Acquiring a 1995/96 Omani Model 75 Troopy - have I gone mad? (1 Viewer)

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I should at at this point that in addition to looking for a 16" rim for the spare tire on the pickup, I also was hoping to find the aircon / heater / fan boxes for the troopy, which I had stripped of its arcon to put it into the diesel pickup. I've been looking for several months now and even bought a set of boxes that I was told would work, but they didn't. So I always keep an eye out for a set to go back in the troopy. I -may- have finally gotten lucky with this poor old rust bucket:
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It's hard to see it in the photo but this thing is so rusty that the entire front of the hood is jagged rusty metal, but it is a 1997 and my troopy is a 1995/1996 so I'm hoping it will fit. I need to spend some time with ToyoDIY and see. Does anyone happen to know when the 70 series transitioned--this has 6 bolt rims so that also was encouraging.

Its pretty darned rusty under there but I'm hopeful that does not mean the components inside the cab are rusty too.
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Wow! it even has a heater!
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That's if for now. I'm going to check the part numbers, but crossed-fingers I can get what I need from this truck

Man! If you can find an extra control panel like that, snag it for me!

You found a place in Musaffah I never even knew existed... sheesh. You're making me want to move back to Abu Dhabi. Ha!
 
I'm not an expert John but I think parts of the drive train (e.g. engine?) changed in either 1999 or 2000 and the body went to wide nose around 2006. The 97 should be more or less identical to a 95 or 96. The A/C controls are identical to my 94.
Thank you WDE. Later today I'm going to put both VINs on ToyoDIY on two screens side by side and check. But I'm optimistic. It certainly looked the same as the dashes in the 95/96 troopy and the 91 pickup.
 
Man! If you can find an extra control panel like that, snag it for me!

You found a place in Musaffah I never even knew existed... sheesh. You're making me want to move back to Abu Dhabi. Ha!
I will certainly do that, Honger. I am ending up with a bunch of extra parts that ended up not working for me. Including the dash controls for the 3 inside boxes that I could not use. I will finish up the projects and see where I am.
 
Hooray!
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I'm headed back to Virginia for a couple of weeks. While I am gone I think the guys might get started on the Troopy again, starting with the aircon and new wheels and tires. The same fellow who sold me the mechanical winch and bumper and OEM bull bar for the pickup walked me over and showed me some really nice alloys on a bare frame of a more modern LC. The frame looked new as did the rims but I can't quite figure out what variety of LC the wheels came off of. Here are a couple of photos:
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I really, really like these rims. They are going to look great on the white troopy. Anyone know what they might have been off of? I've already bought them; I think they may be delivered to the garage already. Won't be the first (or the last) time I buy something in the hopes it will work. The rims (and old tires) were 1600 AED for the 5, or 435 USD, delivered.
 
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I should hasten to add that the rims are getting new rubber. Really nice 2019 Dunlops I bought a couple of weeks ago.
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Pile-o-tires fresh off model 79's being stripped down for conversion here to light armoured vehicles. Bunches of certain parts are in the market here because of it.

These tires are brand new, never used truck tires:
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These are 225/95R16's. Which are quite tall and narrow, which is what I wanted for the troopy. I prefer the rocks to the sand, and the poor old troopy's engine was buzzing pretty good at normal highway speeds, and these taller tires should help at almost 33 inches.
 
I'm headed back to Virginia for a couple of weeks. While I am gone I think the guys might get started on the Troopy again, starting with the aircon and new wheels and tires. The same fellow who sold me the mechanical winch and bumper and OEM bull bar for the pickup walked me over and showed me some really nice alloys on a bare frame of a more modern LC. The frame looked new as did the rims but I can't quite figure out what variety of LC the wheels came off of. Here are a couple of photos:
View attachment 2227904
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I really, really like these rims. They are going to look great on the white troopy. Anyone know what they might have been off of? I've already bought them; I think they may be delivered to the garage already. Won't be the first (or the last) time I buy something in the hopes it will work. The rims (and old tires) were 1600 AED for the 5, or 435 USD, delivered.
Those are bradley V wheels by 4x4 engineering in Japan! Very popular here!
 
Those are bradley V wheels by 4x4 engineering in Japan! Very popular here!
Hi Blomdala, thank you for pointing me at the Bradley V:
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I had not been aware of their existence. The seller, whose yard has lots of old land cruisers, told me it was off of a 70 series, and I knew it was not off a 100 because it was 6 bolt, rather than 5 (I only need to make that particular mistake once as mentioned in my thread about the 91 diesel pickup). But the ones I bought have the valve stem coming straight up and the spokes are a little rounder. So I was scratching my head a bit about this. Spent some time on on 4x4 Engineering's website and saw that they have quite a wide variety in this style, including a few in broader width that have the valve stem coming straight up.
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Googling the Bradley V brought me back to an ad on mud wherein I read: "Must be what SCS copied. Never knew!" Googled that and indeed SCS makes a very similar wheel, but it has its logo etched prominently on one spoke.

I know the wheels I bought are relatively narrow. I'm thinking that they must be from an older iteration. And in fact I found an ad in Singapore for a used set in 16x6.5 with the valve stem coming straight up.
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I'm pretty sure you are right Blomdala. I will ask the guys at the garage to take a photo of the markings on the back side and post that. On the assumption that these are Bradley V's, I'm even more pleased that my friend who owns the salvage yard up in Sharjah where I bought them suggested I consider them. At this point we have done enought repeat business that I trust what he tells me--and he said the bare frame I saw them on was a recent 70 series, so I was confident they will work. And from what I've now read about the Bradley V's they are going to be more than tough enough for my troopy.
 
These are 225/95R16's


Are you sure they are not 235/85/16? These give you almost exactly 32"

I would actually caution against these types of tyres whatever the size. Ive used the Dunlop and their Bridgstone equivalent as well as some Roadstones from Korea and some horrible things from Indonesia. I would never use any of them again for city or country driving.
Ok , they are cheap, its a good price for a full set of tyres.
 
Hi Blomdala, thank you for pointing me at the Bradley V:
View attachment 2228440
I had not been aware of their existence. The seller, whose yard has lots of old land cruisers, told me it was off of a 70 series, and I knew it was not off a 100 because it was 6 bolt, rather than 5 (I only need to make that particular mistake once as mentioned in my thread about the 91 diesel pickup). But the ones I bought have the valve stem coming straight up and the spokes are a little rounder. So I was scratching my head a bit about this. Spent some time on on 4x4 Engineering's website and saw that they have quite a wide variety in this style, including a few in broader width that have the valve stem coming straight up.
View attachment 2228467
Googling the Bradley V brought me back to an ad on mud wherein I read: "Must be what SCS copied. Never knew!" Googled that and indeed SCS makes a very similar wheel, but it has its logo etched prominently on one spoke.

I know the wheels I bought are relatively narrow. I'm thinking that they must be from an older iteration. And in fact I found an ad in Singapore for a used set in 16x6.5 with the valve stem coming straight up.
View attachment 2228479
View attachment 2228483
I'm pretty sure you are right Blomdala. I will ask the guys at the garage to take a photo of the markings on the back side and post that. On the assumption that these are Bradley V's, I'm even more pleased that my friend who owns the salvage yard up in Sharjah where I bought them suggested I consider them. At this point we have done enought repeat business that I trust what he tells me--and he said the bare frame I saw them on was a recent 70 series, so I was confident they will work. And from what I've now read about the Bradley V's they are going to be more than tough enough for my troopy.

Awesome research! I hadn't noticed that... Unique valve stem location! The trucks out here also seem to like these strange sort of inverted valve stems so its not as noticeable. But those are definitely my favorite looking wheel and just about every 70 in japan with after market wheels has those on it! If nothing else, at that price you can change your mind in the states later and easily fund your next wheels!
 
Are you sure they are not 235/85/16? These give you almost exactly 32"

I would actually caution against these types of tyres whatever the size. Ive used the Dunlop and their Bridgstone equivalent as well as some Roadstones from Korea and some horrible things from Indonesia. I would never use any of them again for city or country driving.
Ok , they are cheap, its a good price for a full set of tyres.
Hi Roscoe, they are 225/95's. Here the photo:
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I would be interested to know your experiences that lead you to your views on this style tire.
 
Are you sure they are not 235/85/16? These give you almost exactly 32"

I would actually caution against these types of tyres whatever the size. Ive used the Dunlop and their Bridgstone equivalent as well as some Roadstones from Korea and some horrible things from Indonesia. I would never use any of them again for city or country driving.
Ok , they are cheap, its a good price for a full set of tyres.

In Saudi they sell the Dunlop SP Qualifier made in China or Japan. The ones from Japan are much more expensive. I have Japan ones on my FZJ75. They are definitely an industrial type tire and probably not great for mud or sand but they seem to be on the majority of 70 series here. They ride great on the road and do OK in the sand aired down to around 1.1 bar or so (17 psi +/-). Probably not the tire I would chose if I spent all my time in the desert but the Bedouins that do seem to all have them.
 
I would be interested to know your experiences that lead you to your views on this style tire.


I havent had a tyre in that exact size. But the other OEM tyres do not ride nice on the road, and they are mediocre off road. They are just cheaper.
If you go from them to a quality A/T , it is night and day. The softer tread smooths out the bumps before the suspension has to do anything.
Some studies in Australia indicate the 7* OEM tyres cause driver fatigue. You just feel like you have to use a little more concentration on long drives.
Off road the tread lets them down and deflation doesnt work as well as it does with a quality A/T. They will get you there, but there is always more wheel spin.
One tyre is designed as a fleet tyre for a load carrying vehicle, the other is designed for ride quality and safety because the owner will be driving it..
Its up to you what you want out of vehicle, but for me the 7* series needs a ride and handling upgrade.
If you buy a top of the range 7* series, you get a good A/T.

I kept my old OEM tyres as spares and trailer tyres.
 
I havent had a tyre in that exact size. But the other OEM tyres do not ride nice on the road, and they are mediocre off road. They are just cheaper.
If you go from them to a quality A/T , it is night and day. The softer tread smooths out the bumps before the suspension has to do anything.
Some studies in Australia indicate the 7* OEM tyres cause driver fatigue. You just feel like you have to use a little more concentration on long drives.
Off road the tread lets them down and deflation doesnt work as well as it does with a quality A/T. They will get you there, but there is always more wheel spin.
One tyre is designed as a fleet tyre for a load carrying vehicle, the other is designed for ride quality and safety because the owner will be driving it..
Its up to you what you want out of vehicle, but for me the 7* series needs a ride and handling upgrade.
If you buy a top of the range 7* series, you get a good A/T.

I kept my old OEM tyres as spares and trailer tyres.

I completely agree with everything stated here. Those tires are common because the trucks are sold as commercial vehicles over there... and people are too lazy to change them out. They look the part, but it’s like riding on rocks. They don’t ride great on the road... change them out for a passenger rated tire and you’ll be blown away how much smoother the ride is.
 
I'm headed back to Virginia for a couple of weeks. While I am gone I think the guys might get started on the Troopy again, starting with the aircon and new wheels and tires. The same fellow who sold me the mechanical winch and bumper and OEM bull bar for the pickup walked me over and showed me some really nice alloys on a bare frame of a more modern LC. The frame looked new as did the rims but I can't quite figure out what variety of LC the wheels came off of. Here are a couple of photos:


I really, really like these rims. They are going to look great on the white troopy. Anyone know what they might have been off of? I've already bought them; I think they may be delivered to the garage already. Won't be the first (or the last) time I buy something in the hopes it will work. The rims (and old tires) were 1600 AED for the 5, or 435 USD, delivered.

Hello,

I have seen some 90 Series Prados with these wheels fitted from the dealer. They should fit well in the Troopy.

It is worth checking the offset, though.





Juan
 
Reviving this thread with some relatively fresh photos (of which there are never enough, am I right?!) of @John Young's Troopy from when I was in Dubai in early December. Unfortunately, I couldn't drive the Troopy, because the shop owners didn't have the battery charged, and apparently the carburetor is bad. The rear door was open so I could poke around without the staff even having to let me in :D
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Thanks Janyyc. Yes, it is time to get after the troopy again. I desire is to turn this into into sort of a desert camper. Other projects have just gotten in the way...
 

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