiser.

Also a shot from when we were checking out the rear drums (don't get me started on this)

Thanks for your help and expertise.

 

[Levi Ely]

First off great looking 40, mine is SA so no dash pads, no heater no vents at all actually to speak of. What size of tires you running 35 or 33?

Proud owner of Beast. 77 BJ40

Mine has vents but they don't do anything as of yet.

These are 35's. This is a bit tall for me but I plan to lower it a few inches in the future.

 

[kling-on]

It has both upper and lower dash pad mounts I think makes it North American model

 

[carreta]

Japan or Aus would have been RHD. Yours is LHD. Check that the frame VIN on the front right outer frame rail just behind the bumper matches your VIN plate and your title. Your dash pads are all missing. The exhaust routing is the suck. Just a guess, but your bezel is upside down. Welcome. :flipoff:

I'm not convinced that is a D60. It would be kinda strange to have a six lug D60 and for it to be that narrow it would have to be very custom.

I've a venezuelan 1984 FJ40 and down there came from toyota of venezuela with 6 lugs 4.11 dana 60 (made by Danaven). I think it could be a south american rig.

 

[Levi Ely]

Hmm. Now I'm really confused about the origin of this thing. Is there a way to tell where it was built by the vin?

 

[Godwin]

Ok. So it's most likely not a Japan export. Where would my vin plate be? The frame matches the title. I was looking for the plate when I bought it.

I had it appraised and that Is what I was told by him. I grabbed a few photos from the pdf from the appraiser.

View attachment 933025

Thanks for your help and expertise.

In the first pic appears that the front driveshaft is missing. Has that been corrected?

 

[kruisinkid]

i think i figured it out. its a south american frame and axles, north american or canadian body. i looked up known SA dashs and no they dont have the lower dash pad holes. that and the very stock looking heater leads me to believe its a North american body dropped on an SA frame and axles.

it may be a 74 frame and 77 body. the question is, do all the vin numbers match on it? there is the VIN on the front right frame horn and the plate on the left A pillar, if its even still there

 

[Levi Ely]

i think i figured it out. its a south american frame and axles, north american or canadian body. i looked up known SA dashs and no they dont have the lower dash pad holes. that and the very stock looking heater leads me to believe its a North american body dropped on an SA frame and axles.

it may be a 74 frame and 77 body. the question is, do all the vin numbers match on it? there is the VIN on the front right frame horn and the plate on the left A pillar, if its even still there

That would make sense, since he was able to Title it as a '74. I will search for the vin plate.

 

[brian]

i would take a magnet to the body and make sure that thing is not packed full of plastic, that thing is a mismatched pile of parts.

 

[Levi Ely]

i would take a magnet to the body and make sure that thing is not packed full of plastic, that thing is a mismatched pile of parts.

I will do that. I know, I bought it from across California and I live in Ohio. I decided to not go see it, but I don't know if I would have been able to notice everything in that time. Oh well, still got a good deal regardless. It runs strong, most things do what they are supposed to. But some of it is done very poorly.

 

[kling-on]

I bet the rear D60 was installed due the V8 swap since it's centered not offset like other cruiser axles ...non rear vent hard top and thicker door would make it a 75 or 76 and both "could" have factory front drum brakes as well ... Plus as stated it could be built out of many trucks. My first 78 EVERY bolt on part on came from a different truck... Hell they were all different colors too LoL

Very nice looking truck BTW

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Nice truck, congratulations.

Quite likely a Venezuelan rig. Dana axles are common on Venezuelan Land Cruisers.

Or maybe the PO swapped axles.




Juan

 

[Levi Ely]

Hello,

Nice truck, congratulations.

Quite likely a Venezuelan rig. Dana axles are common on Venezuelan Land Cruisers.

Or maybe the PO swapped axles.

Juan

How do you tell if it's original to the vehicle or not?