Builds The "Red Rocket" Troopy (8 Viewers)

[ceylonfj40nut]

I'm the only troopy I've seen on here with a semi float instead of a full floater, guess I got the base of the base models lol, nonetheless a troopy is a troopy.

If it’s any consolation, my son is rebuilding Old Landy. 1978 HJ45. PO drove it from South Africa to Switzerland through treacherous terrain/ deserts. Then shipped it to Maryland and drove through US to Alaska. It’s in a barn in TX getting prepped for its next life. It’s a semi float. Nothing wrong with that. Lot of hype around FF. I get it.

 

[theglobb]

If it’s any consolation, my son is rebuilding Old Landy. 1978 HJ45. PO drove it from South Africa to Switzerland through treacherous terrain/ deserts. Then shipped it to Maryland and drove through US to Alaska. It’s in a barn in TX getting prepped for its next life. It’s a semi float. Nothing wrong with that. Lot of hype around FF. I get it.

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Oops, meant troopy as in 70 series troopy, totally blanked on the 40s for a while haha. That rig is sweet, real sweet, love it. As for semi-floats I don't care much about it either, it made the whole rear end rebuild much easier. Just interesting that I haven't seen any other 70 series troopys with semis. If anyone has seen another on here, please share!

 

[Nikofzj80]

Well, the good news is we got the brakes braking again and the roof rack installed so of course, I had to take it out on the beach. The bad news is the cross country road trip has been delayed for next summer due to COVID, we don't want to put ourselves or others at risk as well as the very likely possibility that we get out to Arches, Canyonlands, (insert any other national park), and they are closed, due to covid. It's a shame but there's always next year. Anyways now onto the eye candy with the roof rack...

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Love your Troopy! currently about to start a build on a 1985 BJ75 with more than 600.00 km!
What tire size are u running?
Cheers!

 

[theglobb]

Exams are over, and I'm back in town, albeit with mono. It's great to be back at the beach, even if it is much colder than when I was last here, this month is gonna be a great one for hanging out with my friends, offroading, and just doing all the stupid stuff we would do during the hardcore quarantine times. And I'll finally have time to update the cross country thread more!! Slowly recovering from mono and not being able to even get out of bed so I should be able to start working on cars again. Regardless here's a few pics.

Also thought I had tracked down some bench seats that a professor at my college got out of an HJ75, I really like the idea of a bench seat upfront and getting it back kinda original seats. He just wanted to trade for the seats I have in the troopy currently. PLUS what are the odds that someone 5 minutes away just so happens to have a set of seats, well the problem... RHD thus it won't work, even if I wanted to reverse the seating position then I wouldn't be able to use the handbrake. SOooooooo if anyone has a lead on LHD bench seats let me know I guess.

 

[Honger]

Exams are over, and I'm back in town, albeit with mono. It's great to be back at the beach, even if it is much colder than when I was last here, this month is gonna be a great one for hanging out with my friends, offroading, and just doing all the stupid stuff we would do during the hardcore quarantine times. And I'll finally have time to update the cross country thread more!! Slowly recovering from mono and not being able to even get out of bed so I should be able to start working on cars again. Regardless here's a few pics.

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Also thought I had tracked down some bench seats that a professor at my college got out of an HJ75, I really like the idea of a bench seat upfront and getting it back kinda original seats. He just wanted to trade for the seats I have in the troopy currently. PLUS what are the odds that someone 5 minutes away just so happens to have a set of seats, well the problem... RHD thus it won't work, even if I wanted to reverse the seating position then I wouldn't be able to use the handbrake. SOooooooo if anyone has a lead on LHD bench seats let me know I guess.
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I have LHD bench seats I'm removing... right bench is already removed.
However, I've removed the mounting feet from them.

They are free to you... but not sure it makes sense in terms of shipping.

 

[FJBen]

I have LHD bench seats I'm removing... right bench is already removed.
However, I've removed the mounting feet from them.

They are free to you... but not sure it makes sense in terms of shipping.

ROADTRIP!

 

[gilmorneau]

BTW , you can probably swap the brackets from the Australian one if the free seat from @Honger comes without them.

 

[Honger]

ROADTRIP!

He was pretty close to me this past summer...

I'm happy to palletize them if you want to try something like Uship.
It may also be worth checking with cruiserparts.net; they may have a takeoff bench seat in LHD.

 

[MoaByte]

Bench seat? Absolutely That troopy is lucky to have found you. That's what they are for. Thanks for sharing.

 

[theglobb]

Love your Troopy! currently about to start a build on a 1985 BJ75 with more than 600.00 km!
What tire size are u running?
Cheers!

Thank you!!! sorry about the late reply, 235/80 R17

I have LHD bench seats I'm removing... right bench is already removed.
However, I've removed the mounting feet from them.

They are free to you... but not sure it makes sense in terms of shipping.

Thank you I'd love them if the price fits for shipping and all. I'll send u a PM

Bench seat? Absolutely That troopy is lucky to have found you. That's what they are for. Thanks for sharing.

Exactly, I haul so many people around in the red rocket, might as well add yet another seat to it, I just love bench seats

 

[theglobb]

Radiator is out, going to a shop to add another core to it and all that fancy stuff. Peep'd at the turbo again, one of the most effective uses of $50 in my lifetime. It's been over 15,000 miles and doesn't have any more noticeable play in the shaft, figured it would have grenaded itself by now.

There is a crazy amount of room under the hood without the radiator and fan shroud. wow

Also figured I'd show the most amount of flex the troopy will ever have. Quite a bit

 

[theglobb]

Nothing like putting 11 Christmas trees on the top of your troopy, 7people inside, and hauling all of the cargo to the middle of a sand field to burn them for new years. My top speed on the highway was limited to 50mph in 4th gear due to all the drag the trees created, wouldn't go any bit faster haha

Also went for a beach cruise with @Shyrock and @LuckyDevil after Christmas day, it was great.

 

[LuckyDevil]

That was great! My first time with the BJ74 on the beach! Definitely not the last!!!! Thanks!

 

[theglobb]

As from more of a mechanical standpoint, the radiator shop kinda flaked on me, after finding out how expensive it is to recore a radiator I opted for them just to clean it out and pressure tested, they said they would get to it at the end of the day, didn't call me for 2 days, then I called and they said they would get to it at the end of that day, then the end of the next day, and FINALLY at the end of the next day they call me and say they are going on break until January 3rd, leaving me without a radiator for 2 weeks. Just something that happens in the car industry, just a bit annoying cause I had it planned to take it in 2 weeks in advance and they kept promising stuff that never happened. Regardless, I spent 2 hours using an icepick to straighten out crushed fins it had and put it back in, not a total lost cause. I also ended up cleaning out the nasty engine bay.

 

[theglobb]

I'm back up at college now, not too excited to be put back to schoolwork but I'm here and might as well enjoy it. Got up here after a decent snow, pretty beautiful, the red of the troopy pops pretty amazingly in the snow. Here are some pics. I've fluid filmed a lot of the underbody, hopefully should keep a bit of salt off.

A buddy of mine up here sold his 4runner and bought a 90 series Prado, 1kzte with an intercooler, looks like a mix of an 80 and 100 series. Neat little rig, we went wheeling the other day and all went well.

 

[djsolution]

Looks like a fun trip! Man I almost pulled the trigger on that Prado, if it’s the same one that came from Japanese Classics in Richmond (99% sure). Very nice rig.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

I'm back up at college now, not too excited to be put back to schoolwork but I'm here and might as well enjoy it. Got up here after a decent snow, pretty beautiful, the red of the troopy pops pretty amazingly in the snow. Here are some pics. I've fluid filmed a lot of the underbody, hopefully should keep a bit of salt off.
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A buddy of mine up here sold his 4runner and bought a 90 series Prado, 1kzte with an intercooler, looks like a mix of an 80 and 100 series. Neat little rig, we went wheeling the other day and all went well.
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I almost went for a prado 90 with a 1kzte too! (also at Japanese classics) I actually had already test driven the vehicle. I almost wish I had bought it. I ended up with the kzj78 only because I am not the biggest fan of that generation of Toyota front suspension. I have had both a first gen tacoma, 3rd gen 4runner, a 1st gen 4runner with an independent front suspension (not the same front independent suspension I know), a 1st gen 4runner with a solid axle in the front and an fj80 land cruiser. By far the solid front axle Toyotas hold up better to beach driving and the road conditions here on the outer banks. Both my tacoma and 3rd gen 4runner had very scary premature low-ball joint failures. and the ball joints had been replaced on both vehicles with Toyota parts. Lucky I was not driving fast for either failures. admittedly I had a lift on the tacoma and the stress on the suspension is probably the culprit of the failure. The 3rd gen 4runner was bone stock. if you are unfamiliar with this failure just google it. I think its one of the Achilles heals of this generation of Toyota. Also In saying all this Not trying to bash the prado 90 I am jealous of it! I love all Toyota 4x4s I just like starting conversation.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

I'm back up at college now, not too excited to be put back to schoolwork but I'm here and might as well enjoy it. Got up here after a decent snow, pretty beautiful, the red of the troopy pops pretty amazingly in the snow. Here are some pics. I've fluid filmed a lot of the underbody, hopefully should keep a bit of salt off.
View attachment 2890598View attachment 2890599View attachment 2890597

A buddy of mine up here sold his 4runner and bought a 90 series Prado, 1kzte with an intercooler, looks like a mix of an 80 and 100 series. Neat little rig, we went wheeling the other day and all went well.
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Where are you in College? ASU? I did a few years at Gardner Webb University and would go out to the mountains a lot for white water Kayaking!

 

[theglobb]

Big snow up here in Boone, like 18 inches of it. Being from the beach I've never experienced snow like this before or driving in it. The troopy is now a DRIFT MACHINE in 2WD, in 4-Hi it just drives through anything. Not excited for the snow to melt and freeze, thus causing ice, so I won't be driving much whenever the roads may be icy. This weekend alone I've driven 300 miles with the hubs locked and pulled well over 20 people out of the snow, ditches, parking lots, and just about anything else. Even when it was 8 degrees out after sitting overnight the troopy started just fine with 1 cycle of the glow plugs, a bit of white smoke and nothing else. Spent a bunch of time towing what felt like half the campus, including my RA, around on floaties behind the troopy. Enjoy the snow pics and vids below.

Looks like a fun trip! Man I almost pulled the trigger on that Prado, if it’s the same one that came from Japanese Classics in Richmond (99% sure). Very nice rig.

Yep! Definitely the same rig, small world.

I almost went for a prado 90 with a 1kzte too! (also at Japanese classics) I actually had already test driven the vehicle. I almost wish I had bought it. I ended up with the kzj78 only because I am not the biggest fan of that generation of Toyota front suspension. I have had both a first gen tacoma, 3rd gen 4runner, a 1st gen 4runner with an independent front suspension (not the same front independent suspension I know), a 1st gen 4runner with a solid axle in the front and an fj80 land cruiser. By far the solid front axle Toyotas hold up better to beach driving and the road conditions here on the outer banks. Both my tacoma and 3rd gen 4runner had very scary premature low-ball joint failures. and the ball joints had been replaced on both vehicles with Toyota parts. Lucky I was not driving fast for either failures. admittedly I had a lift on the tacoma and the stress on the suspension is probably the culprit of the failure. The 3rd gen 4runner was bone stock. if you are unfamiliar with this failure just google it. I think its one of the Achilles heals of this generation of Toyota. Also In saying all this Not trying to bash the prado 90 I am jealous of it! I love all Toyota 4x4s I just like starting conversation.

100% agree, my buddy hates the IFS on his 1987 1st gen 4runnner. He will be solid axle swapping it once he finishes putting a 1JZ into it. I've driven it offroad a few times and the IFS just performs pretty horribly, then again it is 30 years old, then again the troopy is also 30 years old and the solid axle setup feels much better and stronger.

Where are you in College? ASU? I did a few years at Gardner Webb University and would go out to the mountains a lot for white water Kayaking!

Yep, ASU. Love the environment up here as well as a good group of people I've met. The troopy is perfect for hauling all of us around. As you will see below, hauling around all 17 of us.

 

[onemanarmy]

Awesome!

Ha...17! No one else wanted to drive?